Editorial: Nigeria’s digital future: A colony or a catalyst? - ITREALMS

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When Dr. Mrs. Ibukun Odusote took the podium in Abuja this week, her words cut deeper than the usual keynote address. They carried the weight of lived experience, of someone who stood at the very birth of Nigeria’s digital journey.

“Richness without alignment produces waste, not wealth,” she said, pausing just long enough for the room to sink into silence.
It was a stark reminder. Nigeria has no shortage of bright minds or bold initiatives, broadband expansion plans, fintech creativity, data protection frameworks, and thriving professional societies. 

AFRINIC: Prof. Adewale Adedokun, Prof. Abdelaziz Hilali take leadership helm, full board list - ITREALMS

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The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), the Regional Internet Registry serving Africa, has officially ushered in a new era of leadership with the appointment of Prof. Emmanuel Adewale Adedokun as Chairman of the Board and Prof. Abdelaziz Hilali as Vice-Chairman, reports ITREALMS.

This development comes at a crucial moment for AFRINIC and Africa’s digital ecosystem. 

NITDA DG: Nigeria sets bold agenda to shape future of AI - ITREALMS

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Nigeria is positioning itself to play a defining role in the global artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, according to the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at the Stakeholders’ Interactive Engagement with the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance in Abuja, Inuwa reaffirmed that the country’s AI vision is anchored on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes industrialization, digitalization, creative industries, manufacturing, and innovation.

Nigeria ICT media industry mourns veteran broadcaster, Tayo Adewusi - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Information and Communication Technology (ICT) media industry has been thrown into mourning following the passing away of veteran broadcaster and ICT advocate, Mr. Tayo Adewusi, reports ITREALMS.

Adewusi passed on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the age of 54, after a brief illness.

Why you must unplug chargers when not in use by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic @ITREALMS

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Unplugging chargers isn’t just about saving electricity—it’s about saving lives, property, and gadgets from fire and surges. Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS by Remmy Nweke urges safety over convenience: unplug chargers when not in use.

It often starts with something small, almost invisible. A charger left dangling in a socket, no phone attached, no one paying attention. For many households, this is an everyday scene. But in one unguarded moment, that same harmless-looking charger can become the spark that changes lives forever.

Imagine a family coming back to a living room filled with smoke because a forgotten charger overheated. Or the heartbreak of a student who lost years of study notes when his only laptop was destroyed in a fire traced back to a power surge through an idle charger. These are not just technical risks; they are deeply human stories of loss, fear, and regret.

Without unified IT ecosystem: Odusote warns Nigeria risks becoming 'Digital Colony' - ITREALMS

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The former Federal Permanent Secretary and pioneer administrator of Nigeria’s .ng domain, Dr. Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, has warned that Nigeria risks becoming a “digital colony” if stakeholders fail to align and synergise in building a unified Information Technology (IT) ecosystem, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at the maiden Principal IT Stakeholder Engagement Forum, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Abuja Chapter, Odusote lamented the persistent duplication of initiatives and fragmented efforts in Nigeria’s digital sector.

Oko traditional prime minister, Ichie Ezeosim for burial next week - ITREALMS

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The Oko Community in Orumba North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State has concluded arrangements for the burial and final rites of passage of its traditional Prime Minister, Onowu Oko, Ichie Martin Ezeosim, scheduled for Thursday, October 9, 2025, reports ITREALMS.

The passing of the late Onowu was jointly announced by His Royal Highness, Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme, Eze Ijikala II, and his cabinet; the Oko People’s Union (OPU); and the family of the deceased.

Africa must lead its energy future, says Renaissance chairman - ITREALMS

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In a bold call to action, Nigeria’s Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has urged African nations to take full ownership of the continent’s vast hydrocarbon resources, positioning energy leadership as the key to unlocking industrialisation and sustainable development.

“We are sitting on immense natural wealth, yet we remain dependent. This must change. Renaissance is here to ignite that change, starting from Nigeria and spreading across the continent,” said Dr. Layi Fatona, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Renaissance, on Tuesday during a high-level panel themed Frontier Plays in Mature Basins, at the ongoing Africa Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa.

PIN raises fresh alarm over Nigerians’ data security online - ITREALMS

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Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has raised fresh concerns about the safety of Nigerian citizens’ data online, warning that sensitive information belonging even to top government officials has been exposed and cheaply traded on the internet for years, reports ITREALMS.

In a media briefing held in Abuja, the organisation’s Executive Director, ‘Gbenga Sesan, lamented what he described as Nigeria’s persistent failure to enforce digital rights protections despite rapid technological growth.

Konga Freedom Sale: Celebrating Nigeria's independence with mega deals - ITREALMS

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Konga, Nigeria's leading composite e-commerce giant, has officially launched its highly anticipated Freedom Sale, coinciding with the nation's 65th Independence Anniversary. 

The two-week promotional campaign, which commenced on October 1st, offers shoppers across the country a unique opportunity to enjoy rock-bottom prices and mega deals on genuine products.

Cybersafe foundation opens API Academy applications in October - ITREALMS

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… Expands women inclusiveness globally

CyberSafe Foundation, a leading purpose-driven organisation committed to bridging the digital divide through transformative cybersecurity and AI education, has announced the reopening of applications for its prestigious API Academy training programme this October, reports ITREALMS.

The CyberSafe API (Application Programming Interface) Security Training Programme is an intensive 12-week learning experience designed to equip aspiring cybersecurity professionals with world-class skills in API security. 

Breaking Barriers: Nigeria set to validate revised National Gender Policy in agriculture - ITREALMS

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Nigeria is on the verge of a historic milestone with the validation of its revised National Gender Policy in Agriculture, scheduled for October 20, 2025, in Abuja, reports ITREALMS.

The policy, according to ITREALMS findings, is designed to create a more inclusive and equitable food system that not only serves the nation but also strengthens agricultural development across Africa and the wider world.

Google Doodle marks Nigeria @65, celebrates national identity in digital age by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

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As Nigeria marks 65 with a special Google Doodle, it is more than art. In this episode of Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS, REMMY NWEKE writes that it is about digital diplomacy which amplifies Nigeria on a global platform with national pride, identity, and visibility in the tech-driven world where culture and technology intersect powerfully.

Preamble:

The global technology giant, Google, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, joined millions of Nigerians in celebrating the country’s 65th Independence anniversary with a special Google doodle, featuring the iconic green-and-white flag waving proudly against a bright sky backdrop.

LAP launches future forward scholarship for indigent Anambra students - ITREALMS

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The League of Anambra Professionals (LAP) has launched its Future Forward Scholarship Programme, aimed at providing educational support for indigent but brilliant students of Anambra origin, reports ITREALMS.

According to LAP, the initiative is designed to give talented young people from less privileged backgrounds a fair chance to excel academically and pursue their dreams without the burden of financial constraints. 

World Leaders Unite for Global Health Security - ITREALMS

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With the world grappling with compounded crises from armed conflicts and mass displacement to climate emergencies and economic shocks, global leaders have sounded a clarion call to safeguard the health of the world’s most vulnerable.

Of particular concern is the sharp withdrawal of official development assistance (ODA), which has led to the collapse of many critical, lifesaving programmes. 

CBN Governor champions next-gen leadership with new national lecture series - ITREALMS

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, will deliver a landmark lecture at Lagos Business School on Friday, October 3, 2025.

The lecture, titled “Next Generation Leadership in Monetary Policy & Nation Building,” marks the launch of the CBN Governor’s Lecture Series, the first in a series of thought-leadership discourses to be held in collaboration with leading tertiary institutions across the country over the next three years.

Praia conference adopts policy framework and action plan on Information Integrity - ITREALMS

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The three-day regional conference on Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel, which ended recently in Praia, Cabo Verde, adopted the new instruments designed to strengthen information ecosystems across the region known as the Policy Framework and Action Plan, reports ITREALMS Online.

Organized by the UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar in partnership with the Government of Cabo Verde, the conference, held from 3 to 5 September 2025, brought together more than 400 stakeholders to deliberate on practical ways of addressing the rising threats of disinformation, misinformation, hate speech, and misuse of digital technologies. 

Nigeria missing in fresh Mission 300 commitments, raises concerns by Remmy Nweke - ITREALMS

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Seventeen African governments have committed to bold reforms and actionable plans to scale up electricity access under Mission 300, but Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most energy-poor nation, was conspicuously missing from the latest endorsements, reports ITREALMS.

The fresh commitments, announced at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum in New York, saw countries including Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and others adopt National Energy Compacts; blueprints designed to guide public spending, attract private capital, and remove bottlenecks in their power sectors. 

📌 Who is an Ogbuefi? by Remmy Nweke - ITREALMS

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In Igbo culture, Ogbuefi literally means “the one who has killed cows” in title reference. It is not about slaughtering a single animal for ceremony, but a recognition reserved for those who have undergone the rigorous Ozo and Nze rites, where the killing of cows is both symbolic and compulsory.

The title signifies elevation into the class of elders entrusted with moral authority, communal guidance, and the preservation of Igbo values. 

EDITORIAL: When hospitals become graveyards: The shame of UNTH, Enugu - ITREALMS

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The death of Mrs. Charity Unachukwu at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, after what her family describes as 12 hours of bureaucratic delay and neglect, is more than a personal tragedy. It is a mirror held up to Nigeria, reflecting the decay of our health system and the betrayal of citizens by institutions meant to preserve life.

Hospitals are supposed to be sanctuaries of healing. Instead, stories like Charity’s turn them into graveyards where negligence, incompetence, and indifference claim more lives than the ailments patients bring. It is telling and damning, that testimonies of other families quickly followed, each recounting a similar experience of abandonment at UNTH. This is no coincidence. It is a pattern.

17 African countries commit to scale up electricity access as Mission 300 expands - ITREALMS

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Seventeen African governments have committed to reforms and actionable plans to expand electricity access as part of Mission 300, an ambitious partnership led by the World Bank Group and African Development Bank Group that aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, reports ITREALMS.

Arising from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum, national Energy Compacts, practical blueprints that guide public spending, trigger reforms, and attract private capital; were endorsed by Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, the Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, São Tomé and Principe, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

Information Integrity: UNESCO, Cabo Verde host 400 stakeholders from West Africa and the Sahel - ITREALMS

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Over 400 stakeholders drawn from across West Africa and the Sahel converged in Praia, Cabo Verde, for the Regional Conference on Information Integrity, hosted by the UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar in collaboration with the Government of Cabo Verde, reports ITREALMS.

The three-day high-level gathering held between September 3 to 5, 2025, brought together government officials, regulatory agencies, electoral commissions, civil society, media practitioners, academia, the technical community, and international organizations, to deliberate on safeguarding information integrity in an increasingly digitalized society.

Families mourn, nation bleeds: More voices blame UNTH for negligence and deaths - ITREALMS

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Relatives demand justice as calls mount for urgent reform in Nigeria’s collapsing health system

The shockwaves from the death of Mrs. Charity Unachukwu at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, continue to reverberate as more families step forward with their own harrowing experiences of neglect at the federal facility, reports ITREALMS.

Earlier, ITREALMS had reported the testimony of Mrs. Phina Unachukwu Ezeagwu, who accused UNTH of abandoning her sister to die after more than 12 hours without life-saving blood transfusion.

Tinubu to inaugurate renovated national arts theatre on Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary - ITREALMS

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The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, inaugurate the newly renovated National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, as part of activities commemorating Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, reports ITREALMS.

The iconic landmark, restored through a collaborative effort between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Bankers’ Committee, and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, represents a renewed commitment to preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage while positioning the creative sector for global relevance.

ITU, UNDP rally global community to advance technology for good - ITREALMS

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…Digital@UNGA 2025 marks UN 80th anniversary with focus on inclusion, innovation and investment


The global digital leaders from government, the private sector, civil society, and youth movements converged in New York for Digital@UNGA 2025, a week-long series of activities spotlighting how technology can serve as a force for good in advancing people, prosperity, and sustainability, reports ITREALMS.

Organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Digital@UNGA 2025 featured an anchor event at the United Nations Headquarters alongside more than 40 affiliate sessions hosted in New York and online worldwide.

Charity Unachukwu’s death: UNTH promises probe, CMD cancels foreign trip - ITREALMS

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The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, has pledged a full-scale investigation into allegations of negligence linked to the death of Mrs. Charity Unachukwu, who was brought to the facility on September 20, 2025, reports ITREALMS.

In a statement signed by the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Uchelue Boniface, UNTH extended its condolences to the Unachukwu family and acknowledged the grief expressed in the widely circulated account of the incident. 

Exclusive Fact Box: “12 hours that killed Charity” - ITREALMS

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Family timeline (as recounted to ITREALMS)

Late evening - initial crash & first aid
The family received an SOS that Charity Unachukwu had been in a vehicle accident and was receiving first aid at a local Enugu hospital. She was referred onward for specialist care.

Shortly after - Orthopaedic Hospital
At the Orthopaedic Hospital the patient was observed with a blood-soaked bandage around her abdomen; staff suspected a possible spleen rupture and directed the family to Parklane for more advanced emergency care.

Editorial - IHS Impact Report 2023/24: The Missing Footprints - ITREALMS

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IHS Nigeria last week published its 2023–2024 Impact Report, presenting a wide-ranging account of corporate interventions in education, climate action, healthcare, and governance. 

The report, which spans January 2023 to December 2024, is framed as alignment with both President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Family: How UNTH negligence killed my sister - ITREALMS

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… Family recounts harrowing 12-hour ordeal, says “Nigeria happened to us”

The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, is once again in the spotlight following a chilling testimony of alleged gross negligence that led to the avoidable death of a patient, Mrs. Charity Unachukwu, on September 20, 2025, reports ITREALMS.

According to a first-hand account by her sister, Mrs. Phina Unachukwu Ezeagwu, the family endured a harrowing 12-hour ordeal across multiple hospitals in Enugu, only for the victim to die at UNTH without receiving a single unit of blood transfusion, despite massive blood loss from internal injuries.

Inuwa: NITDA–JICA partnership driving Nigeria’s startup revolution - ITREALMS

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The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has described Nigeria’s collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a key driver of the nation’s technology innovation and startup revolution, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Survey on the Digitisation of Supply Chains in Small-Scale Nigerian Farms, organised by AGROVESTO, a JICA-funded agritech startup and beneficiary of NITDA’s iHatch Incubation Programme (Cohort 2), Inuwa, represented by Dr. Amina Sambo-Magaji, Deputy Director, e-Government and Digital Economy Development Department, described the partnership as “a cornerstone for Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.”

Nigeria Prize for Science 2025: No winner, big lessons for ICT and AI innovators by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

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In this episode of Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS, REMMY NWEKE examines why the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Science ended without a winner, spotlighting vital lessons for ICT and AI innovators on originality, rigor, and real-world impact.

Preamble:
The 2025 edition of the Nigeria Prize for Science (NPS) has ended without a winner. Despite attracting 112 entries under the theme “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development,” the judges concluded that none met the Prize’s high standards.

Editors vow legal action against abuse of Cybercrime Act - ITREALMS

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… NGE Standing Committee warns political class, tasks govt on insecurity

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has raised strong concerns over the growing abuse of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act by security agencies, particularly the police, to harass and intimidate journalists across the country, reports ITREALMS.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its Standing Committee meeting in Jos, Plateau State, on September 17, 2025, the Guild warned that it would “no longer tolerate” such violations and vowed to explore all legal options to defend press freedom and the fundamental human rights of journalists.

Internet shutdowns in Africa double since 2016 - ITREALMS

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… Ethiopia, Sudan top list as experts warn of rising digital authoritarianism

No fewer than 190 internet shutdowns have been recorded across 41 African countries between 2016 and 2024, according to fresh research unveiled by the African Digital Rights Network under the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), reports ITREALMS.

The report shows that shutdowns on the continent have doubled within eight years, rising from 14 cases in 2016 to 28 in 2024. Ethiopia emerged with the highest number of shutdowns at 30, followed by Sudan with 21 and Algeria with 14.

Army Signals Commander assesses North East operations, tasks Commanders on protecting communication assets - ITREALMS

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The Commander Corps of Signals (CCS), Major General Nosakhare Ugbo, has carried out an operational assessment visit to the Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), charging field commanders to give priority to the protection of critical communication infrastructure in the North East, reports ITREALMS.

Maj Gen Ugbo, who visited the OPHK headquarters in Maiduguri on Saturday, 27 September 2025, said the exercise was in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, to ensure robust and reliable communication support for counter-insurgency operations.

ETSI Director to spotlight 6G standardization roadmap @RCR Wireless News’ 6G Forum

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The global conversation on the future of mobile networks is set to intensify as the Director of Mobile Competence Centre, at European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Mirko Cano Soveri, prepares to deliver a keynote on the evolving standardization roadmap for 6G at the RCR Wireless News 6G Forum, scheduled for October 7, 2025, reports ITREALMS.

The virtual forum, supported by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), will gather global experts to discuss how 6G will move from vision to deployment, focusing on areas such as sensing capabilities, infrastructure cost modelling, policy frameworks, streamlined standards, and rollout timelines.

Killing of cows in Igbo culture: Family Use vs. Title-Taking by Remmy Nweke

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In Igbo society, the killing of cows carries different meanings depending on the context. 

For family use, such as during weddings, funerals, or harvest celebrations, a cow is slaughtered to strengthen kinship and demonstrate hospitality.

The act is a reminder that kinship reveals itself in moments of need, as expressed in the proverb, “Nwanne dị na mba, ọbuna o zuo, o mara onye ga-ebu ya.” Literally, this means that even though there may be good friends in the diaspora or far from home, when the true moment of test arrives, such as when a corpse begins to decay, it will be revealed who must carry it. Friends and well-wishers may withdraw at that point, but true relatives cannot escape the responsibility.

Editorial: For my wife’s love: Education for legacy - ITREALMS

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Love has many languages. For Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, love speaks through legacy. In honour of his late wife, Gbemisola Olutayo Olowolafe, he has planted two seeds in Are-Ekiti, namely an ICT centre and a model secondary school that promise to outlive grief and outshine death.

These projects are not mere buildings; they are monuments of memory and instruments of transformation.