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FG Says ICT Pivotal to National Development

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President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has restated government’s continuous improvement on the nation’s infrastructural base, saying it is one of the cardinal policies of the current administration.

He said that it was in recognition of this that the presidential task force on the restructuring of government institutions and organizations in Telecoms, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sectors was set up to pave way for Nigeria to move with times as ICT has become a pivotal of efficiency and development.

Yar’Adua who spoke in Abuja through Alhaji Ibrahim Dansuki Nakande, minister of state for information and communications, stated this at the opening ceremony of Africa international technology exhibition (AFRITEX 2008).

The aim of the event put together through the efforts of the national information technology development agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the local organizing committee AFRITEX, is to bring to limelight technologies of African origin alongside existing ones from the Western world.

Speaking further, the president said, "it is indisputable fact that Nigerian market is large and has the fastest Telecommunications growth rate in Africa. Therefore, my administration will continue to encourage well-meaning Nigerians and foreign investors, and would continuously create the enabling environment for them in invest in Telecoms and ICT sectors", he assured.

He said African continent is not at the dawn of the information age and knowledge economy, all to be driven by information and communications technologies, the spread of ICT is changing the way economic and social developments occur worldwide.

ICT related tools, he observed, can make institutions and markets more productive through enhanced acquisition of skills and learning which, according to him, lead to improved governance at all levels. By this development, the poor will begin to have direct access to service culminating in their effective participation in issues that affect them.

He pointed out that the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the world has become serious in the fact that the gap was widening as the rest of the world was being swept by an information revolution that was leaving Africa in its wake.

"This, therefore, makes it more urgent for nations and governments in Africa to come together to explore various avenues of bringing this great divide, using various strategic programmes, initiatives and the encouragement of local content development".

The AFRITEX initiative which has the theme: harnessing the opportunities of Africa’s ICT environment, is one of Africa’s biggest information and communication technology exhibition that has brought various governments of the continent, service providers, users and peoples of Africa together.


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BoI, MTN Foundation Launch N1Bn Fund for Women Entrepreneurs

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Bank of Industry (BoI) and MTN Nigeria Foundation have launched a N1 billion Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Matching Fund to support women-owned businesses across Nigeria.

BoI, MTN Foundation Launch N1Bn Fund for Women Entrepreneurs

The fund was launched at the official unveiling of the BOI–MTN Foundation Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Matching Fund held in Lagos.

Dr Olasupo Olusi, managing director of BoI, said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment.

Represented by Oluwatoyin Edu, executive director, MSMEs, Olusi, said the partnership has grown from a N100 million youth programme in 2018 to a N1 billion fund, financed equally by both institutions.

“Today, we are pleased to deepen this collaboration with the launch of the N1 billion Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Matching Fund.

“This programme aligns strongly with BoI’s 2025–2027 strategy for enterprise development and economic transformation,” he said.

Olusi said 1,000 women entrepreneurs would receive structured training, while 200 women-led MSMEs would access loans of up to N5 million each.

The BoI boss added that the programme targets sectors including agro-processing, light manufacturing, fashion, energy, waste management and digital services.

Mrs Mosun Belo-Olusoga, chairman of MTN Nigeria Foundation, said the initiative highlighted women’s critical role in economic development.

According to her, the foundation now treats women’s empowerment as central to nation-building, rather than a corporate social responsibility obligation.

Belo-Olusoga said over 5,700 women had been trained, with the programme designed to bridge economic gaps limiting women’s participation.

“This fund provides equipment financing, enabling women to transition from small-scale operations to industrial-level businesses,” she said.

She stressed the need for greater awareness, especially in rural communities, to ensure inclusiveness.

Mrs Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the foundation, said the initiative combined capacity building with access to capital.

Sanya said beneficiaries would undergo a five-week training programme by Pan-Atlantic University Enterprise Development Centre, ending with business growth plans.

She said the foundation aimed to build 30,000 female-led businesses in five years, with 10,000 expected to receive funding.

“We believe this partnership with BoI opens the door to scaling women-owned businesses through working capital and equipment financing,” she said.

Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of Lagos State governor, described the initiative as timely in tackling unemployment and unlocking women’s economic potential.

Represented by Mrs Oyinlola Agoro, she said equipping women with skills, mentorship and planning tools is vital for resilient enterprises.

Sanwo-Olu commended earlier phases, which trained over 5,700 women and supported 122 beneficiaries with equipment.

“This shows that when women are empowered, families thrive, communities prosper and the economy grows stronger.

“The N1 billion matching fund will deepen financial inclusion and promote women-led enterprises,” she said.

She reaffirmed her commitment to initiatives promoting women’s empowerment, economic independence and inclusive development.


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NSIA Sign MoU with UK’s Asset Green Ltd to Develop $496M Integrated Dairy Livestock Production Platform in Nigeria

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L-r: Rod Bassett, Asset Green Ltd Director & Agrium Capital Ltd CEO; Albrecht Frischenschlager, Group CIO, United Green Group; Aminu Umar-Sadiq, MD and CEO NSIA; and Tayo Ajayi, Vice President Head Climate & Sustainability investments. at the signing ceremony in London this week
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The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK‑based Asset Green Ltd to advance the development of a large‑scale integrated dairy livestock production and processing platform set to transform Nigeria’s dairy industry and strengthen national food security.

Signed on Tuesday in London ahead of the State Visit, the MoU outlines the framework for collaboration and the project‑development cost commitments leading up to the formal shareholders’ agreement.

This initiative represents one of the most ambitious integrated dairy investments ever undertaken in Nigeria. It will combine 20,000 hectares of climate‑smart, regenerative crop and forage production with a modern 10,000‑milking cow dairy operation, supported by a state‑of‑the‑art processing plant capable of producing fresh milk, milk powders, butter, cream, and up to 15,000 metric tonnes of infant formula annually.

Designed to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported milk powder, the project will modernise agricultural practices, improve nutrition, and integrate up to 10,000 rural households into the supply chain through inclusive out‑grower schemes. Once operational, the platform is expected to generate over US$620 million annually and create 2,500 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs nationwide.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, said: “Over a decade ago, the UK provided pivotal support to Nigeria in establishing the NSIA, offering legal and financial expertise that helped lay the foundation for its successful launch and strengthening its governance and credibility.

“That early institutional investment has paid dividends, helping to build a resilient Nigerian institution capable of creating jobs and driving transformational, long‑term development.

“The NSIA and Asset Green partnership is a powerful example of how that groundwork continues to deliver impact – a full‑circle moment that reflects the long-term economic cooperation between the UK and Nigeria and the shared commitment to deepening sustainable, private‑sector‑driven growth.”

NSIA Managing Director & CEO, Aminu Umar‑Sadiq, said: “NSIA is pleased to partner with Asset Green on this transformative investment. With a project size of almost US$500 million, this is one of the most ambitious initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s food and nutrition security in a generation.

“By combining climate‑smart farming, advanced processing capacity, and inclusive out‑grower participation, we are laying the foundation for a modern, competitive dairy sector that reduces import dependence, creates meaningful jobs, and delivers long‑term value for Nigerians.”

Asset Green Ltd Director & Agrium Capital Ltd CEO, Rod Bassett, said: “This partnership between NSIA and Asset Green is the business and investment innovation required to unlock the potential of the agriculture sector in Nigeria, with the development of such a future (dairy) food system.

“The foundation of the approach is one of collaborating with NSIA and their shared vision and purpose to establish a platform to catalyse the development of such a national strategic priority. We are incredibly proud to partner with Nigeria’s premier investment institution.

“The development of greenfield projects have consistently played a major role in our history, establishing industries or nurturing young businesses that are able to deliver catalytic transformation.

This US$500 million greenfield investment in Nigeria’s dairy industry allows for the development of advanced and necessary infrastructure spanning the full production and supply system to enhance local production, reduce the reliance on the huge imports of dairy goods into Nigeria, deliver environmental services and strengthen national food sovereignty and nutritional resilience.”

 


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Kaspersky Discovers Infostealers Mimicking Claude Code, OpenClaw and Other AI Developer Tools

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In March 2026, Kaspersky Threat Research has identified a new malicious campaign targeted at developers looking for installation instructions for Claude Code, a development agent created by Anthropic. When searching for “Claude Code download”, sponsored advertisements appear at the top of the search results.

One of these ads redirects users to a malicious webpage that closely imitates the official installation documentation for Claude Code. As a result, users are tricked into installing malware which harvests sensitive information including credentials, crypto wallet data, browser sessions, and other confidential files. Similar malicious campaigns mimic other popular AI tools, including OpenClaw.

The fake documentation page is visually identical to the legitimate one and is hosted on the website-building and hosting platform Squarespace. Because the page precisely copies the original instructions, users may not notice the difference when copying and executing installation commands.

However, instead of installing the developer tool, the commands deliver malware to the victim’s system. Depending on the operating system, the malicious commands deploy different infostealers:

.  Windows systems receive Amatera, an information-stealing malware that collects data from user directories, web browsers, and cryptocurrency wallets before sending the stolen information to a remote server. Amatera has previously been observed in campaigns using the ClickFix distribution technique and is operated under a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) model.

 .  macOS systems receive AMOS, another infostealer previously documented in several malware campaigns targeting Apple devices. It has been described by Kaspersky before.

Kaspersky researchers also identified similar malicious campaigns targeting other popular AI tools, including OpenClaw and Doubao. Using the same approach, attackers registered multiple domains and distributed files containing the Amatera infostealer while disguising them as legitimate downloads for these tools.

“The campaign poses significant risks because AI development tools such as Claude Code and OpenClaw are widely used not only by hobbyists and automation enthusiasts but also by professional developers working in large organisations.

If infected, victims may unknowingly expose source code from active projects, confidential corporate data, authentication credentials, and private accounts. This makes such campaigns particularly dangerous for businesses whose developers rely on AI-assisted coding tools,” comments Vladimir Gursky, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.

In December 2025, Kaspersky detected that attackers spread a macOS infostealer using Google Ads. A specially generated chat interface designed to resemble a ChatGPT tutorial pretended to guide users through installing the Atlas Browser. The malicious instructions appeared to be hosted on a legitimate site associated with OpenAI, helping attackers gain users’ trust.


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