News Highlights: Over 9,000 applicants competed through a multi-stage process, HackerRank assessments, and physical coding challenges, culminating in the selection of just 20 top engineering graduates. The programme combines hands-on training, real-world engineering exposure, and potential six-month internships, with top performers positioned for full-time roles. Moniepoint Inc. has moved from promise to action in its drive to close Africa’s widening tech talent gap, kicking off the second cohort of its flagship DreamDevs bootcamp after an intensely competitive nationwide selection process. The programme, which attracted more than 9,000 applications following a call issued in January 2026, underscores the scale of interest…
Author: Rommy Imah
Rommy Imah
Rommy Imah is Founder/Editor of Digital Times Nigeria (www.digitaltimesng.com). He has been in active journalism in over two decades with a bias for technology and business reporting. He is particularly passionate about technology and how it can be used to transform human life, businesses and services.
News Highlights: The NDPC has commenced a formal investigation into an alleged data breach involving Sterling Bank and a payment services company, focusing on the scope of the breach and risks to affected individuals. The Commission has also ordered a broader review of organisations that use digital payment systems to ensure compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023. The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched an investigation into an alleged data breach involving Sterling Bank, a payment services company, and other entities, as part of efforts to safeguard personal data and strengthen trust in the country’s digital ecosystem.…
News Highlights: NITDA DG, Kashifu Inuwa, emphasised that Nigeria’s digital transformation depends on strong partnerships between government and startups. FG plans to expand Nigeria’s capabilities through new satellites (NigComSat-2A and 2B), a ₦12 billion research fund, 90,000km of fibre optics, and thousands of telecom towers to boost connectivity and economic growth. The push for Nigeria’s digital transformation took a decisive turn toward collaboration at the Nigerian Satellite Week 2026 in Abuja, where stakeholders were urged to rethink innovation as a shared enterprise rather than a siloed effort. Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, made…
News Highlights: Both NITDA and NIPSS reaffirmed a strategic partnership to align policy, research, and capacity building in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation and strengthening the Orange Economy. NITDA emphasised digital literacy (targeting 70% by 2027), infrastructure, and innovation support, while identifying key challenges: funding gaps, weak IP protection, and ecosystem fragmentation, as critical areas requiring coordinated action. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) have strengthened their collaboration in a renewed push to align policy, innovation, and capacity development toward accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation and expanding the Orange Economy. The…
News Highlights: The NCC has directed Mobile Network Operators to compensate subscribers with airtime credits when Quality of Service (QoS) falls below prescribed standards in specific locations and time frames. The directive shifts regulatory focus from punitive fines to consumer-centered remedies, requiring operators, and in some cases tower infrastructure companies, to invest in network improvements. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to compensate subscribers who experience poor network quality in designated locations, in a move aimed at strengthening consumer protection and accountability in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. The Commission said subscribers should not be made to…
By Vivian Imoh-Ita Across African banking, the conversation is shifting from “inclusion as intent” to “inclusion as performance.” Margin pressure, recapitalisation conversations, digitisation, and tighter risk expectations are forcing a hard question: where will sustainable, low-volatility growth come from in the next cycle? One answer is hiding in plain sight: women-led enterprises, underfunded, underserved, and consistently productive. In Nigeria’s informal economy, where cash flow is real but documentation is uneven, the institutions that win will be the ones that price risk with better signals, distribute at scale, and convert trust into long-term financial relationships. Too often, women’s economic participation is…
News Highlights: Canada and Nigeria are bringing together top technology leaders, innovators, and policymakers in Lagos to forge new commercial partnerships and accelerate collaboration across critical digital sectors. The forum will showcase advanced Canadian technology solutions while creating direct business linkages with Nigerian firms through keynote sessions, partnership-focused panel discussions, etc. The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) at the Deputy High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is set to host a high-level Canada–Nigeria Technology Partnership Forum on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Federal Palace Hotel, bringing together key stakeholders from both countries to accelerate collaboration in the digital economy. The…
News Highlights: LG Electronics has introduced its Smart Dehumidifier in Nigeria to tackle rising humidity during the rainy season, helping protect homes, offices, and commercial spaces from mould, dampness, and poor indoor air quality. The appliance combines Dual Inverter Compressor technology for energy-efficient moisture control, a HEPA H13 filter for cleaner air, quiet operation, and smart remote control via LG ThinQ. LG Electronics has introduced its Smart Dehumidifier to the Nigerian market, positioning it as a practical tool for maintaining healthier, drier, and more comfortable indoor environments across residential and commercial settings. This development comes as Nigeria’s rainy season intensifies,…
News Highlights: Okafor secured second place at the 2026 OpenClaw Hackathon organized by Tencent in Shenzhen, outperforming many elite engineers in one of the world’s most competitive innovation ecosystems The competition coincided with Tencent’s rollout of the OpenClaw AI agent plugin on WeChat, instantly extending advanced AI capabilities to over a billion users. In a striking moment of global recognition for African talent in artificial intelligence, Shenzhen-based Nigerian technologist Francis Okafor has emerged as the second-place winner at the 2026 Tencent OpenClaw Hackathon, a fiercely contested competition hosted by Chinese tech giant Tencent. The achievement places the Nigerian engineer among…
News Highlights: Y’ellopreneur 3.0 is a ₦1 billion matching-fund programme to provide equipment financing, training, mentorship, and advisory support for 200 women-led MSMEs across Nigeria. The initiative aims to move women entrepreneurs from small-scale operations to sustainable, industrial-level businesses, strengthening financial inclusion and economic participation nationwide. In a strategic push to transform women-owned businesses from micro operations into industrial-scale enterprises, the MTN Foundation, in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), has opened applications for the Y’ellopreneur 3.0 programme, a ₦1 billion matching-fund initiative delivered through the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University. Rather than a conventional empowerment scheme, the…