Niger State Replaces Tech Ministry with New Agency to Cut Bottlenecks
Niger State has dissolved its Ministry of Communications Technology and Digital Economy, creating the Niger State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NSITDEA) to streamline digital initiatives. Former ministry commissioner Sulaiman Isah will lead the agency as director‑general, replacing the previous bureaucratic structure. The new statutory body will hold policy‑making, regulatory, and funding authority, drawing resources from a levy on internally generated revenue and external sources. NSITDEA’s mandate spans infrastructure rollout, digital literacy, e‑government platforms, and cybersecurity, aiming to accelerate the state’s digital economy agenda.
‘Smart Data 2035 – The UK’s Smart Data Strategy’
On 26 March 2026 the UK Department for Business and Trade released the policy paper “Smart Data 2035 – The UK’s Smart Data Strategy.” The paper leverages powers granted by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to mandate firm participation in smart‑data...
MeitY Proposes To Make Advisories Legally Binding For Social Media Platforms
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has proposed amendments to the 2021 IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, making government advisories legally binding for social media platforms such as Meta, Google and X. Platforms must...
Belgium Travel Congestion Delays EES Entry
Belgium’s interior ministry has postponed its rollout of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) biometric registration after test runs caused significant queue buildups at border checkpoints. The EU‑wide deadline for full EES implementation remains 10 April, but several member states, including Belgium,...
Rollout Delays Extend Austria’s EES Biometrics Contract with Secunet Again
Austria has extended its Entry‑Exit System (EES) contract with German security firm secunet, raising the deal’s value from €14.6 million (≈US$16.7 million) to €22 million (≈US$25.2 million) and lengthening the term to March 2029. The increase reflects repeated delays, as the European Commission postponed the...
South Korea Extends Facial Recognition SIM Registration Pilot to June 2026
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has pushed back the end of its facial‑recognition SIM registration pilot to June 30, 2026. The trial, which began in December, requires users to scan their face at activation to match identity‑document data, targeting fraud...
MOSIP, OpenCRVS Develop Age Verification PoC to Help Prevent Child Marriage
A collaboration between MOSIP and OpenCRVS has produced an open‑source proof‑of‑concept that lets marriage officiants verify the ages of prospective spouses using national digital IDs or civil registration data. The system works across formal registry offices and informal religious or...
The Defense-in-Depth Question the United States Has Not Asked
The United States bases Tier‑1 critical‑infrastructure protection on Post‑Quantum Cryptography (PQC) alone, diverging from its broader defense‑in‑depth doctrine. A new ICIT paper shows that PQC and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) are technically coupled, sharing authentication and downgrade vulnerabilities, yet U.S....
Crescenta Valley, CA Reduces Leakage Using Smart Pressure Monitoring
The Crescenta Valley Water District (CVWD) deployed Mueller remote pressure loggers and altered pump operations to combat frequent leaks caused by aging pipes and pressure surges. Real‑time data fed into its water‑management platform enabled staggered pump scheduling, expanded tank levels,...
IRS IRIS System: What Filers Must Do Before 2027
The IRS will retire the legacy FIRE system on December 31 2026, making the newer Information Returns Intake System (IRIS) mandatory for all 1099 and 1042‑S filings. IRIS, live since 2023, offers real‑time validation and multiple submission routes, from a web portal...
Sri Lanka Building Data Minimization Into Digital ID to Protect Privacy
Sri Lanka is set to launch its first digital ID, SL‑UDI, later this year, embedding data minimization and purpose limitation at the core of the system. The platform uses role‑based access controls, encryption, immutable audit logs, and secure API integrations...
No, Your City Doesn't Need Another Dashboard
City governments are drowning in data, spending roughly $143 billion annually on IT and juggling about 112 applications per municipality. The overload fuels burnout—nearly half of city employees feel emotionally drained—while dashboards often miss critical information, as New York City’s recent...
Rwanda Races to Meet 2027 Deadline for Digital ID Rollout
Rwanda aims to complete its Single Digital ID System (SDID) by 2027, aligning with the National Strategy for Transformation and a $200 million World Bank‑funded Digital Acceleration Project. So far, 1.5 million citizens have been biometrically enrolled, and the mobile registration drive...
GAO: 5 Out of 6 Federal Agencies Not Using Cyber Workforce Dashboard
The Office of Personnel Management introduced a Cyber Workforce Dashboard in 2023 to give federal agencies a unified view of cyber staffing and enable benchmarking. A GAO review of six agencies found that five agencies—and OPM itself—do not use the...
Craig Basham Appointed Deputy CIO at the U.S. Secret Service
Craig Basham has been named Deputy Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Secret Service. He previously served as Deputy Executive Director of the DHS Office of the CIO, overseeing IT operations for more than 12,000 personnel across the National Capital...
New E-Bike Bill in Congress Could Bring Long-Awaited Federal Regulation
A bipartisan Safe SPEEDS Act has been introduced to give the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission authority to create national classifications, labeling and age guidelines for electric bikes, e‑motos and similar micromobility devices. The bill would replace the patchwork of state...
India’s Folk and Tribal Musicians Are Getting a YouTube-Sized Stage
On March 25, 2026 the Indian Ministry of Culture signed a Memorandum of Understanding with YouTube to bring folk, tribal and traditional musicians onto the digital platform. The agreement will equip artists with training in content creation, channel management, monetization,...
Rail Baltica Uses GIS to Collect and Deliver Construction Data via a Single Platform
Rail Baltica, the 870‑km greenfield railway linking Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, has deployed an Esri‑based geospatial digital twin to centralise all construction data. The platform mandates weekly photo and video submissions and integrates specialist data, eliminating duplication and enabling rapid...
New York Unveils New In-House MTA App
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched a newly redesigned mobile app for subway and bus riders, built entirely by MTA staff. The in‑house platform emphasizes faster performance, more accurate real‑time arrival information, and a streamlined interface for low‑connectivity underground stations. New...
CustomerFirst: How We’re Transforming Services Together
The UK Government Digital Service has launched CustomerFirst, a two‑year pilot unit that applies a NewCo semi‑autonomous model to overhaul public services. Partnering with up to four agencies—including an initial collaboration with the DVLA and a co‑chair from Octopus Energy—the...
Croatia Funds 127 Charging Stations for Electric Buses
The Croatian Ministry of Economy approved €12.3 million (≈$13.3 million) to fund twelve electric‑bus charging projects across a dozen cities, installing 127 charging stations. The total investment for the stations is projected at €17.6 million (≈$19 million), with the shortfall to be covered by...
Container Security Now Central to Government Martech Stacks
Government marketing‑technology platforms are increasingly built on containerized infrastructure, making container security a core concern for public‑sector digital services. Over‑provisioned images and ineffective runtime scans expose agencies to heightened cyber risk, especially as sensitive citizen data flows through these systems....
The Staggering Cost of Connecting Every South African Household
South Africa requires between R108‑billion and R142‑billion (≈ $5.7‑$7.5 billion) to deliver 100 Mbit/s broadband to every household by 2035, according to a DBSA‑commissioned Digital Infrastructure Investment Study. The study, led by Networks Anonymous strategist Pieter Grootes, breaks costs into new‑build, replacement and...
Top ICT Tenders: SASSA Looks to Modernise WAN
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has issued a tender to modernise its wide‑area network across 461 offices in all nine provinces. The agency seeks a secure, resilient SD‑WAN solution that integrates its existing APN service, provides automated failover,...
Just Touching Your Phone At A Red Light Can Get You A Ticket In These Strict US States
A growing majority of U.S. jurisdictions now enforce "no‑touch" cellphone laws, prohibiting drivers from handling phones even at red lights unless mounted. The Governors Highway Safety Association reports 33 states, D.C., and several territories have such bans, with fines ranging...
Kantara Initiative to Collaborate with the OIDF on the Role of Authorised Auditor
The OpenID Foundation announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kantara Initiative, appointing Kantara as an Authorized Auditor for its independent conformance testing program. In this role, Kantara will evaluate organizations seeking Approved Testing Service Provider status, ensuring they meet...
Philippines DOE Targets 1,471MW Grid Boost by April 2026
The Philippines Department of Energy aims to add 1,471 MW of generation capacity to the national grid by April 2026, encompassing 22 projects that are near completion. The bulk of the new supply—about 1,284 MW—will come from 12 solar farms, complemented by hydro,...
Philippines DOE Targets 1,471MW Grid Boost by April 2026
The Philippines Department of Energy aims to add 1,471 MW of generation capacity to the national grid by April 2026, primarily through 12 solar projects delivering about 1,284 MW. The portfolio also includes hydro, biomass, wind and a 20 MW integrated renewable storage system,...
Speeders Beware: 125 Traffic Cameras Are Coming to L.A., Along with Hefty Fines. What You Need to Know
Los Angeles will install 125 automated speed cameras across its 15 council districts between April and July, targeting school zones, high‑risk corridors, and accident‑prone streets. Drivers caught exceeding the limit by 11 mph or more face fines ranging from $50 to...
Over 38,000 GPUs Onboarded on AI Compute Portal Under IndiaAI Mission
The Indian government’s IndiaAI Mission, backed by roughly $1.27 billion, has onboarded more than 38,000 GPUs through a centralised compute portal, offering subsidised access to startups, researchers and academia. The mission has already approved 190 AI‑related projects spanning government agencies, MSMEs...
What Recent Data Reveals About Commuter Safety Trends
Recent analysis of San Diego traffic data shows rising safety challenges across highways, interchanges, and pedestrian zones. Tourist influx and complex interchanges increase collision risk, while cyclists and pedestrians remain vulnerable. City officials are responding with infrastructure redesigns, dedicated lanes,...
New ACMA Rules to Make Telcos More Accountable for Outages
Australian regulator ACMA will enforce new network‑outage transparency rules from 30 June 2026, requiring telcos to publish a historic register of major unplanned disruptions resolved after 31 March 2026. Providers must disclose twenty specific data points, including outage type, duration, geographic breakdown and affected...
South Africa’s Taxman Is Coming for Online Earners
South Africa’s revenue service (SARS) is intensifying efforts to identify and tax online earners, from influencers to crypto traders, using platform data and advanced analytics. The crackdown arrives as more Africans generate income outside traditional employment, raising compliance challenges for...
Alstom to Deliver Belgrade’s First Metro Line
Alstom has secured a €915 million (≈$1 billion) contract to deliver Belgrade’s first fully automated metro line, Line 1, spanning 15 kilometres with 15 stations, 11 of which are underground. The turnkey deal includes 32 driverless Metropolis three‑car trains, Urbalis CBTC signalling, power supply,...
How Milan Used the Olympic Games to Accelerate Investment in Transportation
Milan leveraged the 2026 Winter Olympics as a mobility stress test, accelerating public‑transport investments to ease road congestion and integrate northern Italian provinces into the European rail network. The city transformed the Porta Romana rail yard into an Olympic Village...
White House App Sparks Concern over Location Tracking and Privacy Issues
The White House released a new mobile app to provide citizens with breaking‑government news, livestreams, and policy updates. Shortly after launch, users on X flagged the app’s request for location, storage and network permissions, sparking privacy concerns. Security researchers identified...
AI and Standards to Track the Value of Volunteering
The Open Data Institute, Do IT and Team Kinetic, backed by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, have launched a unified open data standard for volunteering opportunities across the United Kingdom, accompanied by an AI‑powered ChatGPT demo tool. The...
AI to Be Traffic Sheriff in Nottingham
Nottingham City Council has awarded Alchera Technologies a contract to build an AI‑powered transport data platform, funded by the Department for Transport’s Future Transport Zones programme. The cloud‑based system will ingest real‑time feeds from sensors, cameras, EV chargers, and public‑transport...
BRINC Drones – Product Marketing Manager
BRINC, a public‑safety technology firm, has built an ecosystem of drones and ruggedized throw phones that deliver real‑time visual data to first responders. Its solutions are deployed by more than 600 agencies across the United States and the company has...
DPA and DSIT Reuse Strategy Reduces Digital Exclusion
The UK’s IT Reuse for Good Charter, a joint effort by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Digital Poverty Alliance and partners, has redistributed more than 22,000 laptops, tablets and smartphones to people in need. The programme targets...
Market Reset: India Pulls the Plug on Chinese CCTV Makers
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will stop certifying Chinese CCTV brands such as Hikvision and Dahua from April 1, effectively barring them from the market. The new essential requirements mandate disclosure of component origins and vulnerability testing, forcing...
Digital ID People’s Panel to Cost £630k and Vested Interests Cannot ‘Buy Their Way In’
The UK government is launching a "People’s Panel" of 100‑120 citizens to advise on its national digital identity programme, at an estimated cost of £630,000 (about $800,000). Participants will be chosen through a random postcode lottery – a sortition process...
Strengthening Spain's Digital Sovereignty: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Achieves Top-Tier ENS Security Certification
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9.0 Extended Update Support has been added to Spain’s CPSTIC catalogue, earning top‑tier certification under the National Security Framework (ENS). The inclusion authorises public‑sector bodies to deploy RHEL while meeting the strict confidentiality, integrity and...
StreetVision Now Analyses Intersection-Level Risks
Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) has upgraded its AI‑driven StreetVision platform to deliver intersection‑level risk analytics across the United States. The new StreetVision Intersections module combines federal and state crash records with telematics data—speeding, hard braking, phone distraction and aggressive cornering—into...
TfL Joins €16.4m CoreSpaces Urban Initiative
Transport for London (TfL) has joined the EU‑funded CoreSpaces initiative, a €16.4 million (~$18 million) Horizon Europe programme aimed at making urban spaces climate‑neutral. The project brings together 45 partners across ten European cities to trial technologies such as dynamic kerbside allocation,...
Cyber Security’s Workforce Gap Is a Capability Risk for Government
Australia is pouring billions into cyber security hardware and sovereign capability, yet its workforce remains a critical vulnerability. Women represent only 17% of the nation’s cyber professionals, highlighting a stark diversity gap that hampers problem‑solving under pressure. The Australian Public...
Always-On Assurance: Moving APS Security From “Trust” To Reproducible Evidence
The latest Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture report highlights a decisive move from point‑in‑time audit snapshots to always‑on, automated evidence of control effectiveness. Organizations are urged to replace frantic pre‑audit scrambles with continuous monitoring that delivers reproducible compliance data in real...
Councils Push for Federal Shared Security Centre Funding
Australian local councils are lobbying the federal government for shared security operations centres (SOCs) to bolster cyber defences. Ahead of the ALGA national assembly, identical motions call for $10 million AUD (about $6.6 million USD) to fund SOC infrastructure, 24/7 monitoring, SIEM...
Social Security Surpasses 100 Million My Social Security Accounts
The Social Security Administration announced a sweeping digital‑first overhaul, now serving over 100 million users through its My Social Security portal, which supports more than 38 daily transactions. The agency upgraded its website to near‑continuous uptime, added sophisticated phone automation, and is preparing...
Ferguson Signs Bill Creating Blue Envelope Program to Improve Traffic Stops for Neurodivergent Drivers
Governor Bob Ferguson signed Washington's House Bill 2323, creating a statewide Blue Envelope Program for drivers with autism and other neurodivergent conditions. The free envelope, available at licensing offices, holds registration, insurance proof, and a guide for both drivers and...