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Digital inclusiveness key for Africa’s growth -Huawei

Published

5 years ago

December 2, 2021

Global Vice President of Huawei, Hou Tao, has emphasised the importance of digital inclusiveness for Africa’s development.

Tao noted that digital economy is outperforming all other sectors in terms of speed of growth, the dynamics of innovation, and the scope of influence.

He expressed delight that 40 per cent of the African population have been currently connected to the Internet while only 10 per cent of people were connected in 2010.

He said, “Everyone’s being connected is what we have been pursuing while providing connectivity to all Africans requires improvements to the continent’s rural network through strong, targeted policies, as well as boosting investment in existing digital infrastructure from both private capital and governments. Moreover, authorities also can provide a sufficient spectrum, grant licenses that facilitate the flexible use of new and emerging technologies, allow operators to operate freely, and provide clear information about future spectrum expansions and auctions.

“Why are we stressing the importance of connectivity? Because Huawei envisions a digitally inclusive society, where the opportunities offered by digital technology are accessible to all, including those who do not have regular and sustainable access to the Internet. Rational and efficient allocation of spectrum and facilitation of access is an effective way to achieve digital inclusion for all.

“Thus, digital inclusivity is not simply a buzzword: it refers to the activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to affordable, robust broadband internet service, internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user, access to digital literacy training, quality technical support and applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency participation and collaboration.

“As a close partner of African people, Huawei believes that no one should be left behind in the digital world, so we are committed to making long-term, non-profit investments centered on the vision of digital inclusion, such as TECH4ALL initiatives. One of the efforts is the “Learn On” action initiated after Covid-19 last year, which is a project to ensure the continuity of education. With the idea of “Learning Never Stops”, a multimedia-based learning experience was provided to countries like Senegal where the schools were shut down because of the pandemic. And in Senegal alone, over 200 teachers were trained and 15,000 students benefited from the project.

“Huawei is cooperating with over 600 universities in more than 20 African countries to enable students with advanced ICT knowledge and skills through Huawei ICT Academy, which helps them stand out in the competitive job market. Huawei also provides telecom operators with innovative, secure and reliable network products and solutions. We are committed to accelerating the development of the digital economy in African countries by strengthening the infrastructure in each of these spaces, and helping bridge the digital divide in remote areas.”

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

2 hours ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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