Director-General/CEO of NITDA Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi
•Agency, Lagos unveil start-ups winners for GITEX
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has alerted Nigerians and ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to a possible rise in cyber-attacks in the country following the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Head of External Relations, Hadiza Umar, in a statement, said the war had increased attacks on businesses and government organisations.
The spokesperson said there is a greater danger for countries doing business in or with the two nations. NITDA’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) urged MDAs and Nigerians to take precautions.
IN a related development, two Nigerian technology start-ups, Paddy Cover and Pricepally.com, have emerged winners of Dubai World Trade Centre’s $200,000 Lagos talent show, while TruQ emerged Lagos State winner at pre-Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) programme.
GITEX is a yearly consumer computer and electronics trade show exhibition and conference that holds in Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The insuretech firm, Paddy Cover, co-founded by Mayowa Owolabi and Tobi Obasa, and food sourcing and distribution tech firm, Pricepally, owned by Luther Lawoyin, as well as TruQ, owned by Williams Fatayo, beat 24 other contestants, who pitched their ideas before six judges at the event.
Speaking at the event, Director-General (DG) of the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, pledged continuous support for young Nigerians with start-ups in various forms to catalyse the entire eco-system towards building a digital economy.
Abdullahi spoke through his Head of Corporate Planning & Strategy, Dr. Aristotle at the one-day pitching by no less than 27 start-ups.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Innovation and Technology, Tumbosun Alake, said: “The initiative is to give opportunities to our ecosystem start-ups with better access to local and foreign markets. At the same time, Dubai and GITEX are keen to be part of the start-up ecosystem in Lagos.
“This initiative is for us to explore opportunities together, so the finalists will be participating in the North Star program in Dubai in October, and we hope they are able to get more international investors and access to the UAE market.”
Also, country representative of Dubai World Trade Centre, Akande Ojo, explained that they have decided on an African focus, and a Nigerian focus going forward.
Ojo, who is from the United States-based Pinnacle International Consulting, said: “A winner gets accommodation, space as a start-up to showcase themselves, they engage with investors, because technically you are part of their programme.
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