Author: ITPulse

By Martin Ekpeke Nigeria has emerged as a powerhouse in the global smartphone recovery, registering a massive 29% year-on-year surge in shipments in the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025). This dramatic rebound, highlighted in a new report by technology market analyst firm Omdia, signifies a major turnaround for the country after a challenging period of currency volatility in 2024. The Nigerian market’s performance significantly contributed to Africa’s overall 24% growth in smartphone shipments, which ended five quarters of decline across the continent. Globally, the smartphone market saw a modest 3% growth, positioning Nigeria’s recovery as a key driver for…

FairMoney, a leading microfinance bank in Nigeria, has received an upgraded credit rating from Global Credit Ratings (GCR), Africa’s leading credit rating agency. The agency raised FairMoney’s long-term rating from BBB(NG) to BBB+(NG), while its short-term rating was upgraded from A3(NG) to A2(NG). Henry Obiekea, Director of FairMoney Nigeria, attributed the upgrade to the microfinance bank’s consistent strategic performance. He said the improved rating came because FairMoney has successfully and consistently managed portfolio credit risk downwards without hurting margins, positioning it as a top earner in the microlending market. This operational success is further supported by high customer demand and…

The Iconic Brand Africa (TIBA) Conference 2025, themed “Thriving in Business & Career Through Innovation & Resilience”, brought together professionals, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders for a day of learning, reflection, and strategic conversations. The event also recognised individuals making progress across sectors, including Linda Ochugbua, who was named among the Top 10 Exceptional Professionals of the Year in Branding and Communications. Ochugbua has over 17 years of professional experience, with 12 years in the media industry. She is currently the Digital Sales Manager at BusinessDay Media, where she oversees digital sales strategy and leads a team of sales executives and…

PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, and Jumia, a leading e-commerce platform, are partnering to make this year’s Black Friday shopping experience more rewarding for shoppers from November 7th to December 1st. Since the campaign, themed “Shop Smart, Earn Big!”, began, shoppers have been rewarded with cashback on their purchases when they shop on Jumia and pay with PalmPay. With the campaign in its last week, more customers will be rewarded for spending between ₦5,000 and ₦20,000, receiving ₦1,000 cashback, while those who spend ₦20,000 or more will receive ₦2,000 cashback. This exclusive offer is open to the first 300…

Companies are realising that their people want to do good. And everyone wanting a realistic work-life balance also wants the doing-good part to fit around everything else. Volunteering shouldn’t feel like another task squeezed in somewhere. Corporate volunteering is changing shape because it has to. Digital tools stepped in first, then came those clever apps everyone kept downloading and forgetting to open again. And now there is this wave of AI, waiting to shift things around for the good. Here’s how all of it is evolving. When Technology Steps In to Untangle the Mess In large corporations, or volunteer teams…

A new report has revealed that Nigerian organisations are currently the most targeted in Africa, facing a staggering average of 4,200 cyber-attacks per week. The African Perspectives on Cyber Security Report 2025, released by global cybersecurity leader Check Point Software Technologies, highlights a disturbing trend where Nigerian businesses bear the brunt of digital aggression on the continent. The primary drivers of these relentless assaults are identified as Business Email Compromise (BEC) and cloud exploitation. The data paints a concerning picture of Nigeria’s digital threat landscape compared to the rest of the world: Nigeria: 4,200 attacks per week. Africa Average: 3,153…

The volatility inherent in the cryptocurrency sector has delivered a sharp blow to mining stocks, with the world’s five largest Bitcoin miners shedding a combined $14.2 billion in market capitalization over the last six weeks. According to data presented by BestWallet.com, this downturn marks the most severe plunge for the sector since the 2022 crypto market crash. For the majority of 2025, mining giants Iris Energy, Cipher Mining, TerraWulf, Riot Blockchain, and Core Scientific enjoyed a bullish run, riding the wave of Bitcoin’s ascent. By mid-October, their combined valuation had swelled to $45.6 billion, representing a $30.3 billion gain in…

In a significant victory for the Nigerian technology sector, Task Systems Limited has been honoured with the prestigious Microsoft Best Partner Award. The award was presented at the Microsoft Ignite 2025 event in California, bringing a positive spotlight to Nigeria’s corporate reputation on the global stage. Task Systems, a member of the Zinox Group, emerged as the only winner from West Africa. The indigenous firm was one of only 42 winners selected from over 4,600 nominations spanning 100 countries. This recognition highlights Task Systems’ excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft Cloud computing, and enterprise innovation. Global Recognition of Excellence Nicole Dezen,…

Africa’s manufacturing sector faced a staggering projected loss of $446 million in the first nine months of 2025 due to ransomware-induced downtime, according to new data from Kaspersky and VDC Research. The findings, which analyze the financial impact of cyberattacks on industrial organizations globally, reveal that while Africa accounts for a smaller portion of global losses compared to APAC or Europe, the continent remains a critical target. The estimated $446 million figure specifically represents the direct cost of an idle workforce during downtime, meaning the total financial blow, including recovery costs, reputational damage, and supply chain disruptions, is likely much…

By Martin Ekpeke The 2025 Data Privacy Conference hosted by KPMG Nigeria in Lagos last week provided a strategic platform to deepen understanding of emerging regulatory expectations, exchange perspectives, and explore practical approaches for building resilient privacy frameworks. The conference, which brought together critical stakeholders such as the regulators, industry experts, and organisational leaders, was committed to strengthening data governance across Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. Giving the opening remark, John Anyanwu, Partner and Head, Cyber & Privacy, KPMG West Africa, emphasised the rising complexities of data protection, the criticality of organisational accountability, and the need for proactive readiness as…