General News
How AI is transforming the financial services industry
By Ibrahim Youssry – Regional General Manager, North, West, East, Central Africa, Levant & Pakistan, Microsoft
Digital transformation is remaking the world around us, and artificial intelligence (AI) is a frontrunner. No industry will be left untouched by this digital journey, but one sector that is seeing the fastest and most fundamental effects is the financial services industry (FSI).
FSI players are geared to be dramatically disrupted by the power of AI – both internally (in the ways they operate) and externally (in terms of dealing with clients and customers).
A 2018 report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) on The New Physics of Financial Services unpacks this phenomenon at length, but one high-level take-away is that the AI changes here cannot be overstated. The long-term impacts of AI are radical and transformative, putting the FSI ecosystem into a period of reorganisation.
Competition from the underdogs
FSI has traditionally been dominated by large and established corporations, often with extensive heritage and market dominance. Through this, many FSI companies have enjoyed relatively low competition for customers, and have been slow to innovate and change ‘with the times’. Enter the leveling power of the cloud, accessible analytics and machine learning, and we see how a scrappy, determined fintech startup can disrupt a whole market or sector.
Many of these startups offer alternatives for banking, payments, transfers, payroll, credit, and other financial services. These digital-first businesses are highly agile, and are creating a whole new customer base that was underserved by established FSI companies – putting the pressure on older firms.
As a result, many FSIs have started embracing cloud technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve their own agility, their array of service offerings, and their customer experiences. Recent studies suggest that approximately 40 percent of African banking customers prefer to use digital channels for transactions over branch channels.
Added competition is good for the entire industry, and customers will benefit from new and improved technologies that change the way the industry interacts with them and meets their expectations.
AI at the core of digital transformation
But just what form do these advances take? AI lies at the heart of things like chatbots, advanced customer credit assessment, relationship management, security, anti-money laundering and fraud detection.
Chatbots draw from big data and machine learning to respond to customer queries and concerns. They can streamline customer support on routine services like banking transactions, and make product recommendations. This is customer-facing AI that helps FSI companies be ever-present for their clients, while reducing the resources required to do so.
For fraud detection, AI-powered technology enables computers to mimic, extend and amplify the thought process of a human analyst, at a pace and scale unmatched by humans. It can review trillions of transactions in every possible portfolio in the organisation. Because of this, banks, fintechs and payment facilitators are able to detect or be alerted to potential fraud – receiving fast, efficient and accurate alerts of the likelihood of an individual’s card or account being compromised, for example.
Foresight beats hindsight
AI and analytics can draw inference from vast stores of data and spot trends that are often beyond the possible scope of human sight, driving insight to analysts, investors and the like. AI is also able to evaluate an organisation’s public remarks and documents, bundle that up with sentiment analysis, and cross-correlate this with historical data to predict the performance of upcoming stocks, in literal split seconds.
These functions provide agility and resilience in an increasingly risky global market. In short, they inject a new level of intelligence into our organisations. Pairing this with our unique human capabilities of relationship management and creativity, and we unlock huge potential for our FSI companies.
Safe as houses, and more democratic
Through Microsoft’s security solutions (in which we have invested more than $1 billion year-on-year), we are working with FSI organisations to improve their security standards globally. Solutions such as the Customer Lockbox for Microsoft Azure, for example, assists customers with controlling and auditing support engineers’ access to compute workloads on Azure that may contain data while resolving the support issue.
These solutions have a proven success record, evidenced by our work with Interswitch, a payments and fintech innovator in Africa. Through partnering with large banks and corporates in Nigeria, Interswitch has been able to build a bank-guarantee service on Azure that extends the reach of banking systems to non-traditional players, corporate suppliers and borrowers – allowing them to manage their supply chain financing under objective terms and transparency.
Within the next decade, Africa’s objective is to ensure that the next 100 million Africans are financially included. AI has the potential to achieve this. As AI adoption increases, we’re constantly thinking about how we can help institutions make the transition to modern innovations, while still taking advantage of legacy investments.
In commemoration of Women’s Month, health-tech platform Myitura has released a new white paper addressing the critical gaps in healthcare financing for women in Nigeria.
Titled “Closing the Gap: Healthcare Financing for Women in Nigeria,” the report highlights how high out-of-pocket costs, limited insurance coverage, and socio-economic factors continue to prevent women from accessing timely healthcare.
According to the report, over 70% of healthcare expenses in Nigeria are paid out-of-pocket, disproportionately affecting women who often delay care due to financial and social constraints.
“When women can afford to take care of their health early, we don’t just save lives; we strengthen families, communities, and the economy,” said Chialuka Kelechi, MyItura’s Chief of Staff.
Key Insights from the White Paper:
- Preventable conditions often escalate due to delayed care
- Women are more likely to deprioritize their own health
- Affordable, structured healthcare financing can significantly improve outcomes
Introducing a Women’s Health Initiative
As part of its commitment, Myitura is launching affordable women-focused health packages (powered by Mediloan), starting at ₦58,180, designed to encourage preventive care and early detection.
The package provides access to:
- Fasting/Random Blood Sugar
- Urinalysis
- Electrolytes
- Urea
- Creatinine
- Pap Smear Submitted slides
- HIV I & II Rapid (Qualitative)
- Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Screening (Rapid)
- Hepatitis C Virus Screening (Rapid)
- Abdominopelvic Ultrasound
- Ongoing support via the Myitura platform
Access:
Women can access these packages by downloading the Myitura app, which makes healthcare more accessible and convenient.
Myitura is a health-tech platform focused on improving access to healthcare through financing, technology, and preventive care solutions.
General News
DBI Unveils Nigeria Digital Economy Outlook 2026: Q1 Report Highlights Strategic Trends, Risks
DigitalSENSE Business Intelligence (DBI), powered by ITREALMS Media, has launched the Nigeria Digital Economy Outlook 2026: Q1 Intelligence Report (Executive Edition), delivering vital insights for navigating Nigeria’s fast-paced digital landscape.
This executive summary spotlights trends, risks, and opportunities in telecommunications, fintech, digital infrastructure, policy shifts, and investment flows. It underscores digital transformation’s pivotal role in boosting economic growth, financial inclusion, and nationwide innovation.
DBI Publisher, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, emphasized its value for leaders: “This Executive Edition offers a sharp, strategic view of Nigeria’s digital economy during a pivotal moment. As the sector surges ahead, reliable intelligence is key to seizing opportunities and tackling risks.”
Key highlights include:
Broadband infrastructure expansion.
Surge in digital payments adoption.
Evolving regulations.
Investor pivot to sustainable, profitable ventures.
The report urges action on digital financial inclusion, infrastructure funding, skills training, and public sector digitization.
Freely accessible, the Executive Edition complements the premium Full Edition with in-depth analysis for executives and institutions. Stakeholders can request full access or briefings.
Media & Access Contacts:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.itrealms.com.ng
The on-going construction works at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI’s Renewable Energy Industrial Park, Gora, Nasarawa State is gathering momentum as the project is envisioned to address the country’s energy needs.
NASENI’s Renewable Energy Industrial Park, Gora, Nasarawa State
The project occupying a 40-hectare park designed as a multi-energy hub will help curb capital flight and save foreign exchange expenditure by enabling local production of key renewable energy components such as solar panels, mounting racks, wind systems and biomass technologies.
Speaking during an inspection visit on the project site on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Special Adviser to the Executive Vice Chairman on Renewable Energy, Engr. Suyud Abdullahi Muhammad, who also serves as the Gora Project Manager, disclosed that the initiative is designed to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported renewable energy equipment.
“There will be a wind assembly plant, small hydro power equipment production, and solar panel manufacturing; Renewable energy goes beyond just solar, and this park reflects that broader vision,” he said.
Abdullahi noted that the project aligns with NASENI’s goal of reducing energy poverty in Nigeria, where over 80 million citizens remain off-grid, while many connected to the national grid continue to experience inadequate power supply.
The Special Adviser also emphasised on the project’s industrialisation potential, highlighting its role in job creation and value chain development. The park is expected to generate 2,000 direct jobs, with an additional 50,000 indirect employment opportunities across supporting industries when completed.
“This initiative will localise the renewable energy value chain. Instead of relying on imports, Nigeria will begin to produce and eventually export these technologies, starting with the West African market and scaling up to the rest of the continent,” he added.
On sustainability and long-term viability, he revealed that the project is being executed in collaboration with private sector players, academia and other stakeholders, in line with NASENI’s “3Cs” principle of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation.
The ongoing construction is being handled by about 35 contracting firms, each handling specific components at varying levels of execution such as Multipurpose Halls for industrial productions, Research and Development (R&D) Centre, Knowledge Park, Energy Centre, Workshops, Researchers Lodge, Studio Apartments, Clinic, Restaurant, Wellness Centre, Solar Farm, Drivers Lounge, Gate House, Internal roads and drainage system and Fencing.
The Gora Renewable Energy Industrial Energy Park is considered a key component of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at strengthening local manufacturing, enhancing energy security and positioning Nigeria as a renewable energy hub in Africa.
Nigeria, Others Lose $88bn Yearly to Illicit Flows —Edun
Oracle Sacks 12,000 in India, Begins Shift to AI
CBN Says 33 Banks Raise Fresh N4.65 Trillion in Recapitalisation Exercise
NCC Insists Telcos Must Compensate Subscribers for Poor Quality of Service
NITDA Urges Joint Action to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Innovation
Spotify’s Loud & Clear Report Reveals Over ₦60Bn Revenue for Nigerian Artists in 2025
Madonna University Taps Tech Guru Adote for Strategic Board Role
China Threatens to Shut Nigeria’s Satellite Over $11.44m Unpaid Debt
FCCPC Bans Lagos ‘No Refund’ Policy, Vows Fines and Shutdowns for Traders
EFCC Arraigns Two FSDH Bank Officials Over $307k, €50k Fraud
E-Financial3 days agoNGX REGCO Fines 5 Firms N291m for Market Manipulation
News3 days agoDangote Refinery Debunks Speculations on IPO
E-Financial3 days agoFG Launches Cross-Border Digital Payments Report
News3 days agoDescasio Launches “Give to Gain” Leadership Insights Report, Hosts Executive Brunch for Women in Leadership
E-Financial3 days agoInterswitch Deepens Strategic Partnership with KCB Group to Advance Digital Payments and Financial Inclusion
News2 days agoMicrosoft Revamps Copilot in Workplace AI Push
News3 days agoWorld Backup Day: Research Reveals 84% of Users Store Sensitive Data Digitally
E-Business2 days agoKaspersky Warns of a New Phishing Technique Leveraging Bubble, a no-code AI Platform