UPDATED: Telegram Most Downloaded Mobile App in January 

By Adedapo Adesanya Data and AI technology company, Flapmax, has announced 12 startups selected for the second cohort of the FAST Accelerator startup programme, created in partnership with Microsoft to help strengthen and scale Africa’s digital ecosystem. Following the conclusion of its 2-week Online Bootcamp, which saw 60+ tech companies participate in intensive online training with experienced mentors, FAST Accelerator’s cohort of 12 startups will progress to a 5-week comprehensive acceleration experience in Silicon Valley, California, starting in October. Speaking on this, Mrs Mame-Fatou Gueye, SME Program Manager, Microsoft Africa Transformation Office, said, “Microsoft believes that African startups and small

By Aduragbemi Omiyale If urgent steps are not taken, Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, believed to be worth about $75.6 billion, could be at risk because of the widening skills gap. This was the submission of a renowned telecoms policy enthusiast, Mr Omobayo Azeez, at the just-concluded second edition of the Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo (NTICE 2023) organised in Lagos by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). In his keynote address on Bridging Skills Gap to Accelerate the Indigenous Telecoms Development, Mr Azeez argued that the rising skills gap in the country was becoming a challenge to the sector. He posited that

By Adedapo Adesanya The chief executive officer of CCHUb, Mr Bosun Tijani, has been appointed to head a newly structured ministry as he will now become Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. He is part of a list of 46 successful ministerial candidates that will form President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet. The 46-year-old investor will be charged to carry out policies to support the Nigerian tech ecosystem as well as improve the country’s digital goals and innovation. Speaking on his appointment, Mr Tijani noted that “It’s an exciting time to build a bigger and better future for all Nigerians.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale Young Nigerians living in Abuja who intend to deepen their knowledge in digital education now have a place to go, GoMyCode’s hackerspace. The facility would be used to train and transforms participants into skilled professionals, ready to navigate the digital age. It is the fifth hackerspace the company is establishing in Nigeria, solidifying its footprint in the country. Similar facilities are already in Yaba, Ikeja, Festac and Lekki, all in Lagos. The transformative mission of GoMyCode’s is to democratise tech education and empower thousands of students in the country, equipping them with critical digital skills to support

Before venturing on their first African luxury safari, most people might wonder whether the trip is any different from a regular visit to a local zoo. After all, seeing a lion, elephant or any other animal in captivity is the same as seeing it in the jungle right? Wrong. There is an energy that can only be experienced when you witness these magnificent beasts in their natural environment. As they roam the wilds, the animals are in their true element and their raw power is on display for all to see. The best African luxury safaris are a chance to

By Modupe Gbadeyanka A preventative measles vaccination campaign has been launched in Mogadishu, Somalia, targeting 125 000 children aged 6 to 59 months from communities of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Banadir and Afgoye. This programme was launched by the World Health Organization with the Federal Government of Somalia and UNICEF. Measles is endemic in Somalia; however the number of cases is higher in 2017 than in previous years. Since the beginning of the year, Somalia has recorded 7694 suspected cases of measles, of which 1989 cases (26%) were reported from Banadir region. The high number of measles cases can

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The rejection of the yet-to-be announced results of last Saturday’s presidential election by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) weigh on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday. The equities market, which had closed positive on Monday, went down by 0.69 percent today as the PDP’s poll rejection triggered fear among traders on Tuesday. Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to officially announce the eventual winner of the election, results trickling in suggest that the coast is getting clear for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Business

By Adedapo Adesanya Nigeria’s top oil petroleum marketing company, Conoil Plc, recorded an 88 percent growth in profit after tax in the first six months of this year, closing at N1.03 billion as at the end of business on June 30, 2019. According to the company’s half year reports, this was a huge leap for the oil marketers from the net profit of N550.7 million actualized in the first six months of 2018. The financial statements further disclosed that Conoil had a revenue of over N72 billion in six months, as against N54.5 million calculated in HY 2018, indicating a

By Adedapo Adesanya Guaranty Trust Bank UK (GTBank UK) Limited said it had reached a settlement with the country’s banking watchdog, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), over the £7,671,800 sanction for serious weaknesses in its anti-money laundering (AML) systems and controls between October 2014 and July 2019. On Tuesday, in a statement seen by Business Post, FCA said that during the relevant period, the lender failed to undertake adequate customer risk assessments, often not assessing or documenting the money laundering risks posed by its customers. It also accused the bank of failing to monitor customer transactions and business relationships to the

By Adedapo Adesanya The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange found itself in the bears’ colony on Thursday, July 14 after the fall in the share price of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc chopped off 0.43 per cent from the market. According to data from the exchange, Friesland lost 47 Kobo during the session to close at N104.53 per unit compared with the previous day’s N105.00 per unit and as a result of this, the market capitalisation of the unlisted securities exchange went down by N4.44 billion to settle at N1.023 trillion in contrast to the previous day’s N1.028 trillion. In the

By Modupe Gbadeyanka A Lagos-based company known as CRC Credit Bureau (CCB) has come up with a unique three-digit number credit rating system to assist financial institution make quick and informed credit decisions. Some weeks ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandated banks to increase their loan to deposit ratio to 60 percent by the end of September 2019. This policy is to spur the economy by making funds available to small business owners, who are the main driver of the economy. Lenders have been very careful in giving out credit facilities to customers because issues with repayment and

By Kester Kenn Klomegah With its 1.3 billion people, Africa accounts for about 16% of the world’s human population. Africa, comprising 54 countries, is the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. As the coronavirus spreads around the world, many eyes are on Africa. The number of coronavirus infections in Africa has reached 33,085, while 1,465 people died from the virus-related causes across the continent, the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa said on April 28. South Africa accounts for the biggest number of infections (4,793) and 90 deaths. Algeria, meanwhile, has the biggest coronavirus death toll (432) and 3,517