Author: ITPulse

Nigeria’s premier financial institution, Firstbank today announced the death of one of its staff, Abdullahi Lawal, who until his death worked at our Kano Main Branch. Though, it was not categorically stated, the bank in a statement signed by Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, said as a responsible corporate organization, it has been at the forefront of the concerted efforts against the Coronavirus pandemic alongside others. While asking all staff and customers who may have been in contact with the late colleague to follow the NCDC guidelines and self-isolate, FirstBank said it has immediately shut down access…

By Martin Ekpeke The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) may succumb to the demands of telecom operators in Nigeria, requesting for additional spectrum to ease the congestion caused as a result of remote working by many Nigerian companies and lockdown in states with high incidents of COVID-19. Two major telecom advocacy groups in Nigeria; the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) had requested from the telecom regulator some palliatives, which they believe will ensure the smooth delivery of communication services in the country. Some of the palliatives include allocation of…

As the global community marks the Girls in ICT Day today, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has said there is the need to promote technology career opportunities for girls and women in ICT, the world’s fastest-growing sector. Joining the global community to mark the annual event, NITDA said there is a need to draw attention to the critical need for more girls and women to participate actively in the ICT sector of our economy. In a statement signed by Mrs. Hadiza Umar, NITDA’s Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, the federal government agency, which coordinates general IT development…

Amid shuttering of social activities especially commercial services, through various lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, FirstBank has proven that as long as its customers require services, the Bank will be waiting right in front of them. As key enablers of the economy, banks are providers of essential services to customers and communities. Sequel to the pandemic outbreak, the Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria obtained Presidential approval to permit critical financial services to function during this period. CBN further urged the general public to limit their use of cash and…

Market shares of traditional banks have continued to fall even further behind largely due to the global coronavirus pandemic as the use of financial apps is up by 72 percent since mid-March. According to Nigel Green, the Founder and Chief Executive of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations, the pandemic has accelerated those trends that were already shaping business such as greater inclusion of tech into our everyday lives. “Coronavirus has ushered in a new world, with digitalisation and new technologies fuelling the changes. This can be seen by demand soaring for video-calling platforms such…

In the age of technology, data has become one of the most valuable resources for companies looking to gain a competitive edge in the market. In the world of streaming, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have both established themselves as leaders in the industry by utilizing data to their advantage. From tracking user behaviour to optimizing marketing campaigns, data has been a crucial factor in their growth and success. In this article, we will explore how Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have leveraged data to gain a competitive edge and how these strategies have contributed to their success. Content Production…

With over 50 percent increase in vulnerable remote connections as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Kenya based Serianu has suggested nine measures that will help organisations to protect themselves against vulnerable remote connections. Many organizations in Africa have been forced to transit their workforce to work from home with their IT departments re-architecting their environments to allow for remote access. Globally, the use of remote access technologies like RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol), VPN (Virtual Private Network) have skyrocketed 41 percent and 33 percent, respectively, since the onset of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Serianu, a cybersecurity analysis company noted that…

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said a fraudulent online data collection form that is capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians is presently in circulation. NITDA in a statement signed by its Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, noted that the form, which has now gone viral on various social media platforms, requests users to provide their personal data such as phone number, email address, bank details etc. According to NITDA, the information in the form requests users to access various Government palliatives aimed at cushioning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “This…

The World Health Organization (WHO), has sealed a partnership deal with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which will aid telecommunication companies to text people directly on their mobile phones with vital health messaging to help protect them from COVID-19. The partnership is built on current efforts to disseminate health messages through the joint WHO-ITU BeHe@lthy BeMobile initiative and has the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)​ so that these text messages will reach billions of people that aren’t able to connect to the internet for information. Starting from the Asia Pacific region and then roll out globally, the…

142-year old prestigious Champlain College, Burlington, Vermont, USA has appointed Nigerian-American Professor, Benjamin Ola. Akande as its President. Akande, an economist, scholar and educator will resume at Champlain on July 1, 2020, and will serve as the ninth president of the historic, prestigious and highly recommended institution, where over 80 courses are taught at bachelor’s and master’s level. Speaking on the choice of Akande as the new President, Neale Lunderville, a Trustee and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee remarked: “I want to offer my sincere gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to each of our Committee members. Their extraordinary efforts over…