A growing number of Nigerians are using stablecoins to send and receive cross-border payments faster and at lower cost than traditional banking systems. Businesses say the digital assets, pegged to the US dollar, help cut delays, reduce fees, and simplify international transactions.
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2026
Nigerians turning to stablecoins to move money across borders
A growing number of Nigerians are using stablecoins to send and receive cross-border payments faster and at lower cost than traditional banking systems. Businesses say the digital assets, pegged to the US dollar, help cut delays, reduce fees, and simplify international transactions.
Monday, June 22, 2026
How Nigerian terrorists use TikTok, exploit country’s digital governance gap
A week after the Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction killed and abducted more than 170 women and children from Woro in Kaiama, Kwara State, the terror group released a video on TikTok mocking the government and accusing it of “deceit and infidelity” for downplaying the number of kidnapped victims.
The 90-second video was shared on the Chinese-owned social media platform by a handler identified as Abu Muhammad Abba, a coinage that could be genuine but is more likely a pseudonym, as is common within jihadist circles.
Shortly after the clip went viral in February, both the video and the account disappeared from the platform, suggesting that the account may have been deactivated or the content removed. A recent check, however, showed that the account, likely created in 2025, has resumed disseminating propaganda messages and sermons by jihadi ideologues, including late Boko Haram founder Muhammad Yusuf.
The message was not merely propaganda. It reflected a growing global challenge in which extremist groups exploit digital platforms and weaknesses in digital governance systems to communicate, spread propaganda, recruit followers and project power far beyond the physical battlefield.
At the centre of this challenge is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), the foundational systems that enable governments and citizens to interact securely and efficiently through digital identity, payments, data exchange and trusted communications. While DPI is often discussed in the context of financial inclusion, service delivery and economic development, security experts increasingly argue that it is also becoming a critical component of national security.
As governments digitise public services and expand connectivity, extremist groups have become more adept at exploiting the same digital ecosystem to influence audiences, spread narratives and evade traditional security responses.
The TikTok video showing the abducted victims from Woro, however, represented more than a propaganda stunt. It highlighted how terrorism itself is evolving in the digital age.
The 90-second video was shared on the Chinese-owned social media platform by a handler identified as Abu Muhammad Abba, a coinage that could be genuine but is more likely a pseudonym, as is common within jihadist circles.
Shortly after the clip went viral in February, both the video and the account disappeared from the platform, suggesting that the account may have been deactivated or the content removed. A recent check, however, showed that the account, likely created in 2025, has resumed disseminating propaganda messages and sermons by jihadi ideologues, including late Boko Haram founder Muhammad Yusuf.
The message was not merely propaganda. It reflected a growing global challenge in which extremist groups exploit digital platforms and weaknesses in digital governance systems to communicate, spread propaganda, recruit followers and project power far beyond the physical battlefield.
At the centre of this challenge is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), the foundational systems that enable governments and citizens to interact securely and efficiently through digital identity, payments, data exchange and trusted communications. While DPI is often discussed in the context of financial inclusion, service delivery and economic development, security experts increasingly argue that it is also becoming a critical component of national security.
As governments digitise public services and expand connectivity, extremist groups have become more adept at exploiting the same digital ecosystem to influence audiences, spread narratives and evade traditional security responses.
The TikTok video showing the abducted victims from Woro, however, represented more than a propaganda stunt. It highlighted how terrorism itself is evolving in the digital age.
A global digital battlefield
The exploitation of social media by extremist groups is not unique to Nigeria.
From the Islamic State’s sophisticated media machinery to al-Qaeda channels on Telegram and violent far-right networks operating across Europe and North America, terrorist organisations have transformed digital platforms into strategic assets, according to the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).
What were originally communication tools have become part of the infrastructure through which extremist groups recruit followers, disseminate propaganda, coordinate activities, raise funds and shape public perception.
“The war is not [only] about guns and bullets again,” said Malik Samuel, a security analyst and senior researcher at Good Governance Africa (GGA). “It is now more of an information warfare.”
Governments around the world have spent years trying to adapt to this reality.
In West Africa, where Islamic State and al-Qaeda franchises wreak havoc in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, regional efforts such as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Counter-Terrorism Coordination Unit have largely focused on intelligence sharing, military cooperation and counterterrorism operations on the ground.
In Europe and North America, security agencies increasingly view online propaganda not merely as harmful content but as part of a broader ecosystem capable of facilitating recruitment, radicalisation and operational coordination.
One of the most notable examples emerged in Europe, where coordinated Europol-led operations dismantled key elements of the Islamic State’s online propaganda infrastructure. Rather than focusing solely on individual posts or accounts, investigators targeted the servers, websites, applications and communication systems that enabled extremist content to circulate globally.
These efforts pushed many extremist organisations away from mainstream platforms and into more obscure digital spaces, particularly encrypted Telegram channels, where propaganda networks sustained by automated accounts and sympathisers continue to operate.
Yet the rise of TikTok created new opportunities.
Since TikTok’s rapid global expansion, researchers and law enforcement agencies have documented how extremist actors exploit the platform’s recommendation-driven ecosystem to amplify propaganda and expand their reach.
An Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) report titled ‘CaliphateTok’ identified an active network of at least 20 Islamic State-supporting TikTok accounts that collectively amassed more than one million views. Europol has similarly documented the presence of terrorist and violent extremist content on the platform.
In September 2023, Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) and TikTok coordinated a multinational operation involving 11 countries that identified more than 2,100 pieces of suspected terrorist and violent extremist content, including material linked to jihadist and violent far-right networks.
What distinguishes many Western responses is not the absence of extremist content but the existence of dedicated institutions designed to continuously monitor, analyse and disrupt terrorist online ecosystems.
For example, Europol’s EU Internet Referral Unit (IRU), established in 2015, operates as a permanent capability that tracks extremist propaganda, supports online investigations, works with technology companies to facilitate content removals and maintains databases used in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
In June 2024, Europol, in collaboration with Eurojust and US authorities, dismantled online infrastructure supporting multiple Islamic State media outlets, taking down servers used to distribute propaganda and operational messages in at least 30 languages.
The operation demonstrated how modern counterterrorism increasingly focuses not only on content moderation but on disrupting the digital infrastructure that sustains extremist networks.
The exploitation of social media by extremist groups is not unique to Nigeria.
From the Islamic State’s sophisticated media machinery to al-Qaeda channels on Telegram and violent far-right networks operating across Europe and North America, terrorist organisations have transformed digital platforms into strategic assets, according to the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).
What were originally communication tools have become part of the infrastructure through which extremist groups recruit followers, disseminate propaganda, coordinate activities, raise funds and shape public perception.
“The war is not [only] about guns and bullets again,” said Malik Samuel, a security analyst and senior researcher at Good Governance Africa (GGA). “It is now more of an information warfare.”
Governments around the world have spent years trying to adapt to this reality.
In West Africa, where Islamic State and al-Qaeda franchises wreak havoc in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, regional efforts such as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Counter-Terrorism Coordination Unit have largely focused on intelligence sharing, military cooperation and counterterrorism operations on the ground.
In Europe and North America, security agencies increasingly view online propaganda not merely as harmful content but as part of a broader ecosystem capable of facilitating recruitment, radicalisation and operational coordination.
One of the most notable examples emerged in Europe, where coordinated Europol-led operations dismantled key elements of the Islamic State’s online propaganda infrastructure. Rather than focusing solely on individual posts or accounts, investigators targeted the servers, websites, applications and communication systems that enabled extremist content to circulate globally.
These efforts pushed many extremist organisations away from mainstream platforms and into more obscure digital spaces, particularly encrypted Telegram channels, where propaganda networks sustained by automated accounts and sympathisers continue to operate.
Yet the rise of TikTok created new opportunities.
Since TikTok’s rapid global expansion, researchers and law enforcement agencies have documented how extremist actors exploit the platform’s recommendation-driven ecosystem to amplify propaganda and expand their reach.
An Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) report titled ‘CaliphateTok’ identified an active network of at least 20 Islamic State-supporting TikTok accounts that collectively amassed more than one million views. Europol has similarly documented the presence of terrorist and violent extremist content on the platform.
In September 2023, Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) and TikTok coordinated a multinational operation involving 11 countries that identified more than 2,100 pieces of suspected terrorist and violent extremist content, including material linked to jihadist and violent far-right networks.
What distinguishes many Western responses is not the absence of extremist content but the existence of dedicated institutions designed to continuously monitor, analyse and disrupt terrorist online ecosystems.
For example, Europol’s EU Internet Referral Unit (IRU), established in 2015, operates as a permanent capability that tracks extremist propaganda, supports online investigations, works with technology companies to facilitate content removals and maintains databases used in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
In June 2024, Europol, in collaboration with Eurojust and US authorities, dismantled online infrastructure supporting multiple Islamic State media outlets, taking down servers used to distribute propaganda and operational messages in at least 30 languages.
The operation demonstrated how modern counterterrorism increasingly focuses not only on content moderation but on disrupting the digital infrastructure that sustains extremist networks.
Nigeria’s emerging digital challenge
Nigeria is not isolated from these global trends.
Over the past decade, the country has made significant investments in DPI. The National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), mobile telecommunications networks, and expanding digital government services have laid the foundations for a rapidly digitising society.
Yet, while Nigeria’s digital infrastructure has expanded, questions remain about whether equivalent investments have been made in the systems required to secure that ecosystem against emerging threats.
The growing presence of extremist actors on TikTok and other social media platforms illustrates the challenge.
For years, insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), relied on intermediaries, clandestine websites and tightly controlled channels to disseminate messages about battlefield activities and ideological positions.
That model is changing. Platforms such as TikTok allow armed groups to bypass traditional gatekeepers and communicate directly with followers, potential recruits, local communities, victims and even the state itself.
As the platform becomes increasingly embedded in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, experts say its misuse by extremist actors raises broader questions about how DPI intersects with national security.
Joseph Ekong, a researcher and security analyst at Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), said while the use of technology in counterterrorism is important, the willingness of the Nigerian government to treat “early-warning and early-response systems as public infrastructure rather than ad-hoc, donor-driven projects” is also vital.
Nigeria is not isolated from these global trends.
Over the past decade, the country has made significant investments in DPI. The National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), mobile telecommunications networks, and expanding digital government services have laid the foundations for a rapidly digitising society.
Yet, while Nigeria’s digital infrastructure has expanded, questions remain about whether equivalent investments have been made in the systems required to secure that ecosystem against emerging threats.
The growing presence of extremist actors on TikTok and other social media platforms illustrates the challenge.
For years, insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), relied on intermediaries, clandestine websites and tightly controlled channels to disseminate messages about battlefield activities and ideological positions.
That model is changing. Platforms such as TikTok allow armed groups to bypass traditional gatekeepers and communicate directly with followers, potential recruits, local communities, victims and even the state itself.
As the platform becomes increasingly embedded in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, experts say its misuse by extremist actors raises broader questions about how DPI intersects with national security.
Joseph Ekong, a researcher and security analyst at Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), said while the use of technology in counterterrorism is important, the willingness of the Nigerian government to treat “early-warning and early-response systems as public infrastructure rather than ad-hoc, donor-driven projects” is also vital.
The algorithm advantage
TikTok’s design—fast-paced, algorithm-driven and highly engaging—makes it particularly susceptible to misuse.
Like many major social media platforms, it relies heavily on recommendation systems to surface content to users. However, the platform’s short-form video format and highly responsive recommendation engine can rapidly amplify content beyond an account’s existing followers, exposing videos to large audiences quickly. This amplification effect allows propaganda to travel far beyond its intended audience.
A single video, even if removed within hours, can be downloaded, reshared and repackaged across multiple accounts, creating a ripple effect that is difficult to contain. The video of the abducted Woro victims offers an example. While the clip disappeared from the main suspected insurgent account, copies remain accessible on several associated handles.
In this way, content moderation often becomes reactive while dissemination remains proactive.
For experts, this illustrates a broader challenge. As social media platforms become embedded within national information ecosystems, security institutions must contend not only with physical threats but also with algorithmically amplified influence operations.
Suggesting a response, Mr Samuel said the Nigerian government, particularly the Office of the National Security Adviser, could “work with social media companies” to shut down extremist or terrorist accounts. He, however, believes that the approach alone will not solve the problem, as groups can easily migrate to alternative platforms or create replacement accounts.
TikTok’s design—fast-paced, algorithm-driven and highly engaging—makes it particularly susceptible to misuse.
Like many major social media platforms, it relies heavily on recommendation systems to surface content to users. However, the platform’s short-form video format and highly responsive recommendation engine can rapidly amplify content beyond an account’s existing followers, exposing videos to large audiences quickly. This amplification effect allows propaganda to travel far beyond its intended audience.
A single video, even if removed within hours, can be downloaded, reshared and repackaged across multiple accounts, creating a ripple effect that is difficult to contain. The video of the abducted Woro victims offers an example. While the clip disappeared from the main suspected insurgent account, copies remain accessible on several associated handles.
In this way, content moderation often becomes reactive while dissemination remains proactive.
For experts, this illustrates a broader challenge. As social media platforms become embedded within national information ecosystems, security institutions must contend not only with physical threats but also with algorithmically amplified influence operations.
Suggesting a response, Mr Samuel said the Nigerian government, particularly the Office of the National Security Adviser, could “work with social media companies” to shut down extremist or terrorist accounts. He, however, believes that the approach alone will not solve the problem, as groups can easily migrate to alternative platforms or create replacement accounts.
A shifting paradigm
The use of TikTok was initially more common among terror groups with no clear political motive, locally known as bandits.
During the course of this report, PREMIUM TIMES monitored and profiled more than 20 accounts, including some allegedly operated by bandits associated with the camp of notorious kingpin Ado Alieru.
More recently, however, Boko Haram factions appear to have adopted similar tactics.
This newspaper identified at least two accounts associated with Boko Haram factions. An independent researcher, who requested anonymity because of security concerns, linked one of the accounts to a faction led by Bakura Doro in the Lake Chad region.
“It started with bandits,” Bulama Bukarti, a lawyer and security analyst, said in an X post. “Now, Boko Haram members are hosting live TikTok shows—spreading propaganda, justifying their violence, and threatening anyone who dares speak against them.”
Mr Bukarti said the insurgents engage with viewers in real time, fielding questions, responding to comments and cultivating a disturbing sense of virtual community.
“Some of their pre-recorded videos have hundreds of thousands of views,” he added. “At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before they start livestreaming attacks.”
Noting that Nigerian intelligence agencies cannot track every terrorist, the lawyer advised that authorities work with TikTok to “shut down terrorist and bandit accounts.”
The use of TikTok was initially more common among terror groups with no clear political motive, locally known as bandits.
During the course of this report, PREMIUM TIMES monitored and profiled more than 20 accounts, including some allegedly operated by bandits associated with the camp of notorious kingpin Ado Alieru.
More recently, however, Boko Haram factions appear to have adopted similar tactics.
This newspaper identified at least two accounts associated with Boko Haram factions. An independent researcher, who requested anonymity because of security concerns, linked one of the accounts to a faction led by Bakura Doro in the Lake Chad region.
“It started with bandits,” Bulama Bukarti, a lawyer and security analyst, said in an X post. “Now, Boko Haram members are hosting live TikTok shows—spreading propaganda, justifying their violence, and threatening anyone who dares speak against them.”
Mr Bukarti said the insurgents engage with viewers in real time, fielding questions, responding to comments and cultivating a disturbing sense of virtual community.
“Some of their pre-recorded videos have hundreds of thousands of views,” he added. “At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before they start livestreaming attacks.”
Noting that Nigerian intelligence agencies cannot track every terrorist, the lawyer advised that authorities work with TikTok to “shut down terrorist and bandit accounts.”
A system struggling to respond
Nigeria’s response to this evolving threat has been uneven.
Responsibility for digital security is spread across multiple institutions, including law enforcement agencies, intelligence services and communications regulators. While several coordination mechanisms already exist, researchers and policymakers have repeatedly identified challenges relating to information sharing, overlapping mandates and inter-agency cooperation.
While several agencies monitor aspects of cybercrime, terrorism and online activity, there is no public information about a dedicated, integrated framework for tracking extremist content across platforms in real time or for systematically analysing digital threat patterns across institutions.
This fragmentation mirrors broader challenges within Nigeria’s security architecture, where intelligence is often siloed, and institutional coordination can be slow.
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) did not respond to requests for comment sent by PREMIUM TIMES. However, during a press briefing last year, Adamu Laka, the centre’s Director-General, disclosed that the government was partnering with social media platforms to identify and remove terrorist-linked accounts.
The disclosure suggests that authorities recognise the growing digital dimension of terrorism. Data obtained from TikTok’s transparency portal showed that the platform received 33 takedown requests from the Nigerian government between January 2023 and the first two quarters of 2025. This included 24 content posted by 55 accounts, among which 30 were “actioned” upon for violating community guidelines and local laws.
However, experts argue that account removals alone cannot address the wider challenge.
Mr Samuel believes that simply taking down accounts may offer only temporary relief. Instead, he said the government should engage knowledgeable clerics and credible community voices to provide alternative narratives through the same platforms terrorists are using.
Automated moderation tools often struggle with local languages and dialects. Human moderation capacity for African content also remains limited, creating gaps that can be exploited by violent actors.
To address this challenge, Mr Samuel recommended greater collaboration with indigenous technology companies that possess a stronger linguistic and cultural understanding of local contexts.
Nigeria’s response to this evolving threat has been uneven.
Responsibility for digital security is spread across multiple institutions, including law enforcement agencies, intelligence services and communications regulators. While several coordination mechanisms already exist, researchers and policymakers have repeatedly identified challenges relating to information sharing, overlapping mandates and inter-agency cooperation.
While several agencies monitor aspects of cybercrime, terrorism and online activity, there is no public information about a dedicated, integrated framework for tracking extremist content across platforms in real time or for systematically analysing digital threat patterns across institutions.
This fragmentation mirrors broader challenges within Nigeria’s security architecture, where intelligence is often siloed, and institutional coordination can be slow.
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) did not respond to requests for comment sent by PREMIUM TIMES. However, during a press briefing last year, Adamu Laka, the centre’s Director-General, disclosed that the government was partnering with social media platforms to identify and remove terrorist-linked accounts.
The disclosure suggests that authorities recognise the growing digital dimension of terrorism. Data obtained from TikTok’s transparency portal showed that the platform received 33 takedown requests from the Nigerian government between January 2023 and the first two quarters of 2025. This included 24 content posted by 55 accounts, among which 30 were “actioned” upon for violating community guidelines and local laws.
However, experts argue that account removals alone cannot address the wider challenge.
Mr Samuel believes that simply taking down accounts may offer only temporary relief. Instead, he said the government should engage knowledgeable clerics and credible community voices to provide alternative narratives through the same platforms terrorists are using.
Automated moderation tools often struggle with local languages and dialects. Human moderation capacity for African content also remains limited, creating gaps that can be exploited by violent actors.
To address this challenge, Mr Samuel recommended greater collaboration with indigenous technology companies that possess a stronger linguistic and cultural understanding of local contexts.
Influence, recruitment and radicalisation
The use of TikTok is not only about broadcasting attacks, but it also raises concerns about influence and recruitment.
Short-form videos are easy to consume and share, making them effective tools for shaping narratives. Over time, repeated exposure to such content, even in diluted or coded forms, can normalise extremist ideas or desensitise audiences to violence.
For younger users, who make up a significant portion of TikTok’s audience in Nigeria, this presents a subtle but serious risk.
Delusional and subtle messages posted by the terrorists could drive frustrated, jobless young people into their ranks, according to Mr Samuel.
Unlike traditional recruitment, which often required physical networks, digital pathways are diffuse and harder to detect. A user may encounter a video, follow a handle, and gradually be drawn into more private or encrypted spaces where deeper engagement occurs.
However, the issue of identity is also key. Nigeria has invested heavily in NIN as the country’s foundational identity system. But how does that translate into digital platform accountability? Can terrorist-linked digital accounts be traced through stronger identity verification systems? Can social platforms work with governments without violating privacy rights? Can digital identity systems support lawful, rights-based security monitoring?
These are difficult but necessary questions, as analysts believe that without trusted identity layers across the digital ecosystem, anonymity becomes a weapon for violent actors.
The use of TikTok is not only about broadcasting attacks, but it also raises concerns about influence and recruitment.
Short-form videos are easy to consume and share, making them effective tools for shaping narratives. Over time, repeated exposure to such content, even in diluted or coded forms, can normalise extremist ideas or desensitise audiences to violence.
For younger users, who make up a significant portion of TikTok’s audience in Nigeria, this presents a subtle but serious risk.
Delusional and subtle messages posted by the terrorists could drive frustrated, jobless young people into their ranks, according to Mr Samuel.
Unlike traditional recruitment, which often required physical networks, digital pathways are diffuse and harder to detect. A user may encounter a video, follow a handle, and gradually be drawn into more private or encrypted spaces where deeper engagement occurs.
However, the issue of identity is also key. Nigeria has invested heavily in NIN as the country’s foundational identity system. But how does that translate into digital platform accountability? Can terrorist-linked digital accounts be traced through stronger identity verification systems? Can social platforms work with governments without violating privacy rights? Can digital identity systems support lawful, rights-based security monitoring?
These are difficult but necessary questions, as analysts believe that without trusted identity layers across the digital ecosystem, anonymity becomes a weapon for violent actors.
The governance gap
At the heart of the issue is a digital governance gap.
Nigeria has yet to fully align its security strategy with the realities of a digitised threat environment. Policies exist—notably the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, and the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, which criminalise [online] terrorist activity, including propaganda, recruitment, and coordination. However, these frameworks are not specifically designed for the speed, scale, and algorithmic nature of platforms like TikTok.
Implementation remains fragmented. Institutional coordination is weak, and technical capacity is limited. Existing laws provide a basis for enforcement, but there is no dedicated, integrated policy framework focused on real-time monitoring, platform accountability, and cross-agency digital intelligence operations.
This gap is not just about regulation, it is about readiness, Mr Ekong said.
Without systems to monitor, analyse, and respond to online threats in a coordinated manner, the state remains a step behind actors who are increasingly agile and adaptive, exploiting both policy blind spots and enforcement delays.
At the heart of the issue is a digital governance gap.
Nigeria has yet to fully align its security strategy with the realities of a digitised threat environment. Policies exist—notably the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, and the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, which criminalise [online] terrorist activity, including propaganda, recruitment, and coordination. However, these frameworks are not specifically designed for the speed, scale, and algorithmic nature of platforms like TikTok.
Implementation remains fragmented. Institutional coordination is weak, and technical capacity is limited. Existing laws provide a basis for enforcement, but there is no dedicated, integrated policy framework focused on real-time monitoring, platform accountability, and cross-agency digital intelligence operations.
This gap is not just about regulation, it is about readiness, Mr Ekong said.
Without systems to monitor, analyse, and respond to online threats in a coordinated manner, the state remains a step behind actors who are increasingly agile and adaptive, exploiting both policy blind spots and enforcement delays.
By Yakubu Mohammed, Premium Times
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Stablecoins gain in Nigeria for cross-border transfers
Nigerians are increasingly turning to U.S. dollar-pegged digital tokens, or stablecoins, to move money across borders, as households and small businesses seek cheaper and faster alternatives to traditional channels, the IMF said on Tuesday.
The Fund said what began as a niche crypto use has grown into a significant payments route, with Nigeria receiving about $59 billion in crypto inflows between July 2023 and June 2024 and accounting for roughly 60% of stablecoin inflows in sub-Saharan Africa.
Stablecoins - cryptocurrencies pegged to assets and designed to hold a stable value - have gained global traction, backed in part by support from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Their price stability, combined with fast transfers via smartphones and digital wallets, has driven rapid adoption in Nigeria, the IMF said.
For users, they offer near-instant cross-border payments and a way to store value outside a volatile naira currency, effectively bridging crypto markets and traditional finance.
They can also undercut conventional remittance channels, where sending $200 to sub-Saharan Africa costs on average about 9% of transaction value, compared with a global average of 6%, said the IMF, citing World Bank data.
However, their rise poses policy challenges.
Widespread use of dollar-linked tokens could weaken monetary policy by reducing demand for the naira, while shifting transactions to digital wallets complicates oversight and raises the risk of illicit flows, the IMF said.
The Fund said what began as a niche crypto use has grown into a significant payments route, with Nigeria receiving about $59 billion in crypto inflows between July 2023 and June 2024 and accounting for roughly 60% of stablecoin inflows in sub-Saharan Africa.
Stablecoins - cryptocurrencies pegged to assets and designed to hold a stable value - have gained global traction, backed in part by support from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Their price stability, combined with fast transfers via smartphones and digital wallets, has driven rapid adoption in Nigeria, the IMF said.
For users, they offer near-instant cross-border payments and a way to store value outside a volatile naira currency, effectively bridging crypto markets and traditional finance.
They can also undercut conventional remittance channels, where sending $200 to sub-Saharan Africa costs on average about 9% of transaction value, compared with a global average of 6%, said the IMF, citing World Bank data.
However, their rise poses policy challenges.
Widespread use of dollar-linked tokens could weaken monetary policy by reducing demand for the naira, while shifting transactions to digital wallets complicates oversight and raises the risk of illicit flows, the IMF said.
By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
From Pipelines to Data Centers: Nigeria Positions Natural Gas as the Ultimate AI Baseload
The global artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is fast becoming an energy efficiency race. As hyperscale data centres multiply across the United States, Europe and other regions, electricity has emerged as the single biggest constraint.
Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Oracle are no longer just building servers; they are signing long-term power deals, financing generation assets and partnering directly with energy companies to secure supply.
That same model could soon transform Nigeria’s gas industry.
Today, AI-focused data centres consume staggering amounts of electricity. In March 2026, Google committed 2.7GW of power capacity for a U.S. project, which is equal to the demand of two million homes. Microsoft has already teamed up with Chevron to build 2.5GW of gas-fired generation in Texas. It can be deduced that without reliable energy, AI cannot scale.
Currently, Nigeria holds the trump card. With more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa, and a digital economy racing ahead, the country is uniquely positioned to anchor the next wave of AI infrastructure. Its population is set to exceed 400 million by 2050, internet penetration is rising, and cloud adoption is accelerating.
According to the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, “Big Tech changes the financing equation for African gas. For the first time, projects can be underwritten by companies whose energy demand rivals entire industrial sectors.”
The opportunity is immense. Africa accounts for just 0.6 per cent of global data centre capacity despite housing nearly 20 per cent of the world’s population. Nigeria is moving to close that gap, with 21 operational data centres and nearly $1 billion in AI-ready facilities under development. Many are converging around gas-powered models.
However, the sector faces two major bottlenecks: severe geographic concentration in Lagos and heavy reliance on private, gas- and diesel-powered energy due to an unstable national grid.
The market is dominated by major operators such as Equinix (formerly MainOne/MDXi), Rack Centre, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), Africa Data Centres, Dabengwa Data Centre, Galaxy Backbone, among others.
In March, Tetracore Energy Group announced a $400 million gas-powered data centre in Ogun State, backed by Huawei and Inspirive Technologies, with its own 100MW gas plant to guarantee uptime.
For decades, financing domestic gas infrastructure in Nigeria was hampered by payment risks and inconsistent demand. Hyperscale technology firms change that equation. Long-term supply agreements backed by investment-grade companies could unlock pipelines, processing plants, and embedded generation projects, creating privately financed gas-to-power corridors anchored by data centres and industrial parks.
The ripple effects go beyond energy. Hyperscale investment would accelerate fibre rollout, strengthen cloud sovereignty, fuel fintech growth, and reduce reliance on overseas hosting. It could position Nigeria as West Africa’s AI and digital hub at a time when global tech firms are searching for new growth markets.
Gas offers what renewables alone cannot yet guarantee in emerging markets: stable baseload power. For mission-critical AI workloads, uptime and latency demand dispatchable solutions.
As African Energy Week 2026 approaches, one message is clear: the future of African gas may not lie solely in industrialisation or LNG exports. It may lie in powering the global AI economy. And in that future, Big Tech could become Nigeria’s most strategic energy partner yet.
By Adeyemi Adepetun, The Guardian
Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Oracle are no longer just building servers; they are signing long-term power deals, financing generation assets and partnering directly with energy companies to secure supply.
That same model could soon transform Nigeria’s gas industry.
Today, AI-focused data centres consume staggering amounts of electricity. In March 2026, Google committed 2.7GW of power capacity for a U.S. project, which is equal to the demand of two million homes. Microsoft has already teamed up with Chevron to build 2.5GW of gas-fired generation in Texas. It can be deduced that without reliable energy, AI cannot scale.
Currently, Nigeria holds the trump card. With more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa, and a digital economy racing ahead, the country is uniquely positioned to anchor the next wave of AI infrastructure. Its population is set to exceed 400 million by 2050, internet penetration is rising, and cloud adoption is accelerating.
According to the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, “Big Tech changes the financing equation for African gas. For the first time, projects can be underwritten by companies whose energy demand rivals entire industrial sectors.”
The opportunity is immense. Africa accounts for just 0.6 per cent of global data centre capacity despite housing nearly 20 per cent of the world’s population. Nigeria is moving to close that gap, with 21 operational data centres and nearly $1 billion in AI-ready facilities under development. Many are converging around gas-powered models.
However, the sector faces two major bottlenecks: severe geographic concentration in Lagos and heavy reliance on private, gas- and diesel-powered energy due to an unstable national grid.
The market is dominated by major operators such as Equinix (formerly MainOne/MDXi), Rack Centre, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), Africa Data Centres, Dabengwa Data Centre, Galaxy Backbone, among others.
In March, Tetracore Energy Group announced a $400 million gas-powered data centre in Ogun State, backed by Huawei and Inspirive Technologies, with its own 100MW gas plant to guarantee uptime.
For decades, financing domestic gas infrastructure in Nigeria was hampered by payment risks and inconsistent demand. Hyperscale technology firms change that equation. Long-term supply agreements backed by investment-grade companies could unlock pipelines, processing plants, and embedded generation projects, creating privately financed gas-to-power corridors anchored by data centres and industrial parks.
The ripple effects go beyond energy. Hyperscale investment would accelerate fibre rollout, strengthen cloud sovereignty, fuel fintech growth, and reduce reliance on overseas hosting. It could position Nigeria as West Africa’s AI and digital hub at a time when global tech firms are searching for new growth markets.
Gas offers what renewables alone cannot yet guarantee in emerging markets: stable baseload power. For mission-critical AI workloads, uptime and latency demand dispatchable solutions.
As African Energy Week 2026 approaches, one message is clear: the future of African gas may not lie solely in industrialisation or LNG exports. It may lie in powering the global AI economy. And in that future, Big Tech could become Nigeria’s most strategic energy partner yet.
By Adeyemi Adepetun, The Guardian
Related story: Nigeria launches AI-driven education platform
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Nigeria becoming Africa’s largest fintech hub
Professor of Economics and Vice Chancellor of James Hope University (JHU), Olu Akinkugbe, has said Nigeria is rapidly emerging as Africa’s largest and most dynamic fintech hub.
Recall that Nigeria has the highest volume of venture capital funding on the continent and houses a booming ecosystem of over 430 startups. The sector is valued at over $10.6 billion and is anchored in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria.
Speaking when members of the National University Commission (NUC) visited the Lagos campus of the institution, the don observed that Nigeria was leading with innovations in payments, lending, and blockchain, thereby transforming the economy.
He also revealed that the institution’s Fintech programme was strategically designed to produce graduates who would not only understand financial systems but could harness big data, machine learning, and predictive analytics to drive inclusion, efficiency, and security in financial services.
Noting that the institution was in advanced talks with the nation’s Fintech ecosystem, he added it was also having conversations with the University of Texas in Dallas, and two other universities in Canada and East Asia to collaborate on technological solutions that would contribute to digital innovation on the continent.
According to him, the NUC is a vital regulatory body to nearly 310 universities across our nation that plays an indispensable role in maintaining standards, ensuring relevance, and fostering global competitiveness.
He told the guests: “Your (NUC’s) consistent engagement with tertiary institutions strengthens our sector and guarantees that the degrees we award remain symbols of genuine scholarship and integrity. For this noble mandate, we express our profound respect and gratitude.”
By Sunday Aikulola, The Guardian
Recall that Nigeria has the highest volume of venture capital funding on the continent and houses a booming ecosystem of over 430 startups. The sector is valued at over $10.6 billion and is anchored in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria.
Speaking when members of the National University Commission (NUC) visited the Lagos campus of the institution, the don observed that Nigeria was leading with innovations in payments, lending, and blockchain, thereby transforming the economy.
He also revealed that the institution’s Fintech programme was strategically designed to produce graduates who would not only understand financial systems but could harness big data, machine learning, and predictive analytics to drive inclusion, efficiency, and security in financial services.
Noting that the institution was in advanced talks with the nation’s Fintech ecosystem, he added it was also having conversations with the University of Texas in Dallas, and two other universities in Canada and East Asia to collaborate on technological solutions that would contribute to digital innovation on the continent.
According to him, the NUC is a vital regulatory body to nearly 310 universities across our nation that plays an indispensable role in maintaining standards, ensuring relevance, and fostering global competitiveness.
He told the guests: “Your (NUC’s) consistent engagement with tertiary institutions strengthens our sector and guarantees that the degrees we award remain symbols of genuine scholarship and integrity. For this noble mandate, we express our profound respect and gratitude.”
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Nigeria launches AI-driven education platform
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure (NEDI), a centralised AI-powered platform designed to consolidate the country's fragmented education data systems into a single national registry covering more than 240,000 schools.
Speaking at the National Stakeholders' Workshop in Abuja, Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa described NEDI as the government's "single source of truth" for the education sector, enabling real-time, evidence-based planning and governance across the country's sprawling and historically underserved school system.
The platform has already captured records for over 32 million learners and 220,000 schools across 21 states.
The launch is partly a response to a damaging pattern the Ministry says persisted for years undetected. According to Ministry data, nearly 80% of development bank and partner investments over the last decade were concentrated in just two geopolitical zones - yet those same regions continue to record Nigeria's lowest literacy and numeracy rates.
"If we had used data before, we would have known where the investment needed to go," Alausa said. He added that future funding models would shift to results-based allocations tracked directly through the system, cutting off the possibility of capital flowing to areas without demonstrated need or impact.
Speaking at the National Stakeholders' Workshop in Abuja, Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa described NEDI as the government's "single source of truth" for the education sector, enabling real-time, evidence-based planning and governance across the country's sprawling and historically underserved school system.
The platform has already captured records for over 32 million learners and 220,000 schools across 21 states.
The launch is partly a response to a damaging pattern the Ministry says persisted for years undetected. According to Ministry data, nearly 80% of development bank and partner investments over the last decade were concentrated in just two geopolitical zones - yet those same regions continue to record Nigeria's lowest literacy and numeracy rates.
"If we had used data before, we would have known where the investment needed to go," Alausa said. He added that future funding models would shift to results-based allocations tracked directly through the system, cutting off the possibility of capital flowing to areas without demonstrated need or impact.
What the platform does
At the core of NEDI is the Nationwide Learner Identification Number (NLIN), a unique student identifier aligned with Nigeria's existing National Identification Number framework that will track each learner's complete academic journey from basic education through to tertiary level.
The system unifies previously siloed datasets from the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund into a single dashboard. School administrators and policymakers can monitor enrolment figures, infrastructure deficits, teacher qualifications, and facility availability, including water and computer access, from one interface.
AI and data analytics tools embedded in the platform will automate real-time tracking of educational gaps and flag localised system vulnerabilities as they emerge. The government also intends to integrate labour market demand data, enabling the system to actively guide students toward courses aligned with current workforce requirements.
"With this platform, we can know the number of students, teachers' qualifications, available classrooms, computers, and even water facilities in any school from one dashboard," Alausa said.
The initiative represents one of the most ambitious education data overhauls on the African continent, targeting full coverage of Nigeria's estimated 240,000-plus schools once deployment extends beyond the current 21-state footprint. By ensuring no child or vulnerable household remains invisible within Nigeria's development planning, the government says NEDI will directly inform budgeting, donor coordination, and policy prioritisation going forward.
At the core of NEDI is the Nationwide Learner Identification Number (NLIN), a unique student identifier aligned with Nigeria's existing National Identification Number framework that will track each learner's complete academic journey from basic education through to tertiary level.
The system unifies previously siloed datasets from the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund into a single dashboard. School administrators and policymakers can monitor enrolment figures, infrastructure deficits, teacher qualifications, and facility availability, including water and computer access, from one interface.
AI and data analytics tools embedded in the platform will automate real-time tracking of educational gaps and flag localised system vulnerabilities as they emerge. The government also intends to integrate labour market demand data, enabling the system to actively guide students toward courses aligned with current workforce requirements.
"With this platform, we can know the number of students, teachers' qualifications, available classrooms, computers, and even water facilities in any school from one dashboard," Alausa said.
The initiative represents one of the most ambitious education data overhauls on the African continent, targeting full coverage of Nigeria's estimated 240,000-plus schools once deployment extends beyond the current 21-state footprint. By ensuring no child or vulnerable household remains invisible within Nigeria's development planning, the government says NEDI will directly inform budgeting, donor coordination, and policy prioritisation going forward.
Friday, May 1, 2026
Adobe targets Nigeria’s booming creator economy with strategic Redington partnership
Magalie Meuris, Senior Channel Leader, South-West EMEA at Adobe, says the company is ramping up its Africa expansion, positioning Nigeria at the centre of a fast-growing global creative and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven economy.
Meuris said this during a media parley organised to announce Adobe’s partnership with Redington on Thursday night in Lagos.
“We are especially excited because this is not just another event, it reflects a clear ambition from Adobe to invest and grow in Africa,” Meuris said.
She highlighted that Africa’s creator economy, valued at over three billion dollars in 2023, was projected to grow to nearly 18 billion dollars by 2030, driven by rising digital adoption and mobile-first content creation.
She noted that Nigeria was a key part of this growth, with its creator ecosystem expanding rapidly as design, video and social content become essential tools for businesses and individuals.
“The creative economy is real, it is growing, and Nigeria is very much part of that,” she said.
Speaking on technology trends, she noted that Nigeria was emerging as one of the fastest adopters of AI globally, with strong usage across education, work and entrepreneurship.
She highlighted that about 88 per cent of Nigerian adults had used AI chatbots, placing the country about 26 per cent above the global average of 62 per cent.
Meuris said that the trend underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in the global digital economy and the increasing importance of local partners in shaping AI adoption strategies.
Speaking on Adobe’s strategy, she noted that the company was focused on strengthening its existing customer base, expanding into new markets and accelerating growth through AI-powered solutions.
She added that the partnership model remained critical to delivering innovation, enabling market access and ensuring long-term value for customers.
Also speaking, Ifeoma Anie, Head of Sales, Nigeria at Redington, said the partnership was aimed at unlocking access to world-class creative tools and bridging gaps in the local ecosystem.
“We are in a digital acceleration moment, where businesses are evolving, consumers are more connected and creativity is now at the centre of how brands communicate and compete,” Anie said.
Anie, who was represented by Olarotimi Faniyi, Systems Engineer at Redington, noted that although many Nigerian businesses and creators were ready to scale, they often lacked the right tools, support systems and platforms.
She said that the collaboration would combine Adobe’s global leadership in creativity and digital experience with Redington’s strong distribution network and market expertise.
Speaking on the impact, she noted that the partnership would enable partners to expand offerings, enter new markets and build recurring revenue streams, while empowering SMEs and creators to operate at global standards.
In his remarks, Mark Humphrey, Inside Channel Account Manager at Adobe, introduced new AI-powered solutions designed to improve productivity and content creation.
“We are really passionate about bringing new products to the Nigerian market and empowering everyone to create,” Humphrey said.
He highlighted that one of the flagship products, Acrobat Studio, was built as an all-in-one platform to help users comprehend, collaborate and create within a single application.
He noted that modern workplaces were facing increasing pressure from fragmented tools and information overload, leading to significant productivity losses.
Speaking on the solution, he noted that Acrobat Studio integrated AI capabilities to streamline document workflows, enhance collaboration and enable faster content creation.
He added that the platform would help businesses reduce the time spent on creating presentations and analysing documents, while improving efficiency and output quality.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the partnership is expected to deepen Adobe’s footprint in Nigeria while strengthening the country’s position in the global digital and creative
Meuris said this during a media parley organised to announce Adobe’s partnership with Redington on Thursday night in Lagos.
“We are especially excited because this is not just another event, it reflects a clear ambition from Adobe to invest and grow in Africa,” Meuris said.
She highlighted that Africa’s creator economy, valued at over three billion dollars in 2023, was projected to grow to nearly 18 billion dollars by 2030, driven by rising digital adoption and mobile-first content creation.
She noted that Nigeria was a key part of this growth, with its creator ecosystem expanding rapidly as design, video and social content become essential tools for businesses and individuals.
“The creative economy is real, it is growing, and Nigeria is very much part of that,” she said.
Speaking on technology trends, she noted that Nigeria was emerging as one of the fastest adopters of AI globally, with strong usage across education, work and entrepreneurship.
She highlighted that about 88 per cent of Nigerian adults had used AI chatbots, placing the country about 26 per cent above the global average of 62 per cent.
Meuris said that the trend underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in the global digital economy and the increasing importance of local partners in shaping AI adoption strategies.
Speaking on Adobe’s strategy, she noted that the company was focused on strengthening its existing customer base, expanding into new markets and accelerating growth through AI-powered solutions.
She added that the partnership model remained critical to delivering innovation, enabling market access and ensuring long-term value for customers.
Also speaking, Ifeoma Anie, Head of Sales, Nigeria at Redington, said the partnership was aimed at unlocking access to world-class creative tools and bridging gaps in the local ecosystem.
“We are in a digital acceleration moment, where businesses are evolving, consumers are more connected and creativity is now at the centre of how brands communicate and compete,” Anie said.
Anie, who was represented by Olarotimi Faniyi, Systems Engineer at Redington, noted that although many Nigerian businesses and creators were ready to scale, they often lacked the right tools, support systems and platforms.
She said that the collaboration would combine Adobe’s global leadership in creativity and digital experience with Redington’s strong distribution network and market expertise.
Speaking on the impact, she noted that the partnership would enable partners to expand offerings, enter new markets and build recurring revenue streams, while empowering SMEs and creators to operate at global standards.
In his remarks, Mark Humphrey, Inside Channel Account Manager at Adobe, introduced new AI-powered solutions designed to improve productivity and content creation.
“We are really passionate about bringing new products to the Nigerian market and empowering everyone to create,” Humphrey said.
He highlighted that one of the flagship products, Acrobat Studio, was built as an all-in-one platform to help users comprehend, collaborate and create within a single application.
He noted that modern workplaces were facing increasing pressure from fragmented tools and information overload, leading to significant productivity losses.
Speaking on the solution, he noted that Acrobat Studio integrated AI capabilities to streamline document workflows, enhance collaboration and enable faster content creation.
He added that the platform would help businesses reduce the time spent on creating presentations and analysing documents, while improving efficiency and output quality.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the partnership is expected to deepen Adobe’s footprint in Nigeria while strengthening the country’s position in the global digital and creative
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
UK launches fund to boost production in Nigeria’s creative sector
The UK-Nigeria Technology Hub has launched its Creative Fund, a first-phase grants initiative designed to address critical technical capacity gaps across Nigeria’s film, fashion, and music industries.
The fund will support the development of local digital production capacity, encourage the adoption of modern creative technologies, and promote the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen Nigeria’s creative value chain.
The initiative, announced yesterday, directly supports the priorities of the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creative Working Group launched in March 2025 and delivers on commitments made during President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to the UK in March 2026. It is designed to ensure that high-potential creative projects can access the technical talent, tools, and resources required to produce, scale and complete their work locally.
Funded by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by Tech4Dev, the Creative Fund responds directly to evidence gathered through the State of the Creative Innovation Ecosystem in Nigeria, a study in 2024. Drawing on over 1,700 survey responses and fieldwork across seven states, the research showed that Nigeria’s creative economy employs approximately 4.2 million people and contributes around $3 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly.
Despite this scale, the sector continues to face structural constraints, as over 80 per cent of practitioners are self-taught, fewer than 10 per cent have access to formal financing, and high-value technical work is routinely outsourced outside the country. The Creative Fund is a direct response to these gaps and is central to the work of the ETIP Creative Working Group.
Director of the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, said: “Nigeria’s creative sector already delivers real economic value, and both governments have committed under the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership to supporting its growth.
Through the ETIP Creatives Working Group, we are moving from ambition to action. The Creative Fund is a practical first-phase intervention that addresses critical gaps in skills, infrastructure, and access to advanced tools, enabling Nigerian creatives to produce and scale high-quality work locally.”
The Fund will support high-potential creative projects covering three industries: Film, Fashion, and Music and will focus on initiatives that demonstrate strong potential for impact, scalability, and job creation. It will subsidise projects that need to close technical gaps, including critical specialists like VFX artists, sound engineers, post-production editors, and design professionals, or the digital tools and resources that make professional-quality work possible locally, for example, digital asset management systems, content delivery tools, Digital Rights Management solutions, and AI-driven production technologies. The aim is straightforward: Nigeria’s best creative work should be made in Nigeria.
By Adeyemi Adepetun, The Guardian
The fund will support the development of local digital production capacity, encourage the adoption of modern creative technologies, and promote the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen Nigeria’s creative value chain.
The initiative, announced yesterday, directly supports the priorities of the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creative Working Group launched in March 2025 and delivers on commitments made during President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to the UK in March 2026. It is designed to ensure that high-potential creative projects can access the technical talent, tools, and resources required to produce, scale and complete their work locally.
Funded by the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, under the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by Tech4Dev, the Creative Fund responds directly to evidence gathered through the State of the Creative Innovation Ecosystem in Nigeria, a study in 2024. Drawing on over 1,700 survey responses and fieldwork across seven states, the research showed that Nigeria’s creative economy employs approximately 4.2 million people and contributes around $3 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly.
Despite this scale, the sector continues to face structural constraints, as over 80 per cent of practitioners are self-taught, fewer than 10 per cent have access to formal financing, and high-value technical work is routinely outsourced outside the country. The Creative Fund is a direct response to these gaps and is central to the work of the ETIP Creative Working Group.
Director of the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, said: “Nigeria’s creative sector already delivers real economic value, and both governments have committed under the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership to supporting its growth.
Through the ETIP Creatives Working Group, we are moving from ambition to action. The Creative Fund is a practical first-phase intervention that addresses critical gaps in skills, infrastructure, and access to advanced tools, enabling Nigerian creatives to produce and scale high-quality work locally.”
The Fund will support high-potential creative projects covering three industries: Film, Fashion, and Music and will focus on initiatives that demonstrate strong potential for impact, scalability, and job creation. It will subsidise projects that need to close technical gaps, including critical specialists like VFX artists, sound engineers, post-production editors, and design professionals, or the digital tools and resources that make professional-quality work possible locally, for example, digital asset management systems, content delivery tools, Digital Rights Management solutions, and AI-driven production technologies. The aim is straightforward: Nigeria’s best creative work should be made in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s military backs local defense technology startup
Nigerian defense-tech startup Terra Industries unveiled its latest autonomous defense systems including interceptor drones, mine-detection vehicles and battlefield intelligence software.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Ubuy and the rise of borderless shopping in Nigeria
Nigeria’s e-commerce conversation is often framed around infrastructural, logistical and payment challenges. But beneath those familiar talking points, a quieter shift is taking place, one driven not by systems, but by people.
At the centre of this shift is a fast-growing segment of consumers who are young, digitally fluent and globally aware. Often described as Nigeria’s “digital middle class,” this group is redefining what access, value and choice mean in a connected economy and, in the process, reshaping how global commerce interacts with one of Africa’s largest markets.
Unlike previous generations of consumers, today’s Nigerian shopper is not limited by geography as traditional retail models once dictated. Exposure to global culture happens in real time, whether through social media, streaming platforms or online communities. Trends are no longer imported slowly; they are experienced instantly and increasingly, and acted on just as quickly.
A Different Kind of Demand
What defines this new consumer segment is not just spending power, but expectation.
There is a growing preference for specificity, particular brands, product lines and even formulations that are often unavailable in local retail channels. Whether it is niche skincare from South Korea, specialised fitness supplements from the United States or consumer electronics released first in Asia, demand is becoming more precise and less flexible.
This shift has created a clear gap between what Nigerian consumers want and what the local market can consistently provide. And it is within this gap that cross-border platforms have begun to scale.
Platforms Built for a Borderless Consumer
Rather than navigating multiple international websites, payment systems and delivery processes, many Nigerian consumers are turning to aggregation platforms that simplify access to global products.
Ubuy is one of the platforms operating within this space, positioning itself around a simple idea of giving consumers access to products from multiple international markets through a single interface.
With a catalogue spanning millions of products across categories such as electronics, beauty, fashion, home appliances and wellness, the platform reflects the diversity of Nigerian demand. More importantly, it mirrors how consumers already think globally.
What differentiates Ubuy is not just access, but how that access is structured. Organising products by country storefronts, from the US and UK to Japan, Korea and Europe, allows users to shop with a level of intentionality that goes beyond generic browsing. A consumer looking for Korean skincare or Japanese electronics is not just searching for a product, but shopping within a specific global context.
Meeting Expectations in a Complex Market
For Nigeria’s digital middle class, access alone is not enough; experience matters. Concerns around authenticity, pricing transparency and delivery reliability have historically shaped how Nigerians approach international shopping. Platforms that succeed in this space tend to be those that address these concerns directly, rather than treating them as secondary issues.
Ubuy’s model leans into this by offering visibility into pricing, including shipping and import costs, before checkout, alongside tracked delivery and multiple payment options that align with what Nigerian consumers already use. Its operations, supported by a network of international warehouses, are designed to make cross-border shopping feel less fragmented and more predictable.
These details may seem operational, but they play a critical role in building repeat behaviour. For many consumers, the decision to shop internationally is not just about access—it’s about confidence.
Beyond Lagos: A Broader Consumer Base
One of the more significant developments in Nigeria’s e-commerce landscape is how demand is expanding beyond Lagos.
Cities such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, and Enugu are seeing increasing levels of digital adoption, with consumers in these locations participating more actively in online shopping. Mobile-first usage has made it easier for Ubuy to reach these audiences without the need for a physical retail presence.
This shift suggests that the opportunity for cross-border e-commerce in Nigeria is not only deep but wide. It is no longer concentrated in a single urban centre, but distributed across a growing network of digitally connected consumers.
The Influence of Global Culture
The rise of this consumer class is closely tied to the influence of digital culture. Social media has effectively collapsed the distance between markets. A product trending in Los Angeles or Seoul can gain visibility in Nigeria within hours, creating immediate demand. In many cases, consumers are discovering products long before they become available locally, if they become available at all.
This dynamic makes Ubuy increasingly relevant, not just as a shopping destination, but as an enabler of access. The platform sits at the intersection of discovery and purchase, allowing consumers to act on global trends in real time.
A Market Still Taking Shape
Nigeria’s e-commerce market continues to expand, supported by strong mobile penetration and a young, tech-savvy population. But beyond the growth metrics, what stands out is the pace at which consumer expectations are evolving.
The digital middle class is not waiting for traditional retail systems to catch up. It is actively reshaping the market, prioritising choice, quality, and global access over proximity.
For platforms like Ubuy, the opportunity lies in aligning with this shift, not by changing how Nigerians shop, but by supporting how they already want to shop.
In that sense, the story of cross-border e-commerce in Nigeria is not just about platforms or infrastructure. It is about a consumer base that is increasingly global in outlook and the systems that are emerging to meet it.
At the centre of this shift is a fast-growing segment of consumers who are young, digitally fluent and globally aware. Often described as Nigeria’s “digital middle class,” this group is redefining what access, value and choice mean in a connected economy and, in the process, reshaping how global commerce interacts with one of Africa’s largest markets.
Unlike previous generations of consumers, today’s Nigerian shopper is not limited by geography as traditional retail models once dictated. Exposure to global culture happens in real time, whether through social media, streaming platforms or online communities. Trends are no longer imported slowly; they are experienced instantly and increasingly, and acted on just as quickly.
A Different Kind of Demand
What defines this new consumer segment is not just spending power, but expectation.
There is a growing preference for specificity, particular brands, product lines and even formulations that are often unavailable in local retail channels. Whether it is niche skincare from South Korea, specialised fitness supplements from the United States or consumer electronics released first in Asia, demand is becoming more precise and less flexible.
This shift has created a clear gap between what Nigerian consumers want and what the local market can consistently provide. And it is within this gap that cross-border platforms have begun to scale.
Platforms Built for a Borderless Consumer
Rather than navigating multiple international websites, payment systems and delivery processes, many Nigerian consumers are turning to aggregation platforms that simplify access to global products.
Ubuy is one of the platforms operating within this space, positioning itself around a simple idea of giving consumers access to products from multiple international markets through a single interface.
With a catalogue spanning millions of products across categories such as electronics, beauty, fashion, home appliances and wellness, the platform reflects the diversity of Nigerian demand. More importantly, it mirrors how consumers already think globally.
What differentiates Ubuy is not just access, but how that access is structured. Organising products by country storefronts, from the US and UK to Japan, Korea and Europe, allows users to shop with a level of intentionality that goes beyond generic browsing. A consumer looking for Korean skincare or Japanese electronics is not just searching for a product, but shopping within a specific global context.
Meeting Expectations in a Complex Market
For Nigeria’s digital middle class, access alone is not enough; experience matters. Concerns around authenticity, pricing transparency and delivery reliability have historically shaped how Nigerians approach international shopping. Platforms that succeed in this space tend to be those that address these concerns directly, rather than treating them as secondary issues.
Ubuy’s model leans into this by offering visibility into pricing, including shipping and import costs, before checkout, alongside tracked delivery and multiple payment options that align with what Nigerian consumers already use. Its operations, supported by a network of international warehouses, are designed to make cross-border shopping feel less fragmented and more predictable.
These details may seem operational, but they play a critical role in building repeat behaviour. For many consumers, the decision to shop internationally is not just about access—it’s about confidence.
Beyond Lagos: A Broader Consumer Base
One of the more significant developments in Nigeria’s e-commerce landscape is how demand is expanding beyond Lagos.
Cities such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, and Enugu are seeing increasing levels of digital adoption, with consumers in these locations participating more actively in online shopping. Mobile-first usage has made it easier for Ubuy to reach these audiences without the need for a physical retail presence.
This shift suggests that the opportunity for cross-border e-commerce in Nigeria is not only deep but wide. It is no longer concentrated in a single urban centre, but distributed across a growing network of digitally connected consumers.
The Influence of Global Culture
The rise of this consumer class is closely tied to the influence of digital culture. Social media has effectively collapsed the distance between markets. A product trending in Los Angeles or Seoul can gain visibility in Nigeria within hours, creating immediate demand. In many cases, consumers are discovering products long before they become available locally, if they become available at all.
This dynamic makes Ubuy increasingly relevant, not just as a shopping destination, but as an enabler of access. The platform sits at the intersection of discovery and purchase, allowing consumers to act on global trends in real time.
A Market Still Taking Shape
Nigeria’s e-commerce market continues to expand, supported by strong mobile penetration and a young, tech-savvy population. But beyond the growth metrics, what stands out is the pace at which consumer expectations are evolving.
The digital middle class is not waiting for traditional retail systems to catch up. It is actively reshaping the market, prioritising choice, quality, and global access over proximity.
For platforms like Ubuy, the opportunity lies in aligning with this shift, not by changing how Nigerians shop, but by supporting how they already want to shop.
In that sense, the story of cross-border e-commerce in Nigeria is not just about platforms or infrastructure. It is about a consumer base that is increasingly global in outlook and the systems that are emerging to meet it.
By Adekunle Agbetiloye, Business Insider Africa
Nigeria turns to local startup as insurgents escalate drone and bomb attacks
Local startup Terra Industries on Monday unveiled interceptor drones, mine-clearing unmanned vehicles and battlefield intelligence software that officials said could help troops confronting insurgents who have increasingly used roadside bombs and drones in recent attacks.
The launch shows a growing effort by Africa’s most populous nation to reduce dependence on imported military hardware and build domestic defence manufacturing capacity.
Nigeria has spent years buying aircraft, armoured vehicles and surveillance systems from countries including China, Turkey, Pakistan and the United States.
But procurement delays, maintenance bottlenecks and rising foreign exchange costs have strengthened the case for local production.
Terra Industries had previously focused on civilian drones and security technology before expanding into defence systems.
“We are unveiling new defence systems such as our interceptor UAVs, our minesweepers, ground vehicles that can detect IEDs on the ground, and our battlefield intelligence software,” Reuters quoted chief executive Nathan Nwachukwu as saying.
The timing is significant. Nigeria has battled Islamist insurgency in the northeast for more than a decade, with Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remaining active despite repeated military offensives.
Violence linked to banditry and kidnappings has also spread across other parts of the country.
This year, militants have stepped up attacks on military positions using improvised explosive devices, ambush tactics and low-cost drones, showing how tools once associated mainly with advanced militaries are becoming more accessible to armed groups.
That has changed military planning worldwide. Cheap commercial drones modified for surveillance or attack roles have been widely used in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East, forcing armies to invest in counter-drone systems, electronic warfare and autonomous ground equipment.
For Nigeria, the challenge is acute, securing a vast territory while facing multiple threats and budget constraints.
Major General Babatunde Alaya, head of the state-owned Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), said collaboration with Terra Industries was necessary given troop casualties caused by hidden explosives and roadside bombs.
DICON has long been central to Nigeria’s ambition to produce more of its own defence equipment, but progress has historically been slow. Partnerships with private firms are increasingly seen as a faster route to innovation and scale.
Terra Industries has also announced plans to expand beyond Nigeria, including a manufacturing facility in Ghana, signalling ambitions to serve a wider African market and position itself in the region’s growing security technology industry.
As it is, defense innovation is no longer dominated only by global arms giants. Smaller local firms are beginning to compete in markets shaped by speed, adaptability and lower-cost technology.
The launch shows a growing effort by Africa’s most populous nation to reduce dependence on imported military hardware and build domestic defence manufacturing capacity.
Nigeria has spent years buying aircraft, armoured vehicles and surveillance systems from countries including China, Turkey, Pakistan and the United States.
But procurement delays, maintenance bottlenecks and rising foreign exchange costs have strengthened the case for local production.
Terra Industries had previously focused on civilian drones and security technology before expanding into defence systems.
“We are unveiling new defence systems such as our interceptor UAVs, our minesweepers, ground vehicles that can detect IEDs on the ground, and our battlefield intelligence software,” Reuters quoted chief executive Nathan Nwachukwu as saying.
The timing is significant. Nigeria has battled Islamist insurgency in the northeast for more than a decade, with Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remaining active despite repeated military offensives.
Violence linked to banditry and kidnappings has also spread across other parts of the country.
This year, militants have stepped up attacks on military positions using improvised explosive devices, ambush tactics and low-cost drones, showing how tools once associated mainly with advanced militaries are becoming more accessible to armed groups.
That has changed military planning worldwide. Cheap commercial drones modified for surveillance or attack roles have been widely used in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East, forcing armies to invest in counter-drone systems, electronic warfare and autonomous ground equipment.
For Nigeria, the challenge is acute, securing a vast territory while facing multiple threats and budget constraints.
Major General Babatunde Alaya, head of the state-owned Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), said collaboration with Terra Industries was necessary given troop casualties caused by hidden explosives and roadside bombs.
DICON has long been central to Nigeria’s ambition to produce more of its own defence equipment, but progress has historically been slow. Partnerships with private firms are increasingly seen as a faster route to innovation and scale.
Terra Industries has also announced plans to expand beyond Nigeria, including a manufacturing facility in Ghana, signalling ambitions to serve a wider African market and position itself in the region’s growing security technology industry.
As it is, defense innovation is no longer dominated only by global arms giants. Smaller local firms are beginning to compete in markets shaped by speed, adaptability and lower-cost technology.
By Ayodeji Adegboyega, Business Insider Africa
Friday, March 27, 2026
Semiconductor shortages reshape tech use in Nigeria
Global demand for AI is straining semiconductor supplies, driving up prices for smartphones, laptops, and smart devices. In Nigeria, this is already altering how people buy and use mobile technology.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Nigeria’s $150m Suit Against Google, GoDaddy.com Adjourns
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned the 150 million dollars suit filed by a Nigerian, Chianugo Peter, against Google LLC and GoDaddy.com LLC until April 22 for hearing.
The case, which was before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, could not proceed due to the judge’s absence in today’s proceedings.
Although Peter’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ekpenyong, and Mark Mordi, who is counsel to Google LLC, were in court, Justice Egwuatu was said to be in another official assignment.
The matter was consequently fixed for April 22 for hearing.
Peter had filed the suit over allegations bordering on the shutdown of his YouTubeAudio.com domain name after eight years of promotional and marketing efforts in breach of the contract.
Peter, through his lawyer, named GoDaddy.Com LLC and Google LLC as the 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit filed on April 14, 2023 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023.
In his earlier originating summons filed by Ekpenyong of the law firm of Fred-Young & Evans LP, the Nigerian sought a $150 million in compensation from Google LLC and GoDaddy.com LLC for the alleged cyberspace contract breach.
The plaintiff alleged that the defendants shut down his domain and business name: YouTubeAudio.com and transferred the rights over the name to Google LLC, an American multinational technology company.
Google LLC, in its initial statement of defence dated Nov. 9, 2023, and filed Nov. 10, 2023, by its lawyer, Mr Mordi, SAN, of the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode, urged the court to dismiss Peter’s suit as being unmeritorious and lacking in merits.
Justice Egwuatu had, in April 2024, gave the plaintiff go-ahead to amend his originating processes after his lawyer moved the application for same and it was not opposed by the defence counsel.
In his amended statement of claim dated April 29, 2024, Peter sought ten reliefs.
He sought a declaration that GoDaddy.com was wrong to shut down the YouTubeAudio.com domain name on Dec. 7, 2022 and that Google was wrong to remove “YTAudio” with its website youtubeaudio.com from its Google PlayStore on Dec. 25, 2023 without adequate compensation to him.
He said this is notwithstanding that YouTubeAudio.com domain and business name is different and distinct from YouTube trademarks.
He wants the court to declare that he is entitled to compensation from the defendants for the loss of the YouTubeAudio.com brand and goodwill which has accrued on the brand and domain name for eight years of promotional and marketing works from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.
He sought an order directing the defendants to pay the sum of $50 million to him for promotional and marketing works on the YouTube Audio business name and YouTube Audio.com domain name for eight years from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.
He sought a $100 million in damages for loss of anticipated profits associated with the brand equity and goodwill of YouTube Audio and YouTube Audio.com domain name.
Peter also sought from the defendants the sum of 50 million naira to enable him to carry out fresh registrations of its new name and secure an alternative domain name to host its application to attract users.
The Nigerian sought an order directing the defendants to pay the sum of 10 million naira to him for prosecution of the suit.
Alternatively, Peter prayed the court for an order for GoDaddy.com to reinstate and hoist the YouTubeAudio.com domain name which was shut down on Dec. 7, 2022 and for Goggle to also reinstate YouTubeAudio.com on its Google PlayStore platform which was unilaterally removed on Dec. 25, 2023.
He submitted that he acquired rights over YouTubeAudio.com domain name from Go Daddy.com LLC who conducted a search before confirming that he could make use of the name.
The plaintiff averred that he promoted the domain and business name from 2014 to 2022 and even wrote to Google to introduce YouTubeAudio’s services and to partner with it in 2014 and 2021 but received no response from it on both occasions.
He said in February 2021, he applied for and YouTubeAudio.com was registered on Google Adsense platform for displaying advertisements on the website.
Besides, Peter said in August 2021, the domain and business name was registered on Google Playstore.
According to him, the plaintiff consistently paid GoDaddy.com LLC for registration and use of the domain name from 2015 to 2022.
But Google LLC, in its amended statement of defence and counterclaim dated and filed May 31, 2024, averred that its registration of the YOUTUBE trademarks at the Trademarks Registry gives it the exclusive right to the use of the said trademarks.
It submitted that it has incurred expenses in the sum of 24,040 64 dollars in dealing with Peter’s “deliberate infringement of the counterclaimant’s YOUTUBE trademarks.”
The company, therefore, sought a declaration that Peter’s registration and use of the YouTubeAudio business name with BN 2395035 at the CAC is an infringement of its YOUTUBE registered trademarks.
It prayed the court for an order directing Peter to pay the company the total sum of $24,040.64, being the expenses incurred in dealing with his infringement of the YOUTUBE registered trademarks.
It equally sought an order directing the plaintiff to pay the company the cost of defending the suit.
In his amended reply to Google’s amended statement of defence dated 12th July 2024, Peter responded that it is not in doubt that Google LLC owns YouTube trademarks; however, YouTubeAudio is distinct and different from YouTube trademarks.
He submitted that Google LLC, being a foremost search engine in the world, knew that he had earlier written to it, that he was making use of the YouTubeAudio domain name for the past eight years without any objection or caveat by either GoDaddy.com or Google.
“Hence, Google LLC is estopped from claiming any right over the YouTubeAudio domain name,” he said. GoDaddy.com LLC had neither filed any process nor represented in court Nigeria’s Air Cargo Reforms Crucial for AfCFTA Gains-Centre.
The case, which was before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, could not proceed due to the judge’s absence in today’s proceedings.
Although Peter’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ekpenyong, and Mark Mordi, who is counsel to Google LLC, were in court, Justice Egwuatu was said to be in another official assignment.
The matter was consequently fixed for April 22 for hearing.
Peter had filed the suit over allegations bordering on the shutdown of his YouTubeAudio.com domain name after eight years of promotional and marketing efforts in breach of the contract.
Peter, through his lawyer, named GoDaddy.Com LLC and Google LLC as the 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit filed on April 14, 2023 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023.
In his earlier originating summons filed by Ekpenyong of the law firm of Fred-Young & Evans LP, the Nigerian sought a $150 million in compensation from Google LLC and GoDaddy.com LLC for the alleged cyberspace contract breach.
The plaintiff alleged that the defendants shut down his domain and business name: YouTubeAudio.com and transferred the rights over the name to Google LLC, an American multinational technology company.
Google LLC, in its initial statement of defence dated Nov. 9, 2023, and filed Nov. 10, 2023, by its lawyer, Mr Mordi, SAN, of the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode, urged the court to dismiss Peter’s suit as being unmeritorious and lacking in merits.
Justice Egwuatu had, in April 2024, gave the plaintiff go-ahead to amend his originating processes after his lawyer moved the application for same and it was not opposed by the defence counsel.
In his amended statement of claim dated April 29, 2024, Peter sought ten reliefs.
He sought a declaration that GoDaddy.com was wrong to shut down the YouTubeAudio.com domain name on Dec. 7, 2022 and that Google was wrong to remove “YTAudio” with its website youtubeaudio.com from its Google PlayStore on Dec. 25, 2023 without adequate compensation to him.
He said this is notwithstanding that YouTubeAudio.com domain and business name is different and distinct from YouTube trademarks.
He wants the court to declare that he is entitled to compensation from the defendants for the loss of the YouTubeAudio.com brand and goodwill which has accrued on the brand and domain name for eight years of promotional and marketing works from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.
He sought an order directing the defendants to pay the sum of $50 million to him for promotional and marketing works on the YouTube Audio business name and YouTube Audio.com domain name for eight years from July 2, 2015 to Dec. 7, 2022.
He sought a $100 million in damages for loss of anticipated profits associated with the brand equity and goodwill of YouTube Audio and YouTube Audio.com domain name.
Peter also sought from the defendants the sum of 50 million naira to enable him to carry out fresh registrations of its new name and secure an alternative domain name to host its application to attract users.
The Nigerian sought an order directing the defendants to pay the sum of 10 million naira to him for prosecution of the suit.
Alternatively, Peter prayed the court for an order for GoDaddy.com to reinstate and hoist the YouTubeAudio.com domain name which was shut down on Dec. 7, 2022 and for Goggle to also reinstate YouTubeAudio.com on its Google PlayStore platform which was unilaterally removed on Dec. 25, 2023.
He submitted that he acquired rights over YouTubeAudio.com domain name from Go Daddy.com LLC who conducted a search before confirming that he could make use of the name.
The plaintiff averred that he promoted the domain and business name from 2014 to 2022 and even wrote to Google to introduce YouTubeAudio’s services and to partner with it in 2014 and 2021 but received no response from it on both occasions.
He said in February 2021, he applied for and YouTubeAudio.com was registered on Google Adsense platform for displaying advertisements on the website.
Besides, Peter said in August 2021, the domain and business name was registered on Google Playstore.
According to him, the plaintiff consistently paid GoDaddy.com LLC for registration and use of the domain name from 2015 to 2022.
But Google LLC, in its amended statement of defence and counterclaim dated and filed May 31, 2024, averred that its registration of the YOUTUBE trademarks at the Trademarks Registry gives it the exclusive right to the use of the said trademarks.
It submitted that it has incurred expenses in the sum of 24,040 64 dollars in dealing with Peter’s “deliberate infringement of the counterclaimant’s YOUTUBE trademarks.”
The company, therefore, sought a declaration that Peter’s registration and use of the YouTubeAudio business name with BN 2395035 at the CAC is an infringement of its YOUTUBE registered trademarks.
It prayed the court for an order directing Peter to pay the company the total sum of $24,040.64, being the expenses incurred in dealing with his infringement of the YOUTUBE registered trademarks.
It equally sought an order directing the plaintiff to pay the company the cost of defending the suit.
In his amended reply to Google’s amended statement of defence dated 12th July 2024, Peter responded that it is not in doubt that Google LLC owns YouTube trademarks; however, YouTubeAudio is distinct and different from YouTube trademarks.
He submitted that Google LLC, being a foremost search engine in the world, knew that he had earlier written to it, that he was making use of the YouTubeAudio domain name for the past eight years without any objection or caveat by either GoDaddy.com or Google.
“Hence, Google LLC is estopped from claiming any right over the YouTubeAudio domain name,” he said. GoDaddy.com LLC had neither filed any process nor represented in court Nigeria’s Air Cargo Reforms Crucial for AfCFTA Gains-Centre.
By Julius Alagbe, Market Forces Africa
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Nigeria opens probe into Temu over suspected data protection breaches
Nigeria's data watchdog has opened a probe into Chinese-owned e-commerce giant Temu for suspected data-law violations, the regulator said on Tuesday, a move that could usher in legal penalties in one of Africa's biggest markets.
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) said concerns over Temu's data-processing practices - including online surveillance, opaque handling, cross-border transfers and possible breaches of data-minimisation rules, triggered the investigation.
The move comes amid rising global scrutiny of Temu's rapid expansion.
NDPC chief Vincent Olatunji ordered the probe and warned that processors could be held liable for any non-compliance.
The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Last year, the agency fined Multichoice Nigeria, Africa's largest pay-TV operator, 766 million naira ($565,990) for breaching data-protection rules.
Temu handles the personal data of about 12.7 million Nigerians and around 70 million daily users globally, the NDPC said in a statement.
Temu, owned by Nasdaq-listed PDD Holdings, has expanded rapidly in Nigeria with an app-driven marketplace offering steep discounts on fashion, electronics and household goods.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) said concerns over Temu's data-processing practices - including online surveillance, opaque handling, cross-border transfers and possible breaches of data-minimisation rules, triggered the investigation.
The move comes amid rising global scrutiny of Temu's rapid expansion.
NDPC chief Vincent Olatunji ordered the probe and warned that processors could be held liable for any non-compliance.
The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Last year, the agency fined Multichoice Nigeria, Africa's largest pay-TV operator, 766 million naira ($565,990) for breaching data-protection rules.
Temu handles the personal data of about 12.7 million Nigerians and around 70 million daily users globally, the NDPC said in a statement.
Temu, owned by Nasdaq-listed PDD Holdings, has expanded rapidly in Nigeria with an app-driven marketplace offering steep discounts on fashion, electronics and household goods.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Nigeria slips to 85th in global internet speed rankings as peers pull ahead
Nigeria’s expanding internet access is no longer translating into better online performance, as the country slipped to 85th place globally in internet speed, underscoring growing infrastructure pressure and a widening digital gap with regional peers.
According to the latest Speedtest Global Index by US-based research firm Ookla, Nigeria’s median mobile download speed stood at 44.14 Mbps by December 2025, down seven places from the previous ranking.
The report, which assessed mobile and fixed broadband performance across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), shows that while more Nigerians are online, network quality is struggling to keep pace with demand.
Within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), only three countries made the global top-100 list: South Africa (64th), Kenya (80th), and Nigeria (85th). South Africa retained its regional lead despite dropping five places globally, posting a median mobile download speed of 65.7 Mbps, while Kenya recorded 45.37 Mbps.
The results highlight a growing contrast across the region. While Nigeria continues to face infrastructure bottlenecks, other African markets are making sharper gains through fibre expansion and network modernisation. Côte d’Ivoire, for instance, recorded the biggest improvement in SSA, climbing to 103rd globally with a median download speed of 58.17 Mbps, despite relatively low fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) coverage of between 15 percent and 19 per cent, according to Omdia.
Ookla noted that Côte d’Ivoire’s performance may be boosted by a user base concentrated on higher-speed connections, supported by competitive offerings such as Orange’s entry-level fixed broadband packages starting at 50 Mbps.
Elsewhere, Mauritania posted the largest ranking jump in SSA, rising 24 places to 106th globally after expanding its national backbone with 5,500 kilometres of fibre, with plans to add another 8,000 kilometres under its Digital Agenda 2022–2025.
Six SSA countries now rank within the global top-120, reflecting uneven but accelerating infrastructure investment across the continent.
South Africa remains unique in the region for its widespread use of wholesale-only fibre-to-the-premises networks, a model analysts say has helped improve competition and service quality.
Ookla said improvements in both fixed and mobile network performance typically result from a mix of network optimisation, architecture modernisation, technology upgrades, fibre expansion, commercial migration to higher-speed plans, quality-of-service regulation, and strategic policy support from governments and regulators.
While Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries continue to dominate the MEA rankings, Nigeria’s slide signals a more urgent challenge, in that, without faster, more resilient networks, gains in internet penetration risk delivering diminishing economic returns, especially for digital services, fintech, remote work, and online education.
For Africa’s largest internet market, the message is that connecting more users is no longer enough, speed now matters just as much.
By Royal Ibeh, Business Day
According to the latest Speedtest Global Index by US-based research firm Ookla, Nigeria’s median mobile download speed stood at 44.14 Mbps by December 2025, down seven places from the previous ranking.
The report, which assessed mobile and fixed broadband performance across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), shows that while more Nigerians are online, network quality is struggling to keep pace with demand.
Within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), only three countries made the global top-100 list: South Africa (64th), Kenya (80th), and Nigeria (85th). South Africa retained its regional lead despite dropping five places globally, posting a median mobile download speed of 65.7 Mbps, while Kenya recorded 45.37 Mbps.
The results highlight a growing contrast across the region. While Nigeria continues to face infrastructure bottlenecks, other African markets are making sharper gains through fibre expansion and network modernisation. Côte d’Ivoire, for instance, recorded the biggest improvement in SSA, climbing to 103rd globally with a median download speed of 58.17 Mbps, despite relatively low fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) coverage of between 15 percent and 19 per cent, according to Omdia.
Ookla noted that Côte d’Ivoire’s performance may be boosted by a user base concentrated on higher-speed connections, supported by competitive offerings such as Orange’s entry-level fixed broadband packages starting at 50 Mbps.
Elsewhere, Mauritania posted the largest ranking jump in SSA, rising 24 places to 106th globally after expanding its national backbone with 5,500 kilometres of fibre, with plans to add another 8,000 kilometres under its Digital Agenda 2022–2025.
Six SSA countries now rank within the global top-120, reflecting uneven but accelerating infrastructure investment across the continent.
South Africa remains unique in the region for its widespread use of wholesale-only fibre-to-the-premises networks, a model analysts say has helped improve competition and service quality.
Ookla said improvements in both fixed and mobile network performance typically result from a mix of network optimisation, architecture modernisation, technology upgrades, fibre expansion, commercial migration to higher-speed plans, quality-of-service regulation, and strategic policy support from governments and regulators.
While Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries continue to dominate the MEA rankings, Nigeria’s slide signals a more urgent challenge, in that, without faster, more resilient networks, gains in internet penetration risk delivering diminishing economic returns, especially for digital services, fintech, remote work, and online education.
For Africa’s largest internet market, the message is that connecting more users is no longer enough, speed now matters just as much.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Nigeria signs deal with South Korea to launch Africa’s first electric vehicle factory
Nigeria has taken a major step toward establishing a domestic electric vehicle (EV) industry after signing an agreement with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee (AEDC) to establish what officials are calling Africa’s first EV manufacturing plant.
The agreement, signed on January 30, 2025, by Minister of State for Industry Senator John Enoh for Nigeria and AEDC Chairman Yoon Suk-hun for South Korea, marks a major step in the country’s push to localize vehicle production and green technology adoption.
According to a statement posted on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC),
“On January 30, 2026, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through Senator John Enoh, Hon. Minister of State for Industry at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee (AEDC) to establish an Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant and develop critical charging infrastructure nationwide. This landmark collaboration aligns strongly with Nigeria’s National Energy Transition Plan (ETP) and National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).”
The agreement, signed on January 30, 2025, by Minister of State for Industry Senator John Enoh for Nigeria and AEDC Chairman Yoon Suk-hun for South Korea, marks a major step in the country’s push to localize vehicle production and green technology adoption.
According to a statement posted on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC),
“On January 30, 2026, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through Senator John Enoh, Hon. Minister of State for Industry at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee (AEDC) to establish an Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant and develop critical charging infrastructure nationwide. This landmark collaboration aligns strongly with Nigeria’s National Energy Transition Plan (ETP) and National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).”
Phased Approach and Production Targets
The project will be implemented in phases, beginning with EV assembly and later expanding into full in-house production.
Once fully operational, the plant is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles annually and create approximately 10,000 jobs, according to the NADDC.
The project will be implemented in phases, beginning with EV assembly and later expanding into full in-house production.
Once fully operational, the plant is expected to produce 300,000 vehicles annually and create approximately 10,000 jobs, according to the NADDC.
Government Initiatives to Support EV Adoption
Nigeria’s automotive sector faces structural challenges, including limited local component production, high assembly costs, and heavy reliance on imports.
The country imports between 400,000 and 720,000 vehicles annually, with 74–90% being used cars.
In 2023, imports reached 700,000 units, with passenger cars valued at $1.05 billion in 2024, making Nigeria one of the world’s largest markets for pre-owned vehicles.
To promote electric mobility, the federal government launched a 20 billion naira ($12 million) consumer credit program in December 2024.
The scheme supports the purchase of locally assembled electric vehicles, motorcycles, and tricycles, partnering with domestic manufacturers including Innoson, Nord, CIG (GAC), PAN, Mikano, Jets, NEV (Electric), and DAG to expand access and foster the growth of a homegrown EV industry.
Nigeria’s automotive sector faces structural challenges, including limited local component production, high assembly costs, and heavy reliance on imports.
The country imports between 400,000 and 720,000 vehicles annually, with 74–90% being used cars.
In 2023, imports reached 700,000 units, with passenger cars valued at $1.05 billion in 2024, making Nigeria one of the world’s largest markets for pre-owned vehicles.
To promote electric mobility, the federal government launched a 20 billion naira ($12 million) consumer credit program in December 2024.
The scheme supports the purchase of locally assembled electric vehicles, motorcycles, and tricycles, partnering with domestic manufacturers including Innoson, Nord, CIG (GAC), PAN, Mikano, Jets, NEV (Electric), and DAG to expand access and foster the growth of a homegrown EV industry.
Previous EV Efforts
Earlier EV initiatives in Nigeria, like the NASENI–Israeli/Japanese collaboration in 2022 or the December 2025 partnership with the Chinese firm, were pilot projects or partial assembly efforts and did not reach full-scale production.
The new AEDC-backed plant is explicitly designed to be the continent’s first large-scale EV production facility, including assembly, manufacturing, and supporting infrastructure such as nationwide charging networks.
Earlier EV initiatives in Nigeria, like the NASENI–Israeli/Japanese collaboration in 2022 or the December 2025 partnership with the Chinese firm, were pilot projects or partial assembly efforts and did not reach full-scale production.
The new AEDC-backed plant is explicitly designed to be the continent’s first large-scale EV production facility, including assembly, manufacturing, and supporting infrastructure such as nationwide charging networks.
Regional Context and Opportunities
Across Africa, electric vehicle adoption is growing but remains limited. According to EV24, the continent had over 30,000 EVs in use by mid‑2025, accounting for less than 1 percent of total vehicle sales.
Ethiopia leads with about 100,000 EVs, followed by Ghana with 17,000, Morocco with 10,000, South Africa with 6,000, Egypt with 3,500–4,000, and Kenya with nearly 3,800.
Most EVs are motorcycles or commercial vehicles, and adoption is constrained by high costs and limited charging infrastructure.
Nigeria’s agreement with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee to build Africa’s first full-scale EV plant highlights its ambition to move beyond assembly toward a sustainable domestic EV industry.
Across Africa, electric vehicle adoption is growing but remains limited. According to EV24, the continent had over 30,000 EVs in use by mid‑2025, accounting for less than 1 percent of total vehicle sales.
Ethiopia leads with about 100,000 EVs, followed by Ghana with 17,000, Morocco with 10,000, South Africa with 6,000, Egypt with 3,500–4,000, and Kenya with nearly 3,800.
Most EVs are motorcycles or commercial vehicles, and adoption is constrained by high costs and limited charging infrastructure.
Nigeria’s agreement with South Korea’s Asia Economic Development Committee to build Africa’s first full-scale EV plant highlights its ambition to move beyond assembly toward a sustainable domestic EV industry.
By Olamilekan Okebiorun, Business Insider Africa
Monday, February 2, 2026
Nigeria technology summit showcases tech-driven innovations for real-world challenges
At Tech Revolution Africa in Lagos, founders and companies showcased solutions already tackling real problems, shifting the continent’s tech conversation from ambition to execution.
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
PayPal Goes Live In Nigeria Through Paga, Enabling Global Payments And Local Withdrawals
Paga, Nigeria’s pioneering fintech company, and PayPal, the global payments and commerce platform, today announced the availability of live account linking for customers in Nigeria. The integration enables users to access PayPal-supported cross-border payments directly through Paga’s digital wallet, allowing them to receive international payments and withdraw funds locally in Naira.
With this integration, users in Nigeria can link their PayPal accounts directly to their Paga wallets to receive cross-border payments from PayPal supported markets, shop with global PayPal merchants, and access their funds locally. The service also enables Nigerian merchants and entrepreneurs to reach PayPal’s global network of over 400 million users worldwide, and grow their businesses internationally.
Through Paga, users can easily access their PayPal balances and withdraw funds across everyday financial needs, including spending via card, transferring to local bank accounts, or paying bills and merchants within the Paga ecosystem, providing a seamless bridge between global earnings and local use. The collaboration strengthens Nigeria’s financial services ecosystem by promoting cross-border commerce, empowering merchants and small business growth, and supporting the country’s digital economic infrastructure.
“We are proud to make this integration live and available to users across Nigeria,” said Tayo Oviosu, Founder and Group CEO of Paga. “Whether you’re a freelancer receiving international payments, a business selling online, or a consumer shopping globally, this collaboration makes it easier to access and use global funds locally, in a way that’s simple, secure, and built for our markets.”
“We’ve been intentional about partnering with local innovators like Paga and developing solutions that help Nigerians earn, spend, and grow,” said Otto Williams, Senior Vice President, Regional Head and General Manager of PayPal Middle East and Africa. “This collaboration helps strengthen the broader payments ecosystem by supporting local innovation, expanding financial inclusion, and enabling more consumers and businesses to participate confidently in the digital economy.”
Nigeria’s digital payments market continues to expand rapidly, with transaction values reaching ₦657.8 trillion in 2023 and more than 30 million active mobile wallet users (Novatia Consulting, 2024). With over 21 million users and a fast-growing API infrastructure, Paga is uniquely positioned to scale PayPal’s services to both consumers and businesses across the country, leveraging its local settlement network, digital wallet, and Visa card integrations positioning it as a secure and trusted local partner for cross-border digital payments.
To access PayPal services through Paga, users can log in to the Paga app or www.paga.com, link their PayPal account, and start receiving international payments into their Paga wallet and use those funds to pay bills, transfer to bank accounts, or shop online.
With this integration, users in Nigeria can link their PayPal accounts directly to their Paga wallets to receive cross-border payments from PayPal supported markets, shop with global PayPal merchants, and access their funds locally. The service also enables Nigerian merchants and entrepreneurs to reach PayPal’s global network of over 400 million users worldwide, and grow their businesses internationally.
Through Paga, users can easily access their PayPal balances and withdraw funds across everyday financial needs, including spending via card, transferring to local bank accounts, or paying bills and merchants within the Paga ecosystem, providing a seamless bridge between global earnings and local use. The collaboration strengthens Nigeria’s financial services ecosystem by promoting cross-border commerce, empowering merchants and small business growth, and supporting the country’s digital economic infrastructure.
“We are proud to make this integration live and available to users across Nigeria,” said Tayo Oviosu, Founder and Group CEO of Paga. “Whether you’re a freelancer receiving international payments, a business selling online, or a consumer shopping globally, this collaboration makes it easier to access and use global funds locally, in a way that’s simple, secure, and built for our markets.”
“We’ve been intentional about partnering with local innovators like Paga and developing solutions that help Nigerians earn, spend, and grow,” said Otto Williams, Senior Vice President, Regional Head and General Manager of PayPal Middle East and Africa. “This collaboration helps strengthen the broader payments ecosystem by supporting local innovation, expanding financial inclusion, and enabling more consumers and businesses to participate confidently in the digital economy.”
Nigeria’s digital payments market continues to expand rapidly, with transaction values reaching ₦657.8 trillion in 2023 and more than 30 million active mobile wallet users (Novatia Consulting, 2024). With over 21 million users and a fast-growing API infrastructure, Paga is uniquely positioned to scale PayPal’s services to both consumers and businesses across the country, leveraging its local settlement network, digital wallet, and Visa card integrations positioning it as a secure and trusted local partner for cross-border digital payments.
To access PayPal services through Paga, users can log in to the Paga app or www.paga.com, link their PayPal account, and start receiving international payments into their Paga wallet and use those funds to pay bills, transfer to bank accounts, or shop online.
By Grace Ashiru, Tech In Africa
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Google report: Nigeria leading in global AI adoption for learning, entrepreneurship
A new report by Google and Ipsos has revealed that Nigeria is leading in global adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in learning, work and entrepreneurship.
This is contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday by Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa.
Kola-Ogunlade said the report titled: ”Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People”, showed that Nigerians are embracing AI tools at an exceptional rate and are highly optimistic about the technology’s future.
According to the report, 88 per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, representing an 18 point increase from 2024 and significantly higher than the global average of 62 per cent.
“It is inspiring to see how Nigerians are creatively and purposefully using AI to unlock opportunities for learning, growth and economic empowerment.
“This report goes beyond high adoption rates; it tells the story of a nation actively shaping its future with technology,” he said.
Kola-Ogunlade added that the report findings showed that AI had become a major tool for learning and professional development in Nigeria.
He said that 93 per cent of users rely on it to understand complex topics, compared to 74 per cent globally, and 91 per cent of Nigerians used AI to assist with their work.
Kola-Ogunlade said that the report also indicated that 80 per cent of Nigerians applied it to explore new business ideas or career changes almost double the global average of 42 per cent.
“The report highlighted strong optimism about AI’s role in education, with 91 per cent of Nigerians believing it has a positive impact on learning and access to information, compared to 65 per cent globally.”
According to Kola-Ogunlade, the report shows that 95 per cent of respondents believe university students and educators will benefit from AI tools.
He said Nigerians are significantly more optimistic about AI than their global counterparts, with 80 per cent expressing excitement about its possibilities, against 20 per cent who are concerned.
“This excitement rises to 90 per cent among Nigerians who use AI frequently in their daily lives,” he said.
This is contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday by Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa.
Kola-Ogunlade said the report titled: ”Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People”, showed that Nigerians are embracing AI tools at an exceptional rate and are highly optimistic about the technology’s future.
According to the report, 88 per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, representing an 18 point increase from 2024 and significantly higher than the global average of 62 per cent.
“It is inspiring to see how Nigerians are creatively and purposefully using AI to unlock opportunities for learning, growth and economic empowerment.
“This report goes beyond high adoption rates; it tells the story of a nation actively shaping its future with technology,” he said.
Kola-Ogunlade added that the report findings showed that AI had become a major tool for learning and professional development in Nigeria.
He said that 93 per cent of users rely on it to understand complex topics, compared to 74 per cent globally, and 91 per cent of Nigerians used AI to assist with their work.
Kola-Ogunlade said that the report also indicated that 80 per cent of Nigerians applied it to explore new business ideas or career changes almost double the global average of 42 per cent.
“The report highlighted strong optimism about AI’s role in education, with 91 per cent of Nigerians believing it has a positive impact on learning and access to information, compared to 65 per cent globally.”
According to Kola-Ogunlade, the report shows that 95 per cent of respondents believe university students and educators will benefit from AI tools.
He said Nigerians are significantly more optimistic about AI than their global counterparts, with 80 per cent expressing excitement about its possibilities, against 20 per cent who are concerned.
“This excitement rises to 90 per cent among Nigerians who use AI frequently in their daily lives,” he said.
Thursday, January 15, 2026
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