Education
NITDA, NYSC unveil Smart ID for 700 corp members
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled a new Innovation Space at its Abuja headquarters alongside a Smart ID solution, in a move aimed at transforming over 700 corps members.
Unveiled in Abuja, the initiative is providing a collaborative environment where members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and IT students are ideating, building and scaling solutions to national challenges. The programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is prioritising job creation, youth empowerment and digital inclusion as pillars of economic growth, according to the government tech agency.
At the centre of the rollout is the Smart ID, a digital identity solution enabling centralised and secure access to personal and business information via Near Field Communication (NFC) and QR code technologies. The platform is expected to streamline identity verification and improve how individuals and organisations exchange data across formal and informal ecosystems.
According to NITDA, the Innovation Space is functioning as a space for the more than 700 corps members engaged annually by NITDA, providing access to training, mentorship and a testbed for product development. The facility is bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, enabling participants to transition from skill acquisition to enterprise creation.
Smart ID offers digital identity solution for corp members, NITDA says
NITDA is also introducing the COPA App, an NYSC Information Management System designed to strengthen the coordination of corps members’ activities. The platform is enhancing deployment processes, enabling real-time monitoring of engagements and streamlining administrative workflows, reflecting a broader government push towards end-to-end digitalisation of public sector operations.
Speaking at the unveiling, Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA Director-General, says the initiative is positioning young Nigerians to take ownership of their careers in a labour market increasingly shaped by emerging technologies.
He is urging corps members to improve their professional visibility, actively promote their skills and convert knowledge into deployable solutions that address real-world challenges. According to him, corps members currently serving at NITDA have already developed artificial intelligence-driven tools supporting the agency’s AI transformation agenda, with some solutions nearing deployment within the agency and across the country through the NYSC network.
According to NITDA, the Innovation Space is functioning as a space for the more than 700 corps members engaged annually by NITDA, providing access to training, mentorship and a testbed for product development. The facility is bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical application, enabling participants to transition from skill acquisition to enterprise creation.
“Before you finish NYSC, you can either build your business using NITDA to promote your product, or do something outstanding and join us,” Inuwa says.
The Director-General of NYSC commended the initiative, describing corps members as solution providers capable of contributing meaningfully to national development. He is calling on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to leverage the growing pool of digital talent within the scheme, while also proposing the establishment of an NYSC innovation hub to deepen collaboration and co-create solutions to national challenges.
Beyond immediate benefits to corps members, the initiative is signalling a broader policy shift positioning national service as a platform for innovation and economic participation. By integrating digital skills development, mentorship and enterprise support within a unified framework, NITDA is building a pipeline that connects young talent to opportunities in Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.
The agency says it is working closely with the NYSC to scale the model nationwide, with plans to replicate the Innovation Space across multiple locations. The expansion is expected to decentralise access to innovation infrastructure and widen participation in technology-driven development.
NITDA adds that the initiative aligns with its strategic priorities around digital literacy, talent development, innovation and enterprise support, while reinforcing efforts to build a sustainable ecosystem where ideas evolve into impactful solutions and scalable businesses.
An 11-year-old pupil at Sinqobile Primary School in Soshanguve, South Africa, was allegedly dragged into a school toilet and forcibly circumcised by four older students during break time.
The Grade 5 pupil was reportedly attacked by four Grade 7 students, who allegedly pinned him down before one of them used a sharp blade to remove his foreskin.
The boy was also allegedly threatened with violence if he disclosed the incident to anyone.
According to his mother, the child returned home after the incident but initially refused to tell her what had happened. She later noticed that he was walking unusually and, days later, discovered that he was in severe pain.
The mother said her son eventually showed her his swollen private parts, prompting her to rush him to a doctor.
“He then showed me his swollen private parts and I rushed him to the doctor and it was then that we learned four pupils had circumcised him,” she said.
She said her son told her that the older boys had attacked him in the school toilets during break and threatened to beat him if he told anyone.
The mother subsequently opened a criminal case and refused to allow her son to return to school. Police later persuaded the boy to attend an identity parade, where he reportedly helped identify the four students.
South African Police Service spokesperson, Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, confirmed that a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was being investigated.
“Our Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit are investigating and no arrests have been made at this stage,” Sibeko said.
The Gauteng Department of Education also confirmed that the matter was under police investigation, while saying the school had not reported any similar circumcision attacks.
Deputy Principal George Mahlungu said the school was shocked by the incident.
“We are perplexed by what happened. This school is a place where a child should be safe,” he said.
The school has about 2,050 pupils between the ages of seven and 15.
A doctor who examined the boy reportedly said the procedure appeared to have been carried out in a manner similar to traditional tribal initiation practices. However, the doctor said a full diagnosis could not be made until the swelling subsided.
The boy’s mother said her son had become traumatised by the incident and was afraid to return to school.
Police investigations are ongoing, and no arrests had been made as of the latest report.
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