Author: ITPulse

By Martin Ekpeke African financial leaders and policymakers have issued a powerful call to overhaul how the continent’s technological future is funded, shifting the focus from a shortage of ideas to a shortage of well-structured capital. At a high-level session during the 58th Session of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI)—known as the Africa Club met to tackle the primary bottleneck holding back the continent’s digital revolution: The cost and structure of money. Africa’s digital economy is expanding at a breakneck pace. However, the infrastructure behind it remains starved of affordable, long-term…

By Epiphanus Obia Play Network Africa has partnered with European smart technology firm MediaKing to deploy what could become one of Nigeria’s largest high-density public Wi-Fi networks, beginning with Lagos and Abuja. The initiative marks MediaKing’s entry into Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy and reflects growing international interest in the country’s connectivity infrastructure. The company is collaborating with Play Network Africa to deliver thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots across high-traffic public areas, including markets, transport hubs, commercial centres, schools and hospitals. Under the rollout plan, between 5,000 and 10,000 hotspots are expected to be deployed in each major city. The project…

By Epiphanus Obia MTN FibreX users in Nigeria have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to report service disruptions, delayed installations, and poor customer support, raising fresh concerns about the telecom giant’s fibre broadband rollout. The complaints were triggered by a post from user Feyi on Wednesday April 9, who alleged that the service failed shortly after installation despite aggressive marketing in their residential compound. “I was enjoying my Starlink… your staff came to advertise FibreX… after paying, this product hasn’t worked at all,” the user wrote, adding that repeated calls to customer support yielded no resolution. The post has since…

African nations must establish domestic cloud infrastructure and secure data sovereignty or risk falling into a state of “permanent digital subservience, Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, has declared. Speaking during the 2026 GITEX Africa summit in Morocco, Inuwa argued that Africa can no longer afford to be a passive consumer of foreign technology. Instead, the continent must become the primary architect of its own digital ecosystem to prevent fragmentation and external disruption. Characterizing the global landscape as one defined by high-velocity data and pervasive AI, Inuwa used a striking analogy to describe the importance of the cloud. “In today’s…

The era of treating cybersecurity as a mere IT problem is over. As AI-powered digital threats become more elusive and destructive, Nigeria is pivoting its national defense toward a total resilience model, a multi-dimensional strategy that integrates every level of society. Speaking at the 2026 GITEX Africa summit, Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), sounded the alarm on the changing face of digital warfare. He asserted that in an age of automated attacks, technology alone is no longer a sufficient shield. “Nigeria’s survival in the digital age now hinges on a strategic blend…

CrowdB, a pioneering fractional real estate investment platform, has announced the successful completion of its first full investment cycle. The milestone is marked by a significant achievement: delivering over 50% Return on Investment (ROI) to participants within just 18 months. This performance serves as a powerful proof of concept for fractional ownership, a model that is rapidly gaining momentum across Africa, despite traditional property barriers remaining high. In an economic climate defined by high inflation, currency volatility, and prohibitive entry costs, CrowdB is democratizing access to the real estate market. Rather than requiring the massive capital needed for outright purchase,…

By Martin Ekpeke MTN Nigeria has officially opened applications for the fifth edition of its Media Innovation Programme (MIP), introducing a significant expansion to the cohort size. In a move that honours the company’s silver jubilee, the programme will now welcome 25 fellows, up from the 20 participants selected in previous years. This expansion serves as a symbolic tribute to MTN Nigeria’s 25th anniversary, reinforcing the telecommunications giant’s long-standing dedication to the Nigerian media landscape. As the company celebrates two and a half decades of connectivity, the MIP stands as a strategic investment in the journalists and content creators who…

The Nigerian equities market entered a phase of careful recalibration last week, as capital market operators prioritized valuation discipline over broad-based optimism, Proshare Newsletter has revealed. Despite the cautious sentiment, the benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) maintained its resilience, closing the week firmly above the psychologically significant 200,000-point threshold, finishing Tuesday’s session at 201,996.03 points. Analysts remain divided on key tickers, particularly within the banking sector. Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) has become a focal point of debate, attracting split recommendations from brokers as the market grapples with determining its fair value at current price levels. In contrast, sentiment toward Zenith…

By Epiphanus Obia After 17 years at the helm of day-to-day operations, Paga founder Tayo Oviosu has transitioned to the role of Group Chief Executive Officer. This leadership shuffle marks a strategic pivot for the fintech pioneer as it decouples its Nigerian domestic business from its broader continental ambitions. To fill the operational vacancy, Paga has appointed Ope Oyinloye as Group Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO of Paga Nigeria, pending regulatory approval. Oyinloye is a company veteran with over seven years of experience, having previously led the firm’s business operations. This transition marks the first time in Paga’s history…

By Epiphanus Obia The Federal Government has announced plans to host a series of Virtual Open Days for universities and research institutions ahead of the rollout of its ₦12 billion National Digital Economy Research Clusters (NDERC) programme. The initiative, organised by the Project BRIDGE Implementation Unit under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at guiding academic institutions on how to access the research fund. According to a statement from the Ministry, the sessions will be held over three days and are targeted at Vice-Chancellors, Rectors and Directors…