Telecom
Pantami Harps on the Role of Smart Agriculture in Promoting Digital Innovation, Entrepreneurship

In a bid to build a robust environment to drive a digital platform for transformation of the Agricultural sector for a Digital Nigeria, the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and in collaboration with Ekiti State Government have concluded the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) empowerment programme for 140 farmers in Ekiti State.
NAVSA is designed to support the Federal Government in its drive to create more jobs for the youthful population and attract them into agriculture, improve food productivity, increase wealth and income of farmers and agric value chain players, improve food security, promote access to international food markets and host of other agricultural products.
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, speaking at the closing ceremony to end the adoption of the farmer in Ekiti State has said that, “The requirements to succeed in the 4th industrial revolution necessitate digitalization to be at the core of any nation’s developmental policy and strategy.
“The digital economy is the single most important driver of innovation, competitiveness and growth and there is no doubt that digitization of the economy is one of the most critical issues of our time.
“Traditional industries are being reshaped by business models that have never existed before”.
He said digitization has a proven impact on economy and society by reducing unemployment, improving quality of life, and boosting access to knowledge.
He added that It is transforming the world in almost every aspect of life during the last few decades.
The access to the internet, increase of people using mobile phones, social media and other digital services changed the way people interact, communicate, learn and work in almost every country.
“This made his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to unveil and launch the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria on the 28th of November, 2019 with a vision to transform Nigeria into a leading digital economy providing quality life and digital economies for all.
“This administration is building and leading the journey of digitiizing every sector of the economy,” he revealed.
Pantami asserted that the potential benefits of digitizing the agrofood sector are convincing but it would require major transformations of farming systems, rural economies, communities and natural resource management.
“This is a challenge which requires a systematic, technology-driven and holistic approach to achieving the full potential and benefits.
“This Smart Agriculture is part of promoting Digital Innovation and Digital Entrepreneurship.
“Agriculture has been very significant to our economy as a nation and it continues to remain very relevant in our country.”, he asserted.
“However, we discovered that the output we generate from Agriculture compared to our efforts and resources being spent has no justification for that in order to enhance the output from Agriculture to save cost and at the same time to integrate it, we came up with Smart Agric”, he revealed.
He stated that with the policy directive and in line with Digital Literacy and Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Service Infrastructure, Digital Services Development and Promotion as well as Indigenous Content Promotion and Adoption pillars of NDEPS, he had directed NITDA through NAVSA platform to enable the opportunities in the agricultural sector for sustainable job creation and economic diversification, he said.
“Building a digital platform to connect agriculture ecosystem to deliver services to farmers in a more productive and efficient manner is in the interest of our nurturing digital economy for a digital Nigeria.
“The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders will support this initiative to ensure it is implemented in all the States in Nigeria.
“Implementation will immensely contribute to massive job creation, improvement in the income of farmers and country’s GDP, the minister disclosed.
Dr Pantami however called on private sector, development partners and state governments to support this initiative; partner with Federal Government in the areas of finance, farm inputs, research and development, capacity building, smart solutions & services, green energy among others.
“The success of this initiative in the agriculture sector will practically demonstrate the potentials inherent in digital technologies and innovations as the great enabler of the digital economy.”
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of NITDA, in his remarks said, “We believe leveraging digital technologies and innovations will attract youthful population into agriculture, create new digital business models across the agriculture value chain, enable millions of jobs, increase productivity and contribution of the agriculture to GDP thereby making Nigeria a leading nation in food security and exporter of standard agricultural produce to the rest of the world”.
He recalled that the programme was first piloted in Jigawa state earlier this year adding that the project was initiated to systematically adopt farmers across the 774 local government areas (LGAs) in the country in order to equip them with necessary digital skills that will make Nigeria one of the leading nations for smart agriculture.
“This initiative is geared towards supporting Federal Government’s digital economy agenda in order to bring into reality the economic diversification of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and ensure attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) two (2) of ending hunger and achieving food security by 2030”, he said.
“AgricTech is revolutionizing agriculture from promoting indoor vertical farming in the urban areas which use up to 70% less water than traditional farms to farm automation that automates crop or livestock production cycle using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, autonomous tractors, drones and robotics innovation etc. to livestock farming technology that makes tracking and managing livestock data-driven and much easier to modern greenhouses that are techy and data-driven,” he asserted.
Mallam Abdullahi revealed that harnessing these potentials through AgricTech to create jobs could therefore be a game-changer for the agriculture sector.
“With NAVSA, what we have done is to rethink agriculture differently, by introducing digital technologies and innovations in a strategic manner that woos and connects ecosystem players to make the journey of agriculture business seamless, productive, efficient and rewarding.
“The target of the programme is to adopt farmers in all 36 States and 774 LGAs in the country, support and equip them with skills and resources that will make Nigeria one of the leading nations in food sufficiency, security and exportation,” he added.
Mallam Abdullahi further revealed that the empowerment programme will provide Smart Device (Tablet); Seed fund of 100,000 naira for enterprise inputs; Digital Agripreneurship training & skill acquisition; Connectivity which includes one-year Internet access & closed user group (CUG) Calls for adopted farmers; NAVSA Platform (Mobile App); Financial Inclusion through Digital Wallets (Open & close wallets for each adopted farmer, input suppliers and off-takers); e-Extension services; Agric as a Business & Agro Business Models’ Opportunities; & Continuous reinvestment model.
“We would start piloting the deployment and integration of smart technologies such as IoT, GIS technologies and geospatial analysis, Artificial Intelligence, Big data analytics, blockchain among other emerging technologies to promote smart agriculture solutions that address different challenges on NAVSA platform base on sustainable business models.
“Also, we would be introducing modern greenhouses, farm automation, precision agriculture among others. These solutions will be targeted at high performing farmers,” he declared.
Dr Kayode Fayemi, executive Governor of Ekiti State, represented by Dr Olabode Adeoyi, Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, said “Agriculture is the next oil for the country, bringing about the creation of jobs, assuring citizens of food security in the country”.
“Digital Technology will enable you to do things at ease without stress, bringing about increase in productivity, creating jobs, better performance and increase revenue”, he added.
Adeoyi further said that the expectation from this programme is to address issues of land management, use of digital technologies to drive Agriculture, and changing the mindset of our youths, bringing out the various potentials embedded within them.
Ekiti State being the 1st pilot state from the southern region of the country, due to the importance of Agriculture, the state has been doing a lot towards involvement of our teeming youths into agriculture, with the aim to create jobs, and cash cow to the state, he asserted.
While applauding the efforts of Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and NITDA for the relentless efforts towards deepening the activities of Information Technology in the country, he urged participants to take the training programme seriously, simply because NAVSA has come to stay in the state with the motive to improve the agricultural sector of the state.
Telecom
GSMA, Mobile Industry Call for Strengthened Action to Advance Child Online Protection in Africa

The GSMA, in partnership with the mobile industry, is calling for strengthened collective action to protect children online across Africa. Building on insights from a high-level roundtable convened at the Ministerial Programme during MWC25 Barcelona, the GSMA yesterday released a new whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa outlining key recommendations to guide governments, regulators, industry, civil society, and youth stakeholders as they work together to create a safer digital environment for children.
With Africa’s digital transformation accelerating, the number of children accessing the internet is rising rapidly – often through mobile devices, as the region remains mobile-first.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) set out the fundamental rights of all children, both of which provide a critical foundation for ensuring that children’s rights are fully respected, protected, and fulfilled in the digital age. Mobile technology holds enormous potential to help advance these rights, as explored in the GSMA-UNICEF report Enhancing Children’s Lives through Mobile.
While published in 2019, the report’s principles and mapping remain highly relevant today, reflecting the GSMA’s longstanding commitment to this area. We continue to work closely with UNICEF, and as a next step, GSMA and UNICEF will co-lead a new regional taskforce to help drive forward the recommendations from this whitepaper and strengthen cooperation across governments, industry, and civil society.
Mobile can open doors to education, social connection, and development. But as connectivity expands, so too do the risks: children are increasingly exposed to cyberbullying, harmful content, and online exploitation. Recognising both the opportunities and challenges of the digital environment, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child dedicated the 2023 Day of the African Child (DAC) to this important theme – reinforcing the urgent need for cross-sector cooperation.
The GSMA and its members in Africa have worked together to highlight shared challenges, amplify the voices of young people, and identify areas where governments, industry, and civil society can strengthen coordinated efforts.
Key recommendations from the whitepaper include:
- Ensuring child- and youth-centred approaches in policy and programme development
- Strengthening national frameworks in line with the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Strategy
- Expanding digital literacy and awareness initiatives for children, parents, and educators
- Building stronger public-private partnerships to scale resources, tools, and services across the region
Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at the GSMA, said: “Protecting children online is a responsibility shared across governments, industry, civil society, and families. By working together, we can ensure the digital environment becomes a place of opportunity – not risk – for Africa’s children. This whitepaper is an important step in supporting stakeholders across the region as they advance this urgent agenda.”
Nankali Maksud, Regional Advisor for Child Protection at UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa, added: “Children and young people under 18 make up half of Africa’s population. Protecting their safety online is not only about safeguarding rights, but about investing in Africa’s human capital and future leadership.
This whitepaper helps elevate African voices, African leadership, and African solutions for protecting children in the digital space. We at UNICEF look forward to co-hosting a taskforce for GSMA to take forward the recommendations emerging from this whitepaper”.
The whitepaper integrates regional data, including findings from IPSOS research commissioned by MTN Group, as well as insights from youth advocate Jemima Kasongo, 19, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who opened the roundtable during MWC25 with a powerful call to action on behalf of young people across the continent.
The GSMA reaffirms that child online protection is a global priority, with efforts underway worldwide to strengthen safer digital environments. Initiatives such as the GSMA Mobile Alliance to Combat Digital Child Sexual Exploitation bring together international mobile operators to drive good practice and coordinate global responses.
While this new whitepaper focuses on Africa, it builds on the GSMA’s broader global commitment, including newly published guidance on incorporating young voices into digital policy and solution design. The GSMA encourages all stakeholders to engage with the recommendations and join the ongoing dialogue to help ensure a safer digital future for Africa’s children.
Telecom
Crypto Exchange MEXC Rolls Out P2P Support for Naira, Birr, and Rupee

In a strategic move to deepen its presence in emerging economies, global cryptocurrency exchange MEXC has launched peer-to-peer (P2P) trading support for three new fiat currencies — the Nigerian Naira (NGN), Ethiopian Birr (ETB), and Pakistani Rupee (PKR). This expansion reflects the company’s increasing focus on localising crypto access in high-growth, underbanked regions.
The addition of NGN, ETB, and PKR to MEXC’s P2P platform enables users in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Pakistan to trade major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC) directly with their local currencies.
The trades come with zero transaction fees, in line with MEXC’s strategy to lower entry barriers for users and encourage grassroots participation in the digital asset economy.
The update is more than a technical expansion — it underscores MEXC’s recognition of Africa and South Asia as rising crypto frontiers. Nigeria, often cited as one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets, and Ethiopia, where digital finance is beginning to surge amid reforms, represent key territories for crypto adoption. Similarly, Pakistan’s growing youth population and fintech appetite offer strong potential for crypto-enabled financial inclusion.
To support the rollout, MEXC is actively onboarding new merchants to its P2P platform. Merchants benefit from zero transaction fees, dedicated customer support, a special verification badge, and invitations to exclusive community events. The goal is to nurture a local network of verified sellers and buyers who can facilitate seamless and trusted crypto trades.
P2P trading — which allows users to transact directly without third-party intermediaries — is especially relevant in markets where banking infrastructure is either insufficient or heavily regulated. By bypassing traditional systems, P2P provides a lifeline for users seeking stablecoins, alternative stores of value, or more flexible remittance solutions.
This latest expansion signals MEXC’s intent to compete aggressively for market share in underserved territories while enabling more users to access and benefit from Web3 technologies. As global exchanges race to localise their services, MEXC’s early moves into fiat integration may prove pivotal in shaping the next wave of crypto adoption across the Global South.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Unveils CPaaS Platform to Transform Business Communication

At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.
Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.
During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”
The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.
They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.
The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.
The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.
The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.
As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.
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