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How Digital Technology Adoption in Agric Sector will Combat Hunger – Pantami
The integration of digital technology in agricultural value chain has been identified as a major stimulus that would help the county combat the challenges of hunger that may arise as a result of increase in the world’s population which is projected to have risen to 10 billion people by 2050.
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, stated this on Tuesday in Gombe, Gombe State capital while delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the training program organised to absorb another 140 youthful farmers into the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture, (NAVSA).
NAVSA is an ecosystem driven digital platform envisioned for the transformation of the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
It is designed to help farmers and other agricultural ecosystem players navigate their journey across the agriculture value chain.
The minister explained that with the imminent increase in the population with about 2.5 billion that would be challenges of hunger adding that “any nation that fails to strategize on how to take care of itself agriculturally, then will definitely face a very huge challenge because no country export until it is satisfied.
“In less than 30 years, the world population will increase by 2.5 billion which is unprecedented and this increase will come with so many challenges and the number one challenge is going to be hunger especially in the developing nation that are still lagging behind when it comes to policies and strategies.
Citing example of how Netherlands becomes second exporter of agricultural produce in the world with its relatively small population and land mass, Dr Pantami noted that the adoption of digitization in farming would surely bring about transformation into the sector.
“The model of agriculture being practiced in Netherlands reduces the consumption of water by 90 percent, and it increases the quality of production by minimum of 500 percent. It also reduces the use of insecticide by minimum of 99 percent why because the way they deployed modern technology in agriculture.
He added that “climate change and population explosion remain two most dangerous challenges of confronting agriculture and the earlier we use technology to drive the sector the better for us.”
He said, “It is because of this and part of the federal government policy under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy came up with National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy and NITDA has been directed to champion this program on Smart Agriculture in Nigeria.
To appreciate the beauty of digital technology in agriculture, the minster reiterated that digitization is key to economic development and it is no more a luxury but a necessity. “You will appreciate that digital technology is a necessity if you look at the COVID 19 pandemic as it completely disrupted the world,” he added.
The minister who described the consistency in coming up with policies which are geared towards promoting digitization in the country as unprecedented in the history of Nigeria explained that the policies are yielding tremendous result.
“This program is one of the policies given to the parastatals to implement. Other parastatals will join in the training. Nigeria Communication Commission may probably join in 2021. They will start organising similar training because we have so many models to deploy in agriculture.
“So we do hope our teeming youths will grasp the opportunities to become entrepreneurs at the end of the training and support the economy by creating more jobs for our citizens.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director General, National Information technology Development Agency, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi maintained that the program is part of the Agency implementation to national digital economy policy for digital Nigeria.
He stated further that the innovative initiative is meant to transform agriculture business in Nigeria by making it fancy and attractive investment for the youth and increase food production as well as reduce wastage in the sector.
“In digital economy, innovation plays a huge role in creating values and prosperity. He described it as process of taking idea from inception to impact and coming up with new business model that would make businesses fanciful,” he concluded.
While making his remark, the director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi informed that with the comparative advantage Nigeria has in agriculture, the youth can make money if they venture into it more than any other sector of the economy.
“Looking at what is happening globally and how digital technology is changing the way we live, the way we work and the way we do business, we see it as a source of inspiration to look at how we can adapt and adopt these technologies in agriculture because most of us in Nigeria take agriculture as our source of income and it contribute more than any other sector to our Gross Domestic Product, GDP,” he noted.
He said the adoption of digital technology in agriculture and the NAVSA initiative would solve the problems wastage associated with the sector which are inadequate knowledge techniques to harvest foods, poor post-harvest management and lack of suitable infrastructure and market platform to sell agricultural produce.
“This initiative would provide a platform for you to share knowledge among yourselves and other stakeholders; in post-harvest management, the emerging technology will help you in preserving the produce and we would create a market platform you because the world is moving into a platform business.
“This national platform will help you to get access to all stakeholders in agriculture value chain in the country and it can provide you link to the off takers that would buy your produce,” he added.
Most of the beneficiaries expressed their appreciations to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and NITDA for the opportunities the NAVSA would avail them. They promised that they would ensure they translate the program to the aspiration of the Agency.
Dignitaries at the event include the NITDA Board Chairman, Dr Abubakar Sa’id, the Vice Chancellor, Gombe State University, Prof. Aliyu Usman El-Nafati, managing Director Galaxy Backbone. Prof M.B Abubakar and host of others.
Kashifu Inuwa, director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that the transformative potential of emerging technologies is vital in revolutionising trade and investment across Africa.
Director General of NITDA Kashifu Inuwa CCIE represented by Director of the Digital Economy Development, Engr. Salisu Kaka, presenting a cash prize of N10million to Get AI under the Regulatory Sandbox category, during the closing ceremony of the Nigeria AfCFTA Hackathon 2025 during the Science of Trade Conference in Lagos.
He said this while delivering a keynote address at the Nigeria AfCFTA Hackathon 2025, held as part of the Science of Trade Conference in Lagos State, highlighting how digital innovation can drive efficiency, inclusivity, and sustainable economic growth.
The DG who was represented by Engr. Salisu Kaka, Director of Digital Economy Development Department, stated that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the largest free trade zones globally, uniting over 1.4 billion people with a collective GDP exceeding $3 trillion.
He described the recent adoption of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol as a pivotal milestone that will break down trade barriers, streamline regulations, and open new markets for businesses of all sizes.
“Nigeria, with its population of over 200 million and strong entrepreneurial culture, is uniquely positioned to lead Africa’s digital transformation”, he said.
While pointing out the rise of e-commerce and mobile payments as game changers, Inuwa said “From Abuja, I can order products online, conduct due diligence, make payments, and receive deliveries—technology has made trade seamless.”
“This Hackathon arrives at a crucial time following the African Union’s 2024 endorsement of the Digital Trade Protocol. It aims to harmonise digital regulations and eliminate trade barriers across all 54 African nations,” he added.
Inuwa stressed that while global technological advances have reshaped commerce, many African trade systems are still burdened by outdated procedures, excessive paperwork, and logistical bottlenecks. But a shift is underway, powered by innovations such as blockchain, AI, IoT, and digital platforms, which are now central to trade operations.
He cited the success of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in leveraging technology through the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II), which automated key processes like declarations, cargo tracking, and risk assessment—leading to a 238% revenue increase between 2017 and 2023.
The Unified Customs Management System, introduced in December 2024 as a successor to NICIS II, has already generated over ₦31 billion, showcasing Nigeria’s progress in digital trade facilitation.
The Hackathon is structured around five priority areas: Youth and MSME Inclusion, E-Commerce Adoption, E-Commerce Policy and Trust, Digital Payments, and the E-Commerce Regulatory Sandbox.
These are sectors where digital tools can significantly enhance trade dynamics.
“I’m confident that the Hackathon will spark innovative, scalable solutions to boost intra-African e-commerce, streamline cross-border transactions, and empower MSMEs with digital capabilities to compete globally,” Inuwa stated.
He described the event as a springboard for innovations that will simplify payments, promote inclusion, and reinforce Nigeria’s leadership in actualising the AfCFTA digital economy framework.
In his welcome address, Dr. Olusegun Awolowo, National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office—represented by Olusegun Olutayo, Senior International Trade Policy and Law Expert, emphasised that transformation is a continuous journey.
He highlighted the continent’s focus on collaboration, innovation, and inclusive growth as essential to establishing Africa as a hub for digital trade.
Awolowo reaffirmed the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasising that it presents Africa as a unified market of over one billion people—a vast opportunity for intra-African trade, investment, and economic growth.
He stressed that realising this vision requires active participation and shared ownership.
According to him, the Hackathon is a tangible mechanism for implementing the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol—prioritising inclusion, innovation, and equitable access.
It is expected to generate actionable solutions that bridge policy and practice, accelerating Africa’s digital economy and empowering the next generation of African innovators.
The recent success of the Shanghai Motor Show is a strong indicator of the growth of the Chinese automotive sector, particularly in terms of electric cars and onboard intelligence.
Of the 90 million vehicles (cars, trucks, and buses) produced worldwide in 2024, 31.3 million were produced in China, i.e. 34% of the glob al total, according to an Inovev report.
France is also following this trend, with many consumers now opting for cars from Chinese brands such as BYD, Xpeng, Beiking and Hongqi.
Against this backdrop, Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, is drawing users’ attention to how their personal data could be used for malicious purposes. Indeed, it is inadvisable to synchronize one’s phone or any other device with a vehicle, whether their own or even more so in the case of a rental car, as the car could use its internet connectivity to make a copy of contacts and other sensitive data and upload to the Internet, long before one have the ability of deleting it when returning the rental car, for example.
A modern vehicle is packed with computers, lidars, various radios, and external cameras. What’s more, it is also equipped with aerial updating capabilities that could very well be repurposed as a surveillance platform.
According to Nate Drier, Technical Lead, Red Team, Sophos: “As with any technology, given the opportunity, necessity, intent, and capability, in-vehicle technology can be misused.
Car manufacturers can track the movements of modern vehicles in real time, and this is likely to be even truer for electric vehicles.
“Yet this information could be used to build rich maps of an environment encompassing both the physical and electromagnetic environment (by searching for Wi-Fi networks, the positions of cell phone towers, etc.).”
Sophos, therefore, recommends being aware and checking what manufacturers are collecting on vehicles, and what they can do using over-the-air update capabilities.
Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the launch of the NIMC NIN Authentication for a secure and seamless identity verification and authentication, even as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, directed the use of NIN Authentication for verification and authentication across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
This is In line with the Commission’s mandate of regulating a reliable National Digital Identity for citizens and legal residents to affirm their identity
The launch of the “NIN Authentication (NINAuth),” a cutting-edge suite of services that include web, API and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services, is part of President Tinubu, Renewed Hope Agenda on strengthening the National Identity Management System.
The NIMC NINAuth application is the official service for integration with the Commission’s backend infrastructure.
It Introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.
By requiring explicit consent before data is shared for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes or other verifications, the platform fosters trust, transparency, and user autonomy in digital identity management.
With NINAuth, individuals can securely verify their identity and access key government services, including:
• Sim registration and replacement
• Immigration applications and passport processing
• Tax filings and financial transactions
• Government Intervention Programs in various MDAs
• Driver’s license renewals and other regulatory processes, etc,.
Key Features and Benefits include:
• Enhanced Security—Protects personal data from unauthorized access.
• User Control—Empowers individuals with the freedom to manage their data-sharing preferences.
• Seamless Access—provides a secure single sign-on solution for convenient access to services.
This innovation reaffirms NIMC’s commitment to advancing secure and efficient digital identity management, ensuring a more accessible, transparent, and secure identity verification system in Nigeria.
The NINAuth application provides a secure, scalable, and interoperable interface for identity verification through API integration.
It is designed to facilitate real-time authentication of NIN records, thereby promoting effective service delivery, database harmonization, and compliance with the National Identity Policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The NINAuth service has been designated as the exclusive platform for all NIN-based verification and authentication integration processes for optimal services.
Nigerians are required to download the NINAuth App on Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store to use the NIN Authentication Service.
The implementation guide and process flow of the NIMC NIN Authentication are available at https://ninauth.nimc.gov.ng.
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