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IBM Research Sets Tape Storage New Record

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IBM scientists have demonstrated an aerial recording density of 123 billion bits of uncompressed data per square inch on low cost, particulate magnetic tape, a breakthrough which represents the equivalent of a 220 terabyte tape cartridge that could fit in the palm of your hand.

To put this into perspective, 220 terabytes of data is comparable to 1.37 trillion mobile text messages or the text of 220 million books, which would require a 2,200 km bookshelf spanning from Las Vegas to Houston, Texas, the company said in a statement at the weekend.

This new record demonstrates that computer tape – a storage medium invented in 1952 with an initial capacity of about 2 megabytes per reel — continues to be an ideal technology not just for storing enormous amounts of back-up and archival data, but for new applications such as Big Data and cloud computing.

The record setting demonstration is an 88 fold improvement over an LTO6 cartridge, the latest industry-standard magnetic tape product, and a 22 fold improvement over IBM’s current enterprise class tape product.

Today more than 500 exabytes of data reside in tape storage systems, according to IT analyst firm Coughlin Associates.

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The record was achieved using a new, advanced prototype tape developed by FUJIFILM Corporation of Japan, in collaboration with IBM scientists.

This is the fourth time in less than 10 years that IBM Research and FUJIFILM have collaborated to achieve such a feat.

ETH Zurich, a leading international university based in Switzerland, is using IBM tape technology for central data back-up and restore services.

“The average data transfer rate to tape has increased steeply over the years to approximately 60 terabytes daily and our tape library has reached more than 5.5 petabytes. Despite advances in overall storage technology, tape is still a promising media for large amounts of data for its transferability of data in Linear Tape File System applications and its low energy consumption,” said Dr. Tilo Steiger, deputy head of ITS System Services, ETH Zurich.”

“With this demonstration, we prove again that tape will continue to play an important role in the storage hierarchy for years to come,” added Evangelos Eleftheriou, IBM Fellow. “This milestone reaffirms IBM’s continued commitment and leadership in magnetic tape technology.”

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While tape has traditionally been used on premise for video archives, back-up files, replicas for disaster recovery and retention of information, off-premise applications in the cloud are beginning to emerge due to its low cost, which averages just a few pennies per gigabyte.

IBM Research scientists in Zurich are exploring the integration of tape technology with current cloud object storage systems such as OpenStack Swift.

This would enable object storage on tape and allow users to seamlessly migrate cold data to an extremely low-cost, highly durable cloud based storage tier perfectly suited for back-up or archival use cases.

A research prototype of this technology is being demonstrated next week at the 2015 National Association Broadcasters Show in IBM booth N5223.

Additional technical details of the tape technology will be presented at the 2015 Intermag conference (May 11-15) in Beijing and at the IBM EDGE conference (May 11-15) in Las Vegas.

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To achieve 123 billion bits per square inch, IBM researchers developed several new technologies, including:

–  A set of advanced servo control technologies that include a high bandwidth head actuator, a servo pattern and servo channel and a set of tape speed optimized H-infinity track follow controllers that together enable head positioning with an accuracy better than 6 nanometers. This enables a track density of 181,300 tracks per inch, a more than 39 fold increase over LTO6.

–  An enhanced write field head technology that enables the use of much finer barium ferrite (BaFe) particles.

–  Innovative signal-processing algorithms for the data channel, based on noise-predictive detection principles, enable reliable operation with an ultra narrow 90nm wide giant magnetoresistive (GMR) reader.

Since 2002, IBM has been working closely with FUJIFILM, particularly on the optimization of its dual-coat magnetic tape based on barium ferrite (BaFe) particles. The results of this collaboration have led to various technology improvements, among them a dramatic increase in the precision of controlling the position of the read-write heads which has resulted in an increase in the number of tracks that can be squeezed onto half-inch-wide tape.

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In addition, the scientists have developed new, advanced detection methods to improve the accuracy of reading the tiny magnetic bits, achieving an increase in the linear recording density of more than 76 percent over LTO6, while enabling the use of a reader that is only 90nm in width.

Many of the technologies developed and used in the areal density demonstrations are later incorporated into IBM tape products. Two notable examples from 2007 include an advanced noise predictive maximum likelihood read channel and first generation BaFe tape media.

IBM has a long history of innovation in magnetic tape data storage. Its first commercial tape product, the 726 Magnetic Tape Unit, was announced more than 60 years ago. It used reels of half-inch-wide tape that each had a capacity of about 2 megabytes. The areal density demonstration announced today represents a potential increase in capacity of 110,000,000 times compared with IBM’s first tape drive product. This announcement reaffirms IBM’s continued commitment and leadership in magnetic tape technology.

Now entering its 70th  year, IBM Research continues to define the future of technology with more than 3,000 researchers in 12 labs located across six continents.

IBM Research breakthroughs helped the company achieve an industry record 7,534 patents in 2014, marking the 22nd consecutive year IBM topped the annual list of U.S. patent recipients.

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Scientists from IBM Research have produced six Nobel Laureates, 10 U.S. National Medals of Technology; five U.S. National Medals of Science, six Turing Awards, 19 inductees in the National Academy of Sciences and 20 inductees in the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame.

 

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Africa Prudential Unveils Digital Growth Strategy

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Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth and digital transformation after posting another strong half-year financial performance, driven by robust growth in its core registrar business, technology-driven solutions and increased activity in Nigeria’s capital market.

Speaking during the company’s H1 2026 Investor Call on Tuesday, the management outlined plans to deepen revenue diversification and accelerate innovation as part of efforts to reduce reliance on interest income and strengthen long-term profitability.

The company reported gross earnings of ₦4.28 billion for the first half of 2026, representing a 27 per cent increase from ₦3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

Profit before tax rose by 22 per cent to ₦2.41 billion, while profit after tax climbed 18 per cent to ₦1.59 billion.

Net operating income also increased by 27 per cent to ₦4.21 billion, while total assets grew by 13 per cent to ₦46.53 billion. Shareholders’ funds similarly rose by 13 per cent to ₦12.52 billion.

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According to the company, the impressive performance was driven by sustained growth in its registrar business, increased corporate actions across the Nigerian capital market, stronger treasury earnings supported by the prevailing interest rate environment and rising adoption of its technology-enabled products and services.African Mineral Wealth

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Catherine Nwosu, said Africa Prudential is steadily evolving from a traditional share registrar into a diversified technology and business solutions provider serving the broader capital market ecosystem.

Addressing concerns from investors about the sustainability of earnings if interest rates decline, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its non-interest income sources.

“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams. Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, AGM technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app. Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.

She noted that increasing activity in the Nigerian capital market presents fresh opportunities for technology-driven solutions.

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“With capital market activity nearly doubling over the past year, demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved market efficiency and stronger compliance standards continues to grow. We are investing in technology-enabled solutions that position us to capitalise on these opportunities while delivering sustainable value to our shareholders,” she added.

Looking ahead, the company identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026, including driving sustainable growth through its core registrar business and new revenue streams, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and reinforcing corporate governance.

The investor call attracted institutional investors, shareholders, analysts, regulators and other capital market stakeholders, reflecting strong interest in Africa Prudential’s earnings outlook, revenue diversification strategy and long-term growth plans.

 

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IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community

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Communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria, has donated business support equipment to empower people with disabilities within the Karonmajiji community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is part of the company’s commitment to drive inclusive community development and sustainable livelihood support under its Project Empower initiative.

The equipment was distributed to beneficiaries during a ceremony held in the community on Monday, July 27. The initiative was conceived following a community needs assessment and is designed to empower active traders by providing them with business tools rather than cash grants, thereby strengthening their businesses and ensuring long-term economic impact and accountability.

Speaking at the event, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, described the initiative as a reflection of the company’s commitment to advancing inclusive development by equipping persons with disabilities with the tools and opportunities needed to build resilient livelihoods.

She explained that rather than providing short-term financial assistance, IHS Nigeria adopted an asset-based approach by donating 50 pieces of business support equipment, including sewing machines, freezers, generators and hairdressing kits, to the selected beneficiaries.

According to her, the intervention is designed to create lasting value by supporting entrepreneurship, promoting self-reliance and strengthening household incomes, while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

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In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed Katsina, represented by the Secretary of the Community, Alhaji Mohammed Dantani commended IHS Nigeria for its commitment to empowering persons with disabilities through practical and sustainable interventions.

He described the initiative as a demonstration of genuine partnership with the community and expressed appreciation for the company’s continued engagement with the Association, noting that the donation of the equipment was a significant investment in improving the livelihoods of persons with disabilities and would create meaningful economic opportunities for the beneficiaries and their families.

The event brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, leaders and members of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community Association, implementing partners, including Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship (FSD VTE) Training Institute and other community stakeholders, reaffirming a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.

Project Empower reinforces IHS Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote economic inclusion, strengthen community resilience and create opportunities for underserved communities.

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CIBN, ACAMB Push for Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment

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The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.

Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.

The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”

The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.

Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women  are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.

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He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.

ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.

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