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Ekeh, Zinox Boss Hails USPF/NCC Commitment to ICT Penetration

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Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Computers has singled United Service Providers Fund (USPF) for special commendation for its commitment to ICT penetration in Nigeria.
The Zinox boss in his review of the pace of ICT penetration in Nigeria in 2009 USPF’s effort are exemplary and worthy of emulation.
He said that the review was necessary because of the pivotal role that ICT is expected to play in national development.
The ICT revolution would pass Nigeria by without regular evaluation of ICT penetration in Nigeria.  The economic meltdown that upset the world economy in 2009 took its toll on the performance of the ICT market in Nigeria with new low levels of disposable income amidst crushing poverty.
 The situation, the review said, was not helped by the fact that there were no deliberate interventions to enhance access to ICT equipment in 2009 from the Governments of the Federation.
The review condemned the lack of a follow-up to the CANi of 2004/5, the Government initiative that sought to provide computers for all Nigerians.
However, the educational institutions, driven by the global competitive trend continued to invest on ICT in 2009 but such investments were still too feeble to turn around the face of education in Nigeria.  The review decried the poor density of 2,000 computers in a school of over 30,000 students’ population, teachers and other support staff not included. The educational sector is critical because the schools are commissioned to produce the work force that this nation requires to be competitive.  The review commended the efforts of organizations like NCC/USPF, the Education Trust Fund, ETF, USAID, the CBN, NITDA, Total Fina Elf, and MTN, just to mention a few, for their commitment to the provision of ICT infrastructure in Nigeria.. The review singled out the NCC/USPF as exemplary in its commitment because the USPF has gone beyond the educational institutions and provided ICT equipment to many communities.
Statistics available show that the NCC has deployed largely in almost every tertiary institution in the country through the Adapti and Digital Awareness Project, DAP, and even provided wireless internet. The USPF, the review from the Zinox boss said, has also provided all tertiary institutions in the country with digital labs connected with internet while secondary schools nationwide were provided with e-learning platforms – laptops and internet in her on going national SAP Project. The review acknowledged the depth of the USPF’s intervention in the communities known as Community Communication Centers, designed to reach under-served communities in Nigeria.
Ekeh explained that these centers are nerve centers that primarily link their communities with the information highway enabling individuals and small businesses to exploit resources from the knowledge domain. Each center would provide telephone services, which must include free round the clock emergency telephone services, provide electronic or manual public access messaging system, which must make all messages accessible to the community within 30 minutes of receipt, and create free access to computers and internet services. In addition, each center would provide ICT training services for users of the CCC, and render other optional business services required to meet the needs of the local market.    
The review said that these commendable interventions have still not brought Nigeria near closing up the digital divide. He urged other corporate persons to emulate the commitment of the NCC/USPF and aim at providing comprehensive ICT solutions to educational institutions and communities. The report described a situation where a bank donates 2 computers to a school in the full glare of the media as laughable and a mockery of corporate social responsibility. It recommended that Government should explore ways of making it mandatory for banks, insurance, oil and gas, telecoms and other blue chip sectors to invest a percentage of their profit on the development of ICT infrastructure in schools. Only such an investment can guarantee that Nigeria would ever take her rightful place as the giant of Africa.
 

 


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Access Holdings, Coronation Partner Tate Modern to Spotlight Nigerian Modernism

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Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group have partnered with Tate Modern to commemorate World Art Day with a virtual session highlighting the global significance of Nigerian modernism.

Access Holdings, Coronation Partner Tate Modern to Spotlight Nigerian Modernism

Access Holdings

The event, titled “In Conversation with Osei Bonsu: Inside Nigerian Modernism,” featured a virtual tour of the Nigerian Modernism exhibition and discussions on the evolution of modern art in Nigeria.

The session brought together staff members across both organisations, reflecting growing institutional engagement with arts and culture as a driver of societal development.

Speaking at the event, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer of Coronation Group, Ngozi Akinyele, emphasised the role of art in shaping identity and national development.

She said that beyond financial capital, cultural and intellectual capital are essential in defining a nation’s prosperity and inspiring dialogue.

Akinyele noted that both organisations were committed to democratising access to art, ensuring it is accessible to a wider audience rather than a select few.

The discussion also featured insights from Tate Modern Curator, Osei Bonsu, and art expert Daniel Wallis, who examined the development of Nigerian modernism and its global relevance.

Bonsu said Nigerian modernism represents an independent reimagining of global art, rooted in the country’s diverse cultural heritage and expressed through unique visual languages.

According to him, the movement challenges narrow, Eurocentric definitions of modernism and highlights the richness of African artistic expression.

The session further underscored the growing international recognition of Nigerian art, particularly through exhibitions at Tate Modern.

Participants also reflected on the visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the exhibition, described as a milestone in promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage globally.

In his closing remarks, Chief Communications Officer of Access Holdings, Amaechi Okobi, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing African narratives on the global stage.

He said the collaboration with Tate Modern aligns with broader efforts to promote dialogue, preserve cultural identity and support the creative sector.

The event reinforced a shared commitment by Access Holdings, Coronation Group and Tate Modern to elevate African art globally and ensure Nigerian cultural narratives continue to shape international conversations.


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NDPC Issues Critical Advisory as Hackers Target Nigeria’s Key Digital Systems

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Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a regulatory advisory to data controllers and processors across the country following what it described as escalating threats to Nigeria’s data security architecture.

NDPC Issues Critical Advisory as Hackers Target Nigeria’s Key Digital Systems

NDPC

In a statement signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, lead of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, the commission said its technical assessment revealed that some shadowy threat actors were engaged in coordinated operations targeting financial systems and critical digital infrastructure in Nigeria.

The commission urged public institutions to comply with the presidential directive of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which emphasises the strategic importance of data in national development.

According to the NDPC, the President had declared that “data is the new oil,” stressing the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to rigorously capture and safeguard information in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.

The commission therefore advised all data controllers and processors to urgently strengthen their technical and organisational measures to protect personal data and ensure compliance with the law.

It listed key measures to include the appointment of trained and certified Data Protection Officers, implementation of comprehensive privacy policies and information security standards, as well as conducting Data Privacy Impact Assessments.

Other measures recommended by the NDPC include deployment of robust identity and access controls such as Multi-Factor Authentication, adoption of zero-trust security architecture, prompt remediation of system vulnerabilities, and continuous patch management.

The commission also emphasised the need to secure cloud infrastructure, application programming interfaces (APIs), databases and access credentials, alongside real-time monitoring, logging and threat detection systems.

Further recommendations include encryption and secure credential handling, regular vulnerability assessment and penetration testing of critical systems, as well as routine backup and resilience testing.

The NDPC warned that organisations that fail to implement appropriate data protection measures in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 risk legal liabilities.

It reiterated its commitment to providing regulatory support to organisations while ensuring the protection of personal data and strengthening institutional resilience across all sectors.


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Africa’s Forex Market in 2026: Key Trends Every Trader Should Watch

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The forex market across Africa is witnessing more participants and more regulatory attention than it did just a few years ago. This growth is part of a bigger picture: Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to expand by 4.3% in 2026, while global forex turnover already hit an estimated $9.6 trillion daily in April 2025. However, there’s more to it than macroeconomic figures.

Africa's Forex Market in 2026: Key Trends Every Trader Should Watch

The trends reshaping the market are happening from within. Here are six worth paying close attention to.

1. Trading Has Moved to the Phone

The number of people accessing the market via mobile phones exceeds those accessing it via traditional bank systems. GSMA states that in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are more than 1.1 billion registered mobile money accounts.

The International Monetary Fund states that digitalisation and increased usage of the internet are changing payment systems in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Mobile access changes traders’ behavior. It lowers the barrier to entry and speeds up deposits and withdrawals. Therefore, brokers who can provide a quality mobile trading experience will have a huge advantage.

2. Regulators Are Watching

The market is becoming more structured and more transparent. In South Africa, the FSCA regulates market conduct for financial institutions. In Kenya, the Capital Markets Authority regulates capital markets and maintains a licensing system that includes online forex brokers.

Nigeria’s SEC has publicly warned that online retail forex trading can be subject to abuse when unregulated. It also provides tools for investors to check operators’ registrations.

As a result, in 2026, more traders are likely to favour brokers that can show clear licensing, transparent operations, and stronger investor safeguards.

3. Volatility Varies by Country

A common mistake is perceiving the African market as one entity. In reality, according to RegTech Afrika, there are 21 countries out of a total of 54 that have a chance of seeing their currencies depreciate in 2025, with some of them losing value by as much as 6% or more.

A trader watching the rand, naira, shilling, or cedi, regional headlines needs more than regional headlines. Country-level macro data, central bank moves, and the US dollar will still play a major role.

4. Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure Is Quietly Improving

Platforms like PAPSS are helping make payments across African countries faster and easier to complete in local currencies. According to official announcements of PAPSS, it has become operational in 18 countries across Africa, with its latest launch in Algeria in 2025. It has also become operational in Kenya through a partnership with KCB Group, as well as in Rwanda through a partnership with Bank of Kigali.

Step by step, Africa is becoming a more financially connected continent.

5. Execution Quality Is the New Standard

Data from the BIS shows that in April 2025, three-quarters of FX trades were intermediated by the global centers of the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Therefore, the best liquidity and best prices are still linked to global conditions.

For local markets, this raises the bar. Forex traders are becoming increasingly aware that tight spreads, while important, mean little without reliable prices and execution. Brokers like JustMarkets that can bring all of these elements together are in a much stronger position than competitors.

6. Education as a Necessity

Regulatory disclosures from major global brokers illustrate how tough it is to trade without proper knowledge. According to publicly available disclosures, between 70% and 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

Forex traders who understand risk management and which financial news to follow have a better chance of surviving the market. Brokers who invest in education are more likely to be seen by traders as valuable partners rather than mere facilitators.
The Market Rewards the Prepared

Africa’s forex market in 2026 is shaped by volatility, stricter rules, and mobile-first trading. The traders who combine market knowledge with the right tools and the right broker will find real opportunity here, while those who don’t adapt will find the market increasingly unforgiving.


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