The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have flagged off a nationwide initiative to provide free business registration for 250,000 nano, micro, and small enterprises across the country.

The programme was unveiled in Abuja on Friday during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies. According to a joint statement, the initiative is part of activities marking the second year in office of CAC Registrar-General Hussaini Magaji and SMEDAN Director-General Charles Odii, who were both appointed in October 2023.

For years, many small businesses have struggled with the cost and bureaucracy of formalisation, leaving millions in the informal sector and unable to access finance, markets, or government support. The new CAC–SMEDAN scheme seeks to break this barrier by fully covering registration costs while linking beneficiaries to SMEDAN’s MSME database.

Through the database, registered businesses will enjoy access to aftercare support, including grants, training, technical assistance, and market linkages.

Speaking at the event, Magaji said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms designed to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs nationwide. He disclosed that the Commission was foregoing about N3 billion in registration fees to make the scheme possible.

“This drive is about breaking down barriers that keep too many of our small businesses informal. By removing the cost of business name registration for 250,000 businesses, we are helping more entrepreneurs take the first step towards growth, legitimacy, and access to bigger opportunities,” Magaji stated.

On his part, SMEDAN boss Odii stressed that the drive would help reduce illegal businesses and the collapse rate of SMEs. He noted that formalisation is the gateway to accessing government support and urged entrepreneurs to register on the agency’s portal at portal.smedan.gov.ng.

“Every MSME in our database without CAC registration will be offered this free registration initiative. For those who are not digital natives, our state offices nationwide and business clinics will provide support,” he said.

Odii further explained that recent tax reforms—set to take effect in 2026—would raise the exemption threshold, easing concerns that registration automatically leads to taxation. He also clarified that the upcoming CAC fee review would not affect the 250,000 free registrations.

Both officials commended President Tinubu for his commitment to MSME growth, noting that the initiative reflects his Renewed Hope agenda of creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship.

How to Apply:

1. Visit portal.smedan.gov.ng and complete the registration form.
2. MSMEs already on SMEDAN’s database without CAC registration automatically qualify.
3. Once registered, beneficiaries will be contacted with next steps for CAC certification.

The post CAC, SMEDAN Launch Free Business Registration Drive for 250,000 MSMEs appeared first on Tech Digest News.

In a continuous effort to foster inclusivity between the government and citizens of Nigeria, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Nigeria and the implementing organisation Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), organised a two-day event titled “Digital Policy Dialogue: Cooperate. Innovate” aimed at engaging stakeholders on the Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF).

Speaking during the event, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, noted that the framework focuses on involving citizens in policy development and implementation, thereby promoting ownership and accountability.

The DG said, “Today marks a remarkable milestone in our journey to reimagine the position of NITDA in the Nigerian tech ecosystem. Five years ago, NITDA faced a significant trust deficit with the tech community due to top-down policy impositions. To address this, NITDA shifted to a collaborative approach, emphasising co-design and co-creation.”

Inuwa expressed gratitude to GIZ for their support, which began with the Nigerian Startup Act created through a collaborative process. Following this success, GIZ and DTC assisted in developing the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) through a similar participatory process.

The initiative, according to him, has seen significant citizen engagement, with the creative sector recently volunteering to champion digital literacy in Nigeria.

He further said that, NITDA is collaborating with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train citizens across 774 local governments and the Ministry of Education to integrate digital skills into the national curriculum by next year, which is an effort towards achieving the Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy’s long-term target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030 and midterm target of 70% by 2027.

Inuwa highlighted that the engagement aligns with NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) which has one of its eight pillars as “Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Framework.

“To ensure sustainability, GIZ and DTC are formalising a participatory policy implementation framework that can be adapted beyond the digital sector, benefiting areas such as education, agriculture, and healthcare,” he added.

He applauded all stakeholders for their past contributions and urged for continued collaboration to solidify the legal framework policy implementation in Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Engineer Faruk Yusuf Yabo expanded on the expectations of the PPIF in his keynote address.

He said, “The proposed framework introduces several key initiatives: establishing multi-channel stakeholder engagement, promoting collaborative decision-making through digital platforms, ensuring transparency and accountability, investing in capacity building, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.”

Furthermore, he stressed that the approach is designed to foster a participatory policy-making process and ensure that the benefits of technological advancements are equitably distributed.

He disclosed that the initiative is supported by partners including the European Union and the German government, which marks the beginning of a commitment to inclusivity and transparency in Nigeria’s digital policy development.

Earlier in his opening speech, the Coordinator, Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SEDEC) GIZ, Nigeria Dr. Markus Wauschkuhn welcomed the participants to the public presentation of the draft Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF) for the ICT and digital economy sectors.

Wauschkuhn pointed out the vital contributions of NITDA, GIZ, and all stakeholders involved in creating the PPIF, noting the importance of a participatory policy-making process that includes diverse voices from individuals, communities, businesses, and institutions.

He accentuated that the approach aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and trust in governance while addressing the rapid advancements in the digital age.
In her opening statement, Dr. Thwueba Dwani, Head of Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Nigeria, stated that involving stakeholders in policy implementation enhances sustainability and relevance, as evidenced by numerous studies. She introduced the Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF) as a crucial tool for Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem, developed through extensive stakeholder engagement and participatory formats.

Other agencies represented at the event were the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), the Civil Society Organisation, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders.

The post NITDA, GIZ, DTC Host Digital Policy Dialogue to Boost Citizen Engagement appeared first on Tech Digest News.

In a bid to implement the agenda of the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR of Reforming the Economy for Sustained Inclusive Growth by accelerating diversification of the nation’s economy, a Memorandum of Understanding highlighting the pivotal role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has been signed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

Recognising SMEs as the backbone of the nation’s economic landscape, the MOU was signed with a primary focus on the growth of SMEs and tackling startup challenges while implementing the Nigeria Startup Act.

The MOU was signed by the two organisations, Friday at the corporate headquarters of the SMEDAN agency in Idu, Abuja.

The objective of the MOU is to establish a strategic partnership between NITDA and SMEDAN and to ensure that issues relating to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are addressed in implementing the Startup Act.

Speaking at the ceremony, the NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE emphasised the critical importance of SMEs and cited their contribution to Nigeria’s economy, where they represent over 90% of businesses.

Underscoring the need for technological innovation to enhance productivity in the sector, Inuwa stated that “when you talk about critical sectors, SMEs are the first and if we want to create prosperity for our country, we should start by digitising SMEs”.

He further emphasised the necessity of creating a comprehensive database of SMEs to facilitate targeted incentives and foster digital literacy among entrepreneurs.

Inuwa highlighted the transformative potential of technology in expanding market reach and enhancing the productivity of entrepreneurs’ businesses while pointing to successful cases where ICT training programmes organised by NITDA for women have helped them leverage social media platforms, thereby significantly boosting their market presence and efficiency.

“As SMEs, you can use technology to expand your market reach and at NITDA, we have trained women on ICT and they have been able to expand their market reach and productivity using social media platforms. If we can do this, it will change the SMEs landscape in Nigeria”, he added.

The transformative power of technology within Nigeria was proudly exemplified by Inuwa, where he narrated how several SMEs have blossomed from nothing to become billion-dollar organisations.

“In Africa, we have 7 Unicorns and out of them, 5 originated from Nigeria. So, we believe that with technology, we can help all the SMEs to scale up, increase their productivity and create sustainable prosperity for our country”, he asserted.

In his remark, the SMEDAN Director General, Charles Odii stated that the essence of the MOU agreement is to collaborate with NITDA in fulfilling the mandate of the President’s agenda in creating jobs and digitising Nigeria’s economy.

While stating that any business that does not take advantage of digital innovation and services is short-changing itself, Odii noted that if the 40 million small businesses in the country equip themselves with digital processes whereby each small business employs at least 5 people, it will have a significant impact on Nigeria’s economy.

“What we are doing here in addition to sensitising the public on the implementation of the Startup Act is to organise our small businesses where they can use innovative solutions to solve their problems”, he averred.

The signing of the MOU signified a crucial step towards harnessing the power of technology to revolutionise Nigeria’s SME landscape, thereby paving the way for sustainable growth and prosperity.

The post NITDA, SMEDAN Sign MOU For Economic Diversification appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Having approximately 40 million small businesses spread across Nigeria and they are responsible for 50 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP) and 70 million jobs, Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that the Agency (NITDA) will collaborate with the Small and Medium Entreprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to have joint programmes in terms of Infrastructure, digital literacy, and many more; to build a database that will give insights into happenings and where to appropriately channel interventions.

The DG made this known while receiving the Director General of SMEDAN Charles Odii who was on a courtesy visit to the Agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

The purpose of the visit was to seek partnership in terms of infrastructural and human capital development for SMEs in Nigeria. To also submit a memorandum of understanding (MoU) where both Agencies can align and invite DG NITDA to SMEDAN for further discussions.

Mr. Inuwa revealed that there were opportunities for collaboration between NITDA and SMEDAN as stated in the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) like the first pillar which is to foster Digital Literacy and cultivate talents.

He said the collaboration will facilitate the penetration of digital literacy among Small and Medium Entreprise (SMEs) to enhance productivity. He added that it also aligns with the objective of the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).

“We all know that with digital literacy a market woman can sell her goods without moving from one place to another, as someone can use digital platforms to order for goods and have them delivered to them.”

The DG NITDA stated that the collaboration is apt as it will strengthen policy implementation and legal frameworks like the Nigerian Startup Act. He said SMEs make up about 90 percent of the country’s workforce and more than 90 percent of businesses, saying “We really want to work with you, to explore how we can get them (SMEs) to benefit from all the incentives within the Startup Act and we target those who use innovation to promote productivity or innovation-driven entreprises.”

Mr. Inuwa citing ISF said that there are more than 100 IT hubs in Nigeria and less than 50 percent of these centres are being utilised.

He revealed that both Agencies can utilize these IT hubs as infrastructure for the unserved and underserved areas, which aligns with a pillar of the SRAP 2.0 which is to promote inclusive access to digital infrastructure and services.

“We can come together and decide a benchmark on what an IT hub should look like so that it can properly serve the people.”

On strengthening cybersecurity and digital trust he said “We need to look at how we can come up with cybersecurity solutions for SMEs that will promote digital trust by having SMEs that provide affordable and indigenous cybersecurity services.

Emphasis on another pillar that is SME-centric which is to nurture an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem he said “We need to come up with ways to promote innovation and entrepreneurship thereby fostering a dynamic ecosystem that propels economic growth.

Speaking earlier, the DG SMEDAN Charles Odii said that the Agency has a couple of digital literacy programmes they had started, and they were at NITDA to have their curriculum looked at to see if it meets global standards and to be sure that it aligns with the NDLF.

Mr. Odii in terms of the Startup Act said, “We understand that NITDA is the secretariat for the Startup Act, and we want to work with you in sensitising them (SMEs), especially those of them who are startups to take advantage of this and also help to add to your database for registration.”

He said : “We have a robust SME database that we are building, and we would like to partner with you to make sure that the framework for this database is in line with what you have for data entrepreneurs.”

The post NITDA, SMEDAN to have joint programmes for SMEs, build database for Interventions appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – As SMEs make up a huge percentage of businesses and economic growth, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, FNCS has said that digitisation of MSMEs will increase revenue by 26 percent as well as reduce operating cost by 22 percent, and contribute 53b USD to the Nigerian economy.

Inuwa stated this while delivering an opening remark at TechMyBiz Pitch-A-Thon event in Lagos held at the Digital Transformation Center Nigeria (DTC Nigeria), which was jointly funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The TechMyBiz Pitch-a-thon which is a process of selecting Digital Innovations in Africa started with a “Call for Digital Solutions” campaign, that offered a platform for many innovators, entrepreneurs and startups within the Nigerian ecosystem to register their already created digital solutions, from which 30 are expected to emerge as winners out of the 50 selected for the Pitch-a-thon event running from the 12th -14th July 2023.

READ ALSO: CITAD Commends Reps over suspension of CBN social media handle Policy

The DG noted that, digitisation is about operational excellence, using technology as an enabler for business efficiency, more productivity, increased revenue and cost savings,” he said.

He said despite the available opportunities, there are challenges that need to be addressed in order to realise the potential of digital transformation in SMEs.
“Firstly, we need to create innovation-friendly conditions in our country in terms of enabling policies and laws, government services, ease of doing business, and so on.”

“Secondly, we need to have support organisations — platform that will assist to digitise MSMEs for innovation hubs around the country to incubate ideas, because innovation is a process of taking an idea from inception to impact that means you can have an idea, and you can be innovative, but that is not enough, you need to commercialise your ideas.”

“Then we need the infrastructure, this is important to MSMEs, but Africa is lacking in digital public infrastructure. Digital public infrastructure is beyond having connectivity and access to computers. The Second Industrial Revolution was about massive production which requires enabling infrastructure for transportation, but today we are in the fourth Industrial Revolution, which is about digital services, therefore, we need the required infrastructure to aid digital services.”

“Lastly, is the challenge of digital skills and literacy. The digital offerings require digitally literate consumers to benefit from the services, therefore there is the need to enlighten and educate the populace to acquire digital literacy skills, ” he said.
Quoting the DG of SMEDAN, Inuwa reiterated that MSMEs contribute to 96 percent of businesses, 83 percent of the workforce and 43 percent of the nation’s GDP. “With digital technology SMEs can have an exponential growth transformation that will upscale businesses.”

In his conclusion, he expanded on the need to have a digital sovereignty through adequate infrastructure, adding that the Nigerian government through NITDA is implementing the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) to promote in-country skills to address these challenges.

“The Start-up Act, if fully implemented, will address all these challenges, in policy development, friendly environment, enabling infrastructure, innovation clusters around the country and many more.”

“This form of engagement, places the continent on the right track and together we can build the kind of environment, infrastructure, and the required skills we need to accelerate digitisation in Nigeria,” he affirmed.

Others in attendance were, Mr Markus Wauschkuhn, Coordinator Commission Social policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC); Technical Lead Evaluation Expert Charles Emembolu; representatives of the European Union(EU); ISN Board; and other industry experts.

The post MSMEs Will Contribute $53b To Nigeria’s Economy If Digitised — NITDA Boss appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA and the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have agreed to institutionalise the activities of the Small and Medium Enterprises, (SMEs) in the country.

The proposed agreement was revealed at a meeting between the NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE and his SMEDAN counterpart, Mr Olawale Fasanya. The meeting was held at NITDA’s Corporate Headquarters, Abuja,
According to NITDA’s boss, institutionalising the SME would serve as a catalyst for creating wealth and prosperity, adding that, “We have between 60-90 per cent of our businesses under SMEs, but operating informally, how can we formalise them so that even the government can benefit by collecting taxes and have a structure in place to capture the GDP correctly, he queried.

Inuwa noted that most of the Startups the Agency deals with are SMEs who are also trying to solve a real life problem.

He said, “We see Startups as our babies, while for you anybody trying to start any business you see them as your babies. We have startups solving problems in agric, commerce, education, and logistics and so on.”

Inuwa added that the world is moving to smart manufacturing whereby you can design anything on your system and print it using 3D printer.

“We have Digital Fabrication Lab in our Center (the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics NCAIR) where you can design all these and manufacture them or prototype them and do mass production.”

He also announced that plans are underway to have facilities everywhere as the goal is for every Nigerian to have access to these kinds of facilities.
Enumerating some of the initiatives which the Agency is undertaking and the collaboration is into with the big techs to include NITDA Learning Management System Online Academy, the Director General assured SMEDAN that their SMEs will be on boarded into some of the programs.

“We are also looking beyond SMEs today; we have what we call IDEs (Innovation Driven Enterprises) which is a process where you start with a mindset that you are solving the immediate problem but the bigger picture is to go global and Information Technology is making it possible for you to reach anywhere in the world.”

Citing the recent research conducted by the Lagos Business School on the booming nature of the Gig economy, the Director General said that as at last year, there were over 2 million Nigerians earning a living through the Gig economy who receive training and work from anywhere using IT, like those doing Bolt and online digital marketing.

Describing the roles of the two agencies as common, the Inuwa said they both exist to develop and help Nigerians create wealth through the use of IT.

“IT is pervasive, anywhere you think of today you need IT to enable it. Our lives revolve around technology,” he noted.

“This kind of collaboration is what can help us have structure to even protect the Gig economy as well”, he concluded.

Earlier in his remark, Mr Fasanya said that they were in the Agency to intimate NITDA of their readiness to further enter into other collaborative areas that will be more impactful to the society.

The SMEDAN’s Director General revealed that they have identified about 70 youths in all the 36 states of the Federation who were trained on different skills, particularly on how to market their products digitally.
While disclosing that his organisation wants their SMEs to take advantage of the digital space, Mr Fasanya said that would give them required knowledge on e-learning platforms, e- marketing and so on.

The post NITDA, SMEDAN to Institutionalise SMEs in Nigeria appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – The recent crash in the cost of .ng domain name by NiRA, coupled with the enforcement of the use of .ng as the official communication channel for all MDAs by the federal government, are all geared towards populating .ng domain name in Nigeria, writes Emma Okonji

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), this year, approved the National Policy on the Nigerian Government Second-Level Domains during its meeting on the 16th of February, 2022 and thus barred its workers from the use of generic domains, with a bid to enforce the use of .ng domain name across all MDAs of government.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) followed up with the directive by recently inaugurating a 14-man enforcement committee to monitor the policy implementation across all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) both at the state and federal levels.

READ ALSO: SABRE:NITDA Wins 2022 African PR Award For Excellence

However, the February 2022 declaration is not the first by the FEC, leaving many people astonished as to why, after six years , the Nigeria government is still advocating for compliance regarding the local .ng domain name.

Should it be regarded as ignorance or sheer sabotage that a diplomat for example, would issue a call card which contains a .com, or .co.uk, email address? It may very well be that Nigeria’s top public officials are not aware of the use of gov.ng in their ministries. One is left wondering how long it will be, to obtain full compliance to the new policy.

It is surprising that a country with 141,971,560 active internet users in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, has less than 200,000 .ng domains to both local and international owners. The statistics baffles many Nigerians, especially when compared with the number of .co.za domains, which is the domain name for South Africa that has been pushed out to the world, and it is in full use in South Africa and in many other African countries.

Most analysts have raised questions as to why many Nigerians have refused to use .ng domains. Who is to blame? Is it that Nigerians are

thinking that the. ng is not good enough or they just do not understand its importance to national brand? Nigerians probably need some sort of government policies to make it somewhat compulsory for individuals and businesses to adopt the use of .ng domain name.

One of the analysts who is a registrar of .ng domain name, said: “If you try to convince some people to switch to .ng, a vast majority of the people would give all sorts of reasons why they do not use .ng and many of these reasons are simply based on assumptions or hearsay and not facts.

According to the registrar, “It is important to stress that the foundation of any sustainable development especially in the knowledge economy, is the enactment and enforcement of policies. Imagine, if we had a policy that states that every registered company in Nigeria must use .ng domain nam. We know this is not an impossible feat, after all the UK and a few other countries are enforcing such policies whether covertly or overtly.

“Therefore, the recent moves by the FEC must be effectively implemented especially in support of the digital economy drives. The journey towards economic diversification requires everybody’s commitment to the development of a robust digital economy and in this case, demands the use of the Nigerian Second Level Domain by all government-owned websites and official emails.

“The private sector is not left out either. Many Nigerian business platforms still struggle with the indulgence of .ng, not aware of the immense benefit it will offer to boost their business outlook both local and international.”

The Benefits

Addressing the many benefits of the adoption and use of .ng domain name, most analysts are of the view that .ng domain name, which is Nigeria’s identity in the cyberspace, will enhance global visibility of local businesses and at the same time, deepen local content development in Nigeria.

First, the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has the registry for .ng Internet Domain Names and maintains the database of names registered in Nigeria. It has shown commitment towards this cause by the recent reduction in the price of .ng domain name registration by over 40 per cent, and the media efforts to inform the general public.

Another registrar who highlighted the benefits of .ng domain name, said: “The benefits are numerous but let us consider a few of them. The .ng is the internet country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) for Nigeria. Nigeria’s domain name system identifies Nigeria-related websites and is currently available for registration in the following variants, .com.ng, .ng, .org.ng, .net.ng and so on, with a few of them being restricted to Nigerian entities such as .gov.ng, .edu.ng, .sch.ng and so on.

“For instance, Nigerian businesses registering .ng domain names have the immediate benefit of being ranked first on search engines when an online search is conducted. Using it and maintaining a good search engine optimisation for the website will, over time, lead to an increase in local traffic.”

The registrar added: “A strong online presence is essential. Your prospective customer will likely conduct a web search when looking for your product or service, and a website that is relatively easy to find and navigate will greatly increase your chances of making a sale, which .ng provides. Nigeria as a Nation is blessed with this unique domain string known as .ng and we should be proud of this gift of nature. However, we should not stop at appreciating it but owning at least one of the many variants.”

Foreign Exchange

The ever increasing foreign exchange rate has hiked the cost of hosting services with multi-tenant cloud computing, using the Virtual Private Server (VPS) and the same goes for .com domain names, but analysts are of the view that using the .ng range of domains will contribute to saving the scarce forex (FX).

A lot of developers used to be happy paying for their Virtual Private Server but not anymore because of the high cost of VPS, occasioned by high foreign exchange rate.

Google, a global brand with local presence in Nigeria, owns both .com.ng as well as .ng, an example of a forward looking global company that plays local to gain the attention of millions of people in any market where it operates. Google would rather serve every online searcher with results using google.com.ng when they search for stuff within Nigeria. Even when searches done from outside of Nigeria, in a place like Ghana, using the same device, Google will still provide the results via google.com.ng

Local Content Development

With increase in local content development across all sectors of the Nigerian economy, more businesses are likely to spring up. However, considering the report by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), which stated that the number of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country dropped by about two million between 2017 and 2021, it became very obvious that Nigeria has no other choice than to grow its local content and intensify the promotion of local brands online.

The 2021 MSME survey revealed that there were 39 million MSMEs in Nigeria, which is a significant drop from the 41 million reported in the 2017 survey report.

Analysts are therefore of the strong opinion that Nigerians, including government across all levels must intensify action in the development of local content by supporting the growth of indigenous firms and companies.

“Just imagine what will happen if only one per cent of the reported over 211 million Nigerians, according to MacroTrends statistics, decides to own .ng domain name. That will be over 21 million domain names, which would eventually serve as the foundation for businesses and ventures on the world wide web. Would that not further strengthen the Nigerian brand and dignify her on the Internet?” one of the analysts asked.

Giving the implications of the deliberate refusal of some Nigerians to adopt and use the .ng domain name, analysts who analysed the business and economic implications, said all hands must be on deck to drive the adoption and the use of the .ng domain, in order to complement the efforts of NiRA.

The post Impact Of Domain Name Adoption On Digital Economy appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECH DIGEST – The reality of today confirms that most, if not all, human endeavours would never return to the usual normal after the disruption unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic across the entire globe. All aspects of human activities are reeling from the the blow dealt them by the crisis.

In fact, many economies are struggling to survive as a result of the devastation that the new second wave of COVID-19 is inflicting on a daily basis. This makes it a further imperative for businesses to adjust their operations along the line of the new normal by embracing emerging technologies.

Sectors that have been worse hit are health, education, transportation, tourism and, of course, international trade, with resultant massive job cuts to enable operators remain afloat.

Currently, most developing countries are deploying technology to enable them maintain essential services and keep companies in business. Artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies are boosting income and employment opportunities, both in advanced and developing economies.
To thrive within the frame of the current global adversity, many countries are rapidly deploying innovative technologies to keep their economies running now and this would only deepen when the COVID-19 crisis eventually blows over.

Nigeria, blessed with abundant human and material resources, cannot afford to do otherwise. It is important for businesses, especially small ones, to adapt to the prevailing reality in which digitisation and innovation are key to survival in the new normal.

As such, Nigeria has to formulate creative approaches to empower and encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to leverage emerging technologies tailored to their specific areas of operation.
Therefore, every economy, no matter its level of development, is left with no other option than the effective utilisation of digital technology to move forward.

SMEs are small and medium companies that employ between 11 and 250 people and have assets in the range of N5 million and N500 million.
Nigeria’s economic space is dominated by SMEs, which outnumber large companies and employ many more people, as they account for about 84 of every 100 jobs in the country. It is believed that over 80 per cent of all the companies in the country are businesses with less than 50 employees.
As engine room for the country’s economic development, SMEs traverse various sectors/industries such as agriculture and food; manufacturing; services; fashion; media and entertainment; beauty and wellness, among others.
Although SMEs are small companies, they are playing a significant role in economic activities in Nigeria. They contribute large outputs of goods and services, create jobs, generate income and expand the pool of entrepreneurial and management talent in the country.

Invariably, these contributions translate into more employment and, by extension, boost the social and economic prosperity of the people.

Small enterprises are dynamic and open to new ideas, innovations, and efficiency, while enabling competition, which impacts on the people within their immediate environments or locations, and provide opportunities for adapting appropriate emerging technologies.

For SMEs to sustainably leverage technology and grow, stakeholders must play their roles in nurturing the entrepreneurship ecosystem spanning the rural and urban areas.

Policymakers, after consultation with the private sector, are expected to formulate growth-enhancing policies to improve the digital infrastructure; agriculture; health and education services; corporate governance practices for growth of the SMEs to mitigate the effect of the pandemic and promote innovation.

Government should provide grants, loans, subsidies and other direct financial support to small businesses exclusively for the adoption of innovative technologies to facilitate remote work, online sales or cashless payment and other online business processes.

Relevant agencies of government can help SMEs transit to emerging or new technologies when they collaborate with private companies to provide free online training courses and materials. Such platforms would enable SMEs to stay productive, expand sales channels, and ensure safer working conditions for employees.

Thus, the continuous education of entrepreneurs should be one of the top priorities of government, to enhance further digitisation of small business operations.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) needs to strategise with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), and guide SMEs to adopt only relevant technologies.

It is important for NITDA to provide regular cybersecurity training to help small and medium enterprises tackle rising cyber risks. Employees would be educated on common threats to their organisation’s cybersecurity and best practices, as they do remote work in the midst of the pandemic.

As usual, NITDA must demonstrate its resolute commitment to drive the digital economy by facilitating knowledge acquisition opportunities for SME operators to access IT training on the basis of global standards.

Lest I forget, what efforts are the authorities making to reduce the high cost of internet services in Nigeria?
I am confident that a reduction in the high cost of internet services would be a huge incentive for more small business ventures to harness the benefits of adopting relevant, customer-friendly, innovative technologies.

Inyene Ibanga writes from Wuye District, Abuja.

The post SMEs: Harnessing Digital Innovation for Service Delivery appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECH DIGEST – In a democracy, the legislature is the most vital arm of government. Not only does effective representation distinguish a democratic government from other systems, it provides the platform for popular participation, a bottoms-up approach to agenda setting and grassroots accountability from which democracy earns the bragging right as government of the people, for the people, and by the people.

Representation under democracy, however, creates a burden of trust. In Nigeria, that burden has been discharged to various degrees by elected legislators and councillors. When the burden of trust is reasonably discharged, and to the constituents’ satisfaction, the incumbent is rewarded with another term. A unique Nigerian experiment, the Constituency Projects, an executive-legislature consensus initiative that allows legislators to identify key capital projects in their constituencies for priority budgetary allocation, offers serious-minded lawmakers further opportunity to make a difference back home. This is even more noteworthy when the legislator in question is a former governor who is widely respected for massive capital projects and infrastructural redevelopment during his eight-year tenure.

Last weekend, Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Shekarau CON, the senator representing Kano Central in the Red Chambers, conducted representatives of various media houses round projects he attracted to his constituency. Although in his usual style of rendering transparent and accountable stewardship, Malam regularly updates constituency members with his activities, the weekend event was an extraordinary outing that has provided a convergence of dialogues on the thoughts and stewardship of one of the most brilliant and outstanding lawmakers in the 9th National Assembly. Before an audience featuring key stakeholders, political bigwigs, and supporters, the Sardaunan Kano laid a progressive Legislative Agenda and Stewardship Report, which have shaped talking points even beyond Kano Central. In social media and other discussion forums, the excitement goes beyond the 10 notable Constituency Projects and empowerment programs which Malam attracted to Kano Central. It is about the big ideas behind them.

The Distinguished Senator spoke passionately about human development and social justice as his guiding principles in the National Assembly. From the onset, his priority is human capital development, which he sees as the foundation of other developments. They are the principles that guide his selection of projects to bring to his constituency because they are projects that directly benefit his constituency’s people.

Human capital investment is the foundation of other developments. As Governor, Malam also prioritized investment in human capital development. Being familiar with the challenges of his constituency, Malam appreciates that investments in the educational and health sectors are lifelong investments that can potentially impact the lives of the people in the long term.

“My immediate priority in my constituency projects is how to improve the education sector because it is the bedrock of development. Therefore, we used the available fund allocated as constituency projects to provide some projects at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in our zone”, the distinguished Senator said at the stewardship briefing covering the 2019/2020 legislative year.

On this note, Malam leans on global giants’ shoulders, especially when one considers his illustrious pedigree as an educationist of repute. The former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, once said that “education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development”.

Therefore, with self-satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, the distinguished senator inspected ongoing projects comprising classrooms, offices, furniture, and stores constructed and provided within the 15 LGAs of Kano Central, through the auspices of the Universal Basic Education (UBE).

Some of the projects include a block of three classrooms with office, store, and furniture at Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau Science Primary School, a block of two classrooms with office, store, and furniture at Sani Maiunguwa Science Primary School, in Tarauni and Dala Local Governments respectively.

There is a block of 2 classrooms at Garindau Central Primary School in Warawa Local Government area; a block of 2 classrooms at Sabon Gari Primary School, in Madobi Local Government; and another block of two classrooms with an office, furniture, and store at Kwalli Primary School in Kano Municipal Local Government area.

Others include a block of two classrooms with office and store at Zogarawa Primary School in Dawakin Kudu, a block of two classrooms with office and store in Dumaji Primary School in Garin Mallam Local Government area, among others.

It was the former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Bruntland, who described health as the core of human development, a belief shared by Senator Shekarau, who places a high premium on his constituents’ healthcare. The distinguished Senator used the occasion to announce his plans to construct an ultra-modern pharmacy at the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital as part of 2021 Constituency Projects. He also inspected the completed first phase of a long road network he initiated to improve access into and through the tertiary health institution.

The senator further assured that a 6-member technical committee which he set up, comprising of professionals, will monitor the projects to ensure they are up to standard and compliant with specifications within the required bill of quantity.

It may be recalled that soon after assumption into office as a Senator, Malam influenced the empowerment of 4,000 petty business owners from Kano Central with N10,000 from a N40 million facility sourced from the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN).

Alhaji Ahmadu Maikasuwa, a notable businessman in the community, who spoke after listening to Radio Kano’s report, described Senator Shekarau as ‘not your ordinary politician.’ “We know Malam, and Malam knows the problems of the people of the Kano Central Senatorial district. Although I appreciate his rendering a public account of his stewardship, he earned our trust long ago. While thanking him for what he is doing and for what he has promised to do, I want to assure you that we are indeed lucky to be represented by a trustworthy and truthful servant of the masses”.

Dr Sule Ya’u Sule PhD, FNIPR is Media Adviser to Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, CON, Sardaunan Kano

The post Senator Shekarau’s Multiple Constituency Projects appeared first on Tech Digest News.