Abuja: The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has announced that the Federal Government is leveraging technology to enhance governance and safeguard vulnerable communities across the country.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Yilwatda made this statement in a communiqu© signed by Chukwuemeka Okafor, General Conference Chair for the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) Summit held in Abuja.
The summit, themed ‘Connecting the Unconnected: Bridging Digital Frontiers’, convened global technology leaders, telecom CEOs, international development institutions, and regulators to expedite efforts towards achieving universal broadband access across Africa. The APC chairman highlighted the deployment of digital infrastructure, such as the National Social Register (NSR), which encompasses over 70 million individuals, integrated with the NIN and BVN databases to minimize fraud and ensure social interventions reach their intended recipients.
Yilwatda further elaborated on the government’s innovative application of AI-driven predictive analytics and geospatial tools to anticipate floods and initiate early humanitarian responses. He emphasized that engineering, data science, and digital governance are pivotal to constructing a nation where every citizen is acknowledged.
Within nine months, the implementation of digital tools has verified the identities of Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens, eradicated corruption in cash transfers via digital payments, and forecasted disaster risks in historically affected areas. Okafor noted that policymakers, engineers, and industry leaders at the summit acknowledged that digital technology, engineering innovation, and advanced data tools are crucial in addressing Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
The conference chair asserted that these technologies would reinforce social protection systems, promote inclusive growth, and combat corruption in the nation. ‘These were the central messages from policymakers, engineers, and industry leaders at the 2025 IEEE Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) EMEA Summit,’ he stated.
Prof. Ifeyinwa Achumba, Chair of the IEEE Nigeria Section, remarked that millions remain excluded from Nigeria’s digital economy and urged stakeholders to collaborate in building a digital future that includes all communities. ‘This summit is a call to move from ideas to action. Let us work together to build a digital future where no community is left behind,’ she urged.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rex Mafiana, Managing Director of Flexip Group (FPG) Technologies and Solutions Ltd, cautioned that Africa’s connectivity expansion without robust cybersecurity frameworks leaves citizens vulnerable to fraud, data breaches, and online exploitation. Mafiana called for governments and businesses to adopt security by design and zero trust security principles as foundational elements for digital inclusion. ‘Connectivity without cybersecurity turns access into exposure. Without trust, inclusion cannot exist,’ he warned.