Author: Jessica Adiele

Pinterest has announced plans to lay off nearly 15% of its global workforce as it restructures operations to free up resources for artificial intelligence (AI) development. In a regulatory filing released on Tuesday, the company said the job cuts are part of a broader effort to reduce office space costs…

The Lagos State Government has announced a strategic partnership with MTN Nigeria to redevelop the Obalende under-bridge into a modern, secure, and sustainable transport hub. The facility, to be named Y’ELLO Bus Park, will integrate solar-powered lighting, CCTV surveillance, a regulated transport terminal, and commuter-focused amenities designed to improve both…

The European Union has officially classified WhatsApp as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under its Digital Services Act (DSA), intensifying regulatory scrutiny on the messaging app. The designation follows WhatsApp’s rapid growth in the EU, where the platform now records over 51 million monthly active users—surpassing the 45 million…

Zest Payments Limited, a Nigerian fintech company, is helping strengthen this foundation through a strategic collaboration with Huawei Cloud, aimed at delivering secure, scalable, and compliant payment services nationwide. As Nigeria’s digital economy gathers momentum, reliable payment infrastructure has become a cornerstone of business growth. From micro-merchants and SMEs to…

After nearly two decades of restrictions that prevented Nigerians from receiving PayPal payments, the global payments company has enabled inbound transactions in Nigeria through a partnership with local fintech firm Paga. The announcement was disclosed by Paga’s founder and Group CEO, Tayo Oviosu, who described the partnership as the culmination…

Meta is preparing to test paid subscription plans across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, as the company looks to unlock new revenue streams beyond advertising. The company confirmed the plans on Monday, noting that the subscriptions will offer users access to exclusive features, expanded AI tools, and enhanced creative and productivity…

Egypt has begun the legislative process to restrict young teenagers’ access to social media platforms, citing growing concerns about online safety, harmful content, and what lawmakers describe as “digital chaos.” In a statement released on Sunday, the Egyptian Parliament confirmed that consultations are underway to regulate children’s use of social…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has upgraded the licenses of leading fintechs and microfinance banks (MFBs) to full national status, recognizing their operations across the country. Companies included in the upgrade are Opay, Moniepoint, Kuda Bank, PalmPay, among others. The move aligns the legal status of these institutions with…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved a ₦250,000 administrative fee for applicants seeking Interim Service Authorization (ISA), under its newly introduced General Authorization Framework. The fee applies to startups and other telecom innovators looking to test new services in Nigeria’s telecommunications market before full commercial launch. The requirement was…

Mobile network operators MTN and Airtel are estimated to have lost about $7 million in data revenue following a series of internet shutdowns in Uganda, underscoring the growing economic cost of digital restrictions in African markets. According to a report by CEO EastAfrica Media, a four-day nationwide internet shutdown wiped…

Substack, a platform best known for its newsletter-driven creator economy, is expanding its ambitions beyond the written word with the launch of a new TV app for Apple TV and Google TV. The move marks a significant step in the company’s gradual pivot toward video and livestreaming, positioning Substack more…

MTN Nigeria has disclosed that it recorded 9,218 fibre cut incidents and 211 cases of site vandalism in 2025, disruptions that significantly affected network performance and customer experience across the country. The figures were shared by MTN Nigeria CEO and Managing Director, Karl Toriola, in a year-in-review post titled “MTN…

YouTube is preparing to allow creators to produce Shorts using AI-generated versions of their own likeness, as the platform deepens its push into artificial intelligence–powered creation tools. The announcement was made by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan in his annual letter, where he outlined new AI capabilities set to roll out…

Adobe is continuing its push to embed artificial intelligence across its product suite, rolling out new AI-powered features in Acrobat that allow users to edit documents with natural language prompts, generate presentations, and create podcast-style summaries from files. The latest updates deepen Acrobat’s role beyond document viewing and annotation, positioning…

Meta has begun rolling out advertising on Threads to users worldwide, marking a major step in the platform’s monetization as it scales toward mainstream adoption. The global expansion, announced on Wednesday, will start next week and roll out gradually, with Meta noting that it could take several months before ads…

Nigeria’s consumer protection regulator, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has begun removing defaulting digital loan apps from its list of approved operators after they failed to meet a January 5 deadline to regularize their operations. According to the commission, the affected platforms did not complete registration under…

Fintech startup OneDosh has raised $3 million in pre-seed funding to develop a stablecoin-powered payments infrastructure aimed at enabling seamless cross-border money transfers. The funding marks a significant early milestone for the company as it positions itself to address longstanding inefficiencies in global payments and lay the foundation for borderless…

The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have announced a joint investment of $50 million to support AI-driven healthcare interventions in Africa. The initiative, named Horizon1000, will begin in Rwanda and aims to improve health systems by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into primary care delivery. Using AI to Expand Access to Quality…

As YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram dominate mobile video consumption, Netflix is rethinking its mobile app to better compete for daily attention. During its fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, the streaming giant announced plans to revamp its mobile platform and expand its short-form video features, positioning the app to drive both…

Unity Bank has rolled out a new version of its mobile banking application, Unifi, introducing enhanced security features and faster payment options as it deepens its focus on digital banking. The update, Unifi version 2.3, improves how customers send money, pay bills, and complete everyday transactions, while strengthening protection around…