Telecom
Microsoft, AfDB and FG Partner to Launch Digital Nigeria eLearning Platform
Microsoft in partnership with African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy have launched the Digital Nigeria eLearning Platform, an online tool to provide highly in-demand competitive digital skills to Nigerian youth, irrespective of their location.
The Digital Nigeria eLearning Platform is a key component of the Digital Nigeria programme which aims to empower innovators and entrepreneurs with the requisite skills to thrive in the emerging digital economy.
The programme is in alignment with the African Development Bank’s strategic agenda to create 25 million jobs in agriculture, Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other key sectors by 2025, and to equip 50 million African youth with competitive skills.
The programme will leverage the framework of the Bank’s Coding for Employment programme (supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and Microsoft), which aims to deliver demand-driven, agile and collaborative skills to support African youth to become innovative players in the digital economy, while building synergies between the public and the private sector to create nine million jobs over a 10 year period.
The Digital Nigeria eLearning Platform teaches technical courses such as web development, content creation, data science, etc.
The platform also leverages gamification such as Minecraft to teach problem solving, collaboration, creative thinking and fundamental coding.
The platform will be constantly updated with new courses in respond to market demands, within the country and will leverage further partnerships to provide relevant certified training content.
Content on the platform is accessible via a learning portal hosted on www.digitalnigeria.gov.ng, as well as a mobile app which is available on the Playstore.
The platform is adapted to operate effectively in locations with low-internet connectivity or bandwidth.
Learners are also able to download the courses for offline access through the mobile app, with each course duly compressed to reduce download cost and time.
It also supports personalized learning at scale through its affordable, easy-to-navigate, secured and private interface.
Furthermore, learners can download certificates after they complete their courses.
Representing the Bank at the launch event, Mr. Ebrima Faal, the Senior Director for the Nigeria Country Department, said, “No one could have predicted that a significant disruption of another kind would affect us all in the way that the COVID-19 pandemic does today.
“The impact on our individual lives and on the survival of our companies, groups of people who are connected through a common purpose, is enormous.
“This new normal has also accelerated the demand for digital services and fourth industrial revolution technologies across all sectors.
“From Artificial intelligence, the internet of things, social media communication, digital learning platforms, augmented and virtual reality, drones, 3D printing and so much more – the world has undergone a massive disruption!…
“The African Development Bank is committed to supporting the Nigerian government to realize a fully integrated digital agenda”
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy in his address said, “We are championing a paradigm shift that lays emphasis on skills, in preference to merely having degrees without skills.
“Degrees are only meant to validate skills. This is a growing trend across the globe. The digital literacy and skills pillar recognises the fact that citizens are the greatest assets in any economy, including the digital economy. It will support the development of a large pool of digitally literate and digitally skilled citizens”
Ms. Ghada Khalifa, Middle East & Africa Director for Microsoft Philanthropies stated that, “Microsoft Philanthropies is committed to creating inclusive economic opportunities in light of the economic crisis created by COVID-19.
“We are investing in building the capacity of 5 million African youth by 2025, and excited about our collaboration with the African Development Bank and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in Nigeria with the launch of the Digital Nigeria platform to provide Nigerians with access to digital skills to meet the demand of the job market” confirmed Ghada Khalifa- Regional Director of Philanthropy, Middle East and Africa at Microsoft.
The Digital Nigeria eLearning platform is providing access to highly relevant digital, entrepreneurial and soft skills, as such we invite Nigerian youth to take advantage of this opportunity to develop skills that would enable you to create more value in the labour market.
The second edition of Payments Forum Nigeria (PAFON 2.0) is gathering momentum as organisers have unveiled a strong line of speakers.
Featuring keynote presentation, fireside chat, panel discussion, networking opportunities, PAFON 2.0 is scheduled to hold on next week – Thursday, April 10, 2025 at the Function Room 1, Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Lagos from 9am-12(noon).
The event themed: “Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI”, aims at enabling knowledge sharing on key industry insights, issues, amongst key stakeholders, with the objective of ensuring a collaborative and proactive approach to push for policies that enable growth, tackling/mitigating fraud and limiting occurrences and losses in the payment industry.
Keynote:
Ebehijie Momoh (Mrs), managing director and chief executive officer, AfriGoPay Financial Services Ltd, will deliver the keynote address.
Special Guests:
Uche Uzoebo (Mrs), managing director and chief executive officer, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF) Limited and Mrs. Chika Nwosu, managing director and chief executive officer of PalmPay (Nigeria), are the special guest of honour.
PAFON 2.0 Special Appearances: Olusoji Solomon Adeyemo, Azure Application and AI Specialist, Microsoft UK., Ibirogba Oluwagunwa, chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN), and Olusegun Gabriel Afolabi, co-founder & chief innovations architect, Face Technologies UK Ltd., will make special appearances at the event.
There will be a fireside chat featuring, Chukwuemeka Enoch Mbaebie, the convener, Lagos Blockchain Week, amongst other speakers, with Chidera Amuta, Marketing Manager, Vendocredit, as the host.
According to Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-convener of Payments Forum Nigeria, “this year’s theme, ‘Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI’, underscores the urgent need to safeguard digital transactions against emerging threats while ensuring seamless financial inclusion and innovation”.
Industry players such as Bankers, Fintech startups, mobile money operators, blockchain experts, Cybersecurity, etc., are among the expected attendees.
PAFON 2.0 participation is free, but pre-registration can be done here or use this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dE3ZHpSZcaZOL14oiI7s6OYbIeRTqNET7oH-NOm83Bc/edit
Contrary to media some media reports yesterday, Mafab Communications, one of the companies granted Fifth Generation (5G) licences by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has actually rolled out its 5G network services in Abuja since 2023.
According to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek findings, the rollout came almost a year since the telco paid $273.6 million for spectrum in the 3.5GHz band as part of a government auction.
Mafab Communications, has, not however kept to its promise to to strengthen its commercial operations by March 2025 as its services has remained skeletal since the media launch.
It said that it will roll out its high-speed 5G services through 102 operational sites strategically located in Kano and Abuja but that did not happen as at close of March.
An insider in the company, however assured that starting this month, subscribers with Mafab’s 5G routers will be able to enjoy ultra-fast connectivity on its expanding network.
This move aims to capture a wider share of Nigeria’s growing demand for 5G services.
Dr Musbahu Bashir, founder and chairman, Mafab Communications, said during the rollout launch that the telco will offer both voice and data services nationwide.
Additionally, Nigerian cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, and Kaduna have been listed for the deployment of 5G services while those not on the list will have services deployed at a later stage.
“The rollout of Mafab Communications 5G network is the beginning of immense opportunities for the country as it represents Nigeria’s capabilities and infinite possibilities,” he said.
“The prospect of increased job opportunities as a consequence of the value-chain benefits the technology will generate and offer is the dream we have all gathered here to launch today,” Bashir continued.
Telecom
Samsung Introduces Local Nigerian Languages to Galaxy Devices, Celebrating Cultural Diversity
Samsung Electronics has taken a bold step in enhancing user experience and inclusivity by introducing Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba as official language options on selected Samsung Galaxy devices.
L-R: Stephen Okwara, Head, Product Management, Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics West Africa; Joy Tim-Ayoola, Group Head, Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics West Africa; Tae Sun Lee, Samsung Electronics West Africa CEO; Oge Maduagwu, Head of Marketing Samsung Electronics West Africa, and Nathan Lee, Regional Business Lead, Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics West Africa, at the launch of Nigeria local language integration on Galaxy S25, A56, A36, and A26 devices, on April 03, 2025.
The feature, which is now available on the Galaxy S25, A56, A36, and A26 devices, reaffirms Samsung’s commitment to delivering innovative technology that speaks the language of its users.
With this groundbreaking update, Samsung users across Nigeria can now navigate their smartphones in their preferred local language, making technology more accessible, while also upholding our cultural heritage.
A Celebration of Culture and Technology
To mark the launch, Samsung hosted a cultural-themed press briefing featuring traditional music, local cuisine, and a showcase of the new language feature. Employees and guests attended in traditional Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa attires, celebrating Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity.
Samsung also announced plans to expand local language support to more devices in the near future, reinforcing its dedication to making technology more inclusive for African users.
Empowering Users Through Language
The integration of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba on Samsung devices reflects the brand’s mission to bridge the digital gap and enhance user engagement. Speaking at the press conference, Oge Maduagwu, Head of Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, said, “At Samsung, we understand that technology is most powerful when it is accessible to all.
“By incorporating our local Nigerian languages, we are making our devices more intuitive and relatable, ensuring that millions of Nigerians can interact with their smartphones in the language they love and understand best”.
Seamless Language Transition on Galaxy Devices
Stephen Okwara, Head of Product Management, Samsung Electronics West Africa added, “The new local language feature is designed to deliver a seamless user experience, allowing customers to easily switch between languages. Users can activate Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba on the Galaxy S25, A26, A36, and A56 by navigating to: Settings > Language & Input > Select Language
“This update enhances smartphone usability, particularly for those who prefer their native language over English, ensuring greater digital inclusivity, enhancing digital literacy and encouraging more users to engage with technology in their native tongues” He concluded.
Availability
Customers can visit all Samsung Experience Stores or authorized retailers in Nigeria to learn more and experience the feature firsthand.
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