Technology
AI vs Humanity: A Battle of Identity
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world. The last two decades have laid the infrastructure to give over 5 billion people access to digital services through smartphones and the Internet. This has primed the world for an AI revolution, the exponential growth of which we’re beginning to see through services like ChatGPT that fundamentally change how we interact with technology.
Like every technological paradigm shift, from fire to flying or the industrial revolution to the Internet, the benefits of AI will also be challenged by its threat. While my pronoid nature is certain that the net impact will be positive (because there are many more good people in this world than bad), one growing area of AI concern is how we distinguish ourselves as human beings versus AI.
Trust is a base requirement for our lives to operate effectively, from our relationships with those around us to our interactions with business and government services. We have built systems to facilitate trust; our ID cards prove who we are, and our physical address ensures that we can be found. But in Africa and other emerging markets, poor identity and physical addressing infrastructure limits trust increase fraud and hold back the economy. MIT estimated that India’s lack of a physical addressing system costs its economy 0.5% of its GDP. Visa’s latest fraud report shows that attempted fraud in Africa is 5x more than in the US.
Over the past two decades, we’ve seen technology try to help us prove we are who we say we are. Before, every transaction at a bank had to be done in person, but over time, these physical verifications have been replaced by digital ones; we’ve all solved annoying online captcha puzzles, fumbled for another one-time pin (OTP), and maybe more recently awkwardly recorded a selfie video of yourself.
However, as more and more services become digital, the fraudsters keep out-innovating these measures. AI can now impersonate a customer service agent or make a video of you speaking from just a photo. This undermines the ability of businesses across various industries to identify and verify their customers. In January 2023, Visa saw a 60x increase in fraud rate for Financial Services compared to just a year earlier.
Proof of address is stuck in the analogue era
Smart operators worldwide understand the threat posed to customer verification by AI and are already investing in mitigations. Meta has begun using paid-for verification for Instagram and Facebook. PayPal uses a detailed process that relies on multiple layers of compliance, verification, and monitoring to verify and onboard customers.
However, proof of identity using an ID card is no longer enough, so startups are innovating to help businesses truly know their customer. Worldcoin launched earlier this year to use a person’s iris as a form of identity; others like Bright ID schedule group video calls where you need to hold a conversation to prove you’re a real human being.
One area that is being overlooked is knowing where the customer lives. In developed markets like the US and UK, your proof of address is the ultimate form of accountability because whether it’s your bank or the police, they can physically find you if you commit fraud.
Yet, proof of address has become harder to validate in our modern world. People don’t live in the same house for most of their lives like before; in fact, digital nomads don’t even have a fixed abode at all. Bank statements or utility bills are no longer posted through the letterbox, enforcing a point of verification because they’re now digital PDFs delivered to your phone. It used to be relatively easy to update your few services when you moved, but now you have an overwhelming number of accounts to update.
And this is the best-case scenario. It’s estimated that 4 billion people – half the globe – do not have a formal physical address because their building or road has no identifier. And what about those who do not have a fixed home because they are homeless or have had to flee their country as refugees?
When global banking regulation forces financial services to only offer their services if the customer can prove their address, this creates a massive problem for the world’s economy. On paper, the regulators are doing the right thing to ensure financial services correctly implement effective Know Your Customer (KYC) measures. However, it creates a catch-22 for financial service providers; to open accounts, they need to have verified customer addresses, but there are no practical ways to do this beyond sending a human agent to the customer’s address, which costs too much, especially for accounts for lower-income customers.
AI to the rescue
My Kenyan co-founder once said, “We’re blessed in Africa to have so many problems because it creates so much opportunity”, and it’s this problem and opportunity that my co-founders and I have spent the last 10 years trying to solve. We believe that it’s a human right for every person to have a verified address so that they can access the services they deserve, from opening up a bank account to having an ambulance arrive at their door.
We see a world where anyone with a smartphone has a digital address that uses the location data in their phone, behavioural science and AI to verify they live where they say they do. As a centralised addressing system, when the person moves, they just have to notify us for all other services to be updated. It puts control of the address into the hands of the user, who can manage their data privacy and only give access to their address to the businesses and people they trust.
The behavioural science in our solution grounds a user’s digital account to the real world through where they live, enabling both proof of address and proof of humanity. While AI can impersonate your voice and create a video of you, it cannot impersonate where you live.
In our new world, where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to build trust and distinguish the difference between AI and a human, perhaps the solution is closer to home than we think.
Timbo Drayson is the CEO & Co-Founder of OkHi
Technology
The Unsung Heroes of Fintech: How Creatives Are Driving Growth and Trust in the Financial Industry
By Samuel Olaniran
Many experts have highlighted the growing impact of creatives—especially those in product and brand design—across the financial industry, and how their work helps financial companies build trust, communicate value propositions, and drive growth.
These creatives shape the overall product and visual identity of financial brands, creating not just logos, colour schemes, and layouts, but also cohesive design systems that convey professionalism and reliability. This is crucial because trust is vital in finance. A strong, consistent brand and product design helps customers feel secure and confident in their financial decisions.
In digital platforms, product designers improve user experience. They ensure mobile apps, websites, and other tools are not only visually appealing but also functional and easy to navigate. A smooth, intuitive interface encourages users to engage more, making digital banking and investing more accessible to a wider audience. This can drive growth, as people are more likely to trust and stick with platforms that are easy to use.
Brand and product designers also simplify complex financial data through infographics and visualizations. Finance can be overwhelming, but clear visuals and product-led storytelling make it easier for customers to understand. Infographics turn complicated reports into digestible, engaging content, which can help customers make better financial decisions.
Marketing in finance also relies heavily on thoughtful brand design. Designers create visually appealing campaigns that catch the attention of potential customers. Whether it’s an ad on social media or an email newsletter, well-crafted design helps companies stand out and build a strong online presence.
In a competitive industry like fintech, where innovation is key, product and brand design can be the difference between success and failure.
As financial institutions grow globally, product designers help adapt their offerings and messaging to different cultures. By adjusting colours, symbols, and user interface elements to fit local preferences, they ensure financial products are accessible to a wider audience. This helps companies expand into new markets while keeping their brand relevant and consistent.
Looking ahead, the role of product and brand designers will only become more important. Their creative work is key to building trust, improving user experience, simplifying data, and leading marketing efforts. As finance continues to evolve, their role will remain essential in helping companies grow and connect with customers.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal on Friday ordered WhatsApp and Meta Platforms Incorporated to pay a $220 million penalty and $35,000 to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) within 60 days over data discrimination practices in Nigeria.
The tribunal upheld the $220 million penalty imposed by the FCCPC on WhatsApp and Meta Platforms Incorporated, as well as $35,000 as reimbursement for the commission’s investigation against the social media giant.
The tribunal also dismissed the appeal by WhatsApp and Meta Platforms Incorporated regarding the $220 million penalty imposed by the FCCPC for alleged discriminatory practices in Nigeria.
The tribunal’s three-member panel, led by Mr Thomas Okosun, passed the verdict on Friday.
WhatsApp and Meta’s legal team, led by Mr Gbolahan Elias (SAN), and the FCCPC’s legal team, represented by Mr Babatunde Irukera (SAN), a former Executive Vice Chairman of the agency, made their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28, 2025.
Last year, the FCCPC asked Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, to pay $220 million for an alleged data privacy breach.
According to the agency, Meta was found culpable of denying Nigerians the right to self-determine, unauthorised transfer and sharing of Nigerians data, discrimination and disparate treatment, abuse of dominance, and tying and bundling.
The FCCPC noted that its decision was reached after a 38-month joint investigation by it and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
The regulator also noted that its actions were based on legitimate consumer protection and data privacy concerns. It highlighted that its final order requires Meta to comply with Nigerian consumers and meet local standards.
“Similar measures are taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market. The case of Nigeria will not be different,” the FCCPC added.
Also weighing in on the issue then, Mr Irukera, noted on X that the approach being taken by the platform varied from that it was applying in other places it was operating.
“The same company just settled a Texas case for $1.4 billion and is currently facing regulatory action in at least a dozen nations, appealing large penalties in several countries. How many has it threatened to exit?” he queried.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has reached a historic peak in internet traffic, recording one terabit per second (Tbps) for the first time ever due to the rise in streaming interest.
According to Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), the 1 Tbps threshold was finally crossed in March 2025, adding that this significant milestone not only highlighted the nation’s accelerating digital transformation but also brings substantial economic benefits through the efficient exchange of local data.
The journey to this 1 Tbps milestone has been a progressive one for Nigeria. Starting from a modest 5 to 10 megabits per second in 2008, internet traffic saw substantial increases, reaching 126 gigabits by 2019, then 250 Gbps in 2020, and climbing to 900 Gbps by late 2024.
This expansion is attributed to the increasing number of local data centers, enhanced interconnection, and the presence of major international content providers such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and TikTok, all now connected to the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).
According to Mr Muhammed Rudman, CEO of IXPN, this milestone represents a significant advancement in Nigeria’s internet infrastructure development and highlights the crucial role of local internet infrastructure in fostering economic growth, innovation, and connectivity for millions of Nigerians.
According to Rudman, “This milestone is more than just a number. It is a symbol of Nigeria’s digital maturity and our united strides towards becoming a tech-driven nation. By keeping local internet traffic within Nigeria, we reduce costs, improve speeds, and ensure our digital economy thrives with homegrown infrastructure.
Achieving 1 Tbps is a significant victory for Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem, a breakthrough for domestic internet traffic. It serves as a catalyst, enabling millions of Nigerians to enjoy faster, more affordable, and resilient internet connectivity.”
The 1 Terabit per second capacity signifies a transformative leap for Africa’s most populous nation. To illustrate its impact, a speed of 1 Tbps can concurrently support over 1 million Zoom meetings, empowering students, entrepreneurs, and professionals to connect and drive Nigeria’s digital revolution.
Furthermore, this speed allows over 200,000 individuals to simultaneously stream high-definition Nollywood or Netflix movies without any buffering or interruptions. It also enables the transfer of the entire contents of 50,000 smartphones—including photos, applications, and videos—in a mere second.
“For Nigeria, hitting this milestone means reducing reliance on international bandwidth, decreasing latency for local services, and strengthening its position as Africa’s digital heartbeat. This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a faster, more connected Nigeria. This accomplishment goes beyond technical advancements; it has significant economic implications,” Mr Rudman explained.
“By encouraging local traffic exchange, IXPN reduces dependency on international bandwidth, leading to significant cost savings. By utilizing local data exchange, Nigerian businesses can save millions of dollars annually on international bandwidth fees.”
“It also helps to enhanced speed and connectivity, in that with reduced latency, users experience smoother streaming, gaming, and real-time services, enhancing their overall online experience. It strengthens Nigeria’s internet infrastructure protects against global disruptions, ensuring consistent access to vital services such as healthcare and education and optimizes digital services like fintech, edtech, e-commerce, and e-health, propelling innovation and growth in these sectors.”
The importance of this progress extends beyond mere speed. The Internet Society (ISOC) has revealed that Nigeria is now saving at least $40 million annually by keeping internet traffic within its borders, a cost avoidance achieved by routing data locally instead of relying on expensive international bandwidth.
Despite this achievement, Rudman also drew attention to Nigeria’s underdeveloped internet infrastructure, noting, “With a population comparable to Brazil, Nigeria has only 257 autonomous system numbers (ASNs), far fewer than Brazil’s 10,000 and South Africa’s 770. This is a major indicator of how few networks we have offering services.”
He highlighted the dominance of mobile internet access, stating that 99 percent of internet access in Nigeria is mobile-based, with many regions still limited to 2G or 3G networks.
“Some states with populations in the millions lack a single network with an ASN. That is a crisis. Even institutions with technical capacity remain unconnected. Out of 22 financial institutions, only the Central Bank of Nigeria is connected to IXPN,” he stated, also criticizing the insufficient interconnectivity among Nigerian universities.
Mr Rudman proposed the development of regional hubs, suggesting that a city like Kano could host Hausa language content and attract neighboring countries to connect through Nigeria, similar to South Africa’s role in Southern Africa.
To realize this vision, he advocated for investments in community networks, regulatory incentives, and support for local Internet Service Providers (ISPs). “The number of ISPs in Nigeria is shrinking. That’s a red flag. We need to reverse that trend to truly become a digital leader,” he advised.
He called for greater collaboration among regulators, stakeholders, and the media to identify and address the gaps within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
“We are all Nigerians. We want Nigeria to be a better place. Let’s work together to solve this,” he urged.
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