General News
Oracle Out With Application-Engineered Systems for Data Center Harmony
The price of running modern data centers is quickly rising, said Tom Pegrume, vice president Oracle Hardware Middle East and Africa.
He added that the astonishing amount of data that companies collect today coupled with a mounting need to convert this information into measurable business value quickly and effectively has seen enterprises fill server rooms with rows of expensive storage stacks working furiously to accommodate an army of data-processing applications.
Given that the amount of data collected by businesses is expected to continue growing by 50 to 70 per cent each year, companies that content themselves to add current-day servers to their existing data center technologies will quickly find themselves in a financial struggle to support the upkeep of their IT infrastructure in the face of this growth, and lacking the floor space to even do so.
The key for businesses looking to remain competitive in an increasingly data-heavy world is therefore a more rapid, more powerful, and more space and cost-efficient storage solution. Andreas Olah, research analyst at IDC in EMEA agrees, saying that “Server density is increasing … driven by the need for lower power consumption and less datacenter floor space required while maintaining performance”.
The problem is that in past years storage systems were primarily designed as general-purpose solutions meant to work with as many applications as possible.
While these presented attractive products to sell to customers operating across multiple industries, this “one size fits all” approach has left businesses with expansive IT infrastructures whose performance is encumbered by limited communication between applications and storage within the stack.
Moreover, because these systems are standardized companies have been allocating a considerable portion of their time and budget on managing their integration into their in-house data centre architecture rather than investing into the growth of their practices.
In reality, each application in the stack is different and should therefore be treated as such.Some require high-performance support, others extreme security measures, while some even have varying operational requirements dependent on the time of year – for example, an energy provider’s performance demands are much higher during the work day than during the quiet late evening hours.
To unlock more value from these tools, businesses will have to move past generic storage appliances and adopt engineered systems that marry application-aware storage solutions with storage-aware applications.
These application engineered systems (AES) drive faster, more powerful IT by automating data management to an unprecedented degree while helping businesses reduce operating costs.
A storage device operating within an integrated AES solution is aware of the requirements that each application it supports will have before their request even reaches the storage controller.
This co-engineering between application and storage leads to much faster query times and data processing.
By running more efficient data compression technologies such as Hybrid Columnar Compression that can only be supported by these engineered systems, businesses can reduce the space required to store their data by up to10 times when compared with the compression rates of non-application aware systems.
Businesses require improved operational agility from their IT, and cannot afford to lose time dealing with bottlenecks in their mission-critical databases and applications.
A major benefit of AES storage systems is their ability to automatically adjust to the changing requirements of data centre applications in real time.
For companies, this pre-integrated interaction between applications and storage means that rather than using their employees’ time to manually treat labour-intensive IT issues they can instead focus on driving innovation and business growth.
Pegrume added that while some businesses may prefer to build and manage their own storage systems, the disconnect between applications and the server will inevitably grow wider with every third party technology added to the stack.
“When one considers that two thirds of enterprise storage costs can be attributed to the time and manpower dedicated to managing these systems, this piecemeal approach risks becoming prohibitively expensive, especially when factoring in the cost of frequent system upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Not only does a fully-integrated AES solution help businesses bypass some of these costs, but because engineered applications automatically tune themselves to the stack and scale their functionality in response to system requirements they also leave room for significant performance enhancements down the road.
“For businesses, investment in innovation drives progress. In today’s fast-moving economy, the seemingly endless trickle of money companies will spend to tune and manage their data centers would serve them better if reinvested towards achieving measurable market growth.
By providing businesses with fully-integrated data storage and analysis capabilities, application-aware systems like AES, such as Oracle’s ZFS Storage ZS3, give them the self-managing IT solution they will need to reduce their long-term IT investment and focus on achieving success in their respective fields,” he said. Furthermore, due to the dynamic relationship between application and software within these stacks, businesses will also benefit from dramatically improved data processing capability and speed.
Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has cautioned the public against fake recruitment offers and fraudulent employment letters circulating in the agency’s name.
Eniola Akinkuotu, head of Media and Corporate Communications of the Commission, stated that NUPRC has received reports of counterfeit and AI-generated appointment letters bearing names not known to the regulator.
The Commission also said fraudsters have been extorting money from jobseekers by promising placement within the agency.
NUPRC has reported the incidents to law enforcement and said investigations are underway.
The regulator reiterated that there is no ongoing recruitment exercise and warned members of the public not to make any payments for supposed job offers.
“Whenever the Commission decides to recruit, the process will be conducted strictly in accordance with extant laws and government regulations,” the statement said.
The Commission urged jobseekers to verify any purported offer and to rely only on official NUPRC communications for recruitment information.
The warning follows growing concerns about the misuse of digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to fabricate apparently authentic documents that can deceive the public.
General News
Africa50 Secures Fresh Capital, Strategic Partnerships to Accelerate African Infrastructure
Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform, has secured new investment commitments and strategic partnerships with international investors and Tanzanian institutions aimed at mobilising capital for infrastructure development across Africa.
The agreements, announced at the 2026 Infra for Africa Forum in Dar es Salaam, include a US$20 million commitment from British International Investment (BII) to Africa50’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF), as well as partnerships covering natural gas, electricity transmission and healthcare infrastructure in Tanzania.
The latest commitments bring the IAF’s total capital commitments to approximately US$330 million.
Under one of the major agreements, Africa50, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and TAQA Arabia will develop the first phase of a small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) project designed to distribute domestic natural gas to industrial and transportation customers across Tanzania.
Africa50 is partnering with TAQA Arabia and TPDC on the project, providing project development, investment and financial structuring expertise to develop a bankable model that could be replicated in Tanzania and other markets.
Mussa M. Makame, Managing Director of TPDC, said the partnership demonstrated Tanzania’s commitment to leveraging its natural gas resources to support national development.
“As a gas supplier to this project, TPDC will work with the project partners to broaden domestic access to cleaner, reliable energy and create greater value for the Tanzanian economy,” he said.
Pakinam Kafafi, CEO of TAQA Arabia subsidiary Rosetta Energy Solutions, said the LNG project would convert Tanzania’s gas resources into reliable energy for industry, communities and transportation.
“This project will turn Tanzania’s abundant gas resources into reliable energy for industry, communities and transport, strengthening energy security and accelerating industrialization,” she said.
Africa50 also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (TANESCO) to collaborate on electricity transmission Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
The partnership is expected to facilitate Tanzania’s first Independent Power Transmission (IPT) project, drawing on Africa50’s experience with its IPT project in Kenya.
Engineer Timoth Mgaya, Acting Managing Director of TANESCO, said the partnership would help Tanzania attract private capital and strengthen its transmission infrastructure.
“Partnering with Africa50 provides Tanzania with strategic project-development and financing expertise as we unlock private capital for Africa’s transmission infrastructure,” he said.
The agreement, he added, would contribute to the development of East Africa’s power market while supporting industrialisation, economic integration and inclusive growth.
In the healthcare sector, Africa50 and Tanzania’s Ministry of Health signed an MoU to expand access to renal care and dialysis services for patients suffering from kidney diseases.
The partnership is expected to provide healthcare infrastructure, reliable medical equipment, experienced operators and long-term investment to strengthen the country’s capacity to deliver life-saving renal services.
Meanwhile, BII’s US$20 million investment in the IAF makes the UK development finance institution the latest Limited Partner in the fund.
BII and Africa50 also signed an MoU to deepen cooperation and identify opportunities for co-investment and further mobilisation of capital into African infrastructure.
The IAF invests in equity and quasi-equity opportunities across power, transport and logistics, water and sanitation, digital infrastructure and social infrastructure.
The fund leverages Africa50’s relationships with African governments, corporates and project developers to deploy capital into infrastructure projects with strong commercial and development potential.
Leslie Maasdorp, Chief Executive Officer of BII, said the partnership would help mobilise additional capital into sustainable infrastructure across Africa.
“Africa’s infrastructure needs are significant, but so are the opportunities,” Maasdorp said. “By combining our expertise, networks and capital, we can help unlock investment that drives growth, creates jobs and improves lives.”
Alain Ebobissé, Group CEO of Africa50, said the new partnerships reflected the organisation’s evolution from a project development institution into a major infrastructure investment platform.
“Africa50 was created to develop bankable projects, mobilize finance for investments in Africa’s infrastructure and accelerate delivery,” he said.
According to Ebobissé, the organisation is now positioned to scale up infrastructure investment by translating the vision of African leaders into commercially viable projects capable of attracting capital from both African and international investors.
The agreements were announced as Africa50 marked its 10th anniversary under the theme, “A Decade of Economic Impact: From Vision to Delivery.”
MTN Nigeria, leading technology company, recently hosted undergraduates from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) for an immersive career engagement session, at the MTN Rooftop Plaza, Ikoyi, Lagos.
MTN
The event exposed students to career opportunities across cybersecurity, finance, internal audit and forensic investigations while providing practical insights into the skills required to succeed in today’s workplace.
The session was designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry by helping students better understand the diverse career paths available within the telecommunications and technology sector.
The engagement brought together students studying Economics, Banking and Finance, Cybersecurity and Accounting, providing an opportunity to interact directly with professionals from various business functions.
Through presentations and discussions, participants gained a deeper understanding of the competencies, experiences and continuous learning required to build successful careers in a rapidly evolving business environment.
The engagement comes at a time when technology-related roles, including cybersecurity specialists, are among the world’s fastest-growing occupations, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025.
During the visit, the students met with senior cybersecurity and forensic professionals who shared insights into their respective fields and discussed emerging trends shaping the future of work.
The sessions also highlighted the wide range of career opportunities available across different fields, demonstrating that success in the industry is not limited to any particular course of study.
Undergraduates were also introduced to the evolving nature of the audit profession, as data analytics, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are becoming increasingly important areas of focus for internal auditors.
During a session on building a meaningful career in Internal Auditing, undergraduates were encouraged to approach their professional journeys with purpose, continuous learning and a commitment to personal growth.
The session emphasised that career success extends beyond securing employment and involves developing relevant skills, understanding one’s strengths and intentionally pursuing opportunities that align with personal values and long-term goals.
Speaking during the engagement, Chief Internal Audit and Forensic Services Officer, Ibe Kalu Etea, represented by the General Manager, Internal Audit and Forensics, Wasiu Ibrahim, encouraged the undergraduates to remain open to opportunities beyond their academic backgrounds and focus on developing transferable skills. “Students can take any career path they want to. You can upskill and transition into a different career, even if it is not what you studied in school.
“Do not let your course of study determine your career path. Focus on building relevant skills, staying curious and continuously learning because opportunities exist across many fields,” he said.
The Undergraduates also participated in an interactive question-and-answer session, where they sought guidance on career development, workplace expectations and professional growth.
The initiative reflects MTN Nigeria’s commitment to nurturing future talent by connecting young people with industry leaders and equipping them with the knowledge, exposure and confidence needed to navigate their career journeys.
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