Author: ITPulse

The Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF), a leading Nigerian non-profit focused on consumer rights and advocacy, will host a high-level Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Stakeholders’ Workshop on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at The Providence Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos. Themed “Overcoming Barriers to a Sustainable Energy Transition,” the workshop will foster critical dialogue and collaboration among policymakers, energy experts, investors, development partners, and clean energy advocates. This timely workshop supports Nigeria’s energy goals, including the Federal Government’s 2015 National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP) and National Determined Contribution (NDC), which aim to increase on-grid renewable energy from 1.3%…

Enhanced collaboration among financial service providers, telecommunication operators, and tech startups, coupled with a strong emphasis on consumer education, were highlighted as crucial for overcoming financial exclusion in Nigeria at the second edition of the Payment Forum Nigeria (PAFON 2.0), recently held in Lagos. The theme of the forum, “Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI,” was addressed by Mrs. Ebehijie Momoh, Managing Director and CEO of AfriGoPay Financial Services Limited, in her keynote. She acknowledged Nigeria’s significant progress in financial inclusion, with 64% of Nigerian adults now included. Mrs. Momoh pointed to key regulatory reforms since…

In a powerful collaboration aimed at fostering the potential of young lives, FlashChange partnered with Ruth Foundation to successfully execute the “Orphanage Skill Acquisition Assembly 2.0 program.” This impactful initiative provided vital skill acquisition opportunities for vulnerable children within the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. The five-day program, commencing on Monday, April 14th, was thoughtfully designed to equip 153 children, ranging in age from 4 to 18 years, with essential life skills. The curriculum encompassed financial literacy, fashion design, photography, creative arts, cooking, and leadership development, offering a diverse range of skills to empower the young participants. The…

In a significant move to enhance student flexibility, Coventry University is set to revolutionize its course delivery by adopting a six-intake system across the academic year for all campus-based studies. This innovative approach replaces the traditional term and semester model with focused six-week teaching blocks, marking a considerable shift in the higher education landscape. The Coventry University Group has already established a strong foundation in block teaching through its CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, and CU London (Dagenham and Greenwich) campuses. While other institutions have begun to explore similar models, Coventry University’s comprehensive rollout signifies a commitment to this approach on…

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has called on industry leaders across Africa to urgently integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their business and operational models. The goal is to unlock new opportunities, drive smarter decision-making, and ensure the continent becomes deeply rooted in AI-driven innovation. Inuwa made the call while speaking on “Harnessing AI for Strategic Leadership” during a panel session at the GITEX Africa 2025 summit in Marrakech. He positioned Africa, and particularly Nigeria, as a rising force in the global AI landscape, championing a people-first, strategy-led approach to technology governance. Addressing…

Google has officially opened applications for its 2025 Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program, a three-month initiative aimed at empowering early-stage African startups leveraging artificial intelligence to tackle the continent’s most pressing challenges. The program seeks Seed to Series A startups across Africa that are developing AI-first solutions. Eligible startups must possess a live product, include at least one founder of African descent, and demonstrate a commitment to responsible AI innovation. Selected startups will gain access to a comprehensive support system, including: Dedicated technical mentorship from Google and industry experts. Up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits.  Access to…

Social media giants are facing increased regulatory pressure and a growing user shift toward decentralized platforms, according to a new report from GlobalData. The year 2024 saw a significant tightening of government scrutiny on Big Tech, with upcoming legislation like Australia’s under-16 social media ban and heightened antitrust investigations poised to reshape the industry. GlobalData’s analysis indicates that users, increasingly concerned about data privacy and content moderation, are turning to smaller, decentralized social networks like BlueSky, Damus, and Mastodon. This trend is expected to accelerate in 2025. “We are seeing the tides shift for social media companies as more comprehensive…

To enhance Nigeria’s cybersecurity, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and SecDojo, a French cybersecurity training firm, have signed a partnership agreement at GITEX Africa 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco. The collaboration aims to strengthen Nigeria’s cyber resilience through capacity-building initiatives, including a Cybersecurity Academy, advanced training, curriculum development, and knowledge sharing. NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, emphasized the need for human capital investment in Nigeria’s digital transformation, highlighting the country’s potential to fill global cybersecurity talent gaps. He advocated for integrating digital skills into Nigeria’s formal education system, moving beyond short-term training programs. “For me, this goes beyond NITDA.…

By Martin Ekpeke Beyond the staggering financial losses inflicted by the collapsed Cbex Ponzi scheme, a far more insidious threat has emerged: the massive exfiltration of sensitive personal data, prompting national cybersecurity experts to declare it a national emergency. Olatunji Matthew Igbalajobi, a prominent National Cyber Security Expert, has raised a dire alarm, stating that the sheer volume of compromised Personally Identifiable Information (PII) poses a grave risk to millions of Nigerians. “The monetary impact is significant, but the real crisis lies in the humongous volume of sensitive data compromised,” Igbalajobi warned. The Cbex scheme, which lured investors with promises…

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed issuing further provisional licenses to cryptocurrency startups under its Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme (ARIP), attributing the delay to an “additional layer of due diligence.” Director General Emomotimi Agama revealed this yesterday during a virtual stakeholder engagement hosted by the FinTech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR), acknowledging the slow pace and apologizing to applicants. He stressed that the extra scrutiny is a necessary regulatory process to address crucial issues within the burgeoning crypto ecosystem. Though, he did not provide a revised timeline for the resumption of license issuance, .Agama explained that “important issues” observed…