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TNW Conference Extols Nigeria’s Innovative Approach in Development of Startup Act

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Nigeria’s Innovative approach in the development of the Nigeria Startup Act was celebrated by the global technology ecosystem stakeholders during the Deep Tech Roundtable, held as part of ‘The Assembly’, one of the strategic sessions of TNW.

This year’s The Next Web (TNW) Conference was held from 15th to 16th June, 2023, at the Taets Art and Event Park, Amsterdam.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, the Director General/CEO, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), was in attendance as a Special Guest and participated in several roundtable sessions including ‘The Assembly’ and the Startup Genome Ecosystem Leadership Forum.

The DG who was represented by Dr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director, Information Technology Infrastructure Solutions, highlighted some of Nigeria’s initiatives focused on fostering the growth and development of the country’s startup ecosystem.

Inuwa informed that one key legislation co-created by ecosystem stakeholders, the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA), is an example of the country’s approach to Developmental Regulation, one of the pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria (NDEPS).

That the NSA project, a joint initiative by Nigeria’s tech ecosystem and the Presidency driven by Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, was aimed at harnessing the potentials of Nigeria’s digital economy through co-created regulations.

That the objectives of the Act include, among others, to provide an enabling environment for the establishment, development and operation of startups in Nigeria; to provide a legal and institutional framework for the development of startups in Nigeria; to provide for the development and growth of technology-related talents; and to position Nigeria’s startup ecosystem as the leading digital technology centre in Africa, having excellent innovators with cutting edge skills and exportable capacity.

The DG further informed that the Act is made up of ten (10) parts which cuts across five (5) drivers, namely collaboration, engagement, incentives, linkages and support. That the Act intends to increase collaboration within Government and its interactions with ecosystem practitioners by the establishment of the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

That the Council will be presided over by the President as Chairman alongside representatives of the Federal Executive arm of Government, the Director General of NITDA as Secretary and representatives of the Nigeria Computer Society, the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria and the Startup Consultative Forum.

That the Council is to monitor and evaluate regulatory frameworks; formulate and implement policy guidelines, oversee the harmonisation of laws, and regulations for the development of startups in Nigeria.

That NITDA is to serve as the Secretariat of the Council with the DG to serve in a dual capacity of both the Secretary of the Council and the Head of the Secretariat.

Additionally, Inuwa highlighted the establishment of a Startup Support and Engagement Portal which is to serve as a ‘One-Stop-Shop’ for startups to register with all relevant regulatory Agencies of Government. This is aimed at saving time as well as associated costs when engaging the Agencies on individual basis.

It will also facilitate the improvement of the ease of doing business within the tech ecosystem, in line with the provisions of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

The NITDA Boss also highlighted the establishment of a Startup Investment Seed Fund, to be managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

The fund will target early-stage startups, hubs and other entities that support the startup ecosystem. That the fund is to be funded annually with a minimum of N10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) towards financing labelled startups and others as seed funds, grants or loans.

He also indicated that these and many other provisions of the Act present a promising future for startups in Nigeria. That Nigeria’s hope is for the Act to serve as a veritable tool towards fostering the development and sustenance of an enabling Startup ecosystem in the country.

He therefore called on stakeholders to support the Secretariat in realizing the potentials of the Act.

Stakeholders in attendance hailed Nigeria’s approach and opined that it is an excellent example of co-created regulation for others to emulate. Matt Smith, Director, Policy and Research, the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), in his remarks, revealed that he has been following with keen interest the unprecedented developments in Nigeria’s Startup ecosystem.

That often, governments seeking to empower entrepreneurs tend find themselves developing and implementing a complex range of reforms, policies and programmes that cut across ministerial and departmental portfolios.

That without central coordination, it is easy for such reforms to stall due to limited legislative capacity, disagreements between responsible departments, or end up with duplicate or competing initiatives between departments.

That Nigeria’s innovative approach in the crafting of the Startup Act will no doubt minimize such pitfalls, offers a promising future for the country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and is already inspiring similar startup acts around the world. He therefore said that Nigeria deserves commendation for this innovative approach.


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NACCIMA, TETFund Forge Alliance to Boost Innovation, Skills, Economic Growth

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The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) have agreed to a new strategic partnership aimed at driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness.

Led by its National President and Chairman of the Organized Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), Engr. Jani Ibrahim, a high-level NACCIMA delegation visited the TETFund headquarters in Abuja today.

The team was received by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, during what both parties described as a milestone engagement.

Discussions during the meeting focused on collaborative initiatives including entrepreneurship development, support for the green economy, commercialization of academic research, industry–academia synergy, and skills development to better equip graduates for the evolving demands of the labour market.

A key outcome of the meeting was the mutual agreement to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and establish a NACCIMA–TETFund Joint Technical Committee that will oversee the implementation of agreed initiatives.

Both sides also expressed commitment to developing additional partnership frameworks that will bolster Nigeria’s competitiveness and economic resilience.

Also present at the engagement, Prof. Umar Bindir lauded the collaboration, highlighting the need for structured, long-term partnerships between academia and the private sector to generate practical solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.

Arc. Echono, in his remarks, praised NACCIMA’s leadership in promoting enterprise and innovation, and reaffirmed TETFund’s readiness to work closely with the Organized Private Sector to foster research, innovation, and economic transformation.

This collaboration positions NACCIMA as a key driver of national development, helping to bridge the gap between education, enterprise, and policymaking, while empowering young Nigerians and strengthening the foundation of the country’s knowledge economy.

 


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Winners Emerge in the PalmPay, Glo Campaign

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Michael Emmanuel, Winner of an Infinix Hot 40i in the ongoing PalmPay and Glo Recharge and Win Bonanza 2
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PalmPay, a digital banking platform, in partnership with Nigeria’s telecom giant, Glo, is celebrating winners in the ongoing PalmPay & Glo Recharge. The exciting campaign, which kicked off on June 19, 2025, will run until August 23, 2025, rewarding loyal customers with fantastic prizes and exclusive bonuses.

Since the promo commenced, users have won prizes ranging from Oraimo Earbuds to Infinix Hot 40i.

The ongoing weekly campaign has recorded 20 winners, which include:

  • Michael Emmanuel from Lagos emerged as the winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
  • Perpetual Amos, winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
  • Semiu Adekunle Abegunde, winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
  • Josiah Oluwasegun Adewale, winner of an Oraimo Earbuds

Michael Emmanuel from Lagos recounted his experience as the lucky winner of the Infinix Hot 401 as he couldn’t hide his excitement. He noted, “I am so excited! I didn’t even expect it. I received a call while I was sleeping, informing me that I’d won, and I went live immediately to confirm it was real. I’ve been using PalmPay for about two years now, and winning this is such a great feeling. I’ll keep using PalmPay, and I encourage everyone to recharge their Glo line on the app; you could win too.”

The campaign, which is in its last week, has winners revealed every Friday during a live raffle draw streamed across PalmPay’s social media channels. The campaign gives customers the chance to get amazing prizes, including an iPhone 15 Pro, an Infinix Hot 40, and many other exciting rewards. Users also enjoy up to 6% cashback when purchasing Glo airtime or data via the PalmPay app.

New Glo data subscribers who have not signed up for a plan in the past 90 days will also receive a 100% bonus on their recharge during the promo period.

How to participate:

  1. Download the PalmPay app.
  2. Link your Glo number in the app.
  3. Purchase airtime or data via PalmPay; every transaction increases your chances of winning.
  4. Join the live draw

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Telcos See Biggest Growth Post-COVID – ALTON

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Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has said that the telecommunications sector in Nigeria is once again on a strong growth trajectory.

Telcos See Biggest Growth Post-COVID  – ALTON

Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, ALTON

Engr. Adebayo stated this over the weekend on the side-lines of the unveiling of Nigeria’s first Digital Museum, an initiative that preserves and showcases the nation’s history and cultural heritage.

He commended IHS Towers for spearheading the project, describing it as another clear demonstration of the industry’s commitment to the Nigerian project. He noted that by investing in the preservation of Nigeria’s past while building the infrastructure of the future, IHS has set a remarkable example of corporate citizenship.

Speaking on the state of the telecoms sector, Engr. Adebayo said: “After addressing sustainability concerns earlier in the year, we are now witnessing significant new investments in the sector: the highest we have seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of ALTON are optimising networks, building new sites to meet rising capacity demands, upgrading existing infrastructure, and migrating more sites from old radio links to high-speed fibre connections.”

He further noted that Tower Companies (TowerCos) are enhancing security across telecom sites to mitigate against vandalism and theft. “Removable batteries and generators are now fitted with trackers to trace stolen items, and we strongly advise the public to desist from buying equipment suspected to have been stolen from telecom sites,” he cautioned.

Engr. Adebayo also highlighted ongoing capacity development within the sector: “We are training and retraining our workforce to adapt to emerging technologies. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set strict service level requirements, and we are committed to not only meeting but surpassing them. Though network optimisation may occasionally cause service disruptions, we appeal to the public for understanding as these efforts will ultimately deliver a much-improved user experience nationwide.”

On industry governance, the ALTON Chairman expressed delight at the inauguration of the new Board of the NCC, chaired by Mr. Idris Olorunimbe.

“We are very excited about the appointment of Mr. Idris. His reputation as a man of excellence precedes him. Working with the competent and visionary Executive Management Team led by the Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, and the other Executive Commissioners, we are confident the sector is set on the right path to sustainability and growth. The new Board will strengthen the remarkable progress already achieved.”

Engr. Adebayo further welcomed the rebranding of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS) from 9Mobile to T2, describing it as an important milestone for the industry.

“EMTS is a very important member of ALTON, and we are pleased to see their rebirth as T2. This rebranding enhances investor confidence and underscores the value of collaboration. It assures the public that there are good times ahead for our industry, and we are very excited about what the future holds,” he stated.

Turning to issues of Right of Way (RoW), Engr. Adebayo stressed that investments can only thrive in enabling environments:

“The digital train is moving very fast. States that create hostile conditions for telecom operations risk being left behind. We will not continue to solicit endlessly for cooperation. Where deployment is unwelcome, investments will move to more supportive neighbouring states, and citizens of unfriendly states will inevitably suffer limited connectivity. We urge all state actors to partner with us so that no one is left behind in this rapid transformation.”

On the issue of multiple taxation, Engr. Adebayo commended the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the Presidential Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform Committee, for its ongoing reforms. Engr. Adebayo described the reforms as a pivotal step toward streamlining Nigeria’s tax system and eliminating the burden of multiple taxation. He highlighted the positive impact on small and medium-sized businesses, noting that the changes will promote entrepreneurship, attract investment, and foster a more business-friendly environment.

“We eagerly await the commencement of the implementation in January 2026. We are confident that the over 56 taxes and levies currently borne by our members across various jurisdictions will soon become a thing of the past.”

Engr. Adebayo concluded by appreciating all industry stakeholders and reaffirming ALTON’s commitment to the Nigeria project:

“The transformation we are witnessing in our sector has not been experienced in recent years. We thank the leadership of the NCC for their commitment, we congratulate and welcome the new Board under the leadership of Mr. Idris Olorunimbe, and we look forward to even greater milestones ahead.

The industry is on the march again, and together, with the support of the public in protecting our critical infrastructure, there is no stopping Nigeria’s telecommunications sector as a driver of national economic stability and growth.”


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