The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Halilu, has charged the management staff of the Agency to put forward ideas on how NASENI can effectively support the priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu such as large-scale switching of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to alternative fuels to reduce the cost of living for Nigerians.

He stated this as he began receiving briefings from the Managing Directors of the Agency’s ten (10) Development Institutes, situated in Enugu, Minna, Awka, Okene, Nnewi, Kano, Jalingo, Akure, Ilesha and Nasarawa.

According to Halilu, “Our Institutes are the engines of NASENI’s innovation and these briefings by each Institute are critical as we work together to craft the future of NASENI, as it relates to delivering on the President’s socio-economic agenda.”

In addition to the Managing Directors, Team Leads of various NASENI projects, as well as the Agency’s Research Directors, also made presentations to the EVC on their various projects and efforts.

The briefings, which commenced on Monday September 18, 2023, are taking place ahead of the EVC’s planned tour of NASENI facilities across the institutes scheduled to commence in October.

Also on Tuesday, September 19, the EVC/CEO inaugurated a Committee to look into staff welfare, as part of steps to fulfil his pledge, upon assuming office, to ensure that NASENI becomes “a public sector employer of choice in Nigeria.”

The EVC tasked the Committee—made up exclusively of middle-level and junior staff of NASENI—with producing a Human Resources (HR) revamp plan for NASENI.

According to the EVC, “Our junior staff are indeed the ones on the frontlines of our work, bearing the biggest burdens, and therefore deserving of special attention, support and welfare.”

To round off the week, the EVC/CEO paid a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, on Friday September 22, at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja.

Commenting on the meeting, which discussed opportunities for collaboration in advancing research in methanol production, lithium mining, and natural medicine, the EVC/CEO said, both institutions were “keen to jointly commercialize existing research outputs,” adding that “I have no doubt that NASENI has a strong and committed partner, in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.”

Also on Friday, Halilu met with a young Nigerian innovator based in Maiduguri, Borno State, Mustapha Gajibo, who specializes in converting petrol-fired vehicles to use gas and solar energy.

“There’s no limit to what young Nigerians can achieve in science and technology, and at NASENI we want to be a part of these inspiring stories from every corner of the country,” said the EVC/CEO.

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To accomplish sustainable innovation, all players in the ecosystem must work together because it cannot be completed by one person or organisation. This statement was contained in a speech delivered by the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, at the Innovation Support Network (ISN) 2023 Annual Gathering with the theme “Unlocking Potential: Collaborating for Growth and Impact’’ at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja.

Inuwa emphasised that the tech industry thrives on collaboration and over 60% of global innovation now involves some form of cross-organisational collaboration. “A 2020 report by Microsoft indicates that over 95% of Fortune 500 companies rely on Microsoft Cloud services, illustrating how digital collaboration is driving business operations and innovation.” DG NITDA noted.

The Director General who was represented at the event by the National Coordinator, Office of the Nigerian Digital Innovation ONDI, Yakubu Musa, added that collaboration is the leading competitive edge across all spheres of socioeconomic activities, and this year’s annual gathering is to encourage and strengthen collaboration towards assisting innovators in discovering innovative and efficient solutions to the various problems confronting us in the economic, social, and political/governance realms.

He further revealed that technological advancements help societies to develop interconnected networks of cooperation which helps to accomplish more and improve the quality of life, thus allowing us to use these platforms to access ecosystems, talents, and information that are democratizing knowledge.

Furthermore, the DG said, ”these statistics are indicative of the fact that the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, interdependent, and collaborative. Therefore, collaboration is no longer an option, but a necessity for progress and growth.”

He stated that recognising collaboration as the dominant component for the digital transformation of the economy, the Director General noted that, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is unrelenting in its promotion of an environment suitable for all stakeholders to collaboratively grow and impact the digital innovation ecosystem.

He added that the role of the Agency is manifested through various enabling policies, guidelines, and strategies.

“Through strategic local and international relationships, NITDA has continued to work towards the realization of its overarching mandates. And, through numerous collaborative efforts, we have co-created enabling policies and regulatory instruments, as well as implemented programmes and initiatives for the sustainable development of Nigeria’s digital economy.”

He argued that in order to deepen our collaboration with the ecosystem, two Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), the Office for Nigerian Innovation (ONDI) and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) were established.

And through these SPVs, there have been collaborations with relevant stakeholders in implementing programmes such as the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme, the iHatch Startup Incubation Programme, amongst others.

Inuwa expressed his confidence in NITDA’s collaborative efforts to foster creativity and innovation to help the entrepreneurs catalyze digital innovation and entrepreneurship in all its ramifications.

He urged the public and private sector stakeholders to join the organizers of the annual gathering to avail themselves of the opportunities to collaborate and support the establishment of a prosperous and sustainable digital innovation ecosystem.

The Finland Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvänäinena, stated that as one of the top 10 most innovative countries in the world and as a small country, collaboration is key for success in any area.

Pylvänäinena reiterated that “there is much more that can be done in terms on partnerships and collaboration between Finnish Startup and Innovation Community and Nigerian startup community”.

The Executive Vice Chairman NASENI, Khalil Halilu, in his own remark, asserted that ISN was a product of collaboration, stating that working together is key in achieving progress, creating solutions to the most pressing challenges facing us, producing technological innovations and for creating jobs and wealth.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sacked the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Bashir Gwandu.

The President announced the termination of his appointment in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, on Friday.

While not giving reason for the decision, the President appointed Khalil Suleiman Halilu as the new head of the agency.

“By this appointment, Khalil Suleiman Halilu will serve for an initial term of five years in accordance with the relevant sections of the NASENI Act, 2014.

“Mr. Halilu, 32, is expected to bring his significant experience as an innovator and technology expert to bear in this important new national assignment.

“The tenure of Dr. Bashir Gwandu as EVC/CEO of NASENI is hereby terminated.

“By the directive of the President, this appointment takes immediate effect,” the statement read in part.

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TECHDIGEST – President Muhammadu Buhari has officially flagged off the Five Million Microsoft High Demand Skills Training Programme and the One Million Developer & Digital Skills Initiatives in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria.

The president flagged off the programme Tuesday in Abuja while commissioning  the new National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) managed by Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited where he also presented the Federal Government’s Seed Fund to ShapShap and FLOEWS ; two Nigerian startups that made the winning list at the GITEX GLOBAL, which held in Dubai, UAE last October.

He presented five million naira seed fund to Khalil Halil, Founder of ShapShap and three million naira to Bashir Abubakar, Founder & CEO, FLOEWS assisted by Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and other dignitaries including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.

READ ALSO: Pantami Honours Winners Of Huawei National ICT Competition

The Nigerian government had during GITEX GLOBAL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global tech giant, Microsoft Corporation, to train five million citizens on high-demand technological skills that are needed to advance their respective careers.

The president said his administration remains committed to building capacity and entrepreneurship amongst young people as well as ensuring that ordinary Nigerians are able to benefit from the digital economy. These commitments underscored the suspension of the proposed 5% excise duty on telecom infrastructure, the adoption of national policy on virtual engagements for federal public institutions; and the enactment of the Startup Act.

ShapShap,  a provider of white label APPs to small medium enterprises (SMEs) for aggregating, optimizing, and allocating last-mile jobs to gig workers, was the winner in the Mobility & Smart Cities Innovator category at the GITEX GLOBAL 2022 North Star Supernova Challenge,. The startup plans to explore the limitless opportunities for logistics in Nigeria’s growing urban centres and also those of other markets within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

FLOEWS, a flood early warning system, was a finalist out of a motley crowd of over 800 startups from all over the world, but lost out to Kenya’s Melanin Kapital in the Africa Fast category.

The Supernova Challenge is the biggest pitch competition in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, where startups have opportunity to become the next unicorn.

Nine Nigerian startups had emerged as semi-finalists including Identity Pass, 9JaCodeKids Academy, Floews, MedTech, Paddycover, Pricepally, LiveBic, Technyon Technologies, and Wellness Health Technologies.

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TECHDIGEST – Despite the beehive of innovations at 2022 GITEX, a Nigerian Startup, Shap-Shap has clinched the trophy as the winner in the Mobility and Logistics Innovation category in the Supernova Challenge Pitch Competition.

The CEO, Khalil Halilu who was among the two Nigerian startups to enter the final stage of the competition was presented with a prize of $8000.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) who was obviously elated by the success story described the victory as a win to all Nigerians and a clarion call for investors to come and invest in Nigerian Startups.

“It shows that we are doing well, don’t forget that we have around seven unicorns in Africa, and five out of the seven originated from Nigeria”

READ ALSO: GITEX 2022: AWS Hosts NITDA Boss, Nigerian Startups on Partnership Drive

“If you look at the competition up to Semifinals, we had nine start-ups and at the finals, we had two start-ups and now we have one winner, so it is a clear indication that we are doing well, out of 90 countries and over 800 entries; the future is certainly bright for Nigeria when it comes to digital innovation and entrepreneurship”, Pantami stressed.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE while appraising the competition, expressed excitement at the turn out of events.

According to the DG, the solution Shap-Shap presented is going to impact not only Nigeria but the global market.

“This shows that we have people with innovative ideas that can change the world positively”

“This is how others started like Uber and other logistics applications; In Nigeria, most of the strength we have today is in Fintech but other categories like e-Health, eduTech and Mobility, Logistics and Smart Cities are areas also we need Startups that can solve problems for our local consumption and the world in general”, Inuwa noted.

Inuwa noted that the different success stories achieved by the Nigerian team underscores the fact that the participation was indeed lucrative.

He enumerated the highlights of Nigeria’s participation to include the signing of MoU with Microsoft to train 5 Million Nigerians on digital skills, Start-ups closing deals worth more than $10 million and a start-up, Shap-Shap emerging the global winner in the tech competition.

The winner who lacked words to expressed his joy was thankful for the prize and promised to deploy the money judiciously.
Halilu also thanked the Federal Government for always supporting Startups and encourage relevant authorities both in private and public sectors to build Nigerian Start-up to come up with innovations that will turn the world’s attention to Nigeria for solutions.

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TECHDIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), together with other government agencies under the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and Nigerian start-ups that participated in this year’s edition of the ‘Gulf Information Technology Exhibition’ (GITEX 2022), are counting their successes in the global tech exhibition.

They spoke about their outstanding individual performances at a ceremony to end Nigeria’s participation in the event, which ran from October 10 to 14, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, in United Arab Emirates, UAE.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of NITDA, noted that GITEX 2022 has so far been the best for agencies supervised by the Communications and Digital Economy Ministry.

At the GITEX event, he said NITDA and other Nigerian agencies in attendance, shared valuable experience and transferred requisite ICT knowledge among other world tech agencies, and governments.

“Most of our start-ups got lucrative investment deals, and partnerships. A Nigerian tech start-up, ShapShap won the award for ‘Mobility and Smart Cities Innovator’ in the final of the Supernova Challenge Pitch Competition.

READ ALSO: FACTS: As Minister, Microsoft Sign MOU To Train 5 Million Nigerians On Digital Skills At GITEX 2022

“Another Nigerian start-up, FLOEWS, emerged second in another category. These are no mean feats by any standard,” he said.

While maintaining that Nigeria is above other African countries, in terms of digital eco-system transformation, Kashifu Inuwa, however said that Nigeria has the potential to become a global power in ICT development, in no distant time.

His words: “What is needed is an enabling environment, which the government is doing through the formulation of viable policies and programmes for young Nigerian tech innovators and start-ups”.

On his part, the Director General of Galaxy Backbone Nigeria, Professor Muhammad Bello Abubakar Bello, said Nigeria’s performance has continuously improved with each edition of GITEX.

According to him, Nigeria’s digital economy sector has truly come of age, with the amazing inventions its start-ups and government agencies, showcased at GITEX.

“So far, GITEX2022 has been a great event. And one person who made this year’s edition a remarkable success is Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy,” he said.

Prof. Bello Abubakar, disclosed that their agency was able to establish new partnerships with international ICT firms, while also strengthening their existing bilateral relationships with others.

The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Abubakar Abdulaziz, said their agency saw many world-class tech inventions, and also showcased their own spectacular ICT innovations too, at the GITEX event.

“Many people were mesmerized by how we have digitalized the process of the National Identity Number, NIN, registration in Nigeria. In fact, the organizers of this GITEX are proud of what Nigeria showcased in their global exhibition,” he said.

Khalil Halilu, who is the young Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of ShapShap, the Nigerian start-up which won the award for ‘Mobility and Smart Cities Innovator’ in the final of the Supernova Challenge Pitch Competition, also spoke to PRNigeria.

Appreciating the support of Prof. Pantami, who attended the award ceremony where he was honoured, Bello, emphasized the need for government and the private sector to support other innovative Nigerian start-ups, whose activities are boosting the country’s ICT sector.

Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST, Hajiya Maimuna Yahaya, congratulated Nigeria’s entire delegation to GITEX2022.

She said: “There is no denying that an ICT revolution is taking place in Nigeria. The appointment of Prof Ali Isa Pantami as the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and the coming of Mallam Kashifu Inuwa as NITDA’s Director General are game changers.

“All the CEOs of NCC, Galaxy Backbone, NIMC among others have done a lot in promoting the growth of indigenous ICT technology, through supporting Nigerian start-ups. On the other hand, we at NIPOST too, by participating in this year’s GITEX, have gained insight on the development of new technologies for enhancing its servicing”.

PRNigeria reports that GITEX which stands for “Gulf Information Technology Exhibition”) is the annual enterprise technology and global digital transformation event taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at Dubai World Trade Centre. The event underpins the rapid technology-driven transformations, investments and projects shaping the economies of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

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