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Technology in Africa: Why Nigeria Should Lead the Way

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Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr
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There is no doubt that Nigeria is one of the most developed countries on the continent of Africa. In spite of its current economic recession, it still leads the continent in various social and economic sectors. There is, however, serious doubts as to whether or not it is capable if leading the continent in the field of technology. In my view, I think that Nigeria is capable of leading Africa in the field of technology for the following reasons.

Availability of numerous youths with interest in technological
One of the things that stand Nigeria in good stead to lead the African continent in technology is the availability of numerous youths in Nigeria, who are interested in technology. There are many young Nigerians that are exposed to tech gadgets at an early age these days and this spurs innovative tendencies in these young ones. If these set of innovative young Nigerians are well coordinated and well directed, they will form the launching pad of a tech revolution that is capable of engulfing the country as well as take the whole of Africa by storm. It will interest you to note that some Nigerian youths have succeeded in developing some tech devices and  are also providing some online services that have gone international in patronage.

Availability of Venture Capitalists to provide funding
It is one thing to innovate and yet another to actually get the products and services that are developed through these innovations to be produced and marketed to the final consumers. There is no gainsaying the fact that many innovators are not financially buoyant to produce and market these because the processes are not cheap to cone by. This is where Venture Capitalists come in and Nigeria has abundance of these. They are ready to invest in the ideas and innovations after proper assessment of the business plan and other prospects.

A ready market to dispose products and services
The fact that the Nigerian population, which now stands at about 200 million and one sixth of the entire population of the African continent, is a huge plus for the country in the development of innovative products and services because these innovators are assured of disposing them off to the large population in Nigeria after going into production. The large population in Nigeria encourages the consumption of technological products and services supplied and this gives impetus for many tech enthusiasts to venture into innovating. Other African countries andthe rest of the world will also benefit from these products.  It is no wonder, then, that Nigeria is considered as a huge market for  the products and seevices of different world renowned manufacturers of various gadgets such as smartphones, computers and cameras.

Establishing of ICT Hubs
Nigeria presently has a number of ICT Hubs spread across the country. These ICT Hubs provide a co-creation environment that is conducive for the generation of ideas that can be moulded into useful innovations. The Nigerian government is also planning on establishing ICT Hubs in all States in the country. Some State governments, such as Delta State for instance, have already set up ICT Hubs in their respective States. These are, no doubt, laudable moves by the governments at those levels. Many tech industry operators are, however, of the opinion that instead of the government venturing into setting up ICT Hubs itself, it should rather encourage the private sector to set these up and run them effectively with the government merely creating the enabling environment to make it easy for these Hubs to be set up. Other players in the industry also think that the government should carry this out through a Public Private Partnership arrangement, with the management of these Hubs left in the hands of tech experts. Either way, the establishment of ICT Hubs is a sure way to fast-tracking ideas and innovations to becoming realities in Nigeria, thus, positioning the country to be in the lead of technological breakthroughs in Africa.

This can be achieved through the setting up of mechanisms that are capable of recognising talents early and nurturing them, mentoring them and giving them the opportunity to express themselves and innovate.  This will definitely give Nigeria the edge in leading the African continent in technology.

Like I always say, however, everything must be put in place to create the enabling environment for Nigeria to lead in tech in Africa. Start-ups, for instance, must be encouraged to survive and operate, with the government providing them with incentives such as access to start-up loans which are either interest-free or with very convenient interest rate charges, tax concessions, etc. Utilities, such as the provision of constant electricity supply and cheap internet data provision, must also be made available to minimize the running costs of these start-ups and other tech entrepreneurs. With all these in place, the sky is really the limit for Nigeria to be the leader in technology on the African continent.

CFA is the founder of cfatech.ng; presenter TechTrends on ChannelsTV, and host of other radio programmes.

 

 

 
 

 


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Firm Enhances its Security Awareness Platform with SCORM and PDF Support

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Kaspersky has introduced an update to its Automated Security Awareness Platform, adding full support for PDF and SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) – the industry-standard protocol for deploying and managing e-learning content.

The enhancement enables organisations to build fully customised cybersecurity training programmes that reflect their infrastructure, risk profile, and internal policies, while continuing to benefit from Kaspersky’s expert-driven security content and phishing simulations.

According to the Kaspersky report titled “Redefining the Human Factor in Cybersecurity”, employees responding to phishing attacks was one of the main causes of cyber incidents in companies worldwide, accounting for 21% of cases among other reasons.

At the same time, additional Kaspersky research reveals that social engineering attacks are predicted to increase more than any other type in the nearest future, with 87% of respondents believing that social engineering attacks will become even more effective due to the use of AI tools.

The new Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform (Kaspersky ASAP) update directly addresses several persistent challenges such as reducing the number of human-related incidents, cutting time spent on managing training programmes, decreasing regulatory and compliance risks, and minimising potential legal or reputational damage stemming from cybersecurity breaches.

With the new SCORM support, the platform becomes even more flexible: companies can now upload, track, and manage their own SCORM-based learning materials directly within the system. In addition, companies can accelerate their programmes by using easier-to-create PDF-formats.

This allows organisations to tailor training to their specific technology stacks and emerging threats targeting their industry or region. Businesses that have already invested in third-party SCORM courses or internal learning development can now seamlessly reuse their existing modules, protecting their prior investments while strengthening their cybersecurity posture.

The combination of Kaspersky’s embedded content built on real cases uncovered by the company’s world-class experts with customers’ PDF materials or SCORM modules enables a true best-of-breed approach to human risk management.

Organisations can supplement Kaspersky’s up-to-date cyberattack scenarios with internal policies, unique workflows, and industry-specific lessons, ensuring training resonates with employees and reflects real operational challenges.

“Human behaviour remains one of the most unpredictable elements in cybersecurity and also one of the easiest for attackers to exploit. By adding SCORM support to Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform, we’re giving organisations the flexibility to build training programmes that truly match their internal realities.

“Combined with Kaspersky’s expert-driven content and real-world attack data, this update empowers companies to create more adaptive, relevant, and impactful awareness programmes than ever before,” comments Svetlana Kalashnikova, Security Awareness expert at Kaspersky.


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NDPC, 60 DPAs Collaborate on Enforcing Privacy Rights in the Use of Al

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Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has joined sixty (60) other Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) in endorsing the “Joint Statement on Al-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy.”

NDPC, 60 DPAs Collaborate on Enforcing Privacy Rights in the Use of Al

NDPC

The Joint Statement was coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly.

This underscores the growing concerns regarding the privacy risks posed by Artificial Intelligence tools capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals.

The Joint Statement highlights concerns over the misuse of Al-powered tools to create non-consensual imagery, defamatory content, and other harmful materials, particularly affecting children and vulnerable groups.

It calls on organisations to implement strong safeguards, ensure transparency, provide effective content removal mechanisms, and comply fully with applicable data protection laws.

The current effort forms part of a continuum of steps being taken by Nigeria to ensure the responsible use of Al. It will be recalled that the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, led the initiative for the development of the National Al Strategy.

The NDPC also issued the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which, amongst others, mandates privacy by design and privacy by default in the development and deployment of Al tools.

The National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has directed that the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) Compliance Audit Returns (CAR) by data controllers and processors of major importance will serve as a yardstick for monitoring and evaluating responsible use of Al for data processing in Nigeria.


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Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology

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Jumia Nigeria has announced the launch of Jumia Tech Week 2026, a two-week campaign offering customers access to discounted technology products across key categories, including smartphones, computing, home entertainment, and wearable devices.

Starting from March 2 to March 15, Jumia Nigeria’s Tech Week 2026 is themed ‘Tech Products for Less’ – a deliberate commitment by the e-commerce giant to drive down the cost of technology products for Nigerian consumers. The campaign offers significant price reductions across key product categories, enabling more Nigerians to access the devices they need at prices that reflect the company’s dedication to affordability and consumer value.

Jumia Tech Week will feature deals across a wide range of product categories, including mobile phones, computer systems and accessories, televisions and audio equipment, gaming products, home appliances, portable power solutions, health technology,, and wearable devices.

Customers will also have access to curated recommendations, including top smartphone deals, must-have accessories, gaming essentials, and home technology upgrades.

According to Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, the campaign reflects Jumia’s broader commitment to making everyday technology more accessible to Nigerians.

“Technology has become an essential part of everyday life, and access to the right devices enables more people to participate fully in the digital economy,” said Ojo. “At Jumia, we remain focused on expanding access and improving the shopping experience as we continue to build Nigeria’s everyday retail destination.”

The campaign will include a range of customer engagement initiatives such as flash sales, brand days, anchor deals and interactive activities designed to enhance the online shopping experience.

Special highlight periods, described as Explosion Days, will take place on March 6 and March 13, featuring limited-time offers across selected technology categories. Customers will also be able to participate in interactive activities, including product-based games, treasure hunts,, and live shopping sessions during the campaign period.

The campaign will feature participation from leading brands including Oraimo, Silver Crest, Samsung, Ecoflow, Nivea and Aeon, offering customers a wide selection of technology, household and lifestyle products. Early access promotions already begun during the teaser period from February 16 to March 1, allowing customers to preview selected deals ahead of the official launch.

Jumia Tech Week forms part of the company’s broader strategy to expand e-commerce adoption by improving access to essential products and enhancing the customer experience across its platform. As Nigeria’s e-commerce market continues to grow, Jumia remains focused on strengthening its product assortment, logistics capabilities, and digital experience to serve customers better nationwide.

Customers can participate in the campaign by using the Jumia mobile app or visiting the Jumia website and following the conversation online using #JumiaTechWeek.

 


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