General News
Microsoft: Getting behind AI growth in Africa

By Amrote Abdella, Regional Director, Microsoft 4Afrika,
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) dominated discussions at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos–with delegates touching on everything from ethics to democratization and workforce re-skilling.
While AI is primed to be the driving force of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, its widespread acceptance and adoption among businesses is still in early stages. The year 2018 was an important onein shifting current perceptions around AI, demonstrating it as atechnology that is here to augment human capabilities, not replace them, and to benefit the speed and scale of any organization, large or small.
These conversations have carried weight. In just four years, the number of global organizations deploying AI has increased by 270 percent.
In Africa, the momentum is similar,and continues to grow asaccess to high quality broadbandand cloud computing improves.Organizations are recognizingAI’s ability to help with some of the continent’s most pervasive problems, from reducing poverty to improving healthcare and enhancing crop yields to feed a growing population.
Microsoft, through initiatives such as 4Afrika, has its sights set on making AI available to everyone on the continent, in line with our global mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. We are partnering with forward-thinking policy makers, innovative startups, technology partners, civil society groups and stakeholders to promote the growth of a vibrant AI ecosystem in Africa – one that enables inclusive growth and providesa clear and trusted path to digital transformation.
Promoting innovation with AI
Many of our local partners, including SMEs and startups, have already begun their AI journeys. Nigerian startup, MyMusic, has experimented with chatbots to help users discover new local music.And fintech startup, MoVAS Group, who we first met in 2016, is now building AI into their credit-scoring algorithms, enabling more unbanked farmers and small business owners to access loans the first time.
In the finance industry, 66 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa is listed as unbanked. The proliferation of mobile banking across the continent has increased financial inclusion, andAI powered intelligent applications are now taking this further. AI can capture and crunchlarge volumes of non-traditional data, such as mobile wallet transactions, thatenable service providers to make automated loan decisions to new customers, with no previous financial track records,in seconds.
Across the Middle East and Africa, a projected $28.3 million will be spent on developing AI solutions in the financial sector – and organisations are ramping up efforts to ensure young developers are well equipped for the task. At the recent AI Bootcamp, hosted by Data Science Nigeria andsponsored by Microsoft, for example, local developers were upskilled in using deep learning concepts to drive financial inclusion.
Developing this kind of AI capacity in Africa is essential, not only to ensure our 200 million-strong youth population is equipped for jobs of the future, but also toensurelocal AI systems themselves are unbiased and inclusive.
Developing the right skills and data sets
Without the skills to build homegrown applications, organizations are likely to import machine-learning algorithms developed elsewhere, which are trained on biased data sets that lack local context. This could have severe consequences in industries like healthcare.
What Africa needs is a richer pool of local data, coupled with AI applications that are built by skilled local teams with diverse demographic, gender, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. To achieve this, outdated processes need to be digitised, education systems need to adapt quickly, and digital literacy programmes need to be more far-reaching.
Local organisations are making good headway. The Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research (CPGR) in South Africa recently collaborated with Microsoft to build a first-for-Africa technology platform on Azure, which is enhancing the storage and processing of African genomic datasets. With this data and computing power, the CPGR is running more ground-breaking biomedical research in local disease development and prevention.
In Malawi, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) hasopened a Microsoft AppFactory at the Dzaleka camp, which is bringing skills in coding and data analytics to young refugees and asylum seekers. Applications that have already been created include Smart Mapokezi, which manages schedules for the allocation of food at the refugee camps.
Policies for an AI-enabled future
As AI opens up new frontiers for economic and social transformation, policy makers will need to ensure that this new data-driven ecosystemis governed by a strong code of ethics. We need to ensure that ethical AI systems are reliable, secure, private, transparent, accountable and beneficial to all.
Across Africa, Microsoft is supporting government bodies in developing necessary policy frameworks.Initiatives such asthe Microsoft Policy Innovation Centre at Strathmore University in Kenya are providing forums to discuss policy issues surrounding the digital transformation of industries and countries. Together with Access Partnership, we also recently commissioned a white paper on the implications of AI in Africa, which will be presented to South African Government delegates in March, during an event dedicated to addressing AI policy advancements.
Putting humans at the center
Through Microsoft’s various programs, from skills development initiatives to growing the startup ecosystem, we are working to help make an AI-enabled future in Africa a reality. In every AI endeavor, our goal is to augment and amplify human ingenuity, accelerate economic and social prosperity. African innovators revolutionized the way mobile technology is used, and we look forward to seeing what they’ll do next with AI.
General News
NRS Extends Saturday Tax Office Operations Nationwide Ahead of Rev360 Rollout

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has announced the extension of weekend tax office operations across the country as part of preparations for the rollout of the Rev360 Phase I Tax Administration System.

In a public notice issued in Abuja on May 7, the Service stated that all Emerging, Medium, Large, and Government Business Offices nationwide will now open on Saturdays from May 8 to June 27, 2026.
According to the notice, the offices will operate between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The NRS explained that the initiative is aimed at providing additional taxpayer support and improving service delivery during the implementation of the new tax administration platform for Medium and Emerging Taxpayer segments.
The Service noted that the extended Saturday operations are designed to assist taxpayers requiring guidance with the new system, facilitate seamless compliance during the June peak Companies Income Tax filing period, and improve access to tax services outside regular weekday hours.
It encouraged taxpayers to take advantage of the initiative to resolve tax-related matters, seek necessary guidance, and ensure timely compliance with their tax obligations.
“The NRS remains dedicated to delivering efficient, transparent, and taxpayer-focused services,” the statement read.
The notice was signed by Zacch Adedeji, PhD, Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service. “You say Transformation, We say Rev360.”
General News
NCS, Gowon University Partner on Research, Development

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Yakubu Gowon University have moved to formalise a strategic alliance aimed at advancing national security research, border management studies, and student welfare.

Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made this known during a visit by the University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, to the headquarters of the agency yesterday in Abuja.
Adeniyi noted that the collaboration marks a significant step in bridging the gap between paramilitary operations and academic research. “I have a long institutional history with this university,” CGC Adeniyi remarked.
He noting that previous attempts to sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) were interrupted by leadership transitions and that the Service is now committed to a phased implementation of support, focusing on projects with the highest impact on the learning environment.
Adeniyi said “For us, beyond legacy, what matters most is impact. We understand the realities facing Nigerian universities, from transportation challenges to infrastructure gaps.
“Our interest is to support initiatives that will create a conducive learning environment and positively impact students.”
He also stressed the importance of the university in relation to its status of the nation’s capital u University. He pledged to support the institution in meeting the demands of its 40,000-strong student population.
Responding, Professor Fawehinmi highlighted the university’s Centre for Defence and Migration Studies as a critical hub for the partnership.
He suggested that the centre could provide the NCS with specialised research into national security and executive training for officers.
“Support in areas such as mass transit buses, ICT infrastructure, research facilities, and professional collaboration will significantly strengthen our capacity,” the Vice Chancellor noted, adding that as the only conventional public university in the Federal Capital Territory, the institution carries enormous responsibilities.
General News
CRMI Warns of Risks, Sees Gains in UAE Exit from OPEC

Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI) has highlighted potential benefits for Nigeria such as increased production flexibility, expanded market share, and improved revenue prospects following the United Arab Emirates’ decision to exit the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

However, the Institute cautioned that these opportunities come with significant risks, including exposure to price volatility, reduced protection from coordinated supply management, intensified competition, and mounting fiscal pressures.
In a statement signed by Victor Olannye, registrar/chief executive officer, described the development as a major shift in global oil governance, with far-reaching implications for market stability and international energy dynamics.
Olannye noted that the move could trigger increased oil price volatility, heightened geopolitical tensions, and disruptions across global energy supply chains.
He urged corporate organisations, public institutions, financial bodies, and risk professionals to reassess their risk frameworks and strengthen resilience in response to evolving global realities.
He identified key risks to include a potential weakening of OPEC cohesion, oil price instability, geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, macroeconomic volatility, and the possibility of further exits by member states.
In line with its mandate to promote sound risk management and support national development, the Institute advised corporate organisations to implement robust risk management frameworks, adopt dynamic hedging strategies, and diversify their business portfolios.
Financial institutions and investors were also urged to reassess energy-related risks, strengthen portfolio diversification, and enhance risk disclosure practices.
CRMI further called on government and policymakers to reinforce fiscal buffers, accelerate economic diversification, and promote the transition to renewable energy.
Individual risk professionals were encouraged to upskill in geopolitical risk analysis and energy economics while developing expertise in scenario planning and predictive analytics.
The Institute emphasised the need for stakeholders to reposition proactively to navigate the evolving geo-economic landscape. It also projected possible scenarios, including fragmentation of global oil governance structures, increased reliance on market-driven pricing mechanisms, and an acceleration of global energy transition efforts.
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