For many Nigerians, fintech apps are judged by one simple question: Can I trust the platform? For Happiness, a young Nigerian entrepreneur, the answer manifested in the most defining moments of her life.

Trust Built Through Everyday Use

In 2025, Happiness relied on PalmPay to run her business, from receiving customer payments, paying vendors, and managing daily transactions. During PalmPay’s Hustle Grant Campaign, she joined thousands of small business owners hoping to win the N500,000 funding.

While she didn’t make the shortlist, the campaign gave her business something just as valuable: visibility. New customers discovered her brand, enquiries increased, and sales followed.

PalmPay didn’t just host a campaign; it created an ecosystem where small businesses could be seen and supported.

Just days later, Happiness’ life changed. On August 30, 2025, she lost her father. With this loss came challenges, especially payments. They tried transferring money through regular banks but were met with declined transactions. Happiness suggested using her PalmPay account and it was successful.

In a moment defined by loss and urgency, PalmPay cut through the chaos, proving that reliability isn’t a feature, it’s a lifeline. Happiness’ relationship with PalmPay didn’t stop at transactions. Through other management tools on the app, she learned to build discipline around her finances.

More Than an App, a Financial Partner

Beyond transactions, PalmPay’s tools helped Happiness build better money habits and financial discipline. Today, the brand continues to reward reliability through initiatives like its ongoing Premier Cool campaign, reinforcing a simple message: consistency should come with value.

The idea is simple: Purchase a bar of soap and stand a chance to get ₦10,000cash and other cash benefits.

It’s PalmPay’s way of saying that smart money habits deserve real value in return.

Why PalmPay Earns Trust

Life doesn’t give warnings before it tests you. When it does, you need a platform that doesn’t just usually work but always works.

For many users, PalmPay proves to be more than a payment app. It is a trusted partner powering ambitions, supporting users through defining life moments, while helping them bank smartly.

When it mattered most, PalmPay worked. To watch the full testimonial visit: @palmpayapp_ng

As AI adoption accelerates across Nigeria, leaders at the “AI in Action Now” conference 2026 have called for a balance between rapid innovation and strict regulatory governance. The event, held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, highlighted both the doggedness of Nigerian builders and the risks of unregulated data usage.

Dotun Adeoye, Co-Founder of AI Nigeria, raised alarms over “Shadow AI”, a trend where employees upload sensitive official documents to public AI platforms. He praised the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for its recent aggressive stance, including multi-million-dollar fines against major banks and social media brands.

“Innovation without governance is dangerous. The regulator now has the job of educating players. We are working in partnership with them to ensure players don’t just get fined, but actually understand how to protect data locally rather than storing it abroad, ” Adeoye noted.

Addressing issues of lack of infrastructure to carry AI adoption, Conference Convener Debola Ibiyode admitted that while Nigeria lacks the traditional foundation for AI adoption, the tech community cannot afford to wait.

“The simple answer is we don’t have the infrastructure, but Nigeria has never really had infrastructure to drive anything, and we still thrive, ” Iboyode said, encouraging students and builders to look beyond current limitations. “Once we start to build based on what we have now, it will encourage those who need to provide the infrastructure to do their part. The world will not wait for us,” she insisted.

To bridge this gap, she highlighted the AI Foundry Africa, an incubator designed to mentor ideas into market-ready products.

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists on the sidelines, Biodun Ogunleye, the Lagos State Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, echoed the sentiment that the government’s role is to facilitate the right environment through partnership. He emphasized that data generated from interactions with the government must have long-term value.

“We must ensure that in all facets from production to interaction with government, the tools required to ensure data has value are appreciated,” Ogunleye stated.

He concluded that through private-sector collaboration, the government can focus on its primary functions while leveraging AI to ensure the nation aspires for the future.

Google Search data from the first two weeks of 2026 reveals Nigerians are prioritising ambition, self-growth, and entrepreneurial ventures as they embrace the new year with renewed drive for personal and professional excellence.

Google

The data shows a 40 per cent spike in searches related to self-improvement and “becoming better”, reflecting a nationwide shift from mere resolutions to actionable plans across boardrooms, classrooms, and homes. Entrepreneurship leads the charge, with “how to start a business” topping “how to start” queries after an 80 per cent surge, alongside rising interest in blogging, podcasting, and YouTube channels to foster economic opportunities.

Personal development dominates, as searches for “how to be a better person” rose 20 per cent, extending to relationships with queries on becoming better lovers, partners, husbands, wives, and listeners. Health resolutions gain traction, with 40 per cent increases in “how to eat healthy”, “healthy diet”, and “how to meditate” underscoring commitments to physical vitality and mental wellness.

Skill mastery captivates diverse audiences, from “how to improve English” and communication skills to enhancing memory, credit scores, and even handwriting, while leisure pursuits spike in “how to get better at” chess, singing, running, Fortnite, and soccer. Top searches include “how to improve communication skills”, “how to be a better listener”, and entrepreneurial starters like “how to start a podcast”, painting a portrait of a nation honing edges for success.

Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa at Google, described the trends as a “powerful reflection of Nigeria’s collective ambition”, affirming the company’s dedication to tools like Search and Gemini for guiding Nigerians toward prosperity