E-Business
Nigeria’s Position in MINT Economy Revolves Round IT-Experts

Information Technology (IT) experts unanimously agreed that Nigeria can leverage on its position in the MINT economy by exploring all aspects of information technology and intelligence.
Addressing guests at the Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, on Monday, Mrs Omobola Johsnon, minister of Communication technology, said the national ICT policy reflects the countries yawning to play at the global stage in the IT/ICT sector.
The Minister represented by Engineer Peter Jack, director general of NITDA, said that various policies articulated by the Ministry since its establishment in 2011 are geared towards opening the sector for the public and private sectors to jointly articulate projects that will reflect global trends in the ICT industry.
Dr. Evans Woherem, executive chairman, Digital Africa Global Consults, while welcoming guests to Conference and Exhibition, said there is socio-economic dimension of the exponential growth in IT.
He said, for example, in the nearest future more and more robots will take away not only jobs by blue collar workers but even the jobs of white collar workers including managers and professionals.
“As this happen, it means that capital is becoming labour thus blurring the demarcation between capital and labour. In fact, the prediction that Nigeria is part of the MINT nations is largely based on our population size. So, what if IT or robots in particular also become labour by working and displacing humans, then it means that some of the advantages provided by labour has been eroded. So where lies the population advantage of countries like Nigeria?
“We have an exponential world. How do we ride it, or shape it, instead of merely reacting to it, to how it unfolds? My argument has always been that Africa should not sit idly by while the future of the world it will participate in, live in, is created elsewhere. Africa should be part of the debate or discourse on how to shape the exponential technologies to provide us a desired future.
“The idea of the exponential new techs is that they seem unbelievable and products of science fiction and yet they are already here with us. Africa should note them as they denote some of the revolutionary products out there that we have to take into consideration as we play catch up.
“I am suggesting that Africa needs Techshops. They are places with all the materials, to produce things, e.g., cutting and shaping machines, as well as the laboratory or factory environment that anybody requires to make anything imaginable. Many people in Africa, especially the youth have numerous ideas of what they want to make but for the fact that there are no Techshops that can assist them to do so.
“Africa needs either through the private sector or public sector, to own Techshops here in Africa. It will unleash a season of creativity and innovation in Africa. This is a pure case of democratization of technology and knowledge.
On his part, Mr Folusho Philips, chairman of the occasion said, said the African market must be unlocked to enable individuals and countries harness the potentials the market posses.
He said that Nigeria and African IT experts must be focused on developing models that will enable the continuity in achieving digital singularities.
He added that the industry needs to develop platforms for keen enthusiasts of IT unleash development in all sectors of the economy.
He added that the Conference portends something very positive for the IT industry in the country, for IT diffusion both in private and public sector organisations and for eGovernance.
The event tagged, “Towards Digital Singularity in Africa,” is expected to raise though provoking topics to address quantum of developmental challenges facing Africa, that lags behind other continents of the world in technology acquisition.
Other continents, especially the Americas, Europe and Asia seem to be on steroids in acquiring and adopting new technologies.
However, in Africa, there is no sense of urgency in this regard at all.
The experts re-emphasized that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is changing the world; transforming governance, agriculture, health, oil and gas, and financial services, among other sectors, by driving effective and efficient performance largely for the benefit of the governed, consumers and corporations.
Picture: a cross section of delegates to the Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition which commenced in Lagos yesterday.
E-Business
Check Point Reveals Nigeria as Second Most Targeted African Country for Cyberattacks in November

The November 2025 Global Threat Intelligence report released by Check Point Research on Tuesday, shows Nigerian organisations faced an average of 3,374 cyberattacks per week.

Making the country as one of the primary targets for cybercriminals in Africa last month, with a record of a staggering volume of digital threats despite an overall decline in attacks across the continent.
The report shows that this figure places Nigeria second among the four major African nations analysed, trailing only Angola, which topped the list with 4,251 weekly attacks per organisation.
While Africa as a whole saw a 13 percent year-on-year decrease in cyber incidents, Nigeria’s high numbers reveal a persistent vulnerability within its digital infrastructure. Kenya and South Africa followed Nigeria with 2,384 and 1,863 weekly attacks, respectively.
The report also identified government institutions and financial services as the most targeted sectors across Africa. Globally, the education and research sector remained the most frequent victim, hit by an average of 4,656 attacks per week.
A significant highlight of the report is the emerging threat posed by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Check Point Research found that one in every 35 GenAI prompts submitted within corporate networks globally posed a high risk of sensitive data leakage.
In Nigeria and abroad, employees are increasingly using AI tools that operate outside of formal security frameworks. The report noted that 87 percent of organisations using GenAI were affected by ‘high-risk’ prompts, which often included the input of proprietary code, customer data, or internal communications into public AI models.
Ransomware continues to be a primary tool for extortion, with global incidents rising by 22 percent year-on-year. While North America remains the most targeted region for ransomware, the impact is increasingly felt in emerging markets like Nigeria.
The most active ransomware groups identified in November were Qilin, Clop, and Akira, which primarily targeted industrial manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.
E-Business
JustMarkets Launches Global Boost Contest With Gold Prizes for Traders

JustMarkets, a worldwide broker with more than 12 years of experience in the online trading realm, is launching the Boost Contest, which represents a large-scale trading activity with the purpose of motivating traders, with the most proficient traders being awarded for their exceptional performance through a number of valuable prizes. This activity will last until the 31st of January, 2026.

JustMarkets
A Competition Developed with the Goal of Providing More Opportunities for Traders Worldwide
Boost Contest competition participants will be traders with Standard, Pro, or Raw Spread accounts of the MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platforms.
To participate, traders will only be required to have a minimum account balance of $100 with a minimum of 3 traded lots. These were the requirements set for participants. Of course, the purpose of such a competition is for every broker client to participate. At the same time, however, JustMarkets sought to encourage traders to conduct in-depth analysis, different strategies, risk, and discipline. It was with this objective that this form of competition was established.
Multiple-tier rewards system with real gold
What sets the Boost Contest apart is the Weekly Lucky Draws component, in which traders compete for real gold prizes, awarded in three levels, based on their cumulative trading volume achieved through the competition:
Tier I (more than 100 lots): 15 grams of gold (3 winners)
Tier II (50-99 lots): Gold worth 10 grams (5 winners)
Tier III (10-49 lots): 5 grams of gold (7 winners)
This competition design thus provides traders with different levels of activity with the same opportunity of benefiting from valuable rewards.
Weekly Draws to Encourage Continued Participation
Apart from the top-level prizes, the competition also includes a series of weekly prizes. Traders participating in the competition will qualify for entry into the draw if they execute a minimum of three trades per week. Five lucky traders will be awarded $200 every week.
The introduction of the Boost Contest meets JustMarkets long-term obligations in:
Engaging traders through effective rewards programs
Fostering regular and organized trading practices
Enhancing transparency and integrity within all promotion endeavors
Offering a welcoming space where traders with different skill sets can participate
This reflects the purpose of JustMarkets, which is not only to offer traders good trading terms but also opportunities that add value to the entire trading experience.
A Global Platform Built on Trust and Innovation
As a globally recognized trading platform, JustMarkets continues to invest in initiatives that elevate client experience while adhering to high operational standards. The company maintains a robust technological infrastructure, offers multilingual support, and upholds strict security principles, all foundational elements behind long-term client trust.
The Boost Contest shows JustMarkets dedication to create a convenient and transparent trading environment where everyone can reach their full investment potential by clear rules, transparent rewards, and a stable trading ecosystem.
E-Business
Microsoft Empowers 350,000 more Nigerians with AI Skills

Microsoft, in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, today announced a major milestone in its AI National Skills Initiative (AINSI), with more than 350,000 Nigerians reached with AI skills through the programme. This achievement builds on Microsoft’s longstanding partnership with the government, which has delivered digital training to over 4 million people since 2021.

Microsoft
The milestone underscores Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive, technology-driven growth and reflects strong progress in preparing individuals and organisations to thrive in the digital economy.
“Nigeria cannot afford to wait,” said Abideen Yusuf, General Manager, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana. “AI is reshaping every sector, and the countries that move fastest on skills will lead. We must equip people now, at scale and with intent, so the immense opportunity presented by AI doesn’t pass us by.”
Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, emphasised this point: “AI skilling is no longer optional for Nigeria’s digital future—it is the foundation of our competitiveness. At Lagos Business School, we believe that equipping leaders and citizens with AI capabilities is essential for driving inclusive growth, innovation, and national transformation.”
As it stands, a significant percentage of Nigerian graduates are still to acquire digital skills, highlighting the importance of workforce readiness. Launched in January, the second phase of the Nigeria skilling programme, under Microsoft’s AINSI, aims to reach 1 million citizens over three years, strengthening Nigeria’s AI capability and national competitiveness. AINSI is helping drive a range of different programmes designed to embed AI skills across every sector of the economy.
Empowering organisational leaders
Over the past year, AINSI has advanced ethical and inclusive AI leadership in Nigeria’s public sector. Working with Lagos Business School, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Microsoft has trained 99 public sector leaders, including Members of the National Assembly and senior executives from 58 ministries and agencies. These sessions equipped leaders with strategies for AI-powered reporting and sector-specific roadmaps.
Equipping developers for the future
Developer-focused programmes are creating a strong pipeline of technical talent. Through government-driven initiatives like Developers in Government (DevsInGov) and the 3 Million Technical Talent initiative, led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, developers in public sectors have gained new skills. Around 645 participants have been trained in analytics and AI integration. Another 1,000 developers learned advanced skills in areas such as DevOps, machine learning and data science. These efforts are helping Nigeria’s workforce prepare for the future by advancing AI fluency across the digital ecosystem.
Bringing AI skills to every tech user
To reach everyday tech users, developers, and business leaders, Microsoft hosted a flagship programme, Microsoft AI Skills Week – engaging over 235,000 participants through AI digital literacy workshops, business leader strategy sessions and an Agentic AI hackathon. Partnering with VISA, TeKnowledge, UNICEF, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, the initiative trained more than 11,400 individuals and certified over 1,700. A standout moment was the Agentic AI hackathon, showcasing innovative solutions for document verification, risk assessment, and fraud detection, demonstrating the real-world impact of AI skills in fintech.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft has demonstrated that AI readiness requires coordinated investment across every stakeholder group — government, developers, educators, and communities. By building capacity for evidence-driven governance, responsible innovation, classroom integration, and community adoption, we are laying the foundation for a globally competitive workforce. True digital transformation happens when the entire ecosystem moves forward together,” commented Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, CEO/Founder, Data Science Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Microsoft and its partners will continue driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through targeted upskilling in AI and cybersecurity, expanded access to AI education, and ongoing developer training. These activities aim to build local expertise at all levels and support Nigeria’s young population in taking an active role in Africa’s digital future.
“Nigeria is on track to capture 43% of Africa’s projected $136 billion AI-driven productivity gains by 2030,” concluded Yusuf. “By collaborating with the government to equip leaders, developers, and tech users, we’re building a future-ready workforce and helping Nigerians adopt and adapt the technology, thereby maximising its potential.”
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