Author: ITPulse

By Chris LeGrand The Protocol is intended to support continent-wide digital trade and help both individual African countries, and the continent as a whole, participate fully in the digital economy of the future by harmonizing rules, standards and practices Earlier this year African heads of state, gathered for the annual African Union summit and approved the new Protocol on Digital Trade (the “Digital Protocol”) under the auspices of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  Approval of the AfCFTA’s Digital Protocol is a pivotal step for African nations, their citizens, the private sector, and other stakeholders in Africa’s ongoing development…

TD Africa, a technology distributor, has strengthened its position as a cybersecurity champion in Africa by conducting a comprehensive training session on Cisco Network Security and Collaboration for its client, IT Horizons Limited. The training aimed to equip IT Horizons’ clients with the knowledge and skills to combat the growing threat landscape. The ‘Train the Trainer’ model adopted for the session empowered participants to become in-house experts, capable of effectively managing and protecting their organizations’ digital assets. By leveraging Cisco’s advanced security solutions, TD Africa demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding businesses across the continent. Abiodun Idowu, Assistant General Manager at…

Galaxy Backbone (GBB)’s 1Government Cloud solution as a key component of the Nigerian government’s digital transformation agenda, aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope initiative as the platform aims to enhance government efficiency, improve service delivery, and bolster national security. The 1Government Cloud offers a unified infrastructure and software platform for federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), providing secure data storage and essential applications. This centralized approach promotes interoperability, data sovereignty, and cost efficiency. GBB Managing Director/CEO, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, emphasized the importance of collaboration in achieving successful digital transformation. “By consolidating government data and applications onto a secure, centralized platform,…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunication operators to immediately reactivate phone lines disconnected over the weekend due to unverified National Identification Number (NIN) linked to Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs). The order comes amid widespread complaints from subscribers who lost access to their lines despite ongoing efforts to comply with the NIN-SIM verification requirement. In a statement signed by Reuben Mouka, Director of Public Affairs, The NCC emphasized that the move is a temporary measure to alleviate the immediate inconvenience faced by consumers, while urging them to complete the verification process as soon as possible. The NIN-SIM linkage policy,…

9 Payment Service Bank (9PSB) has highlighted the crucial role of collaboration in driving the growth of Nigeria’s payment service bank (PSB) industry. Speaking at the Nigeria Fintech Forum held recently, Nasiru Isyaku, Executive Director of Finance and Banking Operations at 9PSB, emphasized the need for increased cooperation among industry players and regulators to build a resilient and robust payment ecosystem. Isyaku outlined the vision for PSBs in Nigeria, stating that they will play a pivotal role in elevating the nation’s payment systems by providing affordable, accessible, and convenient digital payment options to the unbanked and underbanked population. He emphasized…

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Nigeria and GIZ, has unveiled a new framework that is aimed at involving citizens in the development and implementation of digital policies. The Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF) was launched at a two-day dialogue attended by government officials, industry stakeholders, and civil society representatives. The event focused on fostering collaboration and innovation in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa emphasized the agency’s commitment to a more inclusive approach to policymaking. “By involving citizens in the policy process, we can ensure that our policies are…

A new report from Salient Advisory highlights the growing impact of 24 African health supply chain innovators. These startups, now reaching over 50,000 healthcare providers across 33 countries, are transforming how healthcare products are accessed and distributed across the continent. Funded by the Gates Foundation, the report, Leading Innovations Enabling Health Product Access in Africa, identifies a cohort of healthtech companies that have weathered economic challenges to become industry leaders. With an average of 10 years in operation, these innovators have partnered with over 100 manufacturers and 75 public health institutions, delivering essential medicines to millions of people. Kasha, a…

Today, Google announced the ten startups selected for its eighth Accelerator Africa program. This year’s cohort, chosen from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants, represents the best of Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa’s burgeoning tech scene. Despite challenging economic conditions, Africa’s startup ecosystem continues to thrive. These companies are developing innovative solutions to address local challenges, creating jobs, and improving lives across the continent. Since its launch in 2018, the Accelerator Africa program has supported over 100 startups, raising over $263 million and generating thousands of jobs. This year’s focus on artificial intelligence underscores the importance of technology in…

The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has vehemently denied any connection between the ongoing subscriber line barring exercise and the planned national protest. In a statement released today and signed by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo and Gbolahan Awonuga, the association’s Chairman and Executive Secretary respectively, ALTON clarified that the line barring is part of the ongoing harmonization process between the SIM Registration database and the National Identity Database. This exercise, which has been in progress for several months, aims to enhance the integrity of the national SIM registration database. The association explained that customers whose lines have been…

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with premier music streaming service, Apple Music, has announced the launch of its Flexa Bundle, aimed at delivering seamless subscription service to Apple Music users in Nigeria. With this collaboration, MTN customers can easily subscribe or renew their subscription with their airtime, to access Apple Music’s extensive catalogue of over 100 million local and international songs for as low as ₦1,750 per month, including 1GB of data to stream on the go. This comes in three offers, providing 1GB, 5GB, or 15GB of data, and is available to both prepaid and postpaid customers on iOS and…