By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Over 39 million advertiser accounts were suspended in 2024 by Google in a bid to make surfing the internet safer for users.

In its 2024 Ads Safety Report, the tech giant said this action was made possible through the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Google’s 2024 Ads Safety Report offers a glimpse into the systems that help keep billions of people safe online—many without ever realizing it. But for those who run small businesses, browse the web, or build tools and content that power Africa’s digital economy, safety is not just technical—it’s foundational.

In the report, Google said about 5.1 billion ads were blocked or removed in the period under review, while over 9.1 billion malicious ads were restricted.

It stated that AI has been helping to transform the fight against bad ads, scams, and misinformation online, particularly as they grow more sophisticated, often impersonating public figures or deploying AI-generated content.

While challenges persist, the report emphasizes that AI is improving both the speed and scale of enforcement—and freeing up human reviewers to focus on the most complex, high-impact investigations.

Google also continues to work closely with regulators, consumer protection agencies, and industry peers, including through the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, to stay ahead of evolving threats.

“We launched over 50 enhancements to our AI models in 2024,” said Alex Rodriguez, General Manager for Ads Safety at Google. “These improvements helped us move faster, identify threats earlier, and take action before bad actors could reach users. That’s the real power of AI—making the internet safer not just reactively, but proactively.”

Last year, because of a rising threat in public figure impersonation scams and misleading election ads, especially in Nigeria, Google updated its Misrepresentation policy, assembled a global team of over 100 experts, and took down over 700,000 scam-related advertiser accounts—contributing to a 90 per cent drop in reported impersonation scams.

With nearly half the world’s population heading to the polls in 2024, Google also expanded election ad transparency, requiring all political advertisers to verify their identities and clearly disclose who’s paying for the message. More than 10 million election-related ads were removed globally for failing to meet these standards.

While these are global figures, their local impact is deeply personal. From the business owner trying to reach new customers online to the everyday user trying to avoid a phishing scam, online safety remains essential for an open, trustworthy web.

In Nigeria and across the continent, safe advertising also helps protect livelihoods—ensuring that small businesses, creators, and publishers can continue to benefit from a free and accessible internet.

By Dipo Olowookere

The fibre broadband service of MTN Nigeria, MTN Fibre Broadband, has been rebranded to MTN FibreX as part of the company’s commitment to providing ultra-fast, reliable, and accessible internet services to its customers.

The leading technology firm said the transformation marks a significant stride in delivering next-generation internet solutions across the nation in line with the country’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025, which aims to achieve 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025, ensuring minimum speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural regions.

MTN Nigeria explained that the new name was adopted to create a more customer-friendly brand. The new name embodies a more modern, relatable, and emotionally resonant brand that is positioned to lead the conversation around what premium internet should feel like.

The goal is to educate and excite consumers within home-passed locations (the potential number of premises within a service area that can be connected to an fibre to the home [FTTH] network) about the benefits of the product.

The company said FibreX would play a pivotal role in the federal government’s initiative to expand the nation’s fibre-optic network by an additional 90,000 kilometres, aiming to increase fibre capacity from 35,000 km to 125,000 km.

FibreX promises ultra-fast and reliable internet connectivity, aiming to meet the diverse needs of Nigerians, from bustling urban centres to remote rural areas, it assured.

“The launch of FibreX reiterates our dedication to supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

“By enhancing our infrastructure and services, we aim to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive growth,” the Chief Broadband Officer of MTN Nigeria, Egerton Idehen, stated.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Entries for the 2025 Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program have opened, with some benefits attached to selected participants, including a dedicated technical mentorship from Google and industry experts.

In addition, beneficiaries will receive $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, access to a global network of investors, partners, and collaborators, and workshops focused on technology, product strategy, people leadership, and AI implementation.

The accelerator is open to Seed to Series A startups based in Africa that are building AI-first solutions and entries can be submitted via https://startup.google.com/programs/accelerator/africa. Startups must have a live product, at least one founder of African descent, and a clear vision for responsible AI innovation.

The three-month initiative is designed to support early-stage startups using artificial intelligence to address Africa’s most pressing challenges.

Across the continent, startups are demonstrating how local innovation can solve deeply rooted problems. In West Africa, Crop2Cash – an agritech platform and alumni of the program – is using AI to digitally onboard smallholder farmers, build their financial identities, and provide them with access to credit, traceable payments, and productivity tools.

Through these efforts, Crop2Cash is improving agricultural outcomes and unlocking economic opportunity for farmers who have long been excluded from formal systems—illustrating the kind of impact that’s possible when African startups receive the support they need to scale.

AI’s potential to accelerate Africa’s development is real, and Google is investing in ensuring that African startups lead that charge. According to McKinsey, AI could add $1.3 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, but only if bold innovation is supported at the grassroots.

“Startups are Africa’s problem solvers. With the right resources, they can scale their impact far beyond local communities.

“This program reflects our belief that AI can be transformative when shaped by those who understand the context deeply,” the Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, Mr Folarin Aiyegbusi, said.

Since 2018, the program has supported 140 startups from 17 African countries. These alumni have raised more than $300 million in funding and created over 3,000 jobs. Many are now regional and global leaders in their categories.