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Impact of Digital Skills in Africa

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Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, presenter of Tech Trends on Channels Television
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In spite of the giant stride in the evolution on innovations of web-based businesses, etc., in the technology ecosystem in Africa, the impact of digital skills is still very low due to many extraneous factors.

Last year, Google, therefore, took it upon itself to train one million youths in Africa in digital skills. How has this impacted on the youths of the continent and lots more, was the thrust of the discussion I had with Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, the Country Manager of Google Nigeria recently.

Juliet has been involved in the development of youths on digital skills in Africa in the past one year.

On how the digital skill initiative of Google has been achieved in the past one year, Juliet said it has been very exciting. She stressed that Google committed to this in April 2016, although, it knew it was a daunting task because of its target which was the training of one million youths in one year, it was amazing to note that it achieved this in ten months.

As at today, she noted, about a year after, Google has trained over one million youths in digital skills across various countries in Africa.

Reacting to the impact of the progress for an emerging continent like Africa, Juliet stated that since technology has affected the way we everything these days, such as how we live, socialize, communicate, work, the emerging digital economy on the continent as well as having about 29% of the African population online, which is growing at a fast rate, this creates opportunities in the digital world.

The above, she stressed that the above reasons, therefore, makes it important or young Africans to acquire the right skills to enable them participate in the emerging digital economy to be able to build businesses, create new opportunities for themselves and become digital entrepreneurs.

Juliet further stressed the importance of this against the background that unemployment is a problem on the continent, where we have about 60% of the unemployed being youths, who must be taught how to fend for themselves and acquire skills which they can put in to generate income opportunities, etc.

Juliet stated that measuring the impact of the program has been a priority for it as they have stayed in touch with participants and have recorded a number of success stories of people who have been able to get jobs as well as those who have been able to start their own businesses through attending the training, such as Vanessa Morris and Segun Abodunrin respectively. Google, she said, has, therefore, seen the impact of the program in terms of people creating opportunities, expanding existing businesses, etc.

While reacting to a question as to the number of female participants in the program, Juliet said, among other things, that female to male participation in the program so far is about 47% to 53%. The idea, she said, is to maintain gender balance.

On  what the reception was by the female gender to technology, which is erstwhile  seen by them as a challenge, Juliet is of the view that the female gender are seriously taking to technology now as most success stories are from them.

Projecting on the next step to be taken by Google, Juliet said it will continue to train the youths because of the impact it is generating, but it is deliberately not announcing a new target for now because, although, digital skills will still be taught, the focus is being shifted to impact, thus, re-engaging with people that it has trained, supporting them along the way as well as to grow, looking at opportunities of matching people to jobs, etc.

Speaking on the number of Nigerians accessing the training through online or offline means, Juliet said that about 97% of attendees accessed the training offline while about 3% accessed from online.

She, however, stressed that many of those who were trained offline are quick to go online to acquire more training to deepen their experience.

As access is a bit of a challenge for online users in this clime, Juliet was asked if this sort of training can be accessed without the use of the internet, she responded by saying that Google is conscious of this, hence, it has ensured that it optimizes the portal so it can perform well a low bandwidth environment and also ensured that the courses are light online so they can be viewed on mobile phones.

Some of the videos, she said, are also transcribed to make access easy. Offline packs are also being produced that people can use, she stressed.

Stating what those who want to benefit from the training now should do, Juliet said they should visit the portal, g,co/digitalskills and choose from the available modules. It is completely free and if they successfully complete the training, they will receive a certificate which they can use to update their CV’s and use in obtaining jobs. Information on the classroom training are also available on the portal, she added.

Juliet encouraged everyone to take advantage of this free initiative by Google, because, in today’s world, one cannot really go far without having digital skills. “Digital literacy today, is what basic literacy was to the society, centuries ago”, Juliet concluded.

CFA is the Founder, www.CFAtech.ng & Co-producer/Presenter,Tech Trends on Channels Television

 

 


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Access Holdings, Coronation Partner Tate Modern to Spotlight Nigerian Modernism

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Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group have partnered with Tate Modern to commemorate World Art Day with a virtual session highlighting the global significance of Nigerian modernism.

Access Holdings, Coronation Partner Tate Modern to Spotlight Nigerian Modernism

Access Holdings

The event, titled “In Conversation with Osei Bonsu: Inside Nigerian Modernism,” featured a virtual tour of the Nigerian Modernism exhibition and discussions on the evolution of modern art in Nigeria.

The session brought together staff members across both organisations, reflecting growing institutional engagement with arts and culture as a driver of societal development.

Speaking at the event, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer of Coronation Group, Ngozi Akinyele, emphasised the role of art in shaping identity and national development.

She said that beyond financial capital, cultural and intellectual capital are essential in defining a nation’s prosperity and inspiring dialogue.

Akinyele noted that both organisations were committed to democratising access to art, ensuring it is accessible to a wider audience rather than a select few.

The discussion also featured insights from Tate Modern Curator, Osei Bonsu, and art expert Daniel Wallis, who examined the development of Nigerian modernism and its global relevance.

Bonsu said Nigerian modernism represents an independent reimagining of global art, rooted in the country’s diverse cultural heritage and expressed through unique visual languages.

According to him, the movement challenges narrow, Eurocentric definitions of modernism and highlights the richness of African artistic expression.

The session further underscored the growing international recognition of Nigerian art, particularly through exhibitions at Tate Modern.

Participants also reflected on the visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the exhibition, described as a milestone in promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage globally.

In his closing remarks, Chief Communications Officer of Access Holdings, Amaechi Okobi, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing African narratives on the global stage.

He said the collaboration with Tate Modern aligns with broader efforts to promote dialogue, preserve cultural identity and support the creative sector.

The event reinforced a shared commitment by Access Holdings, Coronation Group and Tate Modern to elevate African art globally and ensure Nigerian cultural narratives continue to shape international conversations.


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NDPC Issues Critical Advisory as Hackers Target Nigeria’s Key Digital Systems

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Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a regulatory advisory to data controllers and processors across the country following what it described as escalating threats to Nigeria’s data security architecture.

NDPC Issues Critical Advisory as Hackers Target Nigeria’s Key Digital Systems

NDPC

In a statement signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, lead of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, the commission said its technical assessment revealed that some shadowy threat actors were engaged in coordinated operations targeting financial systems and critical digital infrastructure in Nigeria.

The commission urged public institutions to comply with the presidential directive of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which emphasises the strategic importance of data in national development.

According to the NDPC, the President had declared that “data is the new oil,” stressing the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to rigorously capture and safeguard information in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.

The commission therefore advised all data controllers and processors to urgently strengthen their technical and organisational measures to protect personal data and ensure compliance with the law.

It listed key measures to include the appointment of trained and certified Data Protection Officers, implementation of comprehensive privacy policies and information security standards, as well as conducting Data Privacy Impact Assessments.

Other measures recommended by the NDPC include deployment of robust identity and access controls such as Multi-Factor Authentication, adoption of zero-trust security architecture, prompt remediation of system vulnerabilities, and continuous patch management.

The commission also emphasised the need to secure cloud infrastructure, application programming interfaces (APIs), databases and access credentials, alongside real-time monitoring, logging and threat detection systems.

Further recommendations include encryption and secure credential handling, regular vulnerability assessment and penetration testing of critical systems, as well as routine backup and resilience testing.

The NDPC warned that organisations that fail to implement appropriate data protection measures in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 risk legal liabilities.

It reiterated its commitment to providing regulatory support to organisations while ensuring the protection of personal data and strengthening institutional resilience across all sectors.


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Africa’s Forex Market in 2026: Key Trends Every Trader Should Watch

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The forex market across Africa is witnessing more participants and more regulatory attention than it did just a few years ago. This growth is part of a bigger picture: Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to expand by 4.3% in 2026, while global forex turnover already hit an estimated $9.6 trillion daily in April 2025. However, there’s more to it than macroeconomic figures.

Africa's Forex Market in 2026: Key Trends Every Trader Should Watch

The trends reshaping the market are happening from within. Here are six worth paying close attention to.

1. Trading Has Moved to the Phone

The number of people accessing the market via mobile phones exceeds those accessing it via traditional bank systems. GSMA states that in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are more than 1.1 billion registered mobile money accounts.

The International Monetary Fund states that digitalisation and increased usage of the internet are changing payment systems in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Mobile access changes traders’ behavior. It lowers the barrier to entry and speeds up deposits and withdrawals. Therefore, brokers who can provide a quality mobile trading experience will have a huge advantage.

2. Regulators Are Watching

The market is becoming more structured and more transparent. In South Africa, the FSCA regulates market conduct for financial institutions. In Kenya, the Capital Markets Authority regulates capital markets and maintains a licensing system that includes online forex brokers.

Nigeria’s SEC has publicly warned that online retail forex trading can be subject to abuse when unregulated. It also provides tools for investors to check operators’ registrations.

As a result, in 2026, more traders are likely to favour brokers that can show clear licensing, transparent operations, and stronger investor safeguards.

3. Volatility Varies by Country

A common mistake is perceiving the African market as one entity. In reality, according to RegTech Afrika, there are 21 countries out of a total of 54 that have a chance of seeing their currencies depreciate in 2025, with some of them losing value by as much as 6% or more.

A trader watching the rand, naira, shilling, or cedi, regional headlines needs more than regional headlines. Country-level macro data, central bank moves, and the US dollar will still play a major role.

4. Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure Is Quietly Improving

Platforms like PAPSS are helping make payments across African countries faster and easier to complete in local currencies. According to official announcements of PAPSS, it has become operational in 18 countries across Africa, with its latest launch in Algeria in 2025. It has also become operational in Kenya through a partnership with KCB Group, as well as in Rwanda through a partnership with Bank of Kigali.

Step by step, Africa is becoming a more financially connected continent.

5. Execution Quality Is the New Standard

Data from the BIS shows that in April 2025, three-quarters of FX trades were intermediated by the global centers of the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Therefore, the best liquidity and best prices are still linked to global conditions.

For local markets, this raises the bar. Forex traders are becoming increasingly aware that tight spreads, while important, mean little without reliable prices and execution. Brokers like JustMarkets that can bring all of these elements together are in a much stronger position than competitors.

6. Education as a Necessity

Regulatory disclosures from major global brokers illustrate how tough it is to trade without proper knowledge. According to publicly available disclosures, between 70% and 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

Forex traders who understand risk management and which financial news to follow have a better chance of surviving the market. Brokers who invest in education are more likely to be seen by traders as valuable partners rather than mere facilitators.
The Market Rewards the Prepared

Africa’s forex market in 2026 is shaped by volatility, stricter rules, and mobile-first trading. The traders who combine market knowledge with the right tools and the right broker will find real opportunity here, while those who don’t adapt will find the market increasingly unforgiving.


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