News
FG Pledges to Provide Free Internet Access for Citizens
Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications, says the federal government will ensure free access to the internet in public places across Nigeria.
Mr Shittu said this on Tuesday in Abuja at a one-day stakeholders workshop on the role of the Public Internet Access for Economic Development.
“We are trying to ensure the vision of free Wi-Fi all over, particularly in public spaces, at the airport, schools and all that,” Mr Shittu said on Tuesday.
Mr. Shittu said the government had been trying to ensure that internet accessibility is made available not just for privileged Nigerians but everyone.
“The Federal Ministry of Communication will ensure the privacy of beneficiaries of the free internet services is protected,” he said.
He said for this to be a reality, more investments are needed because the government alone cannot handle the financial responsibilities involved.
Mr. Shittu listed some of the challenges faced by the government in providing free internet services to include high cost of access, low broadband penetration, poor internet infrastructure, and poor enabling environment.
“The solutions to these challenges are beyond government’s intervention,” he said.
“In order to bridge the existing digital divide and encourage more Nigerians to participate in the global digital economy, private organisations and international partners are encouraged to support the government in different strategic ways.
“One of the models being adopted recently is the provision of free internet access by Public Internet Access Providers (PIAPs) in strategic locations to help more Nigerians connect to the internet in pursuit of social and developmental objectives for a return on investment (ROI) through advertisement or other means.
“This is expected to fuel some changes especially in creating jobs and help local SMEs compete with global brands.”
Last year, The Punch newspaper reported that Google Nigeria announced its plans to reach more than 10 million Nigerians with free Internet access in five cities.
According to the global content provider, the Wi-Fi will be available in 200 Google stations in Lagos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Abuja by 2019.
The communications minister noted that the security of users is very important to the government even though it is an unregulated medium.
“However, it is an unregulated medium, and users should be aware of this. The security of the user both personally and in the transmission of information is of paramount importance to the government,” he said.
According to him, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as the National IT regulator, came up with the Framework and Guidelines on the provision and use of Public Internet Access in Nigeria.
NITDA issued the framework and guidelines for Public Internet Access (PIA) in 2018.
Also speaking at the workshop, the Managing Director of Backbone Community Network (BCN), Ibrahim Dikko, said the resolution of providing free internet is to transform the economy in Nigeria.
He said the organisation was partnering with Google to ensure that high-quality access is given to people in Nigeria.
“The key thing is to provide high-quality access to people in public places,” he said
“We have five sites in Abuja, we plan to have 64 sites in Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, and we are looking forward to spreading it across the North,” he said.
On her part, the Public Policy and Government Relations Officer for Google, Titi Akinsanmi, said it is a possibility that Nigerians enjoy free internet access across the country.
She said Google is committed to providing free access to the country but not working with the local system.
“We will bring our expertise that can translate to success when we work with existing record partners, we are getting closer to getting it done,” she said.
She emphasised the safety of online users as a pronouncement was made last year.
“We had a partnership with Nigerian Educational Research Council, there will be an online safety curriculum to all secondary schools in Nigeria,” she said.
“We have signed an agreement with the board for online curriculum, it will be implemented on 30th September 2019,” Ms Akinsanmi said.
She also said the platform will be compliant with the existing local laws.
“We are working with existing local laws and constitution,” she said.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is pleased to announce the inaugural meeting of the Startup Consultative Forum, scheduled for Monday April 28, 2025 This milestone event marks a significant step in deepening stakeholder engagement within Nigeria’s growing startup ecosystem.
The Forum will serve as an interactive platform for startup founders, innovators, ecosystem enablers, and intermediaries to actively shape national policies that foster growth, attract investment, and drive digital innovation.
Convened under the framework of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA), this initiative reflects the government’s commitment to making startups not just stakeholders but key contributors in building an enabling environment for innovation.
The meeting will emphasize collaborative dialogue, with a primary focus on nominating and selecting representatives for the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Startup Council)—Nigeria’s highest advisory body for the startup ecosystem. Decisions from this Forum will lay the foundation for inclusive policy development, amplifying the voices of Nigeria’s tech and innovation community.
NITDA invites all Labelled Startups, Verified Entrepreneurial and Innovation Support Organisations, Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, and other relevant stakeholders to join the Forum and actively participate in the nomination and voting process.
Join us in shaping the future of digital innovation in Nigeria. Together, we can build a thriving ecosystem that supports and celebrates the pioneering spirit of Nigerian startups.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised downward its economic growth forecast for Nigeria in 2025 to 3.0%, a 0.2 percentage point cut from its earlier projection of 3.2%.
The downgrade is attributed to a decline in global crude oil prices, which remain a significant driver of Nigeria’s economy.
The updated figures were published in the IMF’s April 2025 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, released in Washington, DC, during the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank.
The report outlines global and regional economic trends, highlighting continued vulnerability among oil-dependent economies.
According to the IMF, growth across sub-Saharan Africa is also expected to experience a modest decline, with projections falling from 4.0% in 2024 to 3.8% in 2025. However, a slight recovery is anticipated in 2026, with growth forecasted at 4.2%.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, was singled out in the report as among the major economies affected by falling oil prices. The IMF noted that the country’s 2026 growth forecast has also been revised downward by 0.3 percentage points.
The IMF further reported similar economic challenges in other African countries. In South Africa, growth projections were adjusted downward by 0.5 percentage point for 2025 and 0.3 percentage point for 2026.
These revisions reflect weakening economic momentum following a lacklustre 2024, growing uncertainty, a rise in protectionist economic policies, and the impact of a broader global slowdown.
In a more severe adjustment, the IMF slashed South Sudan’s 2025 economic growth forecast by a staggering 31.5 percentage points.
The sharp decline is linked to delays in the resumption of oil production after a major pipeline sustained damage, significantly impacting the country’s revenue and export capacity.
The IMF’s outlook underscores the fragility of economies heavily reliant on natural resources and the ongoing risks posed by global market volatility.
Crime syndicates have made billions scamming victims in Asia and are now expanding their operations to Africa, Europe, South America and further, according to a United Nations report on Monday.
The UN said Chinese and Southeast Asian gangs were targeting victims through investment, cryptocurrency, romance and other scams.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), cyberscams are now a sophisticated global industry, featuring sprawling compounds housing tens of thousands of mostly trafficked workers who are forced to con other people online.
“It spreads like a cancer,” said Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC Acting Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific said. “Authorities treat it in one area, but the roots never disappear; they simply migrate.”
While the activity had largely been focused on the border areas in Myanmar, a country torn by civil war, and dubious “special economic zones” set up in Cambodia and Laos, UNODC reported networks are expanding their operations to South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and some Pacific islands.
“This reflects both a natural expansion as the industry grows and seeks new ways and places to do business, but also a hedging against future risks should disruption continue and intensify in Southeast Asia,” Hofmann added.
Countries in east and southeast Asia lost an estimated $37 billion (€32.5 billion) to cyber fraud in 2023, while the United States reported more than $5.6 billion (€4.9 billion) in losses the UNODC report said.
There were also raids in Cambodia, but they prompted the crime syndicates to move to “more remote locations” and border areas.
Cambodian government spokesman Pen Bona said the country is among the victims of the cyberfraud industry and is committed to fighting it.
According to Bona, the government has established an ad-hoc commission chaired by Prime Minister Hun Manet which seeks to boost law enforcement and legal tools while working with international partners and the UN.
UNODC urged the international community to act, saying it was at a “critical inflection point.”
According to the UN, staying aside would have “unprecedented consequences for Southeast Asia that reverberate globally.”
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