E-Business
Is the Issuance of Remote Licences Good for the Nigerian Gambling Industry?

Gambling regulators in Nigeria recently announced that they would start issuing remote licences to offshore operators that wish to offer their services to Nigerian players.
This would allow such companies to legally do business in Nigeria without having a physical presence in the country.
Apart from being permitted to legally provide gambling services to Nigerians, these companies would also be able to advertise their products in the print media and via affiliate marketing platforms if they own this remote licence permit.
“We are welcoming all responsible offshore gaming operators to apply for a remote operator permit as long as they pass all the relevant criteria including full AML screening and responsible gaming practices”, said Lanre Gbajabiamila, Director-General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.
Based on this new system, any gambling operator that wants the remote permit would have to pay an initial fee of USD 100,000, followed by a sum of USD 50,000 in each of the next four years.
Remote operators would also be mandated to pay tax to the government, via the Sentinel system provided by UK-based company, E-Technologies Global Limited. The Sentinel system allows payment providers to deduct tax at the point of transaction and immediately pass on the money to the national treasury.
All of these look great on first viewing, but is it really the best way to go?
To be fair, the fact that Nigeria is thinking about extracting more revenue from offshore operators is a positive thing.
Because of Nigeria’s vague laws on sports betting, especially online betting, offshore operators have been freely rendering their services to Nigerian customers over the internet without having to pay any form of tax or invest any of their revenue into the country.
They have basically been syphoning money away from Nigeria, further weakening our already dire economy. The remote gambling licence will go a long way in addressing this.
However, not everyone is on board with this new system.
Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority, Bashir Abiola Are, has not been impressed with the idea.
The Lagos State Gaming chief insists that the federal body does not have the constitutional right to issue betting licences without the consent of the state bodies.
“The state gaming regulators are also against it because we believe it is under our purview constitutionally and you cannot issue remote gaming licences to foreign operators without our consent”, he said.
“Even if you have to do it, you do it on our behalf. We have to give you permission to do it”.
This has further brought to light the on-going feud between the federal regulator- the National Lottery Regulatory Commission- and the state bodies.
Until both parties somehow reach a compromise, there will always be proposals and counter-proposals from both ends without any meaningful resolutions.
Perhaps, Nigeria would be better off emulating the Kenyan system, which has a uniform regulatory body for sports betting all through the country.
While Nigerian bookies may have multiple licences from the federal and state authorities, betting sites in Kenya are all registered with the supreme body- Betting Control and Licensing Board.
Also, Are believes that issuing licences without mandating the operators to have physical presence in the country would be detrimental to the development of the Nigerian gambling industry; and to the country as a whole.
“You are telling them they don’t have to invest locally; that they can just pay some peanuts and make huge amounts of money. There will be capital flight, but no development”, Are said.
“All these companies that you want to grant offshore licences to are not based in Nigeria. What we need is a lot of local content so that we can grow the sector within and we can export. Our people are capable when you give them the platform”, he continued.
Are does make a great point here. By having a physical presence in Nigeria, gambling operators would not just boost the development of the industry in the country, they would also offer other economic benefits such as creating more job opportunities for Nigerian youths.
While the remote licensing system has its positives, it is perhaps better for Nigeria if these international companies are also compelled to have offices and shops in Nigeria before being allowed to legally operate in the country.
E-Business
Equinix Launches LG2.3 Data Centre in Nigeria

Equinix, global digital infrastructure company, has launched a cutting-edge LG2.3 data centre in Lagos aimed at fueling Nigeria’s booming tech scene.

Equinix officials at the launch
The data centre is designed to provide businesses with secure, reliable, and high-performance colocation and interconnection services, crucial for supporting the increasing demand for digital services across the region.
Nestled in the bustling Lekki Free Zone, LG2.3 is packed with the latest tech, offering businesses the secure and lightning-fast connections they crave. Think of it as the engine room for Nigeria’s online world, designed to handle the explosive growth of digital services.
The launch featured Bruce Owen, president, Equinix’s EMEA, who cut the ribbon to open the data centre.
“Nigeria is our focus,” Owen declared, emphasizing Equinix’s dedication to powering the nation’s digital growth. “The energy here is incredible, and we’re excited to be part of it.”
On his part, Wole Abu, managing director, Equinix’s West Africa, echoed this sentiment highlighting the increasing global demand for digital infrastructure.
“Africa is on the cusp of a digital explosion, and we’re here to support that growth,” he said.
Nigeria’s digital adoption is skyrocketing, driven by a young, tech-savvy population. Businesses are racing to embrace online platforms, and LG2.3 is perfectly positioned to meet their needs.
This investment is set to create a ripple effect, boosting the economy, creating jobs, and fostering innovation.
LG2.3 is set to be a beacon for Africa’s tech potential.
Equinix’s confidence in the continent aims to attract more global players, turning Africa into a digital powerhouse.
This data centre will act as a vital connection hub, empowering businesses to connect and collaborate, bridging the digital divide.
Equinix’s vision extends beyond Nigeria, with plans to expand across Africa.
strategic move reflects their commitment to building a connected and thriving digital ecosystem.
The success of LG2.3 is a testament to the power of public-private partnerships, with the Nigerian government playing a crucial role in attracting investment.
As Nigeria marches towards a digital future, Equinix’s LG2.3 data centre will be a key driver of progress. It’s a powerful symbol of Nigeria’s digital ambition and a catalyst for Africa’s tech revolution.
E-Business
Microsoft Marks 50th Anniversary with Major Copilot AI Update

Microsoft is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a major leap forward into artificial intelligence, unveiling significant updates to its AI assistant, Copilot.
The announcement was made on April 4, 2025, at the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, marking a milestone for both Microsoft and the AI industry.
As the tech giant celebrates its golden anniversary, the company is setting its sights firmly on the future, particularly with its AI-driven tools.
Microsoft’s Copilot, which has been integrated into various software tools across its ecosystem, has now received a significant upgrade.
The new features aim to make the Copilot assistant more intelligent, personalised, and proactive, which positions Microsoft as a serious competitor in the AI space against other industry leaders such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.
Mustafa Suleyman, head of Microsoft’s AI division, expressed the company’s ambition, saying, “We envision Copilot not just as an assistant, but as a long-term AI companion, one that can learn, adapt, and evolve alongside its users. This goes beyond just responding to commands; it’s about fostering relationships between users and their AI.”
The most notable update to Copilot is its new memory functionality. Now, the assistant can retain information such as preferences, previously used commands, and even personal context, making it more responsive and efficient in future interactions.
This means Copilot can, for example, anticipate a user’s needs based on past behaviours, from scheduling meetings to suggesting restaurants for a night out.
In addition to the memory features, Copilot’s new “Vision” capabilities extend the AI’s functionality across multiple platforms. Windows and mobile users will now be able to interact with Copilot using both the camera and on-screen elements.
This includes actions such as booking appointments, managing tasks, and even shopping online — all in a more interactive and seamless way.
Scott Guthrie, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President, shared his enthusiasm about the potential of these advancements, stating, “With these new capabilities, we’re not just reacting to AI’s capabilities — we’re shaping the future of how users interact with technology. AI can do so much more than just assist with tasks. It can enrich the human experience.”
The updated Copilot is designed to challenge industry competitors like ChatGPT and Claude, offering more personalised and context-aware interactions.
Microsoft has positioned its Copilot as a tool that not only assists users but builds a deeper, more intuitive relationship over time.
The company has also placed a strong emphasis on AI accessibility. With AI’s growing role in everyday tasks, Microsoft aims to make it easier for users to adopt and benefit from these technologies, regardless of their technological proficiency.
Despite past challenges, including legal disputes over privacy and AI ethics, Microsoft continues to push boundaries in the AI space. Guthrie remarked, “This is just the beginning. As we continue to innovate, we are reshaping how people work, interact, and live with technology.”
With Copilot’s advancements, the tech giant hopes to continue its legacy of innovation, making AI tools accessible and useful for people around the world.
E-Business
Report Suggests a Slash in Mobile App Usage By 2027 Due to AI Assistants

By 2027 mobile app usage will decrease by 25 per cent due to AI assistants according to Gartner, Inc. Smartphone users will turn to AI assistants, such as Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Meta AI, and others to replace apps for many functions.
In addition to the impact of AI assistants, apps will be consolidated across separate brands and companies, creating mobile app partnerships or consortiums to reach more users per app at scale and defray the cost of creation and maintenance.
“CMOs should begin scenario planning for the impacts of decreased mobile app usage,” said Emily Weiss, Senior Principal for the Gartner Marketing Practice.
“Brands with low app engagement and retention will likely be first impacted – this will be a positive development for brands that are not overly reliant on driving revenue via apps as app development costs will decrease.
Other brands may be severely impacted by the disintermediation of users turning to AI assistants for services. The loss of app users will also result in the loss of first-party data collection and the ability to reach fewer users via mobile push notifications,” Emily added.
By 2026, Over 1/3 of Web Content will be Created for the Purposes of Gen-AI Powered Search According to Gartner’s 2024 CMO Spend Survey of 395 respondents between February and March 2024, the average CMO allocated almost a quarter of their digital marketing budget to search.
Other than end users directly visiting a website, search currently drives more traffic to the average commercial enterprise website than any other referral source.
Given this, a loss of search driven traffic due to algorithmic shifts by major search engines would result in tangible, negative commercial impact to any organisation.
“CMOs will need to direct their teams to hire talent with a strong understanding of how GenAI, and broader AI influences, impacts the performance of their content in search algorithms,” said Weiss.
“It will be important to upskill the function by investing in search and content talent with AI skillsets. These associates will need to have familiarity with creating or optimising content to train and rank within evolving search algorithms,” she said.
By 2028 digital Mlmarketers will move 30 per cent of their paid social budget to support advertising and partnerships on subscription-based channels It is becoming more challenging for CMOs to maintain, let alone grow, their reach and engagement among consumers.
This is especially true as consumers shift their tech and media behaviors away from social media, to other platforms and subscription based channels.
Gartner’s 2024 CMO Spend survey found that since 2022, paid social has maintained the highest budget allocation for all digital media spend. In 2024, B2C Marketing leaders reported allocating 14.3 per cent for their digital channel budget to social media advertising (an increase from 12.3% in 2023).
“Closed group communities and subscription channels of – fer a potential alternative for social media weary consumers and content creators who want to do more than feed the algorithm,” said Weiss.
“Brands can leverage closedgroup subscription channels – such as Substack, Patreon, and Discord – and the professional creators on them to reach relevant target audiences who are already engaging with content they self-selected into consuming,” she added.
Current AI models, such as large language models (LLMs), lack the agency to autonomously execute tasks and adapt in complex environments.
However, as new levels of intelligence are added, new AI agents are poised to quickly become more capable and reliable as brands seek to address customer facing use cases.
“There will be more AI agents than people, so while current approaches require humans in the loop, this idea will quickly become antiquated.
Marketers will need to determine when and how they can trust AI agents to act on behalf of the brand and customers across key areas,” said Weiss.
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