News
FBNQuest Explains How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the World of Finance, Investing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a popular trend these days, but it seems so abstract that it is easy to assume only people savvy with technology should be concerned about it. This is far from the truth.
AI is expected to add $13 trillion to the global economy within the next decade. It is helping to make the world a faster and smarter place, so every savvy investor and wealth collector needs to pay attention to it. AI is not a passing trend that will one day become popular, rather it is at the centre of every leading industry in the world today.
American computer scientist, John McCarthy, who was also one of the founders of the discipline of artificial intelligence, defined AI as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence.”
This means that the goal of AI is to create machines that think and act like humans and use human intelligence to solve problems and perform tasks that are ordinarily done by people but in a more efficient manner.
Machine learning is the most popular branch of AI at this time and it simply means the creation of systems that can learn from their experiences and data gathered without human intervention.
AI is already a part of our everyday lives. We use it when we check emails while shopping online and for ease of connection with our friends and family on social media. Google uses AI to predict what you want to search for online and finishes your sentences for you. Also, when you get directions to a venue with your digital maps, you are using AI.
It is therefore evident that, just as AI has changed our daily lives, it will also change how we do business, manage finances and invest wealth.
Investment expert and prominent member of the “Shark Tank” team, Mark Cuban, said, “As big as PCs were an impact, as big as the internet was, AI is just going to dwarf it. And if you don’t understand it, you’re going to fall behind. Particularly if you run a business.”
The financial world has evolved and developed smart solutions to keep up with the unique needs of consumers in the digital age. Here are few ways that AI has changed and is changing the world of finance and investing:
Fraud prevention
Technology is currently being used to spot credit card fraud and money laundering by monitoring large deposits and unusual activity. Money can be moved around very quickly online and this has caused an increase in fraud. AI-based systems can now analyse normal customer behaviour and quickly detect when something is out of the ordinary.
Data-driven investments
AI applications are used to regulate the supply, demand, and pricing of securities. They are also able to accurately predict stock performance by analyzing past data. Furthermore, AI systems can provide more personalized investment options by taking into account the investor’s goals, and previous financial habits.
Personal banking
Personal banking applications are also a product of AI and they are used to provide customized services to the consumer at the touch of a button. Customers no longer need to go to the physical bank branch to carry out routine tasks such as checking balance, requesting statements and monitoring account activity.
Increased accuracy in financial markets
AI is transforming the financial markets by ensuring increased accuracy in analysis, predictions and trading decisions. Smart advisers in the stock market can analyze a massive amount of data and carry out trades at a satisfactory price.
Also, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) is using artificial intelligence to detect irregular and potentially malicious trading activity on the U.S. stock market. In the area of forex, AI has brought massive improvement through predictive analytics programmes which identify market patterns and make fewer errors in processing data.
There’s no denying that AI has brought disruptions to the world of finance and investing. The landscape is changing rapidly and both financial organizations and their customers will need to adjust accordingly. However, it is safe to say that the improvements already brought on by AI have made this change something we can look forward to rather than dread.
News
IHS Nigeria, UNICEF Donate Oxygen Plant to Bridge Health Gap in River State

IHS Nigeria and its implementing partner, the United Nations Child Education Fund (UNICEF) has expressed satisfaction that the Oxygen Plant recently donated to Rivers State is helping to bridge the health Gap in the state and its environs.
This observation was made recently when officials from IHS Nigeria and UNICEF, carried out a project inspection visit to the plant located at the General Hospital in Eleme, Rivers State.
During the handing over of the oxygen plant to the Rivers State Government in 2024, the facility was reported to have a production capacity of 123 oxygen cylinders and 720,000 litres of oxygen every 24 hours.
The plant was built under a Public-Private Partnership involving UNICEF, the Canadian Government, IHS Nigeria, in partnership with the Rivers State Ministry of Health through the State Hospital Management Board.
Speaking during the visit to the facility yesterday, the Director of Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, noted that the oxygen plant has saved lives and is helping to bridge health gaps in the eight other states where similar plants are located.
She further explained that the visit reflects the organisation’s commitment “not only to create opportunities for impact but to also continue supporting the healthcare industry by carrying out such interventions that directly impact individuals and saves lives. This plant is one of the nine oxygen plants we have built across the federation,” she said.
“We are particularly excited that it is helping to bridge health gaps—not just in Rivers State and its environs, but in all the states where the plants are currently located.”
Oguntuga informed that in terms of sustainability “we focus our intervention sustainability on four pillars; ethics and governance, education and economic growth, environment and climate change and finally, people and communities”.
She added that “the visit to the Rivers State oxygen plant is to have an assessment of how well the plant is functioning, the impact it is currently making and to generally understand how the operation is going”.
On his part, Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Port Harcourt, Dr Anslem Audu, stated that the plant has been very functional and useful to the people of Rivers State. According to him, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of patients needed oxygen and oxygen was not available. So many children will come down with pneumonia and it will become an emergency, they will need oxygen, but oxygen is not available in the hospital. But with this plant now available no child will die because of lack of oxygen in the hospital. The era of lack of oxygen is no longer there.
Audu added that “You can practically visit any of the hospitals in Port Harcourt and find out that they have oxygen and the product is from this plant all thanks to IHS Nigeria, the Canadian Government and UNICEF”.
The UNICEF field officer, who confirmed that the plant is functioning optimally, said it is producing enough oxygen for the state’s needs.
In his words, “The partnership between these three organizations and the Ministry of Health in Rivers State has really worked, and we are reaping the benefits of the partnership.
He urged the implementing partners, especially the government, to also invest in the sustainability of the facility by providing a source of electricity for the plant to be more functional.
Earlier, the Medical Director Eleme General Hospital, Dr Leechi-Okere Clarabelle, noted that since the day of the unveiling, the plant has been functioning very well. Commenting on impact he noted that “We’ve had success stories whereby oxygen is distributed to public hospitals in the state, including the two teaching hospitals in the state and then we have also extended distribution to some private hospitals within the state.
“We have two hubs that serve as storage and distribution points because of the location of the plant. We produce here and store somewhere in Port Harcourt so that people who come from a far distance can get oxygen from these hubs.
News
JAMB Accuses Student of Securing Admission through Identity Fraud

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has accused a 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate of manipulating his identity and engaging in online blackmail.
Fabian Benjamin, head of public affairs, JAMB, issued a statement on the matter on Thursday.
He said one Chinedu Okeke, currently a 400-level Medicine and Surgery student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), gained admission in 2021 while claiming to be from Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos state.
JAMB said Okeke’s national identification number (NIN) records from 2021 confirm his Lagos origin.
The board stated it does not alter candidate information provided through NIN.
The board, however, said the 400-level student, who is facing potential challenges for incorrect credentials, is now claiming that it retrieved the wrong details for him from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in 2021.
“[This] is unequivocally false, aimed at fabricating a defence for his case,” Benjamin said.
“The evidence suggests that Chinedu altered his records as filled in 2021 before registering for the 2025 UTME, a fact confirmed by even his advocates.”
The board questioned why a 400-level medical student would seek to study mechanical engineering in 2025, especially with “inconsistencies in his claims.”
JAMB alleged that Okeke “took advantage” of Lagos state’s quota in 2021, thereby obstructing the admission opportunities for other deserving candidates from the state.
It added that he then “attempted to manipulate his details with the NIMC” to unjustly claim representation from Anambra state in 2025.
The board criticised “online advocates” for “actively reaching out to Chinedu’s parents to extract emotional narratives rather than factual clarifications, neglecting to seek information directly from the university.”
JAMB affirmed its commitment to maintaining accurate records and preventing candidates from exploiting loopholes.
It warned that if UNN confirms any inconsistencies, it would notify the Medical and Dental Council to consider delisting Okeke.
“When a nation trivialises illegalities, it breeds a future fraught with potential criminality,” Benjamin’s statement concluded.
News
Check Point Report Finds Africa as Top Target for Cyber-attacks

Africa has become the most targeted region globally for cyber-attacks in the first quarter of 2025, according to new research from Check Point Software Technologies. The company’s Q1 2025 Global Cyber Attack Report reveals a steep rise in malicious activity as the continent continues to accelerate its Digital transformation.
Ethiopia emerged as the most targeted country in Africa during the reporting period. FakeUpdates ranked as the most common malware, while 80% of malicious files across the continent were delivered via e-mail. In contrast, 62% of threats in SA were distributed via the web.
On average, organisations in Africa faced 3 325 cyber-attacks per week – a staggering 72% above the global average of 1 938 attacks per organisation.
Check Point Software unpacked the findings at a media roundtable in Johannesburg. Eli Smadja, global research group manager at Check Point, provided a detailed overview of Africa’s evolving cyber threat landscape, which he said is increasingly defined by AI-powered threats, ransomware, infostealers, edge device vulnerabilities and cloud-based risks.
Among the most concerning developments was the discovery of a previously undocumented multi-stage backdoor, dubbed Stealth Soldier, currently being deployed in cyber operations targeting North African government entities. The malware forms part of a broader command-and-control infrastructure used in spear-phishing campaigns.
Smadja noted a growing trend in malware designed to bypass AI detection systems.
“These aren’t aimed at advanced large language models (LLMs), but rather at lower-level ones,” he said. “It’s about LLM evasion – fooling the AI and manipulating prompts.”
Despite the increasing use of AI in cyber security, Smadja cautioned against over-reliance on AI-driven defence systems. “AI still requires human prompting.”
Check Point is advocating for a zero trust model and a holistic, automated and consolidated approach to cyber security. This includes centralised threat visibility and simplified controls to protect against ransomware, phishing, data theft and vulnerabilities at the edge.
“Just having something at the perimeter isn’t enough,” Smadja said. “Cyber-attacks are not just targeting PCs or servers anymore. For instance, we’ve seen state-sponsored attacks aimed at fuel pumps to disrupt national supply chains.”
He highlighted the importance of understanding external risk – threats originating outside the organisation – especially as AI-driven ransomware and attacks on third-party service providers continue to rise.
“Printers, for example, are a major attack vector,” he added. “They’re often network-connected, and threat actors can exploit them to gain broader access.”
Credentials, Smadja noted, are also a lucrative commodity on the dark web, often selling for around $500.
- News2 days ago
Check Point Report Finds Africa as Top Target for Cyber-attacks
- News2 days ago
JAMB Accuses Student of Securing Admission through Identity Fraud
- E-Financial2 days ago
EFCC Recovers Funds Lost to CBEX Fraud
- Telecom1 day ago
NCC Speaks of Plans to Secure Telecom Infrastructure Nationwide
- E-Financial2 days ago
Financial Fraud in Nigeria Surges by 45 Percent, 70 Percent of Losses Linked to Digital Platforms – CBN
- E-Business2 days ago
Firm Uncovers $500K Crypto Heist Through Malicious Packages
- Telecom2 days ago
MTN MUSON Music Scholars Graduate in Style at Lagos Ceremony
- Telecom2 days ago
MTN Foundation Hosts Stakeholders to Tackle Rising Drug Abuse Among Youth