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Bloomberg, Ford Foundation & 5 African Varsities Team up for 2nd Financial Journalism Training

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A new class of financial journalists and professionals interested in financial journalism has begun its Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) Executive Training Program 2015.

The program, which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, with additional support from the Ford Foundation, brings together the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Lagos Business School, University of Lagos and three other preeminent business and journalism schools in Africa, to offer journalists and other mid-career professionals the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge about financial and economic reporting.

A new development to the program, which commenced in April 2015, sees participants having access to the Bloomberg Professional service, or terminal, for six months.

The Bloomberg terminal is a software platform providing the world’s most trusted real-time and historical data, market-moving news and analytics to help business and financial professionals make better informed investment decisions.

The service also features execution platforms for every asset class, independent research and a global network to communicate securely and reliably with.

The 325,000 subscribers to the service include investment firms, corporations, commercial and central banks, government agencies and high net-worth individuals.

 “With the real-time flow of data and information through the Bloomberg terminal, the student experience is significantly enriched.  Most investors, brokers, reporters and government decision-makers find access to the terminal indispensable. Student access to the terminal is invaluable,” said Dr Lucy Voss-Price, the program director.

“The Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) is designed to increase the number of journalists , government and civil society professionals  equipped  to strengthen the contribution of business and financial media to the sustainable development of Africa,” says Erana Stennett, BMIA Program Director.  “We are encouraged by the interests and enthusiasm in the program and believe the graduates of this training will be well equipped to make a greater contribution to transparency, governance and accountability,” she added.

The six-month certificate program has been developed primarily for mid-career journalists – especially those with an interest in moving into financial journalism, financial professionals with an interest in financial journalism, government professionals responsible for public policy, communications and banking or financial specialists, civil society and NGO professionals with a stake in the communication of economic and financial data.

The program consists of four intakes and applications for the third intake will open in August 2015.

Joey Mathekga, head of Corporate Disclosure Regulation and Compliance at the Companies and Intellectual Property Organisation (CIPC) said: “Attending the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa training allowed me to recognize the importance of data, in terms of reviewing, analyzing and making informed commentary from financial statements. As part of my job I now have the responsibility of reviewing financial statements with regards to capital markets. It is no longer about a tick-box method but a contextual approach to supervision.”

Interested parties who possess a recognised tertiary qualification (degree or diploma) and have experience in journalism or a related field are encouraged to apply on www.gibs.co.za/bmia or email [email protected] for further information.

Founded in 2000, the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) is an internationally accredited business school, based in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic hub.

As the business school for business, we focus on general management in dynamic markets to significantly improve responsible individual and organisational performance, primarily in the South African environment and increasingly in our broader African environment, through the provision of high quality business and management education.

In May 2015 the annual UK Financial Times Executive Education rankings, a global benchmark for providers of executive education, once again ranked GIBS as the top South African and African business school.

In October 2014 the GIBS MBA was ranked among the top 100 business schools globally in the prestigious Financial Times Executive MBA Rankings.

GIBS is the only business school in Africa to appear in this ranking.

GIBS is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is a member of the South African Business Schools Association (SABSA), the Association of African Business Schools (AABS) and the European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS).

Also and aunched by Michael R. Bloomberg in 2014, the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) is a three-year pan-African program that will provide cross disciplinary education programs to strengthen business and economic media capacity, convene African and international leaders to examine worldwide best practices in financial journalism, and improve access to information in order to advance transparency, accountability and governance on the continent.

 


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WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Worse than Reported

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World Health Organisation (WHO) at the weekend declared the Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo virus strain a global public health emergency.

WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Worse than Reported

WHO said there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain of Ebola.

At home, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said there is “no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria” but had  tightened surveillance against the deadly virus.

The outbreak, linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has already caused dozens of deaths in Congo and spread into Uganda, raising fears of wider transmission across the region.

In response, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that the country remains on alert because of growing movement across African borders.

Jide Idris, director-general said the agency was “closely monitoring the situation” and working with the Port Health Services and other health agencies to strengthen preparedness nationwide.

He added that surveillance has been increased at entry points and within Nigeria’s health system.

According to the WHO, the outbreak has recorded more than 240 suspected cases and about 80 suspected deaths in Congo’s Ituri province, while imported cases have also been confirmed in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

The WHO said the outbreak is “extraordinary” because of uncertainty around the true number of infections and the lack of approved medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain.

Health authorities advised Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, avoid contact with infected persons and report symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting and bleeding to the nearest health facility immediately.

Nigeria was declared Ebola-free in 2014 after successfully containing an outbreak brought into the country by an infected traveler from Liberia.

 

 


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Digital PayExpo 2026 to Convene Africa’s Most Influential Payments Leaders in Lagos

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Africa’s digital payments ecosystem will take center stage as Digital PayExpo 2026 returns to Lagos on June 17–18, 2026, at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, under the theme: “Seamless Digital: Fostering Pan-African Market Expansion in the AI Era.”

At a time when artificial intelligence, cross-border commerce, and financial inclusion are redefining Africa’s economic future, the event is set to convene over 3,000 senior executives, policymakers, fintech innovators, and global technology providers.

The speaker lineup reflects a powerful blend of regulatory leadership, private sector innovation, and pan-African expertise.

Among the headline speakers:

  • Dr. Rakiya Yusuf, Director, Payment Systems Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria — a key architect in Nigeria’s payment system reforms.
  • Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager & Area Business Head (West Africa), Mastercard — a leading voice in digital payments expansion across Africa.
  • Clara B. Arthur, Managing Director, GhIPSS (Ghana) — driving Ghana’s interoperable payment ecosystem.
  • Wacera Maina, Chief Operations Officer, Kenwitch Kenya — an expert in East Africa’s payment infrastructure evolution.
  • Akeem Lawal, CEO, Interswitch Group — a pioneer in Africa’s fintech growth story.
  • Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director, NIBSS — shaping Nigeria’s core payment infrastructure.

The conference will explore:

  • AI-powered financial services
  • Cross-border payment systems and interoperability
  • Cybersecurity and trust frameworks
  • SME financing and financial inclusion
  • Infrastructure for a unified African digital economy

With participation from banks, fintechs, telcos, regulators, and global payment networks, Digital PayExpo 2026 is positioned as a critical marketplace for ideas, partnerships, and investment flows. Register: https://digitalpayexpo.com/register
Sponsorship Enquiries: [email protected]


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Only 1 in 3 Families Fully Secure their Devices, Kaspersky Study Reveals

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On International Day of Families observed on May 15th, a global Kaspersky study* reveals that while 47% of respondents talk about online safety, only 33% secure all their family devices – highlighting the need for proactivity from Family Digital Managers.

As online threats develop and every generation joins the online space, cybersecurity habits have become an essential part of life for every family. Typically, in every family, one or two people become so-called Family Digital Managers, responsible for managing subscriptions, setting up new devices, or thinking about cyber protection. Kaspersky has conducted a survey to find out what measures modern families take to stay safe online.

According to Kaspersky’s data, a significant portion of respondents adopt an educational approach to cybersecurity within their families:

47% regularly coach elderly relatives and children on safe online practices

45% advise family members to adopt password manager solutions

42% encourage the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA)

An equal 42% actively review and adjust privacy settings on both family devices and critical online accounts

Although a growing awareness of the importance of proactive, family-focused digital protection can be observed, when it comes to the implementation of security solutions, the trend is slightly different. 10% of respondents take no measures at all to protect their loved ones online, rising to 21% among those aged 55+.

As for the parental control apps, 67% of families with children under 18 years use this tool to monitor and secure their kids’ online activity. Parental control, such as the Kaspersky Safe Kids solution, can help restrict children’s access to inappropriate content and also gently manage their online habits by limiting access to certain websites and apps, controlling their screen time, and even enhancing their physical security by tracking their geolocation.

The most worrying number is that only 33% of respondents – just 1 in 3 – install security solutions on all family members’ devices. Kaspersky experts highlight that the current threat landscape shows that mobile devices and tablets as well as PCs all require comprehensive cyber protection, as they are often targeted by cybercriminals.

According to the survey, only 30% of respondents set up new devices for their families. Setting up a new device is not often regarded as a step that contributes to cyber safety; however, some actions performed before the device is put into use can significantly enhance its security.

For instance, experts recommend installing a security solution first, to scan the device for hidden threats and make web browsing safe from the first queries. What’s more, reviewing privacy settings on a new device allows you not to share data that you would like to keep private with some applications and services.

The research also shows that the older generation (55+) is generally less included in family security habits. Around 1 in 5 (21%) of this age group globally do not take any measures to protect their family online and only a quarter (24%) install security solutions for family members. The most popular security measure among them turns out to be a password manager, as 40% of this age group recommend their family members to use it.

“We are now using a lot of gadgets and digital services, and with every new device and every additional hour spent online, the potential entry points for cybercriminals continue to grow, exposing us to a wider range of cyber threats. At the same time, not every generation adapts to these rapid changes with the same ease.

“That’s why having someone in the family take on the role of a ‘Family Digital Manager’ can be so valuable, especially when it comes to protecting kids and elder people from digital cyberthreats, give advice and help with the use of trusted security solutions,” comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky.

 


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