Author: ITPulse

By Angela Matthewson M&A activity in the technology and telecommunication sectors in Africa and the Middle East will more than quadruple in 2018, from 2017. This is according to Baker McKenzie’s Global Transaction Forecast, developed in association with Oxford Economics. The report shows that M&A in the tech and telecoms sector in Africa and the Middle East was valued at US$1 .2 billion in 2017. This is predicted to increase to US$5.9 billion in 2018 and a further US$5.9 billion in 2019, before decreasing to US$3.9 billion in 2020.  The report notes that a more positive global economic outlook, the expansion…

  By Martin Ekpeke The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, South-West Nigeria, yesterday called on the private sector, especially companies in the Information and Communications Technology ecosystem to explore the potentials of its near completed  ICT-Driven Knowledge Park. Tagged, Africa Centre of Excellence, the $8million World Bank assisted ICT Park, according to the University is aimed to create a regionally-recognised and acknowledged model that is driven by high quality postgraduate education for uptake and commercialization of research and technology to advance the growth of ICT industry in Nigeria. “With the assistance of the World Bank, we have been able to build…

  The Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union ( ITU), Houlen Zhao was yesterday received by the Nigerian Communications Commission, where he reassures the Union’s commitment in ensuring that ICT is employed to drive the establishment of SMEs for employment. He commends the commission’s regulatory excellence and operational efficiency despite industry challenges,  the achievement of Digital Bridge Institutes established by NCC to bridge the digital divide gap and provide vocational ICT trainings in the country. While describing the institute as the best ICT Institute in Africa, Zhao assures the Commission that the Union will continue to work hand in…

  The GSMA has said the Mobile 360 West Africa forum, scheduled to take place next month in Ivory Coast will focus on two key drivers of digital adoption; the people and the technology. The global body that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, said the forum will digest how the people and the technology are shaping the Digital Africa that is known and the Digital Africa that is wanted. Africa is one of the fastest growing mobile markets globally. Access to the Internet in…

  Researchers at Kaspersky Lab are said to uncover a sophisticated threat used for cyber-espionage in the Middle East and Africa from at least in the last six years. This was after researchers found a suspicious keylogger program and created a behavioural detection signature to see if that code appeared anywhere else Tagged ‘Slingshot’, the threat has ravaged over 100 victims in Kenya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, Congo, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and Tanzania. According to a statement released on behalf of APO, ‘Slingshot’ attacks and infects victims through compromised routers and can run in kernel mode, giving it complete…

  By Martin Ekpeke The Chief Executive Officer of Medallion Communications Limited, Mr. Ikechukwu Nnamani has given reasons why he is contesting for the position of 1st Vice President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in the association’s NEC election next month. Having held various positions on the board of the National Executive Council of ATCON, I am more equipped to take the association, which has impacted  the entire Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem greatly to the next level Nnamani, in an interaction with ITPulse in Lagos, said having been part of the undisputed success story of ATCON, he…

  By Martin Ekpeke The President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Prof. Adesola Aderounmu, has insisted that the only sure way to national development for countries like Nigeria, is to harp on to technology innovations. The Professor of Computer engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, who was expressing his thoughts on innovation via a Facebook post, noted that encouraging and promoting innovations, especially for the youths is central to  National Development via human capacity development and would help Nigeria increase its competitive advantage in the global economy. “I am a strong proponent of growing our economy by deploying local…

  The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), yesterday rewarded some techprenuers with cash prizes ranging from N50,000-N300,000 at the launch of the Startup Friday programme in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State capital, South-South Nigeria. Over ten indigenous startups, who are producing IT solutions to problems peculiar to our society pitched various IT applications they had developed over time, at the program, which is an initiative of NITDA, executed by its subsidiary office, the Office for ICT Innovation and Entreprenuership (OIIE) that is aimed at identifying and developing indigenous talent in the Nigerian IT sector. Damilola Omoyiwole who carried the day, went…

  By Martin Ekpeke A new report by Counterpoint Research has noted that Apple and Samsung hold sway in the global refurbished smartphone market. The report disclosed that the two handset maker ‘s dominance is obvious in the refurbished market than in the new smartphone market, as they both account for 9 percent of the 13 percent refurbished smartphone market in 2017. According to Counterpoint’s “Refurbished Smartphone Tracker” report, Samsung and Apple hold close to three-fourths of the refurbished smartphone market, with Apple leading by a significant margin. In terms of revenue the two smartphone giants control more than 80…

  By Kester Omu Canadian Blackberry Limited has filed a lawsuit against Facebook, accusing the social media giant and its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram of infringing on its patent-protected messaging application, the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). According to reports, BlackBerry is claiming Facebook is currently using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry’s products such a critical and commercial success in the first place. BlackBerry is seeking redress for the harm caused by Defendants’ unlawful use of BlackBerry’s intellectual property, which may include injunctive relief and monetary damages. But in a statement, authored…