Telecom
Edufirst, Canadian Firm Ink $1 Million MOU Aimed towards Human Capacity Development
With certain jobs already becoming obsolete thereby skyrocketing the demand for IT related jobs globally, Nigeria will have to toughen its efforts in making sure that graduates and non-graduates are adequately equipped with the right skill set.
It is on this sideline that Edufirst, an indigenous organization and a subsidiary of Skoolmedia Limited signed a treaty worth $1 million on Thursday with Jobminders Incorporated, a human capacity development company in Canadian.
The $1 million would be channelled towards building capacities and repositioning the scope of the Nigerian graduate by making them more globally competitive in IT related field in the next five years.
Consequently, both companies are looking at developing an online virtual learning and Mobile App tagged “Edufirst Tek Classes” which will accommodate training programmes for fresh graduate, top-level management and executives on core managerial skills.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Moses Imayi, the CEO and Cofounder of Edufirst described the partnership as a bold step geared towards ensuring that a standardized curricular for digital and IT skills training program is being provided to many Nigerians.
He said Edufirst is commencing the first series of its international partnerships focused on building capacities and developing core skills that will be relevant to the future of Nigeria.
Imayi emphasized that with the growing trend of job losses and skills gap the country, the indigenous firm is committed to ensuring that IT deficiencies are addressed while making the Nigerian labour market become more vibrant in adopting relevant skills sets that resonate with the 21st century years.
Imayi maintained that the training offerings to be covered in the first phase of the partnership with Jobminders are skills set that are globally recognized which would help any participant to be employable anywhere in the world.
He clarified that the partnership with the Canadian firm was not aimed at immigrating Nigerians to developed countries in search of greener pastures, thus refuting the idea that Edufirst runs and offers immigration services to Nigerians.
“You don’t need to be in Canada or US to do an IT project because you can work virtually; therefore it is not about sending Nigerians to work in the overseas. The most important thing and the whole idea is to equip them, bridge the gap in the IT-related skills,” he said.
According to Charles Osazuwa, the Vice President of Jobminders Incorporated, the demand of IT-related jobs are humongous while the available skill sets to do these jobs are scarce and has become imperative to start nurturing the needed skills for Nigerian to fit in into the labour market.
He said lots of jobs are being outsourced to many people at different climate but Nigeria still does not get its quota due to the skills gap in those fields.
“Most times I see Nigerians end up working in factories in developed countries because most of them don’t have the skills to take up certain jobs which employers are always seeking for.
He said being a staffing support industry; Jobminders Incorporated is poised to deliver personnel with the right qualification, attitude and enthusiasm to employers globally by equipping IT enthusiasts who are ready to develop themselves in the field of technology.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
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