Personality in Focus
GITEX 2022: An Encounter with Digital Economy Maestro
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By Yushau Shuaib
I arrived at GITEX 2022 in Dubai with the hope of waylaying Professor Ali Ibrahim Pantami for an exclusive interview on politics, alongside the challenges, excitements, disappointments, and accomplishments of his ever-inspiring exploits in public office, particularly since his appointment as the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.
Pantami remains one of the few cabinet members in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration who are highly pragmatic, charismatic, and results-oriented. He boldly builds partners with sincere allies, surmounts hurdles and never shies away from the good fight towards accomplishing what has been described as unprecedented feats in his Ministry. He is truly Nigeria’s Digital Economy maestro.
The results are certainly obvious for many to see: Apart from the digital economy sector now playing a pivotal role in lifting the Nigerian economy out of recession, it is continuously recording the highest growth rate in the country’s public sector.
Just as parastatals under his Ministry are remitting trillions of naira into the coffers of the Federal Government, a lot more in taxes and duties are also being paid by ICT companies and other sectoral players into the national treasury. It’s a case of the golden goose that is being properly tended to and which continues to lay the golden eggs that expand the national fortunes, especially in a period of global fiscal crisis.
I was interested in asking him about the spirit behind the significant number of policies developed and the hundreds of projects executed by his Ministry towards providing an enabling environment for the sustainable growth of the communications and digital economy sector.
Rather than being granted what I had expected to be a straightforward interview, the Minister rather got me into covering the week-long activities of the Nigerian delegation at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), which he led. This was the 2022 edition of the annual Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX Global), from the 10th of October 2022 in Dubai.
The delegation led by Pantami was a powerful one, having officials from Nigeria’s public and private sectors, including regulators, academics, media practitioners, change makers, and young entrepreneurs. Nigeria has been attending GITEX because of its enormous benefits, especially in attracting foreign direct investment to the country.
Some of the distinguished personalities on the entourage were Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta; Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa; Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr Aliyu Aziz; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Professor Muhammed Bello Abubakar, and Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Barrister Maimuna Yaya Abubakar.
As the Minister went about attending a series of summits, meetings and exhibitions, I had the opportunity of being able to engage him intermittently, and I learnt a lot both from him and in my coverage of some of these events.
While inaugurating the Nigerian exhibition pavilion, Pantami informed the audience of how, in the last three years, the Federal Government had launched several programmes, policies and projects, which have been yielding results in great leaps and bounds that have contributed to the flourishing of the country’s digital economy sub-sector.
Immediately after the inauguration and tours of numerous stands, the Minister led the team to the Startups exhibitions, where at least nine Nigerian young technology innovators had spots in the semi-final of the GITEX tech-invention competition, known as the Supernova Challenge Pitch Competition, organised by North Star Dubai.
The Challenge is the biggest pitching competition in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, where startups have the opportunity to become the next unicorns, with up to $200,000 in cash prizes up for grabs.
The Minister interacted and took pictures with promoters of the startups. He also had words of encouragement for the Nigerian semi-finalists, including Identity Pass, 9JaCodeKids Academy, Floews, Medtech, Paddycover, Pricepally, LiveBic, Technyon Technologies, and Wellness Health Technologies.
On the second day, at the Nigerian pavilion, the Minister received visitors and also held a series of meetings with representatives of governments and big corporations seeking partnerships with Nigeria in the areas of digital identity, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, among others.
Pantami held bilateral conversations and meetings with the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Omar Sultan Alolama and the Minister of IT and Telecommunications of Pakistan, Mr. Syed Amin Ul Haque, among other top global public figures.
The Minister also met with officials of the Dubai World Trade Center to explore areas of collaboration, as Nigeria is the largest Africa digital economy. A Senior Vice President, MEA of Oracle, Antonio Mesa consulted with Pantami towards the deepening of collaboration with Nigeria on the growth of the digital economy, through universal licences and corporate social responsibility.
A strategic meeting was equally held with Vice-President of Amazon, Isabella Groegor-Cechowicz on a similar level of partnership. A dollar vault of investment opportunities was opened for the start-up community, as the Nigerian team engaged with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
One of the greatest achievements of Nigeria at GITEX 2022 came in the form of the opening up of massive opportunities as the Minister signed, on behalf of the Federal Government, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the global tech giant, Microsoft Corporation. This is for the training of five million Nigerians on high-demand technological skills that are needed for consolidating the capacities of citizens as native players in the burgeoning digital ecosystem and economy.
The Microsoft representative, Mr Deen Yusuf, said the gesture is bound to enlarge knowledge bases, and capabilities, and create massive spinoff potentials that will enhance careers, livelihoods and the national fiscal well-being. Commending the tech giant for the prospects, Pantami said Nigeria would continue to provide an enabling environment and ensure that regulatory instruments are developmental and flexible for Microsoft and other businesses to flourish.
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hazmat met with the Minister and discussed how Lagos could benefit from the Microsoft offer. Lagos is the only state from Nigeria that sponsored startups to #GITEX2022.
It is necessary to state that out of over 800 applications received for the Supernova pitch competition from 37 countries across 13 categories, nine Nigerian startups emerged among the 140 semi-finalists. The 26 that made it to the finals of the Supernova competition also had two Nigerian startups. Eventually, ShapShap, from Nigeria, emerged as Global Best in the Mobility and Smart Cities category, winning a cash prize of $8,000.
The Minister was elated by the success stories of Nigeria’s participation at this year’s event. Apart from the award to the winning startup, NITDA was equally honoured with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) Most Valued Partnership Award in recognition of the agency’s extraordinary dedication and service at the startup and tech event.
Similarly, at the end of a discussion on Digital Inclusion: Aligning Regulators and Network Providers to Bridge Digital Divide, Professor Pantami was presented with the prestigious DWTC Leadership and Commitment Award 2022, in recognition of his commitment towards advancing the digital economy at both the ATU and ITU this year. He was the only person honoured with the highly prestigious award this year.
Speaking at the Summit, the Minister said Nigeria has a lot of policies to close the digital divide and promised that the government would soon pass the Start-up bill into law for enlarging the vibrancy of the sector.
Less than a week after his assurance to the global community at GITEX 2022, on the eve of Professor Pantamis 50th birthday, President Buhari signed the Startup bill into law. Not only was this carried out as a tribute to the significant achievements of the Minister, the President said: “The appointment of Pantami was one of the best choices I have made because he has added tremendous value to good governance.”
Buhari went further in his testament that Pantami’s depth of knowledge of complex issues was amazing and remarkable, and his loyalty and dedication to duty were worthy of emulation. I also join numerous well-wishers in praying that may Almighty Allah continue to guide, protect and bless the Minister with good health and wisdom in the service of the country and humanity.
Yushau Shuaib is the author of An Encounter with the Spymaster
Personality in Focus
Veteran Actor Olu Jacobs Dies at 84
Veteran Nigerian actor and elder statesman, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.
The actor’s death was announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, on Instagram on Wednesday.
Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most respected actors and a towering figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.
For more than five decades, Jacobs built a career that took him from the stage in Britain to international films and, ultimately, to becoming one of the most recognisable faces of Nollywood.
Born on July 11, 1942, in Kano, Jacobs had his roots in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State. He grew up in Kano, where he developed an early interest in acting through school drama, debating activities, and church programmes.
His passion for the performing arts was strengthened after he watched a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner Hubert Ogunde. The experience inspired him to pursue acting professionally.
Personality in Focus
Michael Dell Overtakes Jeff Bezos As World’s Third Wealthiest Billionaire
Michael Dell, on Tuesday, overtook Jeff Bezos in Forbes’ billionaire rankings, edging past the Amazon co-founder as shares of Dell Technologies reached an all-time high, extending a six-month rally.Dell’s estimated net worth rose $4.6 billion to reach $267.7 billion at market close Tuesday afternoon, making him the third-wealthiest person in the world for the first time ever.
Dell trails Alphabet co-founder Larry Page ($277.9 billion) and Tesla chief Elon Musk ($942 billion).
Shares of Dell Technologies rose 1.9% to close at an all-time high of $533.88 on Tuesday, and traded as high as $538.47 earlier in the day.
Bezos’ estimated net worth dropped $1.4 billion to $265.2 billion as Amazon shares fell 0.6%.
Dell’s net worth has more than doubled since last year as his company has benefited from booming demand for artificial intelligence hardware.
327%. That is how much Dell’s stock has rocketed since the start of the year, when shares were priced around the $128 mark. Michael Dell holds a roughly 40% stake in his company and has much of his fortune wrapped up in his private investment firm DFO Management, which invests in hotels and liquid corporate credit. Dell’s net worth has soared alongside his company’s earnings, allowing him to surpass Meta co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison in recent months.
Dell Technologies is a week removed from its second-quarter earnings report in which it logged $47 billion in revenue, a 58% jump year-over-year, and adjusted earnings per share of $7.04, a threefold increase from the same period last year. The company’s AI server business logged a record $60.9 billion in orders and accounted for $16.4 billion in revenue. The growth, and what chief financial officer David Kennedy called “AI momentum,” resulted in Dell Technologies raising its full-year revenue guidance $25 billion to an anticipated $192 billion.
Personality in Focus
NAOSNP President, Oki Samson Bags Police-Youth Advocate Award
The Lagos State Police Command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani, on Thursday, honoured the President of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), Mayor Oki Olatunji Samson, as a Police-Youth Advocate for his contribution to youth engagement and advocacy, responsible security journalism and community safety.
The recognition came during the Command’s commemoration of International Youth Day 2026, themed “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” held at the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) Secretariat, Oduduwa Street, Lagos.
The event also featured the launch of the National Campaign Against Political and Digital Thuggery and a Police-Youth Dialogue designed to build stronger partnerships between law enforcement and young Nigerians. The initiative, in line with the vision of Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, placed youth participation, responsible citizenship and peacebuilding at the centre of contemporary security discourse.
In his address at the event, the NAOSNP President, a respected security journalist, stressed that youth advocacy must move beyond rhetoric to deliberate investment in the values, opportunities and relationships that enable young people to become agents of stability. He argued that the youth should not be viewed simply as potential victims or perpetrators of insecurity, but as indispensable stakeholders in preventing it. According to him, the digital space has become an extension of society and therefore requires the same standards of responsibility expected in the physical world.
The NAOSNP President urged young Nigerians to recognise the power of their voices, particularly on social media, and deploy that influence constructively. “Your phone is powerful. Your social media account is powerful. Your voice is powerful. Please use that power to build, not destroy.” He further challenged young people to resist political manipulation, stressing that no temporary political reward could justify sacrificing one’s future.
“Do not allow anyone to use your future to settle their present disagreement.”
He advocated a culture in which political differences could be expressed without becoming personal hostility, urging youths to verify information before sharing it and to understand that digital actions can have real-world consequences.
The intervention resonated strongly with the message of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, who warned young people against allowing politicians to exploit them for electoral violence as the country approaches another election cycle. Fatai said youths must look beyond immediate gratification and recognise the importance of preserving their future.
“Tomorrow is there for us. We should not think of today. We should always think of tomorrow. That tomorrow is more important than what we are today.”
The CP also delivered a particularly strong message against the recruitment of young Nigerians into political thuggery, noting that political actors rarely expose their own children to the dangers of electoral violence. “None of these politicians will use any of their children for electioneering, thuggery, violence or what have you.”
He urged youths to reject attempts to use them for ballot-box snatching, intimidation, destruction of property and other forms of electoral violence, while stressing that political participation remained a legitimate right when exercised responsibly.
The Commissioner equally identified the digital environment as an emerging frontier of security, urging young Nigerians to think carefully before posting, sharing or reacting to provocative content. His message was clear: political participation must never become political violence, whether offline or online.
In his goodwill message, Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ayokunle Owolabi, described the campaign as timely and commended the Police for strengthening engagement with young Nigerians. Owolabi noted that the energy, creativity and resilience of young people remained indispensable to Nigeria’s peace, security and development. He emphasised that national security could no longer be regarded as the exclusive responsibility of security agencies, but required a whole-of-society approach in which young Nigerians become active partners. He particularly warned against the misuse of digital platforms and physical spaces for violence, intimidation, misinformation and destructive engagement, while calling for stronger trust and communication between young people and security institutions.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Coordinator of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), SP Olivia Amarachi Ugochukwu, urged young people to become the change they desire in their communities.
“Policing is everybody’s business. If you see something, say something.”
She also charged the media to ensure that only verified information was disseminated, noting that responsible information management was essential to preventing fear, confusion and conflict.
The well attended event attracted representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, NDLEA, FRSC and NSCDC, alongside NYSC, POCACOV, PCRC, NYCN, NANS, NURTW, RTEAN, CRAN, NAOSNP, POWA and youths from Police Barracks across Lagos. The programme featured an extensive Police-Youth Dialogue on security, political participation, social media, cultism, thuggery and emerging threats.
The recognition of Mayor Oki Samson as Police-Youth Advocate therefore represented more than an individual honour. It underscored the growing importance of credible voices capable of connecting young people, the media and security institutions around a shared commitment to peace.
In a society where insecurity can be amplified by a rumour, a provocative post or a manipulated young mind, youth advocacy has become a frontline security intervention. The future of Nigeria cannot be secured merely by policing the streets; it must also be secured by winning the minds, trust and participation of its young people.
The challenge before advocates such as Mayor Oki Samson and institutions such as the Police is to ensure that the message does not end with an award or a commemorative event. It must travel into schools, communities, newsrooms, transport parks and digital spaces—until peace becomes not merely a campaign slogan, but a conscious choice made by a generation whose future is ultimately at stake.






