The illegal loan apps were delisted for harassing Nigerians 37 more illegal loan apps were on Monday, delisted by the Federal Government through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). The number of loan apps with conditional approval declined to 38 from 40, and the number of apps on the commission’s watchlist grew to 56 from 20. Meanwhile, the approved digital money lending (DML) list increased to 164 from 154. The PUNCH had on August 20, 2023, reported that the FCCPC has permanently delisted and begun the process of deleting at least two loan apps from the Google Play…
Author: DigitalTimesNG
By Godwin UDU Introduction Picture a world where every digital interface welcomes you like a familiar friend, regardless of how you navigate it. Imagine websites and apps that adapt to your needs as naturally as a well-worn path, whether you’re using a screen reader, prefer larger text, or navigate with voice commands. This is the world that inclusive design promises—and increasingly delivers. In my years of designing digital experiences, I’ve come to understand that inclusive design is far more than a technical requirement or a compliance checkbox. It’s a journey of empathy, innovation, and universal connection. Think of it as…
Says broadband penetration to hit 50% by year-end The telecommunications sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased significantly to 16 per cent in the second quarter of 2023, according to the data reported by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) based on the computation by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, stated this in a keynote address delivered at the annual Telecom Executives and Regulators Forum (TERF) hosted by the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in Lagos on Thursday. According to Danbatta, from a 14.13 per cent…
By Evans WOHEREM, Ph.D. Factors Contributing to Success and Overcoming Challenges in Technological Advancement in some African Countries Entrepreneurship and innovation: Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation is essential for driving technological advancement in Africa. There are a number of notable startups and projects that have contributed to technological advancements in Africa, such as the mobile money company M-Pesa and the drone delivery company Zipline. M-Pesa is a mobile money service that allows people to send and receive money using their mobile phones. It has been credited with helping to reduce poverty in Kenya and other African countries. Zipline is a drone…
The Swedish Government and Ericsson have been commended for their commitment and consistency in a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on capacity building which has strengthened the Commission’s regulatory activities. The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, made this commendation while speaking at a workshop jointly organised by the NCC and its Swedish partners within the framework of the Swedish Programme for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Developing and Emerging Regions (SPIDER). Danbatta who stressed the significant strides made by NCC in the field…
AltSchool records 40% course completion rate in the first year Skill-to-market platform, AltSchool Africa, has expanded its learning faculty to introduce Creative Economy and Business schools, following an impressive 40% completion rate in its first year. Taking a non-conventional approach to learning, the tech-enabled platform has traditionally offered courses directly related to in-code and no-code courses. Strengthening its push in the edtech sector, AltSchool Africa has included content creation, sales, and music business – using Afrobeats as a case study, to its existing nine courses, with applications now open for the first cohort of these new streams. In the last…
Partnership in line with Airtel Nigeria’s commitment to enhance innovation, customer experience Airtel Nigeria has announced its partnership with renowned manufacturers of 5G-enabled devices, according to a statement by the telecom giant. The partnership is in line with Airtel’s commitment to enhance innovation, improve customer experience, and drive the adoption of 5G technology to transform various aspects of customers’ daily activities. Airtel Nigeria Chief Commercial Officer, Femi Oshinlaja, said the strategic partnership is not only to increase access to the latest technological advancements but also to encourage consumers to take advantage of the vast potential of 5G connectivity. “Our partnership…
₿trust focuses on fostering developer talent ₿trust, a non-profit organisation which exists to decentralise the development of Bitcoin software, has announced its acquisition of Qala, the leading organisation training the next generation of African Bitcoin and Lightning engineers. The deal, which was completed on 1st September 2023, will see Qala rebrand as the ₿trust Builders Programme, to strengthen ₿trust’s mission to drive the development and education of Bitcoin open-source engineers from across the Global South. Launched in 2021, ₿trust focuses on fostering developer talent and supporting the free and open-source Bitcoin ecosystem by locating, educating, and remunerating Bitcoin open-source engineers…
By Evans WOHEREM, Ph.D. Leapfrogging to a Better Future for Africa Leapfrogging is a development strategy that allows countries to skip or accelerate through certain stages of economic development by adopting new technologies or innovative practices. This can be done by bypassing older, less efficient technologies or by adopting new technologies that are not yet widely used in other countries. There are many benefits to leapfrogging. First, it can help countries to achieve economic growth more quickly. Second, it can help countries to avoid some of the negative consequences of traditional development, such as environmental degradation and social inequality. Third,…
By Evans WOHEREM, Ph.D. Introduction Africa is a continent with vast potential for technological and economic development. It has a young, tech-savvy population, abundant resources, and untapped markets. However, it also faces challenges such as fragmented infrastructure, political uncertainties, and funding gaps. Despite these challenges, some African nations have embarked on a journey to expedite their development by leapfrogging traditional developmental stages. Leapfrogging is a strategy that allows countries to accelerate their development by adopting the latest technologies, rather than developing their own. This can be a more efficient and cost-effective way to achieve development goals, as it allows countries…