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Borno explores Moscow Smart-City solutions for urban development – Technology Times
Borno State is eyeing smart-city technologies showcased by technology companies from Moscow as part of efforts to strengthen urban development and advance the state’s digital transformation agenda.
The engagement was undertaken by the Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (BICTDA) during the state’s participation at GITEX Nigeria 2026 in Lagos, where technology companies, innovators, investors and government institutions gathered to showcase emerging digital solutions.
The BICTDA delegation was led by Engr. Mohammed Ahmed Kabir Wanori, agency’s Chief Executive Officer, alongside the Chairman of the BICTDA Board, Dr Idriss Mohammed Yelwa, and Board Member, Prof. Mustapha Tijani.
Borno assesses smart-city solutions
At the Moscow Pavilion, the delegation received presentations from participating technology companies on a range of emerging solutions, including artificial intelligence, enterprise software, digital transformation platforms, business automation and smart-city technologies.
The engagement allowed BICTDA officials to examine how the technologies are being applied and assess their potential relevance to Borno State.
The agency identified urban development, smart infrastructure, digital government, data management, cybersecurity and public service delivery as areas where some of the technologies could potentially be applied.
The move reflects the state government’s broader effort to use technology and innovation to improve governance, strengthen institutions and create new opportunities for residents.
Speaking during the engagement, Wanori says the state is deliberately looking beyond its immediate environment to identify technologies and partnerships that can respond to its development needs.
“Our presence at the Moscow Pavilion reflects our deliberate effort to connect Borno State with global technology ecosystems,” Wanori says.
“We are interested not only in the technologies themselves, but also in building meaningful partnerships, promoting knowledge transfer and adapting global innovations to address our local realities.”
Focus on practical technology adoption
Rather than immediately adopting the technologies showcased, BICTDA says it will assess their suitability before making decisions on possible deployment.
The agency plans to review the solutions presented at the exhibition and identify those with potential applications in Borno State.
It will also engage the relevant companies to explore possible areas of cooperation, including technical knowledge exchange, capacity building, technology transfer and, where appropriate, pilot projects.
The assessment will consider factors such as cost-effectiveness, scalability, sustainability and the suitability of each technology to the state’s requirements.
This approach could allow Borno to test selected solutions on a smaller scale before considering broader deployment, particularly in areas where smart technology could improve the management of urban infrastructure and public services.
Global partnerships for local needs
The engagement also highlights a growing interest by subnational governments in looking beyond traditional technology procurement to establish partnerships that can support local digital capacity.
For Borno, the Moscow Pavilion engagement provides an opportunity to examine international technology solutions while considering how they can be adapted to the state’s specific development circumstances.
Wanori says BICTDA will continue engaging credible technology companies and innovation partners to identify solutions that are practical, scalable and relevant to Borno State.
The agency’s approach places emphasis on ensuring that exposure to emerging technologies translates into practical outcomes rather than remaining limited to technology demonstrations.
Potential collaboration with technology companies could include knowledge transfer and capacity building, which would help develop local expertise alongside any technology deployment.
For smart-city initiatives, such partnerships could potentially support the use of digital systems for urban planning, infrastructure management, data-driven decision-making and improved delivery of government services.
BICTDA says the ultimate objective is to ensure that engagements such as the Moscow Pavilion visit go beyond exposure to emerging technologies and create opportunities for practical collaboration.
The agency says such collaborations should contribute to stronger digital systems, improved government services and tangible benefits for the people of Borno State.
The exploration comes as the state seeks to deepen the role of technology in its development agenda, with smart infrastructure and digital solutions being considered among the tools that could support more efficient and technology-driven urban development.
Access Holdings is considering exiting at least one market outside its base in Nigeria to comply with a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rule requiring lenders to limit investment in foreign subsidiaries to no more than one-tenth of shareholders’ funds.
The banking group mentioned one business in which it plans to offload its stake to meet the requirement, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
“If a subsidiary cannot meet its cost of capital and the strategic objectives for which it is set up, you should be ready to take a decision to exit,” Mr Aig-Imoukhuede was quoted as saying at an African Financial Industry Summit in Luanda, Angola, last week.
“Do we have one or two troublesome subsidiaries? I can think of one.”
Investment in subsidiaries for Nigeria’s biggest bank by assets stood at N446.6 billion at the end of September, equivalent to 19.3 per cent of its equity, according to Access Holdings’ 9M 2026 Investor Presentation.
That was roughly double the 10 per cent ceiling permitted by the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.
Only in cases of regulatory approval for a higher threshold from the CBN are lenders allowed to exceed that limit, the Act says.
The banking industry watchdog has given Access Holdings 12 months to address the issue.
The potential exit is part of the financial institution’s move to review its international operations to comply with the directive.
In June, Access Bank’s chief executive, Roosevelt Ogbonna, said the lender would reduce its shareholding in some of its foreign subsidiaries to achieve compliance.
According to Innocent Ike, CEO of Access Holdings, the lender will explore three strategies towards that end.
The options include recalling surplus capital from overseas subsidiaries, offloading minority stakes and restructuring some businesses, he said.
He added that the group has already completed one capital repatriation exercise involving its six targeted subsidiaries, and is engaging regulators in five countries to facilitate the return of excess capital to Nigeria.
Access Holdings plans to meet the regulatory requirement ahead of the March 2027 deadline, Mr Ike stated.
READ ALSO: Access Holdings’ nine-month profit jumps 6% to N474.2 billion
“We gave ourselves up till January next year, and I think we’re completing this ahead of schedule,” said Mr Aig-Imoukhuede.
The Access Holdings’ chairman said the group’s international portfolio remains fundamentally strong despite plans to sell interests in some international subsidiaries.
He noted that the group would continue to review the performance of its subsidiaries to ensure they generate sustainable returns and remain aligned with the strategic objectives for which they were established.
“You have to do dynamic portfolio management. Every year, you’re looking for ways to improve,” he said.
Access Bank sold its 97 per cent stake in its loss-making Ivorian subsidiary to Cameroon’s Afriland First Group SA for $1 million in January 2014, after the CBN restricted parent-bank capital for foreign subsidiaries.
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