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E-Business

Nigeria Missing in Digital Ranking Report

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Nigeria was missing in the second edition of world digital competitiveness ranking 2018 as only South Africa which ranked 49th out of 63 economies that were ranked.

Introduced last year, the digital competitiveness report is produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Centre.

The report’s objective is to assess the extent to which a country adopts and explores digital technologies leading to transformation in government practices, business models and society.

The methodology of the ranking defines digital competitiveness according to three main factors: knowledge, technology and future readiness.

The knowledge factor refers to the intangible infrastructure, which underlines the process of digital transformation through the discovery, understanding and learning of new technologies.

The technology indicator assesses the overall context through which the development of digital technologies is enabled. Future readiness examines the level of country preparedness of an economy to assume its digital transformation.

The 63 economies, most of which have a high or middle level of income per capita, are then ranked from the most to the least competitive and the results are compared to the previous year’s ranking.

In terms of this year’s results, 29 countries, which represent the majority of the economies in the study, experienced an improvement in their level of digital competitiveness. However, 26 nations, including SA, declined. Only eight economies remained in the same position.

According to the report, South Africa the only African country in the report drop in rankings was influenced by the decline in knowledge and future readiness.

It shows knowledge dropped to 52nd from 49th, while future readiness declined to 43rd from 42nd. The drop in knowledge is partly due to declines in talent, as well as training and education. Future readiness is negatively affected by decreases in adaptive attitudes and business agility, states the report.

While two indicators declined, there was a slight improvement in the technology factor. The improved ranking in technology, the study notes, results from the slight advancement of the country’s regulatory framework and an increase in investment in telecommunications.

The overall study results show the US as the leading digital nation, overtaking Singapore to top the spot.

In 2017, Singapore was ranked in first place, but has dropped to second place this year. Sweden gets bumped from second place to the third spot in the overall ranking. Other top 10 digital countries include: Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands and the UK.

According to Arturo Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Centre, “The USA capitalises on its improvements in knowledge and in technology. It remains stable in future readiness.”

He adds: “Gains in knowledge result from a strong performance in employee training and an increase in the share of scientific and technical employment, while the furthering of the technology factor capitalises on slight advancement in all its sub-factors, including connectivity infrastructure.”


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E-Business

INEC Sets Up AI Division to Strengthen Electoral System

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Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its ICT Department.

INEC Sets Up AI Division to Strengthen Electoral System

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.

 

 

 

 


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CAC, NIBSS Unveil Platform for Data Access to Private Firms

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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.

CAC, NIBSS Unveil Platform for Data Access to Private Firms

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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FG Launches Online Citizenship, Business Management Platform

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Ministry of Interior has announced the launch of a new Online Citizenship and Business Management Platform in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

FG Launches Online Citizenship, Business Management Platform

A statement signed by Dr Magdalene Ajani, permanent secretary, Ministry of Interior’s said the initiative forms a key part of its ongoing reforms aimed at promoting transparency, enhancing operational efficiency, and significantly improving service delivery to the public.

The new digital platform is designed to streamline the application and processing of citizenship and business-related services, ensuring faster turnaround times and improved user experience.

The platform allows users to apply for and manage business permits, ensuring that both local and foreign businesses operate legally in Nigeria.

It includes an Expatriate Quota System to manage work permits for foreign employees, helping companies hire skilled workers while complying with Nigeria’s immigration laws.

The Citizenship Administration and Management System provides a streamlined online process for applying, tracking, and managing Nigerian citizenship applications and related services.

Members of the public, corporate entities, and other stakeholders are expected to access the platform through the ministry’s website: https://interior.gov.ng , Direct Portal Access: https://candb.interior.gov.ng , or contact candb-support@interior.gov.ng for support and inquiries.

“The Ministry of Interior remains committed to establishing a more efficient, transparent, and secure framework for citizenship administration, while continuously enhancing service delivery through digital transformation,” the statement read in part.

 

 

 

 

 

 


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