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NITDA DG Inaugurates Startup Labelling Committee for Implementation of Nigeria Startup Act

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has taken a significant step towards driving the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA) with the inauguration of a Startup Labelling Committee.

The committee, inaugurated by Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, comprises representatives from both the public and private sectors.

The NSA, enacted on October 19th, 2022, established a legal and institutional framework to foster the development and growth of Nigerian startups. A critical provision within the Act is the Startup Label. This label recognizes eligible startups, granting them access to the various benefits outlined in the NSA.

The issuance of the Startup Label hinges on a thorough assessment and validation process to ensure a startup meets the eligibility criteria as defined by the Act. The newly formed committee will play a pivotal role in overseeing this process.

In his address at the inauguration ceremony, Inuwa emphazised on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s unwavering dedication to fostering an environment conducive to the growth and success of young Nigerian innovators.

He acknowledged the pivotal role startups will play in propelling the nation’s economic development, and the significance of the committee’s work in nurturing and supporting these enterprises.

He elaborated on the various initiatives and support mechanisms the government plans to implement, aimed at reducing hurdles and providing financial assistance and mentorship opportunities to young entrepreneurs.

Inuwa expressed optimism about the future, asserting that with the right support, these budding innovators could transform their ideas into thriving enterprises, thus contributing significantly to job creation and the overall economic prosperity of Nigeria in line with President Tinubu’s priority area to “reform the economy to deliver sustained inclusive growth.”

He urged stakeholders to join hands in creating a robust ecosystem that would empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to flourish and contribute to the country’s progress.

Inuwa added that the committee will be instrumental in establishing a robust legal and institutional framework for the successful implementation of the Startup Act. Their collaborative efforts will ensure a participatory approach that benefits all stakeholders within the Nigerian startup ecosystem.

“The composition of the committee reflects the emphasis on collaboration. Representatives from government agencies, industry experts, investors, and startup founders will bring their diverse perspectives and experiences to the table.

“This collaborative approach is expected to lead to a more efficient and effective labelling process, ultimately benefiting the growth of Nigerian startups,” he stated.

Speaking on the roles and responsibilities of Committee, the National Coordinator, Office for Nigeria Digital Innovation, Victoria Fabunmi, listed the terms of reference for the advisory committee which include the following:

Review and evaluate start-ups’ applications for label based on criteria defined in the Act and any additional criteria that may ensure quality for the label; Periodically review and update additional labelling criteria to ensure alignment with industry trends; Conduct an impartial evaluation of submitted applications for Startup Label.

Furthermore, the Committee will Recommend on issuance or otherwise of Startup Label based on defined criteria; Provide feedback/comments/recommendations on areas of improvement where a start-up’s application is rejected; Where necessary, dedicate time to further engage startups for more clarity/details on information provided.

It will also periodically review its previous activities and data on labelling, to identify/recommend opportunities and gaps (e.g. DEI, sectors, capacity etc.) that policymakers may need to place added emphasis on; Periodically review workload capacity and recommend a fair ceiling for the number of applications to be considered per period.

This is in consideration of the fact that the Committee is not a full-time position; and Members shall be subject to a Code of Conduct and must duly sign this prior to commencement of duties.

She also stated that the Labelling Committee comprises Nine (9) members from the following: Four (4) Representatives of Incubators (ISN Rep, North and South); Two (2) Representatives of the Public Sector (NITDA, NSIA); Two (2) Representative of the Civil Society’ and Portal Coordinator – to serve as Secretary.

The inauguration of the Startup Labelling Committee marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act. With a multi-stakeholder committee guiding the process, the Act has the potential to unlock the immense potential of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem and contribute significantly to the nation’s economic development.


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Microsoft Sacks 300 Staff as Job Cut Hits 6,300

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Microsoft has laid off over 300 employees as part of a fresh round of job cuts.

Microsoft Sacks 300 Staff as Job Cut Hits 6,300

The latest layoffs, disclosed through a notice filed in Washington state, affected several hundred positions across various departments.

However, the tech company did not specify which units were impacted, the publication said.

Citing a notice, the report said a spokesperson for Microsoft described the move as a “recalibration” in response to shifting business priorities and a fast-changing tech landscape.

“We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,” the spokesperson said.


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FG, UNICEF Partner to Train 20m Youths on Digital Skills

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Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday, said the Federal Government has renewed its strategic partnership with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to train and empower 20 million young Nigerians with digital skills by 2030.

This is just as the Vice President has accepted to chair the board of Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA), a public-private-youth partnership platform constituted to help young Nigerians between the ages of 10 and 24 transition from learning to earning through digital connectivity.

Shettima, while speaking during a meeting with Mohammed Fall, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator; Rownak Khan, UNICEF Deputy Representative and Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, at the President Villa, Abuja, warned that Nigeria’s rapidly growing population, currently estimated at over 230 million with an average age of 17, presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

Shettima described his invitation to serve as Chair of the Generation Unlimited (GenU 9JA), as a great honour, adding that ” This platform provides a vista of opportunities for our young people. Beyond rhetoric, if we want to survive and thrive, we must empower our youth through digital means. That’s the only way forward,” the Vice President said.

The GenU 9JA initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusive development, digital innovation, and youth empowerment as tools for national transformation.

Shettima stressed that Nigeria is not seeking handouts but sustainable, equitable partnerships. “We are not looking for charity. We want a mutually beneficial relationship—one based on respect and shared interests. This is why I’m very passionate about the digital initiative. Beyond leadership in our enlightened self-interest, if we want to live in this part of the world, we have to involve them, we have to empower them,” he said.

He described the initiative as a beautiful programme that would enable the Nigerian youths trade their skills in the global market, saying “from earning to learning is a beautiful initiative and more than any other platform, the digital space gives us the easiest window to get the youth engaged effortlessly.

“They can trade their skills in the global market. I know of a lot of young Nigerians who are working for global firms from the comfort of their homes,” he added.

Fall had in his remarks earlier, praised Nigeria’s leadership under President Bola Tinubu, noting that the GenU platform is central to addressing youth unemployment, educational inequality, and digital exclusion.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, youth-focused initiatives—skills, digital access, and employment—are critical. And GenU is helping to drive those priorities,” Fall said.

Also, Khan, in his remarks, revealed that the GenU 9JA is one of UNICEF’s most successful global youth empowerment programmes, with Nigeria showcased as a model.

“We’ve seen incredible results from Nigeria. Few countries globally have recorded the level of youth impact that GenU 9JA has achieved,” she said.

According to Khan, the programme is built on three pillars: digital connectivity, pathways from learning to earning, and youth engagement and empowerment—all designed to prepare Nigerian youth for today’s job market.

On her part, Celine Lafoucriere, noted that since its launch in 2022, GenU 9JA has impacted over 10 million young people, with 1,500 job linkages already secured.

“To reach our target of 20 million youth by 2030, we must now strengthen coordination among partners and align even more closely with national policy,” Lafoucriere said.

 


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Broadcom Ships Latest Networking Chip to Speed AI

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Broadcom has begun to ship its latest networking chip that aims to speed AI, the company said on Tuesday. The chip, called the Tomahawk 6, boasts double the performance compared with the prior version and other traffic control features that make the networking chip significantly more efficient, Ram Velaga, a Broadcom senior vice president, told Reuters.

The speed boost means that fewer networking switches are needed to perform the same task, Velaga said.

Broadcom’s networking chips have gained increased importance because of AI. When constructing the necessary data centers for AI applications, infrastructure builders must string together hundreds or thousands of chips.

Building large-scale clusters of networked chips requires specialized networking gear and chips, of which the Tomahawk series of processors is one such component.

With the Tomahawk 6, Broadcom’s engineers have boosted its speed and capabilities to the point where it can be used to construct the larger data centers that are necessary for AI, which can be over 100,000 graphics processors (GPUs) strung together, Velaga said.

“In a couple of years, you will start to see a million GPUs housed inside a physical building,” he said.

Broadcom’s networking chips use the Ethernet networking protocol, which has been a networking standard for decades.

Nvidia produces hardware that uses a rival tech called InfiniBand and several products based on Ethernet.

“All of these networks can be very simply done on Ethernet, you don’t need esoteric technologies,” Velaga said.

The Tomahawk 6 is the first product in that line that will use several chips combined into a single package, a tech known as chiplets that is widely adopted by other chip designers such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O). Adding chiplets roughly doubled the amount of silicon area used in the design, Velaga said.

Broadcom is producing the Tomahawk switch on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s three nanometer process.


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