INTRO

This past week, we navigated a period of deep national reflection, while advancing key policy and infrastructure priorities to further strengthen our digital governance and innovation ecosystem. From mourning the loss of two distinguished national figures to leading strategy sessions for Nigeria’s presence at the upcoming UN General Assembly, the Honourable Minister’s focus remained clear: deliver impact with intent and collaboration.

TIMELINE

Monday, July 14 – Honouring an Icon 

• Dr. Tijani represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the funeral ceremony of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona. Oba Adetona was more than a traditional ruler, he was a statesman, a modernizer, and a guardian of truth. His enduring commitment to justice and fearless voice in national matters earned him deep respect across political, religious, and generational lines. May his soul rest in perfect peace, and may the enduring values he stood for continue to guide us all.

Tuesday, July 15 – A Nation in Mourning

• Tuesday was a day of national mourning and refelection as former President Muhammadu Buhari was laid to rest in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.

Wednesday, July 16 – Internal Review Meeting

• The Honourable Minister had a half year review meeting with his internal team to assess their performance and refocus efforts throughout the rest of the year. He expressed his delight on the quality of their work across various verticals including Connectivity, Digital Infrastructure, Talent, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Infrastructure among others. As the team get into the second half of the year, we are committed to ensuring even more efficient delivery of the Ministry’s goals and targets.

Thursday, July 17 – Infrastructure & Global Strategy

• On Thursday, Dr. Tijani met with Norman Albi, CEO, Medusa Submarine Cable System, and John Paul Bagiire, Vice President, Subsaharan Africa Medusa Submarine Cable System. At the meeting, the Medusa team ​​highlighted the potential impact of their submarine cable system project in deepening Nigeria’s position as a global hub.
• Then the Honourable Minister led a strategy session with his internal team to map out strategies for our Ministry’s engagement at the upcoming 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) scheduled for September. 

Friday, July 18 – Designing for Citizens

• With the support of The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, the Ministry organised the Nigeria Web Design Standards (NWDS) Design Principles Workshop where the Honorable Minister delivered a keynote speech on the correlation between public trust and effective public service delivery. The workshop brought together the advisory group and a volunteer team of Nigerian designers from home and abroad who have been working collaboratively on the NWDS framework over several months. The NWDS will provide clear, user-friendly and inclusive design standards for government MDAs to adopt and adapt, ensuring that government websites and digital services are coherent, accessible and truly built for citizens.