In a resounding commitment to bridging gender digital divide, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA), has taken a decisive step toward closing the gender digital divide by presenting the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS) at the United Nations 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69). Themed “Digital Harmony: Advancing Gender Inclusion by Empowering Women and Children for a Secure Digital Future,” the high-level event reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to fostering equitable access to digital technology, online safety, and economic empowerment for women and children.

L-R: Esther Eghobamien-Mshelis – President of UN CEDAW, ⁠Iklima Musa – Special Assistant to the Director General of NITDA, ⁠Noimot Salako – Deputy Governor Ogun state, ⁠Maryam Ciroma – former minster of women affairs, ⁠Imaan Sulaiman- Minister of Women Affairs, ⁠Josephine Anenih – former Minister of women affairs and ⁠Dr Maryam Keshinro – Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Women Affairs at the United Nations 69th Session.

Speaking at the event, Iklima Musa Salihu, Special Assistant to the Director General on Strategic Partnerships, presented the strategy, emphasizing NITDA’s role in driving digital transformation and creating opportunities for women and girls to actively participate in the digital economy.

The NGDIS, developed in alignment with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 and 8, seeks to remove barriers to digital inclusion by expanding access to digital skills training, infrastructure, and mentorship opportunities for women and girls.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of NITDA as represented by the SA, in his special remarks reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s digital transformation is inclusive and equitable, highlighting NGDIS as a game-changer in achieving gender parity in the digital space.

He noted that the framework prioritizes digital literacy, entrepreneurship, safety, and gender-responsive policies to accelerate women’s participation in Nigeria’s growing digital economy.

The NGDIS is built on five core pillars that will drive women’s access, participation, and leadership in the digital ecosystem. It seeks to expand digital literacy and skills by ensuring at least 40% female participation in all national training initiatives.

Recognizing the role of women in Nigeria’s innovation and entrepreneurship landscape, the strategy emphasizes access to funding, mentorship, and technical assistance for female-led startups, leveraging the Nigeria Startup Act to increase financial and institutional support for women in the tech ecosystem. With 58% of young women globally experiencing online harassment, the NGDIS prioritizes online safety and cybersecurity awareness.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Women Affairs, Honourable Imaan Sulaiman, FSI, underscored the urgent need for action in tackling gender disparities in digital access.

She revealed alarming statistics that demonstrate the stark reality of the digital divide in Nigeria, highlighting that 68% of Nigerian women do not own smartphones, making it difficult for them to access online services and economic opportunities.

She stressed that this divide extends beyond access, as women and children face significant online risks, including cyber harassment, digital gender-based violence, and exclusion from the rapidly growing tech-driven economy.

She called for the swift implementation of the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS) 2024-2027, which seeks to remove the structural barriers that prevent women from fully engaging in the digital economy.

She emphasized the need for strong legal frameworks that would accelerate action in promoting digital literacy, providing safe online spaces, and empowering women to thrive in technology-driven industries.

She reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is committed to creating an inclusive digital future where no woman or child is left behind.

She urged all stakeholders to work together to transform digital access and security for women and children, making technology a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

As the world embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution, NITDA in collaboration with stakeholders is taking bold and strategic steps to ensure that women and girls are not only participants but also leaders in the digital transformation journey.

The National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy is a blueprint for action, providing a clear framework for accelerating digital inclusion, fostering entrepreneurship, and strengthening online safety for Nigerian women and children.

Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) has unveiled plans to deploy 1,000 base transceiver stations (BTS) across rural communities in Nigeria by 2030.

The initiative, in collaboration with development partners, aims to bridge the digital divide and foster socio-economic growth in underserved areas.

Base transceiver stations are essential components of cellular networks, enabling wireless communication between user devices and network infrastructure.

By expanding this infrastructure, the USPF seeks to enhance telecommunications access, supporting vital sectors such as education, healthcare, and commerce.

The move aligns with global efforts to improve rural connectivity, with innovative solutions such as mounting BTS on wind turbines being explored in some regions to ensure cost-effective and widespread network coverage.

With this large-scale deployment, the USPF is reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal ICT access, creating opportunities for millions of people in remote areas to benefit from digital transformation and economic inclusion.

The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) is a Nigerian government initiative under the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at bridging the digital divide by expanding telecommunications and ICT services to underserved and unserved areas across the country.

Samsung has unveiled Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G, the latest Galaxy A series smartphones. For the first time, the Galaxy A series is integrating Awesome Intelligence—including Galaxy’s fan-favorite AI-powered features to reimagine creativity — while bringing enhanced durability and longevity, as well as robust security and privacy protections to provide a safe and long-lasting mobile experience.

Awesome Intelligence is the first comprehensive mobile AI exclusively available on Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G and brings users powerful, fun and easy-to-use AI tools. Powered by One UI 7, the new Awesome Intelligence features bring amazing search and visual experiences to Galaxy A series users.

“The new Galaxy A series marks an important step in our mission of AI for all, by opening Galaxy’s incredible mobile AI experiences to even more people around the world,” said Tae Sun Lee, CEO Samsung Electronics West Africa. “With these awesome new features and capabilities, we are excited to unlock limitless creativity on the Galaxy A series while ensuring a safe, reliable and fun mobile experience.”

A fan-favorite Google’s enhanced Circle to Search, makes it easier than ever to search and discover from the phone’s screen. Speaking during the unveiling in Lagos, Oge Maduagwu, Head of Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa had this to say “With the latest upgrades, users can now get even more done on their phone. Circle to Search will quickly recognize phone numbers, email addresses and URLs on the screen so users can take action with a single tap”.

She added, “With the recent enhancements to Circle to Search, users can also instantly search the songs they hear without switching apps. Whether it’s a song playing on social media from their phone or music that’s playing from speakers near them, just long press the navigation bar to activate Circle to Search, then tap the music button to effortlessly identify the song name and artist”.

The new Galaxy A series also takes the camera experience to a new level with creator-focused tools, starting with a powerful triple-camera system featuring a 50MP main lens on all devices and 10-bit HDR front lens recording on Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy A36 5G for bright and crisp selfies. Galaxy A56 5G features leading camera technology with a 12MP ultra-wide lens, while the entire Galaxy A series empowers creativity in new and exciting ways through intelligent visual editing.

Exclusively available on Galaxy A56 5G, Best Face makes it easier than ever to capture the perfect group shot by selecting and combining the best expressions or features for up to five people from a motion photo.

Whether someone blinked or looked away, Best Face ensures everyone looks their best in a single, seamless shot. The Galaxy A56 5G also brings enhancements to Nightography, with Low Noise Mode making its way to the 12MP selfie camera and additional wide camera support to capture stunning content in low-light settings.

Stephen Okwara, Head of Product Management, MX Division, Samsung Electronics West Africa, said “Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G all bring fine-refined Object Eraser, allowing users to remove unwanted distractions from photos.

“Whether it’s an unexpected passerby or a distracting shadow, users can manually or automatically select objects to erase, achieving a cleaner, more polished final image with just a few taps” He added “With these intelligent tools, users can refine and enhance their photos effortlessly, bringing a new level of creativity to every shot”

With a 5,000mAh battery included throughout the entire lineup, the new Galaxy A series is designed to keep up with users’ daily routines. Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy A36 5G support 45W charging power and Super Fast Charge 2.0 technology, delivering even faster charging for extended use.

Both models also deliver enhanced performance, as Galaxy A56 5G is powered by the Exynos 1580 chipset and Galaxy A36 5G features the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 Mobile Platform. A larger vapor chamber in both devices helps sustain performance, ensuring smooth gameplay, video playback, and effortless multitasking.

Now with up to six generations of Android OS and One UI upgrades and six years of security updates, the Galaxy A series reinforces its software longevity even more. These updates add additional support toward optimizing the device’s lifecycle, ensuring users can enjoy a smooth and reliable experience for years to come.

Beyond performance, the new Galaxy A series is built to withstand life’s unpredictable moments. For the first time, Galaxy A26 5G features an IP67 dust and water resistance rating for strong protection against the elements, matching the IP67 rating on Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A56 5G. Additionally, an advanced Corning Glass cover material adds a layer of durability against scratches and cracks.

With Samsung Knox Vault, the Galaxy A series provides an extra, fortified layer of device safety, transparency and user choice – ensuring sensitive data always stays protected. Equipped with the latest One UI 7 security and privacy features, Galaxy A series users benefit from holistic protection  — including enhancements in Theft Detection, More Security Settings and other features.