Author: Jessica Adiele

To promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Ecobank Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Google Cloud. It is hoped the partnership will improve customer experience, increase operational efficiency and help foster a data-led culture at the bank’s 35 countries offices. It’s a clever idea, at least from…

Instagram has quietly rolled out a feature that music lovers, influencers, and content creators have been asking for: playable Spotify snippets directly in Stories. Prior to this time, sharing a song on Instagram through Spotify necessitated the use of identifying visual sticker linked to the track, but without any audio…

The satellite internet revolution appears unstoppable, until development slows. In Kenya, Starlink’s user base dropped from around 19,400 in December 2024 to approximately 17,500 by March 2025—a roughly 10% decline. As someone who closely tracks tech trends in emerging markets, this dip raises questions: is this a temporary slowdown or…

If we are to be honest, Nigeria doesn’t have a reliable internet connection at all. Whether you’re deep in a rural community, battling spotty mobile data in the city, or simply trying to conserve battery, USSD codes remain one of the most underrated tools for financial and mobile transactions. Yet,…

I have never been more frustrated than when my smartphone was charged to 100% full, but then came down to 30% in less than a few hours. It’s unlikely that smartphone batteries would have kept pace with the technology used today, given the intense dependence on mobile devices in our…

When faced with the challenges of a rapidly evolving digital economy, inclusion is often dismissed as an important topic. But HP Nigeria just flipped the script. Two Nigerian nonprofits, She Code Africa and Slum2School Africa, have received $400,000 in support from the company’s Digital Equity Accelerator, with half of it…

The act of waiting in line at the bank for essential financial transactions as a Nigerian resident is not only time-wasting but also means missing out on one of Africa’s most transformative finance. Millions are using mobile payment platforms like OPay, PalmPay or Moniepoint which has revolutionized the way people…

Mobile data is not only a commodity but also carries the weight of life for millions of mobile-first users in Africa. Due to escalating data expenses and fluctuating internet connectivity, accessing content-heavy platforms like TikTok, YouTuber, and Instagram can be quite expensive. These apps are centred around video and visuals,…

West African mining companies are facing a unique challenge as gold prices have hit record highs of over $3,300 per ounce, leaving investors and governments wary. The resurgence of illegal mining activities, commonly known as “wildcat mining,” on commercial concessions in Ghana, Guinea, and Burkina Faso has been caused by…

I have been following Apple’s AI plan for a while, and it has been like reading narrated stories with heightened excitement, as they reveal unexpected details. Reports from Reuters and Bloomberg have revealed that Adrian Perica, the M&A head for Apple, have considered acquiring Perplexity AI, a startup that is…

Last week in Johannesburg, Lenovo’s Accelerate 2025 event was more than just a showcase of technology; it was also an opportunity to promote Africa as the future of AI. The message conveyed was that advanced AI-enabled systems, which are built on collaboration, inclusion and practicality, are now indispensable. The phrase…

Huawei made a strong comeback at MWC Shanghai 2025 with showcasing both its innovation and strategic capabilities. The next frontier of intelligent connectivity is being championed by the Chinese tech giant, with a focus on 5G-Advanced (known as 5 G-A) and scenario-based AI applications. It was more than a technical…

On June 16, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defence officially awarded OpenAI its first-ever defence contract, potentially worth up to $200 million, under a prototype program  with the aim of developing advanced artificial intelligence capabilities for military and enterprise use. Silicon Valley’s involvement with national security systems is being reintroduced…

Vocadom has committed to addressing the digital divide in KwaZulu-Natal by investing R100 million to enhance its network infrastructure. Some of the province’s poorest areas, such as remote villages without mobile coverage or due to severe weather conditions, will be covered by the allocation of funds to deploy 106 new…

Mastercard has unveiled a new cloud-based connectivity platform, Cloud Edge, that will revolutionize the way fintechs and financial institutions connect with its network. As part of a worldwide rollout, the solution is announced to enable onboarding up to four times faster than conventional setups and tackle critical infrastructure challenges for…

The announcement made on June 12, 2025, revealed that China would eliminate all import duties on exports from the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic ties. By extending the duty-free and quota-less access that was previously reserved for least developed countries (LDCs), middle-income economies like Nigeria, Kenya, South…

OpenAI’s ChatGPT experienced a massive global outage on June 10, 2025, rendering millions of users across different continents unable to access the network. During the early morning hours, reports from the U.S, U.K, Nigeria, Canada, and Australia began pouring in about server crashes, empty chats and slow processing. The ChatGPT…

It is the UK government’s firm resolve to take the country forward on autonomous mobility in a leading manner. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed this June that commercial pilots of fully driverless taxis and shuttle services will start in spring 2026, a year ahead of schedule under the 2024 Automated Vehicles…

Despite the global economic downturn, the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report for 2025 still projects an economic growth rate of 3.6% for Nigeria. This projection is presented at a time when global growth is projected to decrease only to 2.3%, underscoring Nigeria’s status as one of the more…

An agreement has been signed by the ATU and ICANN to speed up the deployment of IPv6 in Africa, marking a significant move towards strengthening the internet’s infrastructure. Africa’s digital transformation is being re-entered with the announcement on June 9. A Strategic Grant to Power IPv6 Transition During the initiative’s…