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Rise in Internet Shutdowns: Experts Canvases Proactive Steps

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Mr. Remmy Nweke, lead strategist at DigitalSENSE Africa Media group, has said laid out some proactive steps to checkmate the rising Internet shut downs across Africa.

 

Speaking  2018 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica2018) which held at La Palm Beach Resort, Accra, Ghana, Nweke advised both media entities and digital rights defenders-based civil society organization,no matter the size to ensure they have an online regulatory desk.

 

He also urged digital rights inclined civil society organisations to ensure they have regulatory officers, who should ordinarily interface with law makers and policy makers at the government levels.

 

Armed with these proactive options, Nweke said both the media, practitioners and CSO will checkmate the obnoxious laws ahead of time, especially as they pose threat to Internet development on the continent.

 

“These options will help stakeholders to see early enough some of the inclines of gagging and stifling media especially online and alarm could be triggered for early-sign warnings to the larger society, sensitization and rejection of such moves,” he said.

 

Nweke who spoke extensively at the session on “Trends in online regulation in Africa” during FiFAfrica 2018, was accompanied in the panel by Sakah Bernard Nsaidzedze of Pan African University in Cameroun; Legal practitioner and media trainer, Mr. Zakaria Tanko Musah of Ghana Institute of Journalism, an independent analyst, Nanjala Nyabola, and Sellina Sheena Nkowani from the Nation Publications, Malawi.

 

According to him, he believe in tackling this kind of menace from the source if possible, which requires proactive monitoring, rather than waiting until such laws have been passed and online stakeholders will commence damage control, which takes  a longer time, resources to reverse.

 

Nweke, who is the Vice President of African Civil Society on Information Society (ACSIS), commended the Nigeria Press Organistions (NPO) including the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Guild of Editors, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, as well as Guild of Professional Bloggers in Nigeria for their efforts recently in ensuring stoppage of the obnoxious Nigerian Press Council Act 1992 (Repeal and Enactment Bill 2018) which was agreed to have even semblance of horrible Decree 4 of 1984 and Decree 43 of 1993.

 

Recalling that in Tanzania, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Zambia, Benin Republic and lately Kenya as countries in Africa that have in 2018 proposed or passed laws and regulations that undermine public confidence in the use of online platforms and could lead to increased self-censorship by media, civil society groups and individual citizens, as well as to their withdrawal from online discourse.

 

“We recently saw Kenyan government proclamation on some 15 per cent Internet tax,” he said, lamenting that before now, Kenya has been one of the torchbearer as far as Internet adaptation on the continent is concerned.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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E-Business

MRA Flags AI Concerns ahead of Press Freedom Day Today

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Media Rights Agenda (MRA), has unveiled a visual brief emphasizing the critical need for responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalism, particularly within Nigeria’s evolving media environment.

MRA Flags AI Concerns ahead of Press Freedom Day Today

This is coming ahead of World Press Freedom Day today.

The visual brief, developed under this year’s global theme, “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” explores the opportunities and dangers AI poses to media freedom in Nigeria and across the world.

In a statement released in Lagos by John Gbadamosi, its programme officer,MRA noted that AI is quickly changing the way news is produced and consumed, adding that it offers powerful tools that can assist journalists in analysing data, translating stories into local languages, and extend the reach of vital information, especially to underserved areas with limited media infrastructure.

Gbadamosi added that AI can help to ensure that essential news and information are also disseminated to local communities.

However, Gbadamosi warned that the same technology is being weaponised to undermine truth and press freedom, saying: “While AI can be used to advance journalism, it can just as easily be exploited to spread disinformation, create deepfakes, and drown out independent voices with algorithmically generated propaganda.”

According to him, “In Nigeria, journalists face threats that go beyond just physical dangers; such threats now also encompass digital, algorithmic, and systemic harms and challenges, which requires media professionals to ensure that AI enhances, rather than undermines, media freedom and that technology is used to promote the truth, not distort it.”

“The visual brief breaks down key concepts like misinformation, disinformation, mal-information, and information overload, which are increasingly shaping Nigeria’s digital media ecosystem. It also raises concerns about AI-enabled surveillance, political manipulation, and the marginalisation of community-based journalists.”

Gbadamosi stated that the visual brief also advocates support for independent media, transparent AI regulations aligned with Nigeria’s context, increased digital literacy, and stronger accountability from tech companies regarding platform content and influence.

He therefore urged all stakeholders to advocate for responsible AI usage and a free, independent, professional and vibrant media environment in Nigeria, stressing that “when media freedom thrives, democracy lives.”


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Nigerians to Pay More for IDs as NIMC Raises Service Fees

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The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has raised the fees for all its products and services, including charges related to data modification on the National Identification Number (NIN) database.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Kayode Adegoke, NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, announced that the updated service fees are published on the commission’s official website.

Adegoke noted that the new pricing structure for NIMC’s services and products marks the first comprehensive review of its fees in over a decade.

The statement stated that the revised pricing is designed to align with prevailing operational costs and industry standards, while continuing to ensure that services remain accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.

The statement warned its Front-End Partners (FEPs) to comply with the newly approved rates, stating that any failure to do so could attract strict sanctions, including possible license revocation.

“The new structure ensures that the quality and integrity of our services remain uncompromised. We are committed to protecting the interests of Nigerians through fair and transparent pricing,” the statement read.

NIMC urged the public to report any Front-End Partners (FEPs) found charging beyond the approved rates. Reports can be directed to the Commission’s Inspectorate and Enforcement Unit via email at ieu@nimc.gov.ng

It further reaffirmed its commitment to delivering secure and dependable identity services. A complete list of the revised service fees can be accessed on its official website at www.nimc.gov.ng.

In a related development, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), expressed sincere appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support in enhancing the National Identity Database (NIDB).

She also extended her gratitude to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and other key partners for their pivotal roles in advancing a sustainable and effective identity management system.

 


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PwC says AI Adoption by African Businesses will Unlock Growth

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Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption could boost Africa’s gross domestic product by an additional 4.9 percentage points by 2035, as the African economy is reshaped by the emerging technology.

This is according to PwC’s recently released report: Value in Motion. It is based on data-driven scenario analysis, which reveals that globally, AI has the potential to boost economic output by up to 15 percentage points over the next decade.

The global growth dividend from AI varies according to the region and depends on more than technical success – it also hinges on responsible deployment, clear governance, and public and organisational trust, notes the report.

This would effectively add one percentage point to annual growth rates − on par with the growth increment the world began enjoying with 19th century industrialisation.

In other scenarios analysed by PwC, characterised by lower trust and co-operation, the incremental boost to the economy from AI would be more muted at 8%, or in a pessimistic scenario just 1%.

The research finds that rapid reconfiguration of the economy is already under way. PwC analysis indicates the pressure for African businesses to reinvent themselves is at some of the highest levels seen in the last 25 years across six out of nine sectors in Africa.

The $150.54 billion in revenue in Africa is set to shift between companies in 2025 alone, a trend that begun prior to the recent global increase in tariffs.

PwC’s research suggests that over the next decade, industries will reconfigure to meet human needs in new ways, leading to the formation of new ‘domains’ that cross traditional sector lines.

Dion Shango, PwC Africa CEO, explains: “As the structure of the economy transforms, value will increasingly come from organisations that can connect the dots across traditional industry boundaries. By focusing on evolving customer needs and using technology to dramatically change the way business operates, business leaders can unlock a step change in growth.”

According to Google’s Digital Opportunity of Africa report, AI could contribute up to $30 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy by 2030. Africa stands to accelerate its growth through AI as more people gain connectivity and harness technology for good, it notes.

“Across the continent, a new generation of innovators are harnessing technology to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges,” says Google.

In terms of AI’s impact on the climate, PwC’s analysis shows that while AI is set to accelerate growth, the costs of physical climate threats will impose economic constraints.

PwC’s economic modelling suggests that physical climate impacts could result in the African economy being over 12%smaller (globally: 7%) by 2035 in all scenarios than it would have been otherwise.

“Increased AI adoption is expected to lead to increased energy use by data centres. However, modest use of AI to drive energy-efficiency could offset this increased use of energy. PwC estimates that the energy use and emissions impact of AI would be neutral if each additional percentage point of AI use led to innovations which cut energy intensity by just 0.1% globally,” says the report.


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