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Bluechip Technologies Launches Primo Academy to Upskill African Data Professionals

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Bluechip Technologies, Nigeria’s provider of business application and data management solutions, has launched Primo Academy, a six-month programme designed to equip aspiring data professionals with the required skills to kickstart their careers in the data and emerging technologies industry.

Targeted at both beginners and experienced professionals, with or without a technological background and living in Africa, the free, fully remote programme starts on 1st August 2022 and will run on a full time basis.  Applications are now open to be part of the first cohort.

Founded in Nigeria in 2008 by Kazeem Tewogbade and Olumide Soyombo, Bluechip Technologies is a business application company focused exclusively on assisting companies in planning, designing, implementing and operating business application solutions and strategies that are central to creating and maintaining a competitive business advantage.

The company has expanded to Ghana, Zambia, DRC and Kenya and  specialises in data warehouse, analytics and enterprise systems for banks and telcos. Bluechip Technologies has worked with enterprise and infrastructure conglomerates including the likes of MTN, 9mobile, FirstBank, Access Bank and Lafarge.

The African tech ecosystem has exponentially grown in recent years, with future growth projected to accelerate in the coming decade. With more tech-enabled innovations being developed across the continent, there is rising demand for experienced engineers and Bluechip wants to help close this gap.

Aspiring data professionals on the Primo Academy course will undergo training on the applications of data science and analysis as well as soft skills and business processes to ensure workplace readiness upon completion of the programme.

Successful applicants will be enrolled in an immersive 6 month training programme with a curriculum that covers modules such as:

Orientation and productivity

Introduction to data analysis with Excel, SQL and Python

Data engineering with big data technologies

Data science and machine learning

Data visualisation with PowerBI and automation with power platforms plus more

Participants can live anywhere in Africa, as classes will be remote, must be available full time for the 6 months duration of the programme and must have their own laptop or PC with access to the internet.

Primo Academy is offering the first cohort free data to enable full access and completion of the course. Graduates will be offered opportunities to work with the engineering team at Bluechip, as well as support with securing opportunities with partner companies across Africa and internationally.

Speaking on the launch and call for applications, co-founder and CEO of Bluechip Technologies, Kazeem Tewogbade says, “Over the years, we have found it enormously beneficial upskilling newcomers to the tech industry through our own business intelligence training programme, which takes graduates through a thorough process of upskilling in a broad range of areas relevant to our business.

This is why we are excited to offer this proven approach through the launch of our own academy for data professionals.

Primo Academy is an opportunity for us to continue our mission to plug the gaps in data professionals in Africa, as well as ensuring we continue to build our own talent pipeline, which is essential to our continued growth.”

Azeez Busari, Primo Academy lead, added, “Having joined Bluechip as a graduate intern about a decade ago, I know first hand how essential a training programme such as this is in preparing data professionals to thrive in their careers.

The curriculum for Primo Academy has been created to take anyone with a passion for learning, natural curiosity and tenacity to solve problems  from novice to mastery. Our goal is to ensure that all participants will be primed and ready to nimbly navigate the world of data, confidently with the toolkit of skills and knowledge they will pick up over the six months.”

Bluechip is championing the prominence of African engineers in the global tech ecosystem and is on a mission to help develop thousands of talented data professionals for lifelong careers in tech. With the launch of Primo Academy, the team hopes to help solve the tech talent shortage in Africa, especially in the data space.


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E-Business

OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit

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Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.

The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.

As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.

Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.

“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”

OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.


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Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals

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Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.

By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.

Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.

According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.

To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.

The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.

The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.

“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.


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Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

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National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has said Nigerian software developers have reached significant milestones with locally made applications generating over one million Dollar in sales across domestic and regional markets.

Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, director-general of NOTAP, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Abuja.

Amadiobi said the development signified the growing strength of Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem and how local innovation powers digital growth.

She said it was also a direct outcome of targeted support initiatives led by NOTAP.

She added that the initiative helped to build capacity, protect intellectual property, and connect developers to market opportunities.

According to the NOTAP boss, the journey from concept to impact started with understanding and securing intellectual property (IP) rights, a step many local innovators missed.

“Whether it’s a literary work, a laboratory invention, or a creative digital product, the process of bringing an idea to life demands immense time, skill, and dedication.

“An innovator might wake up with a solution to a pressing problem; spend months testing and refining it and achieve remarkable results; so it is their fundamental right to patent that creation and claim ownership.

“Without this protection, someone else could easily replicate their work; patent it in their name; and legally control what was built with Nigerian brainpower,” she said.

Amadiobi said that the challenge was compounded by widespread digital piracy and counterfeiting, which hit the ICT sector hardest.

“From copied software applications to replicated content on social platforms like TikTok, unauthorised duplication has become a major barrier to growth.

“We see talented young creators develop unique digital content or tools, only to watch others rebrand and profit from their work within weeks,” she said.

The DG noted that most popular online personalities with distinctive styles often don’t realise they could protect their original contributions through IP registration.

She said that to address these gaps and unlock the value of Nigerian innovation, NOTAP implemented a multi-pronged strategy,- a cornerstone initiative – which is the Local Vendor Policy.

“The Local Vendor Policy mandates that foreign technology firms entering Nigeria partner with domestic counterparts,’’ she said.

Amadiobi said that among the performing apps are solutions addressing critical local challenges such as a mobile health platform that now serves 750,000 users across six states.

“There is also the agricultural marketplace connecting smallholder farmers to buyers; and an educational tool that has been adopted by 200 schools to improve learning outcomes,” she said.

She added that the apps were developed by teams that gained skills and resources through NOTAP’s Local Vendor Policy.

According to her, the policy requires foreign technology firms operating in Nigeria to allocate a portion of their technical service fees to local partners.

“Three years ago, many of these developers were only providing support services to foreign companies.

“But today, they are building their own products that compete globally. 60 per cent of last year’s sales came from other African countries, showing our developers can lead on the continent,” she said.

The D-G explained that the one million dollar figure represented sales from over 50 locally developed apps, with individual developers earning between 5,000 dollars and 80,000 dollars from their products.

“Looking ahead, NOTAP aims to double these sales figures by 2027, with plans to expand support to developers focusing on fintech, renewable energy management, and climate adaptation tools.

“These are the sectors identified as high-growth opportunities for Nigerian innovation,’’ Amadiobi said


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