Oyo launches AfCFTA implementation strategy Friday - ITREALMS

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... Says move will accelerate economic growth, boost livelihoods

The Oyo State Government will on Friday, September 12, 2025, launch its African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation Strategy, marking a historic milestone in Nigeria’s sub-national economic integration drive, reports ITREALMS.

Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s administration said the strategy reflects its commitment to expanding Oyo State’s economy, boosting trade opportunities, and improving livelihoods.

SDG: Oyo Govt organises workshop on grants, data gathering, agenda implementation - ITREALMS

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The Oyo State Government has organised a one-day training workshop for directors on budget, research and statistics and SDG desk officers across the 33 local government areas and various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state on the preparation of the 2024 Conditional Grant Scheme CGS-SDGs.

The workshop, with the theme: "Expected Official Roles and Responsibilities Towards Successful Implementation of 2024 CGS-SDGs in the state," was organised to aid the fast-tracking of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the state.

DNSSEC & IPv6: Czech restarts implementation – ITREALMS

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The government of the Czech Republic has restarted the implementation of the Domain Name System Security Extension (DNSSEC) and Internet Protocol version Six (IPv6) in public administration, reports ITREALMS.

This was contained in a guideline made available to ITREALMS by the government of Czech Republic, effective, January 17, 2024.

Zero Right of Way: Anambra commences full implementation, deepens infrastructure – ITREALMS

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The government of Anambra State under the leadership of Prof. Charles Soludo in its resolve to bring the developments in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) closer to the citizens has commenced full implementation of zero Right of Way (RoW) policy, reports ITREALMS.

This was disclosed to ITREALMS by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of the Anambra Sate ICT Agency, Engr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA) at a media parley on Thursday, while exposing some 21 strides of the administration in the last one year.

Nigeria Police confirms e-CMR implementation - ITREALMS

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In confirmation of the authenticity of the news making a round, and obvious Christmas gift, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the implementation of the upgraded electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), reports ITREALMS.

Confirming this on Sunday, December 24 @PoliceNG on X (Twitter) as gathered by ITREALMS, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Force Headquarters, Abuja, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, informed that e-CMR is an information system aimed at enhancing the safety and security of all Nigerians.

HEDA calls for transparent implementation strategies, monitoring - ITREALMS

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A leading civil society organization, the HEDA Resource Centre, has responded to the recent announcement by the Federal Government to provide 5 billion Naira as financial support to the 36 states, aimed at mitigating the impact of the removal of petrol subsidy, reports ITREALMS.

HEDA stressed the importance of transparent implementation frameworks and robust strategies to ensure accountability and effective utilization of these funds.

PIDA day: 10-Year Implementation report launch - ITREALMS

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The African Union Development Agency-NEPAD and its Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) led by the Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, are partnering to launch the 10 year PIDA progress report.

This, ITREALMS gathered reflects what PIDA has achieved over a decade and critical considerations moving forward, moreover share and frame a strategy to attract more investments towards advancing infrastructure development, vis-à-vis PIDA financing and coordination.

NCC directs mobile operators to implement harmonized short codes - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed mobile network operators (MNOs) to commence implementation of approved harmonised short codes (HSC) for providing certain services to telecom consumers in Nigeria.

The Commission has already set a deadline of May 17, 2023, for all mobile networks to fully migrate from hitherto diverse short codes to the harmonised codes.

PMB assents to NAP III, Nigeria gears up for implementation - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian president, General Muhammadu Buhari, retired, has assented to the National Action Plan III sent to his office in last quarter of 2022, reports ITREALMS.

The assented copy of the 77-page NAP III, ITREALMS gathered, has since been received by the Open Government Partnership (OGP) global secretariat.

Telcos commence harmonised shortcodes' implementation - ITREALMS

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The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has announced the commencement of harmonised short codes across all networks in pursuant to a regulatory modernisation initiative by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), reports ITREALMS.

The harmonisation of shortcodes are aimed at implementing a streamlined process for common shortcodes across the industry, by making life easier for Nigerians through the memorisation of single codes, for various services across all networks as well as providing a cohesive regulatory framework that is consistent with global best practices.

ICANN board approves implementation of Registration Data Request Service - ITREALMS

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The board of directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved the implement of Registration Data Request Service (RDRS), reports ITREALMS.

This, ITREALMS gathered would enable ICANN organization (org) to develop and launch a new ticketing system to handle requests for access to nonpublic registration data related to generic top-level domains (gTLDs), also known as WHOIS.

AfCFTA: Ajayi calls for full implementation to benefit all workers - ITREALMS

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The Chairman, Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Adeleye Ajayi has called for the full implementation of the AfCFTA that is beneficial to all and sundry, especially the workers, reports ITREALMS.

Ajayi made this call in his opening speech at a one –day workshop on Challenges of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on Nigeria businesses at Lagos Airport on Tuesday.

Establishing Rules and Laws for Effective Implementation of Local Content Promotion Policy in Telecoms Sector - ITREALMS

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ESTABLISHING RULES AND LAWS FOR THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCAL CONTENT PROMOTION POLICY IN THE NATIONAL TELECOMS SECTOR. AN ADDRESS BY PROF. UMAR GARBA DANBATTA, THE EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (NCC) FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2021 VIRTUALLY.

Prof. Umar Danbatta of EVC.

Protocol

The Nigerian Communications Commission is pleased to collaborate with Messrs. Business Metrics and their partners to deliver this great maiden initiative of its Policy Implementation Assisted Forum on the National Policy for Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector (aka PIAFo-001).

Open Contracting: PPDC, MRA urge FG on full implementation -ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA) have called on the Federal Government to ensure full implementation of Open Contracting in Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

They also pointed out on such issues like procurement records and information are proactively disclosed by public institutions in line with the Open Contracting data standards and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.

In a press briefing in Abuja, the organisations observed that although Nigeria joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) as the 70th member in 2016 and had the full implementation of open contracting as one of its commitments in its first National Action Plan (NAP), which lapsed in June this year, accessing basic contract information and records remained a challenge for members of the public, including civil society representatives and media practitioners.

According to Ms Gift Maxwell, PPDC’s Programme Manager, “PPDC and MRA have been implementing the Nigerian component of a project on ‘Strengthening Disclosure and Citizen Participation to Improve Value for Money in Public Contracting in Africa’, managed by the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in Kampala, Uganda, with support from the Hewlett Foundation, and we are worried at the level of impunity by public officials who continue to prevent members of the public from accessing procurement and contracting information.”

MRA’s FOI programme Manager, Mr Ridwan Sulaimon further argued that:“Although, as part of its obligation under the Public Procurement Act, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) developed the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO) which is expected to feed the public with procurement information from the public institutions, showing records of contracts from planning to implementation stages, however, the Federal Government must as a matter of urgency ensure that the institutions proactively publish their procurement and contracting data on the platform to ensure that it justifies its essence.”

Ms Maxwell said PPDC and MRA have worked tirelessly to realise the goal of institutionalising Open Contracting in Nigeria.

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FG plans to license WebTv - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) may have concluded plans once again to regulate the Internet with the proposed licensing of Web Television (WebTV), reports ITREALMS.

WebTV, ITREALMS gathered, was originally a brand owned by Microsoft as one of the first entries in the much publicized convergence of the World Wide Web with television. Unlike in cable TV, which entails users to buy a set-top box, Web TV requires just sign up with the WebTV access service and browse Web pages using a WebTV's browser and a hand-held control as long as one has Internet access.

With the growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) WebTV has since assumed an international dimension with advance of Internet as as a marketing tool and outlet for independent creators to display their work, thereby has shown improvement in Web television via quality, thus rivaling network television.

According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lia Mohammed during the inauguration of the National Broadcasting Commission Reform Implementation in Abuja on Thursday, which has some six weeks to submit its report.

The Committee is to upgrade list of breaches of political comments relating to hate speeches and divisive comments to ''Class A'' offence in the Broadcasting Code.

“Amendment of the NBC Act to enable NBC license WebTv and radio stations, including foreign broadcasters beaming signals into Nigeria,” he asserted.

Other highlights of his speech underscored the fact that FG planned to among other things, “establish and publish a new regulation for the licensing of web and Internet broadcasters/International broadcasters in Nigeria.”

Also, he said the Committee is to work out modalities for immediate establishment and “publicize a new sanctioning, fines and penalty regime that is in line with international best practice, promote professionalism and serve as a deterrent to erring practitioners against misconduct, especially hate speech, violence and spread of fake news.”

Further, he said, the Committee is to work on finally putting an end to all forms of monopoly detrimental to the actualization of the immense potential of the broadcast industry.

The Committee has six weeks to submit its report and is made up of seven wisemen and a woman, including: Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, Director of Monitoring of the NBC; Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, Acting Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON); J.K. Ehicheoya, Esq, Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture; Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, Secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); Mr. Ibrahim Jimoh, Director of Administration, FRCN; Hon. Agbo Kingsley Ndubuisi, Board Member, NBC, and Mr. Joe Mutah, Chief Press Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

Chuks Egbuna/Editor

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Pix: The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (fourth from left); Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Deaconess Grace Isu-Gekpe (third left); Prof. Armstrong Idachaba (fifth from left); Mr. Ibrahim Jimoh (extreme left); J.K. Ehicheoya Esq. (second left); Hajia Binta Adamu Bello (fourth from right); Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa (third from right); Hon. Kingsley Agbo Ndubisi (second from right) and Joe Mutah (extreme right) when the Minister inaugurated the Committee on the Implementation of Reforms in the National Broadcasting Commission in Abuja on Thursday.

Senate endorses N30,000 minimum wage, demands immediate implementation - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Senate on Tuesday endorsed N30,000 proposed as the new national minimum wage by Green Chambers, urging the Federal Government to commence the implementation without further delay so as to avoid another round of strike by workers before putting it into practice, reports ITREALMS.

The Senate session monitored in Lagos, the acting Chairman of the Senate ad-hoc committee on National Minimum Wage Bill, Senator Francis Alimikhena, delivered the report saying that a fine of N75,000 has been imposed on firms that refused to comply with the wage payment.

The panel also recommended the urgent review of the revenue-sharing formula, to enhance states’ ability to pay the new minimum wage.

They also urged the Minister of Finance and her counterparts in the Budget and National Planning to as a matter of urgency, compute and forward to the National Assembly, for inclusion in the 2019 budget, the actual amount required for the new minimum wage.

Leader of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, wondered why the fine for non-compliance jumped from N5, 000 as recommended by the executive to N75,000, while commending the Federal Government for fulfilling its promise to the Nigerian workers and enjoined the organised labour to reciprocate the gesture by being more productive.

Senator James Manager described as unfortunate, the fact that some state governments had yet to apply the N18, 000 minimum wage.

In her contribution, the Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi, noted that the review of the revenue-sharing formula would enable more state governments to pay the new wage.

Senator Barnabas Gemade pointed that the bill was passed promptly to show that the National Assembly was committed to the welfare of the workers.

Senator Andrew Uchendu, said the tripartite committee should hold regular meetings with a view to constantly review the minimum wage.

Under the current sharing arrangement, the Federal Government takes 56 per cent, states receive 24 per cent while the local governments share the remaining 20 per cent.

The Senate wholesomely approved recommendations contained in the report.

In his submission, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, insisted the Federal Government should pay the new minimum wage without delay rather than waiting for the workers to go on strike to demand the implementation.

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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Resolute implementation of bank, import policies yielding results - Emefiele

ITREALMS:

The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele has declared that with resolute implementation of the Bank’s policy, which currently restricts importers of certain items access to foreign exchange from the Nigerian Forex market, was what led to improvements in the local production of those items, which paved the way for reduction in nation's import bill, report ITRealms.

Speaking at the 2017 Annual Bankers’ Dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos, weekend, Emefiele declared that local manufacturers have started recording profits and major boosts to their revenue due to the policy.

As said by him, despite opposition to the introduction of the policy restricting 41 items from Nigeria’s foreign exchange market, the unbaised implementation of the policy has resulted into the considerable decline in Nigeria’s import bills. 

From an average of about US$5.5 billion, he revealed that the nation’s monthly import bill had fallen consistently to US$2.1 billion in 2016 and US$1.9 billion by half year 2017.

He so cited the example of Psaltry International Limited (PIL), an agro-allied company based in Oyo State, he said the introduction of the policy had reversed the fortunes of the starch-producing company. 

Noting that prior to the policy; Psaltry had only few customers and a huge backlog of inventory.

CBN boss noted that due to the policy, he disclosed that the company now has over 50 multinational clients including Nestle and Unilever, thereby saving the country $7 million in foreign exchange drawdown over the two years of the policy.

He insisted that the access restriction policy has freed Nigeria from the perennially embarrassing importation of toothpicks.

Also he said Unilever, which moved its production facility to another country a few years ago, had agreed to commission a new Blue Band Factory in Agbara, Ogun State before the end of 2017.

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Shittu sets up 20-man Implementation Committee on ICT University

ITRealms:

The Minister of Communications, Hon. Adebayo Shittu, has inaugurated a 20-man Implementation Committee on the proposed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) University of Nigeria, reports ITRealms.

Performing this assignment at the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Conference Room, Federal Secretariat Complex, Thursday in Abuja, Shittu expressed delight on the composition, saying the proposal calls for an auspicious occasion.

“I am particularly happy that a new history is today being written in the annals of ICT development in Nigeria,” he declared, stressing that on assumption of office he hosted a stakeholder retreat and that this plan to set up ICT University of Nigeria was one of the fallout of the retreat was the fact that there were several unfilled vacancies in the Nigeria ICT industry because many job seeking Nigerian graduates do not possess the requisite skills to take up such opportunities.

“Expatriates have had a field day. This contrasts sharply with the fact that we have a large pool of unemployed youths in the country

He also disclosed that members of the committee on the ICT University would be led by Prof. Julius Okojie, Dr. Amina Sambi-Magaji, Prof. Ibikunle Tijani, Wole Oyeniran, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, Eng. Kazeem Raji, Dr. Joshua Atah, Abdulhakeem Ajijola, Liz Donaholu, Hakeem Adeniji Adele, Dr. Suleiman Mohammed,Olaniyan Mathew, Ayoola Oke, Chris Uwaje, Prof. Olusegun Okunnu, Prof. Aderounmu Adesaola, Kabir Usman, Tajudeen Kareem, Dr. Suleiman Garba, Prof. Patience Akpan-Obong.

“Expatriates have had a field day. This contrasts sharply with the fact that we have a large pool of unemployed youths in the country,” he said.

Shittu equally said that in order to ensure that Nigeria keeps pace with the rapidly changing technological development in the global ICT industry, deliberate policy strategies must therefore be put in place within a nationally and globally defined agenda for sustainable ICT development.  

He explained that as the Nigeria ICT sector continues to evolve at a frenetic pace, and with technology increasingly converging into all sectors of the economy, the demand for technical talent and specialists across a range of sectors would continue to grow, as we strive to meet the growing demand in the emerging digital economy.

“Tis also brings to the fore, the need to have a logical plan for manpower development and long-term workforce planning as well as Research & Development (R&D) in this critical sector,” he said.

The potentials of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) are enormous and the benefits to the country unquantifiable.

“The Institute, when transformed into the ICT University, will provide fit-for-purpose curricular to cater for University graduates with specialization in various ICT fields and expertise,” he said, emphasizing that this will create employment opportunities for Nigerians both locally, within the West-African sub-region and even at the international level, aside from several opportunities that would be created for self-employment.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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ICANN anxious over implementation of IANA-IPR proposal

ITRealms:

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has expressed support for the IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG) proposal on Intellectual Property (IP), but is worried over its implementation, reports ITRealms.

ICANN board of directors’ chairman, Dr. Steve Crocker made this known in a formal statement sighted by ITRealms at the weekend, saying that although ICANN supports ICG proposal and the underlying proposals from Community Working Group (CWG), Consolidated RIR IANA Stewardship Proposal (CRISP) and IANAPLAN, its focus would be on the implementation processes.

For Dr. Crocker, the ICANN Board believes that for stability and pragmatic operational reasons, the IANA Functions Operator must have operational control over the IANA.ORG domain. 

He explained that during the transition, ICANN is prepared to transfer full ownership of the IANA-related trademarks to a neutral third party mutually agreed among the operational communities with the understanding that ICANN, as the current IANA Functions Operator, will be granted license to those trademarks and ICANN will maintain operational control of the IANA.ORG domain for as long as ICANN remains the IANA Functions Operator. 

“If the transfer during the transition affects the timeline, we advise delay until after the transition,” he said.

Stressing that in that event ICANN is ready to hold the IPR as interim measure but commits to transfer it within 120 days after the neutral third party is identified by the operational communities.

ICANN therefore believes this position of the board is neutral and in the public interest, as the board expects comments from the Internet community.

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