Author: ITPulse

West Africa’s brightest minds in cybersecurity are invited to compete in the ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon! This Capture the Flag (CTF) competition is your chance to showcase your skills, network with fellow cyber defenders, and help secure the future of West Africa’s digital space. The event is being organised by ECOWAS and hosted by Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Why Participate? Open to all skill levels: Whether you’re new to cybersecurity or a seasoned pro, this hackathon offers a chance to learn, grow, and test…

Africa is rapidly becoming a hotbed for innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancements. Yet, for many startups and talented individuals, the journey from concept to market traction and revenue is often fraught with challenges. Enter the Startup and Talent Enhancement Program (STEP), a pioneering initiative by IDEA Africa, with support from the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub. STEP is not just a program; it’s a transformative force empowering startups and talent across Africa to scale up and achieve sustainable growth. The vision of STEP is simple yet profound: to bridge the gap between potential and success for startups that have moved beyond the…

Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, recently commissioned a state-of-the-art chemistry laboratory at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State. This marks the seventh upgraded lab completed through a unique partnership between the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. The new lab aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing FUTA researchers with cutting-edge equipment. This will ultimately lead to stronger research and development (R&D) in Nigeria. The Minister, who was represented by Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, Director-General of NOTAP highlighted the importance of…

PalmPay has been included in the 2024 edition of CNBC and Statista’s prestigious list of the “Top 250 Fintech Companies in the World.” This recognition underscores PalmPay’s rapid growth and significant contributions to advancing financial inclusion. The CNBC/Statista list honours fintech pioneers significantly transforming the financial services industry through technology. More than 2000 companies were evaluated globally based on general and sector-specific KPIs to determine the final selection. In 2024, some of the most influential fintechs in the world were included in the list, including Alipay, Nubank, Monzo, and Revolut. Six other African firms made the list: Flutterwave (Nigeria/US) –…

The ‘Giant in you’ campaign of FirstBank has again confirmed the common expression that ‘apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ given the history of the financial brand and its legendary relevance to the growth of enterprises, within and outside Nigeria.  In its usual creative conjecture, 13-year-old FirstBank has hit the airwaves and other media outlets with various visuals to articulate its new campaign ‘The Giant in You’. Breaking down the central message, ‘there is a giant in you’ the campaign stylishly reminds the bank customer that ‘FirstBank Puts You First so you can’ before giving the match order, ‘Live…

EMTECH, a leading software provider is set to launch a revolutionary product designed to empower Financial Service Providers (Fintechs) with proactive risk management and seamless regulatory compliance. Tagged ‘Beyond Compliance’, the solution will offer a holistic view of compliance checklists and workflows and ultimately, guide Fintechs through the process easily. Speaking during a virtual media roundtable yesterday, Carmelle Cadet, CEO and Founder of EMTECH explained that ‘Beyond Compliance’ will help players in the Fintech and financial industry ecosystem to navigate the current fragmented compliance landscape. “The current compliance landscape for Fintechs is fragmented and inefficient. Thus, ‘Beyond Compliance’ will offer…

The global smartphone market, which slumped to its weakest performance in a decade in 2023, appears to be on the path to recovery. This positive trend is fueled by a gradual increase in sales volume, with the second quarter of 2024 marking the highest growth in three years, according to data from Counterpoint Research. Analysts believe this signals a shift towards a new market dynamic – one characterized by slower, but steadier, volume growth driven primarily by smartphone replacements. “The global smartphone market’s volumes are gradually recovering after reaching their lowest point in a decade in 2023,” says Ankit Malhotra,…

The flight to stardom has reached its crescendo as Chima emerges victorious as the winner of Nigerian Idol Season 9, a victory well-deserved and celebrated by all. Empowered by TECNO, this season of Nigerian Idol has been nothing short of spectacular, showcasing incredible talent and delivering unforgettable moments. TECNO played a vital role in this journey, empowering all the contestants with their latest and most innovative CAMON device, the CAMON 30. As the grand prize winner, Chima has also been awarded an entire suite of TECNO eco products, including the TECNO PHANTOM V fold, the TECNO True 1 buds, the…

By Martin Ekpeke A new report by Sophos, a cybersecurity leader, reveals a troubling trend for critical infrastructure, particularly in the energy and water sectors. These sectors saw a dramatic increase in median recovery costs from ransomware attacks, jumping to a staggering $3 million in 2024 – a fourfold rise compared to the previous year. This is significantly higher than the global average across all industries. The report, titled “The State of Ransomware in Critical Infrastructure 2024,” highlights the vulnerability of these essential services. Nearly half (49%) of ransomware attacks against energy and water providers exploited weaknesses in their systems.…

Nigerian tech leader Henry Naiho has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the ICT sector in Africa. He received the “Outstanding ICT Solutions, Innovation and Youth Empowerment Personality of the Year” award at the Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Award held recently in Lagos. Naiho is a highly experienced professional with over 26 years in the ICT industry. His expertise spans project management, user experience design, and various technical areas like networks and software development. His impressive work history includes leadership roles at companies like Sasol, Userlytics Group, Stratosat Datacom, Zain Mobile, and Globacom. Driven by a…