INTRO [July 15 – 19]

The Honourable Minister joined other notable personalities including the Vice President of Nigeria, Sen. Kashim Shettima at the stakeholder summit geared at harnessing trade as a catalyst for economic growth and continental cohesion in line with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) objectives.

There, he highlighted Nigeria’s progress in driving the key components of the digital trade protocol such as e-commerce, digital infrastructure, data protection, cross-border payments, capacity building, and innovation & entrepreneurship, signifying our readiness to lead the continent in digital trade.

KEY FOCUS

Trade: Dr. Tijani addressed participants at a stakeholder summit to unveil a comprehensive strategy geared at leading Africa’s digital trade revolution within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). He highlighted the opportunities inherent in adopting regional economic integration which has the potential to position Nigeria as a major player in the African and global technology ecosystem.

Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital: To deepen Nigeria’s relationship with the United States of America, and promote shared prosperity, the Honourable Minister met with Arun Venkataraman, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and his team. At the meeting, he called for increased investment in Nigeria’s ICT and startup ecosystem, and also highlighted opportunities around Artificial Intelligence (AI)I, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and data interoperability & privacy. 

TIMELINE

Monday:

• The Honourable Minister had a virtual meeting with Uche Amaonwu, Director, Nigeria Country Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to discuss ongoing support and collaboration on the Ministry’s initiatives, particularly in the areas of data exchange and Artificial intelligence (AI). At the meeting, he requested Dr. Tijani’s participation in a scheduled technical panel featuring a significant number of the Foundation’s Senior Program Leadership from Seattle, U.S.
• He then met with Adrian Wood, CEO of Ntel, who outlined his plans towards restructuring the telecommunications company while leveraging its existing infrastructure, including an undersea cable running from South Africa through to the United Kingdom.
• Following this meeting, Dr. Tijani attended the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tuesday:

• Dr. Tijani met with his team to map out the approach and next steps towards developing Nigerian Web Design Standards. This will provide guidance and code for MDAs looking to design and build accessible government websites. 
• He later held a meeting with a team from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to deliberate on the proposed membership of the National Broadband Alliance of Nigeria (NBAN) and also identify challenges that may be encountered as the Ministry works towards solving the non-consumption challenge facing the telecoms sector.  The NCC team was represented by Olatokunboh Oyeleye, Head, Digital Economy, NCC, as well as Fidelis Onah and Dr. Umar Abdullahi.
• Following this meeting, Dr. Tijani had an update meeting with his team to assess the progress of the planned Build-A-Thon Holiday Camp organised for senior secondary school students aged 10-18 in selected schools across the country.
• He later met with Dr. Armstrong Takang, MD, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), to continue ongoing discussions around deploying the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) targeted at delivering 90,000km of fibre-optic network across Nigeria.

Wednesday:

• The Honourable Minister hosted representatives of GITEX, led by its CEO and Executive Vice President, Trixie LohMirmand. The team presented their plan for the 2025 GITEX set to take place in Nigeria, and also sought to outline the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that will determine the success of the event. Following the presentation, Dr. Tijani stated the need to highlight the Return on Investment (ROI) of GITEX to Nigeria, and also ensure the active involvement of key players in the country’s technology ecosystem as the organisers develop the theme and direction of the event. Also present at the meeting were Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, DG/CEO, NITDA and GITEX representatives including Bilal Al-Rais, Vice President; Richard James Brook, AVP Marketing; and Jessy Fula Matingu, Sales Manager. Others are Akande Ojo, President/CEO Pinnacle International Consulting GITEX Country Representative; and Segun Oruame, Director, Media & Publicity, Pinnacle Consulting.
• After this, Dr. Tijani hosted in his office, Arun Venkataraman, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and his team, to discuss issues around increased investment in Nigeria’s ICT and startup ecosystem, as well as explore opportunities in AI, DPI, and data interoperability & privacy. The Honourable Minister expressed his anticipation for their support as the country sets up the Nigeria Startup House in San Francisco, geared at supporting Nigerian businesses looking to raise funding in and around the Silicon Valley.
• He later met with representatives of the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) led by Joy Dariye, Country Director, TBI Nigeria. The meeting centred on identifying areas of collaboration and support for the Ministry as it delivers on its strategic objectives. Others at the meeting include Obianuju Uchenna, Senior Manager/Deputy Country Director, TBI Nigeria; Michael Egbe, Tech Lead, TBI Nigeria; and Ife Ibigbami, Manager, TBI Nigeria.