Telecom
Bolt Accelerator Program completes post-mentorship exercise for its top 10 winners

Bolt, Africa’s leading ride-hailing platform, has concluded the last and final phase of its Bolt Accelerator Program – an initiative in collaboration with The Nest Innovation Park to empower its driver community to redefine their roles as entrepreneurs and amplify economic growth prospects across Nigeria.
The post mentorship graduation ceremony was held virtually on January 19, 2024 to send forth the top 10 winners.
Launched on September 19, 2023, the Bolt Accelerator Program has empowered drivers beyond conventional ride-hailing services and contributed to the economic growth of drivers in Nigeria.
The initiative witnessed a myriad of applications from drivers in diverse states in Nigeria, their brilliant ideas were meticulously scrutinised, and appraised, and ultimately the top 10 innovative business ideas emerged as winners, each receiving a seed fund of 2000 euros but proceeding to start a 6-week mentorship phase of the Bolt Den to mark a significant milestone celebrated during the virtual closing ceremony.
The initiative is in line with Bolt’s goal to contribute towards the development of Nigeria’s economic growth whilst keeping Bolt’s African City Vision project, which encourages the adoption of shared mobility in the ongoing development of wider transport ecosystems.
Recent analysis from Oliver Wyman Mobility Forum and Bolt highlighted that the African shared mobility market is the world’s fastest growing and is set to double to $8bn by 2030, creating more than 550,000 additional earnings opportunities while bringing significant economic and social benefits.
Speaking on the importance of the mentorship exercise, Bolt’s Senior Public Policy Manager WA & NA & CA, Weyinmi Aghadiuno, reiterated that the mentorship exercise is important to help nurture the winners and prepare them for the real-life tasks ahead.
“The program’s legacy will persist through follow-ups, meticulous record-keeping, and ongoing growth initiatives even in other countries, fortifying Bolt’s commitment to fostering innovation, empowerment, and increased mobility in Africa.
“The journey is not over; it is just starting, and we would love to be able to refer to the growth of these businesses five years down the line,” Weyinmi said.
One of the participants, Arinze Emmanuel a driver from Abuja whose idea aimed to tackle security issues focused on car theft by developing a website to monitor cars and disseminate information swiftly said, “I thank Bolt for this initiative, the mentorship phase has really equipped me to address the challenges my business idea aims to tackle.”
Another participant, David Uviowho, a driver from Port-Harcourt with the business solution to ensure efficient deliveries with the use of bikes for urban logistics said, “The program has been worth every single moment invested, and I am now operational thanks to the impact of it.
I will make Bolt proud.” He attributed his growth to the program’s educational value which he said significantly contributed to the realisation of his business idea.
Jennifer Modinatu, the only female Bolt driver among the top 10, whose zeal to encourage women driving to earn for themselves developed the car-for-hire business to encourage female inclusion in the ride-hailing ecosystem.
She encouraged women, urging them to engage more actively in initiatives such as the Bolt Accelerator Program introduced by Bolt.
Temitope Stephen, winner of the Oliver Wyman Mentorship, a driver from Lagos state with the ecofriendly business idea of converting petrol vehicles to compressed natural gas has kickstarted his private mentorship sessions with the Oliver Wyman team under seasoned professional as he commences operation of Raindom Energy Services Ltd.
The top 10 participants radiated enthusiasm, basking in the joy of the positive turnaround in their lives as they reintroduced themselves as owners of CAC-registered companies, sharing insights and heartfelt moments from the transformative journey in the Bolt Accelerator Program.
Bolt and The Nest stand united in propelling African entrepreneurs toward a future of innovation and economic growth.
Telecom
Paradigm Initiative Warns of AI-Driven Hate Speech, Urges Global Tech Reform

As the world commemorates the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) is calling on big tech companies to intensify their efforts in combating online hate speech and ensuring respect for fundamental human rights.
PIN’s 2024 Londa report highlights the widespread prevalence of hate speech online. In Angola, for instance, at least 25 content removal requests were made in connection with hate speech, harassment, and political misinformation. Globally, the consequences of unchecked hate speech have been severe—ranging from incitement to violence and heightened ethnic tensions to the targeting of vulnerable communities, including minorities, women, and foreigners.
Nigeria witnessed a tragic example in 2018 when a Facebook post showing a massacre in Plateau State was viewed more than 11,000 times, triggering ethnic conflict and resulting in fatalities. In South Africa, inadequate content moderation has worsened the problem, while in Ethiopia in 2021, a false Facebook post led to the killing of a man wrongly implicated in a scandal. India saw a surge in hate speech during its elections.
PIN notes that actors behind hate speech are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence to boost visibility. Meanwhile, existing moderation systems—especially for non-English content—struggle to keep up.
Bridgette Ndlovu, PIN’s Partnerships and Engagements Officer, said, “Hate speech online is a direct attack on the dignity and safety of individuals.” She urged technology companies to adopt transparent and effective moderation strategies and to prioritize human rights in their operations.
The spread of hate speech raises complex challenges for lawmakers. Governments are trying to regulate harmful content such as misinformation and harassment while protecting freedom of speech. However, PIN warns that hate speech laws should not be misused to arbitrarily detain human rights defenders or stifle dissenting voices.
To address these concerns, PIN recommends that tech companies invest more in moderating non-English content to reflect local nuances, improve transparency around government takedown requests, promote digital literacy—particularly in underserved regions—and conduct regular human rights due diligence, aligned with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Telecom
Moniepoint Deepens Commitment to Africa’s Future Through Education and Innovation

Moniepoint Inc, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions partnered with the Mega Impact Foundation to support the 5th edition of the NextGen Connect Interschool Oratory Competition in Asaba, Delta state. This collaboration showcases Moniepoint’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and human capital development across the African continent.
The competition, which was held commemoratively to celebrate this year’s International Day of the Boy Child, brought together SS2 students from across Delta State to address the critical theme: “The Role of Financial Inclusion and Technology in Shaping a Brighter Future for Young People in Africa.” Moniepont has received critical acclaim over its core mission of advancing financial inclusion through innovative digital financial technology solutions and payment services..
The oratory competition showcased exceptional talent among Nigeria’s youth, with Otovo Praise of Crystalloid International School emerging as the champion. His outstanding performance earned him a full-year scholarship through the Tosin Eniolorunda STEM Foundation, reflecting Moniepoint’s philosophy of investing in educational excellence. Second-place winner Audi Innocent of St Patrick’s College received ₦300,000, while third-place winner, Asher David of Glorious Kids Academy was awarded ₦200,000.
“At Moniepoint, we believe that driving sustainable innovation begins with future-proofing and expanding the talent pool by empowering the next generation with the tools that they need to succeed especially basic literacy skills which remain fundamental pillars in socio-economic development,” said Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO Moniepoint Inc. “These young voices represent the future of African leadership, and their insights into financial inclusion and technology demonstrate the remarkable potential that exists within our communities. Through our various educational and developmental initiatives such as the CAD/CAM lab we donated to OAU last year or the Moniepoint DreamDevs programme, we are betting big on an investment in Africa’s future.”
The initiative extends beyond monetary rewards, creating meaningful platforms for young people to express their ideas on a global stage. Through its support of the NextGen Connect Conference and Tech-In-School conversations, Moniepoint is fostering an environment where youth can develop critical thinking skills, build confidence, and engage with pressing societal issues.
In her remarks, Founder, Mega Impact Foundation, Florence Ogonegbu said that “we reaffirm our commitment to building an Africa where every young person has simplified access to sustainable education, capacity building, and empowerment. By leveraging technology and local initiatives, we are creating platforms that enable our youth to thrive and transform their communities.
“Together with partners like Moniepoint, we are not just shaping futures—we are driving a movement for social development that will resonate globally. Every boy, every young person, deserves the opportunity to unlock their full potential and drive lasting impact across our continent.”
The competition received additional support from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Delta State, highlighting the collaborative approach required to nurture young talent effectively.
Telecom
Zoho Unveils Zia Hubs to Harness AI Insights from Unstructured Business Data

Zoho, a global technology company, today launched Zia Hubs, a solution within Zoho WorkDrive that brings new forms of unstructured business data into the company’s broad portfolio of applications and AI services. Using Zia Hubs, organisations can now present any type of business content to Zoho’s powerful capabilities and services—including agentic AI, comprehensive analysis, and accurate, unified search—regardless of file format or structure.
“According to IDC, 80 percent of business data is unstructured,” said Kehinde Ogundare, Country Head, Zoho Nigeria. “Most unstructured data is text-based, meaning pertinent information lives within email conversations, social media posts, word processor documents, or audio and video transcripts. With Zia Hubs built into the full product suite, Zoho can provide customers with a deeper integration than any comparable software platform and nearly limitless potential uses for their data.”
Deeper Intelligence Accessing More Customer Data
Launching as part of Zoho WorkDrive, Zia Hubs brings content intelligence to the company’s unified content management and collaboration platform. Designed with a high level of user control over what content AI is allowed to access, Zia Hubs enables users to organise project or task-specific content into dedicated hubs within WorkDrive. Each hub serves as a focused space where Zia, Zoho’s flagship AI, can understand and act on the content stored within. This includes a wide range of formats such as PDFs, documents, videos, and audio files.
Zia Hubs automatically organises uploaded content by grouping related information—such as section headings, supporting text, and visuals—to preserve context. For video and audio files, Zia generates transcripts and links key moments to relevant topics, making it easier to pinpoint exactly where something was said.
With Zia Hubs, users can surface the most relevant answers when asked a question, even across different content formats. Each response includes clear citations that link back to the original content, whether it is a document, spreadsheet, image, or a specific moment in an audio or video file.
Organisations can also create custom workflows with Zoho Flow, automating document storage processes for particular projects or specific teams. This ensures that Zia always has access to the latest necessary documents automatically.
Furthermore, content from third-party software—such as Docusign PDFs, RingCentral call logs, Zoom video files—are all readable by Zia, and can be automatically placed into a hub by building a workflow with Zoho Flow.
From Intelligent Content to Intelligent Action with Zia
Zia Hubs is a foundational element of Zoho’s long-term AI strategy. It lays the groundwork for a future where intelligent agents can act contextually on content across the company’s entire product suite. With full ownership of its technology stack spanning more than 55 products, Zoho is uniquely positioned to help organisations unlock deeper value from their business content compared to competitors.
Potential use cases for Zia Hubs include: a legal team’s content hub hosting a case’s relevant files: court files, correspondence, and research, allowing a lawyer to have Zia provide summaries with citations without having to manually scan lengthy files to gain insights; a company’s support center placing call logs into a hub, then querying Zia to identify trends, like, “Have we received an increase in calls regarding specific issues?”
Future updates to Zia Hubs will enable it to identify structured information within unstructured files and trigger specialised agents tailored to specific business needs. This will further establish Zia Hubs as the central content intelligence layer that activates AI-native workflows across the full Zoho ecosystem.
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