E-Business
INEC Mulls New Technologies for 2023 Polls

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is contemplating the introduction of new technologies to improve the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
It also hinted that existing technologies would be reviewed for optimum performance.
Mr. Nick Dazang, director of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), INEC, stated this at a workshop for the department on the “Review of National Voter Education Manual” in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The five-day workshop was organised by INEC in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).
Dazang said INEC began the process for electronic voting in 2004 when it introduced optic map registration forms.
He said: “After that, in 2010, the commission introduced the use of direct data capture machines, and then expanded the use of the machines in the conduct of the 2011 election.
“So, we started the process as far back as 2004, culminating in the use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR) and the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that we also used in 2015.
“But the commission is reviewing this process with a view to upgrading and improving the conduct of elections in 2023.”
“The commission wants to introduce new technologies that will help deepen the conduct of the elections and improve on them. So, the commission is working assiduously on that.
“Very soon, when the commission has taken a position, it will come out and explain to Nigerians how this is going to be done.”
The INEC director explained that in introducing the new technologies, INEC would revisit the use of PVC and likely to introduce other technologies that will work seamlessly with electronic voting in 2023.
He added: “The commission has been working on that in the past few months and, God willing, in the next few months, the commission will make its position known to the public.”
Dazang assured the nation that “INEC would continue to introduce new technologies to the electoral system, not for the fancy of it, but the technologies that work”.
On the amendment of the Electoral Act, Dazang said INEC was working with two committees of the National Assembly, adding that substantial gains were being made on the amendment.
He expressed optimism that the National Assembly would rise to the challenge in meeting up with its promise to Nigeria to amend the Electoral Act before the end of the first quarter of 2021.
On the Anambra governorship election, Dazang said the commission would, at the appropriate time, issue the date and timetable for the conduct of the election, latest by six months to the poll.
He urged INEC workers to always upgrade themselves on new technologies as well as continue to obey the COVID-19 safety protocols.
Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola, WFD country representative in Nigeria, expressed the foundation’s continued determination and support for INEC to deepen voter education in Nigeria, especially at the grassroots.
E-Business
Nigeria Launches Cybercrime Team with Commonwealth, UK Support

Nigeria recently launched a new joint case team to step up its response to cybercrimes that affect people and businesses at home and abroad.
The ‘Joint Case Team on Cybercrime’ brings together Nigeria’s key justice and security agencies to work as one, making it easier to detect, investigate, and prosecute digital offences.
It is supported by the UK National Crime Agency, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, as part of a wider effort to promote international cooperation on cybercrime.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, minister of justice and attorney general of the federation described the initiative as “a bold and transformative stride in Nigeria’s justice system.”
He said that although Nigeria has a national legal framework to address cyber offences, laws alone are not enough.
Nigeria is among the countries most affected by cybercrime around the world, with increasing financial losses.
E-Business
INEC Sets Up AI Division to Strengthen Electoral System

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its ICT Department.
This marks a significant stride toward enhancing electoral integrity, efficiency, and innovation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
This decision was reached at the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, following a series of consultations and engagements on the global and continental impact of AI on elections.
In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC underscored that the growing relevance of AI in electoral matters necessitated a proactive institutional framework to manage both the risks and opportunities it presents.
“Our interactions with electoral bodies across Africa highlighted both the risks of AI—such as fake news and content manipulation—and the vast potential it holds for data-driven decision-making, risk mitigation, automated voter services, and geo-spatial intelligence for logistics,” Olumekun noted.
According to him, the newly created division will centralise the Commission’s AI efforts, ensuring a harmonized approach to deploying intelligent systems that enhance decision-making, improve voter engagement, and boost the credibility of the electoral process.
“The creation of this division puts the Commission at the forefront of institutionalizing AI capabilities in electoral management.
It is also part of our ongoing reforms in areas where administrative action is sufficient to drive change,” he said.
He added that the AI Division will help INEC better coordinate its existing technological investments while providing safeguards against the misuse of AI technologies.
“We are positioning ourselves to maximise the positive impact of AI while mitigating its negative implications. This step strengthens the credibility and transparency of elections in Nigeria,” Olumekun concluded.
The initiative, INEC emphasised, reflects its commitment to embracing innovation in safeguarding democracy and improving electoral services nationwide.
E-Business
CAC, NIBSS Unveil Platform for Data Access to Private Firms

Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has unveiled a new Application Programming Interface (API) integration system to allow private firms access company data from the Commission’s database.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), registrar general of CAC, who spoke in Abuja at the unveiling said the system would give selected private organizations access to CAC services through technology-based companies, called “super agents.”
“This is a practical step to show that the Commission is committed to meeting the expectations of our customers,” he said.
Magaji explained that the integration allows the agents to retrieve data from the CAC database for use in specific client requests, outside the standard services provided by the Commission.
“Before now, only a few government agencies had this integration, especially those involved in investigations, anti-money laundering, and terrorism financing. Now, private companies that meet the criteria can also access it,” he said.
He said the system complies with the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, and information such as residential addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth may be restricted.
“This is a call to law firms and companies with the right technology. We’ve started with NIPS because of their credibility. Embassies and banks can now authenticate company records directly through them.”
“There are prescribed fees. We already collect them on our portal, and now customers can also pay through these agents,” he explained.
He named NIPS, MoneyPoint, and OPE as some of the companies involved.
“OPE and MoneyPoint handle only registrations. But NIPS has moved further into validation and verification,” he said.
Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, executive director at NIBSS, who represented Premier Oiwoh, managing director, said the service allows secure and efficient data verification.
“This is the result of years of effort to connect our systems with CAC. It will help users verify data within the limits of data protection laws,” she said.
She said the move is a way to lower costs and promote interoperability across the financial sector.
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