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Startup Bill will Grow Nigeria’s Tech Ecosystem – DG NITDA
As Nigeria moves to harness the potential of its digital economy through co-created regulations and provide enabling environment for growth, attraction and protection of investment in the sector, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has said that the recently passed Nigeria Startup Bill by National Assembly will help institutionalize legal frameworks that will enhance the growth of startups easily, quickly and conveniently in the country.
Inuwa stated this while delivering a Keynote address at the Google Black Founders Fund in Africa 2022 launch event, which took place at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja
The DG noted that part of the challenge being faced by startups especially in Africa is legal backing. According to him, starting and growing businesses in Africa used to be a big challenge, but with such Bill in place, it will be easier to start a business.
Speaking on the importance of the event, Inuwa said the gathering is an opportunity for startups to get funding and start a business. Also, it is coming with other incentives like the training Google offers which can be accessed via their Cloud.
While affirming government’s commitment to the growth of digital economy in Nigeria, Inuwa said “we believe our own responsibility is to come up with policies that can enable a level playing field, and the government has been doing a lot in this area, starting with expanding the mandate of our ministry to cover digital economy, and the ongoing implementation of National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a digital Nigeria, which outlined its strategic pillars that are key to the ecosystem.”
“We are currently working on a project called “Talent Gap Assessment”, because we believe talent is the people side of technology. In Africa, we cannot compete with the rest of the world in terms of hardware and any technology infrastructure, but when it comes to talent, we have a competitive edge over the rest of the world.
Advising the Startups to have it in mind that technology is making things easier, Inuwa noted that customers’ demand is changing rapidly, so they should envisage how human lives will be tomorrow and come up with innovative products that will be sellable in the future market.
“Don’t waste your time on what is happening today, the problem of today may be irrelevant tomorrow. Focus on Emerging Technologies and change the way we do things in this world. What helps you to succeed today may not help you succeed tomorrow.”
“Try and turn your products into services because the world is moving to a service platform markets. You will make more money in service than in products. It is easier to provide a service in Africa because of our challenging infrastructure. Let us explore that, that will help us to excel,” he added.
He assured that the government is ready to partner with people or organizations like Google and the ecosystem in general, especially five key critical stakeholders needed on board to build a strong ecosystem; Entrepreneurs, Higher Institution, Corporate Organisations, Multi-national and Government.
“Entrepreneurs brings ideas, higher institutions provide human capital development, corporate organisations absorb products, and government’s role is basically in the policy-making and intervenes in a situation whereby there is shortage in unserved and underserved areas. This is why the government came up the start-up bill which is also going to come up with a seed funding that can help with early-stage funding as well,” he noted.
Inuwa thanked Google for the opportunity provided to African startups and also encouraged other multi-nationals to look at how they can help the African startups ecosystem with funding, adding that it is going to be a win-win situation, the more startups in Africa, the more digital offerings, the more market they will create for the multi-nationals.
On his part, Mr Adewolu Adene, Government Affairs and Policy Manager, Google Nigeria, applauded the Nigerian Government for the support it provides on easy system, and contributing to their data in terms of physical incentives and the registration process of Corporate Affairs Commission.
He said, “We are really grateful for the support that we have been getting from policy-makers and all the forces behind. We have done a lot to get to this point and we hope that we can continue to do even more to take us further such that we are able to deliver to the respective mandate.”
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has warned local investors and foreign businesses about the activities of fraudsters falsely claiming to represent the company.
The state-owned company said the impostors are reportedly soliciting illegal fees under the guise of arranging meetings with the new NNPC board members, executives, and management.
The disclaimer comes following the change of the NNPCL board.
On April 2, 2025, President Bola Tinubu appointed a new 11-member board with Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Ahmadu Musa Kidano as executive chairman.
In a statement signed on Monday by Olufemi Soneye, chief corporate communications officer, NNPC, t said the practice of soliciting fees is completely unauthorised and unlawful.
NNPCL said, “The general public is advised to beware of individuals and companies falsely claiming to represent NNPC Limited.
” Their tactics include soliciting fees for meetings with the NNPC board of directors, executives, and management staff. These actions are unauthorised and illegal.
“Foreign investors and international business entities are especially urged to remain cautious. If approached, report the incident to the appropriate authorities immediately.”
The company clarified that engagements with its boards or executives must follow official channels in line with company policy.
The oil giant said, “All legitimate engagements with NNPC Limited occur strictly through official channels or business units only.
“For further enquiries, please contact us at contactus@nnpcgroup.com.
“NNPC Limited remains committed to transparency, integrity, and the protection of our stakeholders in all interactions.”
The company called for public cooperation to prevent scammers from defrauding investors.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE) has announced that plans to support the country’s farmers with its AgriConnect initiative have kicked off with a pilot scheme launched in Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria.
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, minister, communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, minister, communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, last week launched the initiative at the Ogum State Cultural Centre Complex. AgriConnect is described as a transformative programme designed to digitally empower Nigerian farmers through real-time access to agronomic services, weather insights, financial tools and market intelligence.
The pilot scheme is being implemented in partnership with technology vendor Huawei Technologies and operator MTN Nigeria.
AgriConnect will initially benefit over 1,000 farmers, selected from the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS), with over 160,000 registered farmers.
Each beneficiary will receive mobile-data-enabled smart devices, embedded with Huawei’s AI-powered tools and MTN-supported connectivity to enable smarter planting, better risk mitigation and streamlined communication with government data centres.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Tijani noted that AgriConnect highlighted the importance of food security. Referring to a target of cultivating 500,000 hectares of land, he pointed out that innovation would be an important part of the effort.
As the government builds out the framework from this pilot in Ogun State (a leader in cassava production), he said, it aims to scale the AgriConnect model across other states – “ensuring that every farmer, regardless of geography, has the opportunity to benefit from the digital economy”, as he put it.
The AgriConnect initiative reflects an FMCIDE commitment under the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to promote rural inclusion and leverage Nigeria’s comparative advantage in agriculture.
By fusing AI, connectivity, and human-centred design, the ministry says that AgriConnect stands as a scalable model for advancing food security, driving innovation, and improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers across the country.
Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Steve Babaeko and the entire X3M Ideas team following their remarkable achievement of being ranked 31st on the Financial Times’ prestigious 2025 list of Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies.
This recognition by the Financial Times, in collaboration with global research firm Statista, highlights X3M Ideas’ outstanding performance and resilience in a highly competitive and challenging business landscape.
The agency’s ranking was determined based on its compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2023, verified through independently certified financial data, underscoring the credibility and transparency of the accolade.
Founded by renowned advertising executive Steve Babaeko, X3M Ideas has consistently demonstrated innovation, operational excellence, and creative leadership. The agency’s bold campaigns and commitment to impactful storytelling have not only elevated its profile in Nigeria but have also established its presence across several African markets.
This milestone marks a significant moment for Nigeria’s creative sector, traditionally overshadowed by industries such as fintech and energy in continental rankings.
AAAN President, Lanre Adisa, in a statement, congratulated Babaeko and X3M Ideas on the remarkable recognition. He said: “Steve’s tenure as AAAN President was quite revolutionary. He raised the bar for our association and industry at large. His leadership brought bold ideas to life, executed with brilliance and a deep sense of purpose for the creative community.
“This global acknowledgment is a testament to his enduring impact, not just as a creative force but as a trailblazer on the African continent.”
The Financial Times’ 2025 list features 130 top-performing companies from across Africa, with Nigeria and South Africa accounting for a significant share, reflecting the economic strength and entrepreneurial spirit of the continent’s largest economies.
X3M Ideas’ recognition not only celebrates its own growth but also signals the rising influence of the creative economy in shaping Africa’s future.
This latest accolade adds to a string of recent achievements for X3M Ideas, including being named Independent Network of the Year at the 2025 Pitcher Awards, further cementing the agency’s status as a leader in African creativity and innovation.
AAAN commends Steve Babaeko and the entire X3M Ideas team for their outstanding contribution to the industry and for flying the flag of Nigerian creativity high on the global stage.
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