CHIMEZIE ORISAKWE writes that Senator Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State, is leading a bold digital transformation aimed at turning Imo into Africa’s next Silicon Valley. Through projects like the Imo Digital City, the Skill-Up Imo Programme, and global partnerships with tech giants and the US Market Access Centre, his administration is investing in infrastructure, tech education, and entrepreneurship to position Imo as Nigeria’s leading digital economy hub. It is often wise to be sceptical when politicians promise heaven on earth because, more often than not, they have shown Nigerians that their grand declarations frequently lack corresponding action. Like many…
Author: DigitalTimesNG
News Highlights: Amazon has launched the first 27 satellites of its $10 billion Project Kuiper, aiming to deliver global broadband and challenge SpaceX’s Starlink. With over 3,200 satellites planned, Amazon must deploy at least half by mid-2026 to meet U.S. regulatory deadlines. Amazon launched the first 27 satellites of its Kuiper broadband internet constellation from Florida on Monday, marking the long-awaited start of its satellite internet network designed to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. Reuters reports that the satellites are the first of 3,236 that Amazon plans to send into low-Earth orbit for Project Kuiper, a $10 billion effort unveiled in…
News Highlights: Starting May 5, 2025, WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS versions earlier than 15.1 The move is aimed at boosting user security and ensuring compatibility with WhatsApp’s latest features Starting May 5, 2025, WhatsApp users with older iPhones will lose access to the messaging platform, as it plans to withdraw support for devices running outdated iOS versions. WhatsApp has announced the discontinuation of support for older iOS versions no longer receiving security updates from Apple in a continued effort to enhance user security amid rapidly advancing technology and escalating cyber threats. By encouraging users to transition…
News Highlights: UBA paid N171 billion in dividends for FY 2024, a 79% increase from the previous year, and achieved a 26% growth in profit after tax. Following a successful N239.4 billion rights issue, UBA plans another capital raise in Q3 2025 to meet the CBN’s N500 billion minimum capital requirement. For the 2024 financial year, United Bank for Africa (UBA) paid a total dividend of N171 billion to shareholders, reflecting a 79% increase compared to the N95.8 billion paid for 2023. At its 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on April 25, shareholders approved a final dividend of N3…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, will reopen for flight operations on Monday, 28th April 2025 (today), following the completion of emergency runway repairs. Recall that on April 18th, 2025, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced that due to a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway, the runway would be shut down for emergency repairs. The work was scheduled to begin on April 22nd and conclude before reopening on May 6th, 2025. However, FAAN has now announced that…
Starlink, the global leader in satellite launch services and a key internet provider in Nigeria, has set a new standard with the launch of its latest Gen 3 kit. Digital TimesNG reports that this state-of-the-art hardware boasts enhanced performance and user convenience, featuring a major design upgrade tailored to meet the unique needs of Nigerian households and businesses. The new Starlink Gen 3 kit which is now available on e-commerce platforms such as Konga.com, features a built-in Wi-Fi 6 chipset, which offers significantly improved data speeds, making it ideal for handling high-demand applications. This is especially advantageous for smart homes,…
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced the inaugural meeting of the Startup Consultative Forum, scheduled to take place on Monday, April 28, 2025, reports Digital TimesNG. NITDA said on Tuesday in a statement signed by Mrs Hadiza Umar, Director, Corporate Communications and Media Relations Department at NITDA, that the move is aimed at strengthening stakeholder engagement and shape the future of Nigeria’s digital economy. Umar stated that this landmark event, convened under the framework of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA), signifies a major step in institutionalizing the role of startups, innovators, and ecosystem enablers in national policy…
News Highlights: Mayor Sunny Afurobi declared unwavering support for Governor Alex Otti’s 2027 re-election at a packed stakeholders’ meeting in Mbala. He urged grassroots political mobilization and praised the Governor’s transformative impact on power, infrastructure, youth, and women empowerment in Umunneochi. In a vibrant show of unity and political determination, the Executive Mayor of Umunneochi Local Government Area, High Chief Sunny Nduka Afurobi, has reaffirmed his unwavering support for the re-election of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, in the 2027 general elections. The mayor made this bold declaration at the grand finale of the Umunneochi Zone 2 Stakeholders Meeting,…
By Angela Nwanodu The Anambra State Government, under the visionary leadership of Governor Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, is spearheading a landmark transformation of public education through the Smart Learn Anambra initiative—a flagship program designed to position Anambra as a model for smart education in Nigeria and beyond. The initiative, which is currently being piloted in 22 secondary schools across the state, is a multi-phased educational revolution that integrates cutting-edge technology, infrastructure upgrades, and stakeholder-driven governance to bridge the digital divide and raise globally competitive students. Engaging the Frontlines: Principals and Educators The Smart Learn journey began with high-level engagement involving…
News Highlights: Africa must lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution through AI, not follow, says NITDA DG Kashifu Inuwa. Inuwa unveils NITDA’s Regulatory Intelligence Framework to guide ethical and inclusive AI governance. In a clarion call to African industry leaders, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has declared that the continent must not miss the opportunity to lead in the Fourth Industrial Revolution—this time powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). “We missed the first, second, and third industrial revolutions, but this fourth one, we must lead it and not just follow,” Inuwa asserted passionately during…