Author: ITPulse

Africa’s tech ecosystem is raising billions, chasing efficiency, and backing the future of innovation. Yet one of its most consistent sources of capital-efficient growth remains almost entirely overlooked. In 2025, venture capital rebounded to about $3.2 billion, signalling renewed investor confidence after a slower cycle. Yet buried in that recovery is a statistic that raises uncomfortable questions about the ecosystem’s maturity. Imagine you built something real. Paying customers. A product your market actually needs. You walk into a funding room, and the answer is still no. The common response is: Well, most founders are men, so of course, most funding…

At a strategic stakeholder engagement in Abuja, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, issued a clarion call for the urgent diversification of the Nigerian economy. Despite holding the title of Africa’s largest GDP, Inuwa warned that Nigeria is at a critical juncture where traditional revenue streams must be complemented by a robust digital economy to ensure sustainable growth. Represented by Mr. Ajayi Babajide, the NITDA boss emphasized that digitalization is no longer a luxury but the primary driver of global economic transformation. For Nigeria to compete, it must pivot toward a “Strategic Pathway”…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has officially commenced an Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Financing of Terrorism, and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) supervision pilot in a significant move to bolster the integrity of Nigeria’s financial ecosystem. The initiative targets a select group of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), signaling a more rigorous approach to oversight in the digital asset space. According to a statement, the apex bank identified six major players to participate in this initial supervisory phase. The list includes fintech giants and crypto-focused platforms like Flutterwave, Paystack, cNGN, Juicyway, Koinkoin and KuCoin. The apex bank clarified that these entities constitute the…

Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce giant, Konga, has officially launched its Easter Homecoming campaign. Starting today, April 1st, 2026, the initiative aims to provide Nigerian consumers with mouthwatering deals across a vast array of categories, ensuring families can celebrate the festive season without breaking the bank. The campaign is a direct response to the annual surge in demand as Nigerians prepare for holiday reunions. Konga has curated a promotional calendar that targets specific seasonal needs, including: Tech & Entertainment: Upgrades for home viewing and gadgets. Home & Kitchen: Essentials for festive cooking and hosting. Fashion & Beauty: New looks for Easter…

By Epiphanus Obia Four other states restore access without explanation or relief for affected taxpayers. Two of Nigeria’s most consequential tax states have formally extended their personal income tax filing deadlines following portal failures that ITPulse documented on Tuesday, but Abia State has issued no such relief, and its revenue portal remains non-functional, 14 hours after the deadline. The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service confirmed an extension to 14th April 2026, with Executive Chairman Ayodele Subair acknowledging the technical disruptions that had rendered the eTax portal inaccessible to thousands of taxpayers ahead of the March 31 statutory deadline. The FCT…

By Epiphanus Obia Bolt has begun enforcing rating-based penalties against passengers on its platform, in a policy shift that gives the ride-hailing company the authority to warn, restrict, and permanently suspend rider accounts based on driver feedback. The company confirmed the move in a statement, saying it now applies the same accountability principles to passengers that have long governed driver conduct on the platform. Where riders consistently attract poor ratings or are reported for behaviour that violates platform rules, consequences range from warnings through temporary restrictions to outright account suspension, depending on severity. The trigger for the policy is partly…

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has deepened its alliance with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation. During a high-level engagement in Abuja, NITDA hosted NIPSS Director General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, and participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 48, 2026, to strategize on leveraging digital innovation for economic resilience. The meeting focused heavily on the Orange Economy, the sector comprising creative industries like digital art, film, animation, and content creation as a primary engine for sustainable growth. Representing NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa, Dr. Aristotle Onumo emphasized that Nigeria’s rich…

By Epiphanus Obia Nigeria’s telecom regulator has directed all mobile network operators to compensate subscribers with airtime credits whenever service quality falls below prescribed standards, marking the move the most significant consumer protection shifts in the sector in years. The Nigerian Communications Commission announced the directive on 29 March 2026 in a statement signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Nnenna Ukoha, stating that subscribers would no longer absorb the full cost of operator failures. “Subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery,” the commission…

By Epiphanus Obia An audit conducted by this reporter on Tuesday found that at least six state revenue portals were completely inaccessible as millions of Nigerians faced the statutory deadline for filing their 2025 personal income tax returns, with Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, among the states affected. The checks, carried out between 11:30 a.m. and 1:05 p.m. on 31st March 2026, assessed all 36 state Internal Revenue Service (IRS) websites and the FCT portal, the only authorised channels through which taxpayers can file annual returns. The findings exposed a pattern of system failures that left a significant number of Nigerians…

By Martin Ekpeke The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) has formally aligned itself with international efforts to combat Domain Name System (DNS) abuse, emphasizing that a coordinated global action is essential to maintaining the integrity of the digital economy. In a recent newsletter address to stakeholders, NIRA President Mr. Adesola Akinsanya highlighted the association’s commitment to evolving its registry oversight in line with new global standards, specifically those emerging from recent high-level engagements like ICANN 85. A central theme of NIRA’s new strategic direction is the implementation of DNS abuse-related contractual amendments. These changes, according to the organization, empower ICANN…