Technology
FG Launches Information App
By Dipo Olowookere
The Federal Government on Thursday formally launched an Information App called FGN IAPP, which is aimed at providing authentic reports concerning the country.
Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, who performed the ceremony in Abuja, stressed that government will not allow the media space to be dominated by those who are daily working to discredit it (the government) and obfuscate its achievements.
“We realized early on that in order to get undiluted and factual information directly to the people, we will have to do things differently.
“This is because those who are opposed to this Administration’s Change Agenda, including the corrupt elements in our society who have chosen to fight the government with their ill-gotten wealth, have taken it upon themselves to distort our messages and obfuscate our activities to give the impression that the government is not doing anything,” he said.
In addition, the Minister said apart from using the conventional and the social media, government has introduced the Town Hall Meeting that has so far been held in Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Uyo and Abuja and provided a platform for Cabinet Ministers to interact directly with a cross section of Nigerians in a no-holds-barred session.
“Honourable Ministers, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we must not allow those the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti referred to as “Opposite People” to stifle the progress that this administration has made. We must not leave the public space for naysayers,” Mr Mohammed said.
He said contrary to its portrayal in certain circles, the Federal Government is making sure and steady progress.
“A government that has achieved the unprecedented feat of creating 200,000 jobs in one fell swoop cannot be said to have done nothing. A government that has liberated every inch of our occupied territory from Boko Haram and sent the terrorists fleeing should not be portrayed as not doing anything.
“A government that is surely and steadily making our country self-sufficient in staples such as rice and other cereals, a government that has embarked on a massive infrastructural renewal and a government that is boldly tackling an economic recession that was foisted on it by years of profligacy, lack of savings and a sudden crash on oil prices deserves accolades, not vilification,” the Minister said.
He said the Information App will bring about a paradigm shift in the way the government communicates with the citizens by ensuring that authentic and real-time information is delivered directly to them, irrespective of their location.
“Our latest effort in the quest to provide authentic and timely information to Nigerians is the App we are launching today. Irrespective of where you are in the world, from today all you need to do is to download the FGN IAPP, and you will have access to factual and real time information on the activities of the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Mr Mohammed said.
He listed the value-added services contained in the App as including the Tender Journal that is published twice a month to announce available government contracts, the ”BE INSPIRED” Section which makes it possible for any Nigerian, irrespective of his status, age or academic background, to meet top political, business, religious and other leaders and the access to genuine government job vacancies
The Minister said the App also has a Feedback Section that allows anyone so interested to make his or her feelings known about any government policy or programmes.
He therefore enjoined Nigerians both at home and abroad to take advantage of the App and be better informed about the happenings in the government instead of being fed with falsehood and misinformation.
“It is our sincere hope that Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, and indeed all those who are interested in authentic news about the activities of the Federal Government of Nigeria, will take advantage of the FGN IAPP. We will be fine-tuning the App as we progress in order to make it more responsive and to better serve the people,” Mr Mohammed said, pledging that the Ministry would continue to evolve innovative ways of ensuring that there is no communication gap between the government and the people.
He said the Federal Government will never succumb to the antics of Internet trolls, hack writers and pseudo analysts/experts who work daily to fool unsuspecting Nigerians.
The App Developer, Mr Olawale Wale-Falope, said it is a one-stop shop where Nigerians can get authentic information on all the three arms of government in real-time.
He said there is too much falsehood about Nigeria and that it’s time for the country to speak out so that the world does not judge it based on a one-sided story.
Other dignitaries at the launch included the Minister of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani Uguru; Minister of State for Environment, Malam Ibrahim Usman Jibril, and his counterpart in the Health Ministry, Mr Osagie Ehanire.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Bharti Airtel has crossed 650 million mobile subscribers worldwide to emerge as the world’s second-largest telecommunications firm.
The Indian company has operations in several countries, including Nigeria, where it has continued to scale infrastructure at a pace unmatched in its recent history.
Over the past three years, the telco has increased its national site count from just above 13,000 to nearly 17,200 sites, including more than 1,560 added in the last 12 months.
This expansion deepens capacity in high-demand corridors and extends high-speed coverage to previously underserved regions.
The latest industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) underscores the significance of this growth. As of December 2025, Nigeria recorded 145,141 base stations across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G layers.
Of this national infrastructure, Airtel accounts for 46,918 base-station layers, reflecting its substantial contribution to the country’s radio access network and its push to absorb rising data consumption.
Nearly 99 per cent of Airtel Nigeria’s sites are now 4G-enabled, positioning the operator as one of the few with a near-ubiquitous high-speed broadband footprint. Thousands of sites have been upgraded for capacity in the past year alone, enabling improved speeds and more stable performance during peak usage.
That expansion underpins Nigeria’s rising internet adoption. According to the latest regulator figures, Nigeria’s internet penetration recently climbed above 50 per cent, with Airtel recording among the largest monthly increases in new internet subscribers, driven by network upgrades across states and rural corridors.
Strategic Connectivity and Redundancy
Airtel is also tackling a critical infrastructure challenge for the Nigerian digital economy: reliance on a single international internet gateway. The company is advancing plans for its second submarine cable internet breakout point at Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State, early in the 2Africa cable system rollout, to provide faster and more resilient national connectivity across regions. This significant investment aligns with global best practices in network diversity and redundancy, ensuring a more stable digital experience for consumers and enterprises alike.
Digital Finance at Scale: SmartCash
Airtel’s digital finance arm, SmartCash, has gained traction in Nigeria’s competitive mobile money ecosystem, now serving over 3 million active users. The platform is supported by an expansive agent network and digital services that lower barriers for everyday financial transactions and savings.
Outstanding Human Touch: Retail Reach
Across Nigeria, Airtel’s retail distribution network stands as one of the sector’s most extensive, with approximately 4,000 exclusive outlets bringing services, support, and products closer to customers in small towns, communities, and high-traffic urban hubs. That footprint drives both access and engagement in a market where localised presence remains a competitive differentiator.
As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to evolve, Airtel is committed to sustained innovation — from expanded fibre backbones and advanced mobile broadband to future-ready services that include satellite-enabled solutions and enterprise-grade digital platforms. These efforts help ensure that connectivity, commerce, and creativity thrive across Nigeria and beyond.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has set 2028 and 2029 as the timeline for the deployment of its new satellites, NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B, respectively.
The Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, which is Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited and the premier satellite operator in Nigeria, Mrs Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, disclosed this at the second Nigerian Satellite Week in Abuja on Monday. She noted that the development is expected to boost military intelligence, surveillance, and regional connectivity.
“For 2A and 2B, we have started the process. We have closed the tender and are now back into the financing and implementation stage. 2A is built to come up in 2028, and 2B for 2029.
“When they are up and running, they are expected to provide security within the borders and neighbouring countries. They will support the security agencies because data collection and intelligence in real time is important. Satellites like communication satellites allow that, irrespective of where they are,” she said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, said the satellites form part of the nation’s strategy to strengthen digital infrastructure.
Mr Tijani explained that the satellites will complement ongoing investments in 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable and nearly 4,000 telecom towers, which are being rolled out nationwide and extended to neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of Benin.
He stressed that satellite technology is critical for national development, affecting education, agriculture, business, and emergency response.
“The president’s approval of NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B demonstrates a clear commitment to building the future. These satellites will enhance security, connect remote communities, and extend our fibre-optic network into neighbouring countries,” he said.
“Some of these neighbouring countries pay up to ten times more for internet capacity than Lagos. Extending our fibre network will not only improve connectivity but also enhance border security and regional collaboration.
“Satellite technology affects everything, from how a child in a rural community accesses the internet to how farmers make critical decisions and how businesses operate across distance,” the Minister said.
Also speaking, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, welcomed the development, saying the military will leverage the satellites for operational efficiency.
“The Nigerian Army will continue to use space assets to improve intelligence gathering, surveillance, and operational coordination across all theatres of operation,” he said at the event, represented by Major General Kennedy Osemwegie, Commander of the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command (NACWC).
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A partnership to advance digital payments and financial inclusion across East Africa has been strengthened between Interswitch and KCB Group.
Both parties have agreed to expand digital payment infrastructure and deliver innovative financial solutions that meet the evolving needs of individuals, businesses, and institutions across the region.
The aim is to accelerate seamless, secure, and inclusive digital payments in East Africa, where the leading Africa-focused integrated payments and digital commerce enabler, Interswitch, recently announced an expansion of Verve card acceptance footprint, leveraging its consolidated partnership with KCB Group, Kenya’s largest financial services group by assets, following a similar move in Uganda through the local KCB Franchise in February 2022.
During a recent executive engagement at KCB Group headquarters in Nairobi, the chief executive of Interswitch, Mr Mitchell Elegbe, held high-level discussions with KCB leadership, including its chief executive, Paul Russo.
At the core of the strengthened collaboration is the integration of Interswitch’s robust payment rails, card scheme, and emerging digital token solutions with KCB Group’s expansive regional footprint and trusted banking franchise.
This integration enables the acceptance of Verve cards and tokenised payment solutions across KCB’s extensive merchant point-of-sale network in Kenya and Uganda, significantly enhancing everyday usability for customers while strengthening KCB’s digitally driven retail payments offering.
The consolidated partnership is expected to drive increased merchant acquisition, improve interoperability across payment ecosystems, and expand access to secure, cashless transactions. It also reinforces both organisations’ shared objective of deepening financial inclusion and accelerating digital commerce across East Africa.
“Our collaboration with KCB Group represents a powerful alignment of vision and capability. By combining our technology-driven payment solutions with KCB’s strong regional presence, we are unlocking new opportunities to scale access, drive innovation, and deliver greater value to customers across East Africa,” Mr Elegbe stated.
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