General News
Meta Hosts XR Exhibition to Showcase Winners of the Future Africa Grant for Extended Reality Creators

Meta has unveiled an exclusive XR exhibition featuring the six finalists from the ‘Future Africa: Telling Stories, Building Worlds’programme, focused on supporting the next generation of Extended Reality (XR) creators in Africa. Developed in partnership with Africa No Filter, Electric South and Imisi 3D this forms part of Meta’s XR Programs and Research investment into XR talents across Africa.

L-R: Malik Afegbua, Future Africa Grant for Extended Reality (XR) Creator Finalist, Nigeria; Xabiso Vili, Future Africa Grant for XR Creator Finalist, South Africa; Sherry Dzinoreva, Public Policy Programs Director, Africa, Middle East and Turkey, Meta and Dylan Valley, Future Africa Grant for XR Creator Finalist, South Africa at the exclusive media viewing at the XR Exhibition event by Meta at The Wings office Complex, Lagos on Thursday, October 6, 2022.
With a focus on owning and shifting the African narrative, whilst telling compelling African stories that are contemporary and immersive, the finalists have developed a range of immersive digital experiences rooted in African culture across various media formats including 360 video, AR/VR and Mixed Reality.
The experiences showcased include:
● Malik Afegbua, Nigeria: Malik’s ‘Moving Between’ is a 360 documentary that presents a virtual heritage experience of the Kofar-Mata dye pit, a cultural and historical site in Kano, Nigeria, by showcasing it in a three-dimensional virtual reality model. In a 5-minutes immersive experience, a deaf dancer takes the audience on a tour through the historic Kofar-Mata dye pits, using sign language instructions and dance.
● Xabiso Vili, South Africa: A writer, performer and new media artist, Xabiso’s ‘Black Boi meets Boogeyman’ is a multi-ending, ‘choose your adventure’ style 360° visual album. A speculative fiction piece where Black Boi, our protagonist, goes on a hero’s journey through a South Africa that needs reminding of its light to confront the Boogeyman. This 360 visual album hopes to become an access point in which artists and communities can imagine using XR artistically and intentionally for communal healing.
● Dylan Valley, South Africa: Dylan’s Cissie Gool House is a 360 documentary about a precarious housing occupation in a new Cape Town hospital. This 360 documentary will immerse the viewer in the occupation as if they were partaking in reclaiming the building. The film will showcase the voices of the activists and occupiers who call Cissie Gool House home and speak to those who would rather have them gone. The medium of VR will allow for greater empathy for these characters (often demonised in the press). It will impart a deeper understanding of what it means to occupy, especially when it is the only viable option you have.
● Nirma Madhoo, Mauritius: A fashion filmmaker, XR creator and Ph.D. candidate. Nirma’s ‘XWE,’ 360 fashion film using volumetric capture and photogrammetry is a tribute to the original stargazers of Southern Africa. It will celebrate the constellations of dispersed diasporic African identities through a Noirwave fashion performance set in a VR landscape of astrophysics.
● Pierre-Christophe Gam, Cameroon: Pierre is a multimedia artist who worked on ‘TOGUNA’, a hybrid (both live and online) Art installation, fusing AR/VR, film, photography, mixed-media sculpture, future-thinking and storytelling, designed to facilitate a forum for an innovative conversation on the future of the African continent. This provides a WebVR experience using AR.
● Michelle Angawa, Kenya: A film editor and XR creator, Michelle’s ‘1000 Shillings in Nairobi,’ a 360 fiction film is a short tragicomedy depicting a day in a Nairobian Boda rider’s life. He drifts through a series of absurd encounters in an attempt to pay a motorbike loan of KSH 1000 ($10).
Sherry Dzinoreva, Meta’s Public Policy Programs Director, Africa, Middle East, and Turkey, said: “As the next phase of this programme, we’re delighted to be unveiling this specially curated exhibition featuring the work of six talented creators from across the continent, all of whom have created beautiful, thought-provoking African stories and experiences using immersive technology.
“We know that Africa holds immense talent, which we see reflected in the experiences curated, and as we set our sights on the metaverse, we believe creators, especially those on the continent, will play a key role in unlocking its potential.”
Commenting on the ‘Future Africa: Telling Stories, Building Worlds’ programme, Moky Makura, Executive Director, Africa No Filter added “We know the power stories have when it comes to influencing and shaping perceptions about Africa.
“That power is amplified when those stories are immersive and that is what today’s technologies offer storytellers. It’s exciting to be part of an initiative that has allowed us to tap into the future of storytelling in Africa.
General News
FG Orders Installation of 5000 CCTV Cameras for Surveillance in Plateau

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate installation of 5,000 CCTV cameras across identified flashpoints in Plateau State as part of urgent measures to address the worsening security situation in the state.

The President gave the directive during an emergency visit to Plateau on Thursday, where he held a brief stakeholders’ meeting at the Yakubu Gowon Airport following the recent killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos, where at least 28 persons were killed by unidentified gunmen.
Tinubu also approved the formation of a delegation of key stakeholders to engage in further deliberations on lasting solutions to the security challenges in the state.
He condoled with families of the victims and directed that support be provided to cushion their losses.
President Bola Tinubu while expressing deep sympathy to families of victims said the installation of surveillance cameras was part of a deliberate move towards addressing the kind of attacks that befell residence of the recent attack in the State.
In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang appreciated the President’s visit and show of concern, but expressed worry over the recent wave of attacks in the state, describing the situation as disturbing and requiring urgent attention.
The meeting had in attendance, former Governors, serving and former National and State Assembly members, traditional rulers, government appointees as well as relatives of those killed in the Angwan Rukuba attack.
General News
FG Rolls Out N12Bn Digital Research Clusters to Boost Innovation Economy

Federal Government yesterday unveiled a N12 billion investment in digital economy research, marking a strategic shift towards knowledge-driven development as Nigeria positions itself as a key player in the global digital landscape.

Declaring the launch of the National Digital Economy Research Clusters under the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE) project, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the initiative mobilises over 200 researchers from universities and research institutions nationwide to produce data-driven solutions for pressing national challenges.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Tijani described the programme as an essential complement to infrastructure expansion, including the ongoing deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable across the country.
He stressed that sustainable growth in the digital sector now hinges on robust research, innovation and evidence-based policies rather than infrastructure alone.
“As Nigeria expands its digital economy, attention is shifting from infrastructure to the knowledge that drives it,” the minister stated, adding that the sector was emerging as a major contributor to national GDP.
The research clusters will tackle critical areas including connectivity, digital public infrastructure, skills development, job creation, online safety and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Tijani explained that the project aims to bolster Nigeria’s research capacity while ensuring local insights guide policy and technology adoption.
The Federal Ministry of Education is collaborating to synchronise academic research with national priorities and advance specialised training.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, underscored universities’ evolving role as hubs of innovation and problem-solving beyond traditional learning.
The BRIDGE project aligns with broader government strategies to promote digital inclusion, spur economic growth and elevate Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
Observers note that the programme’s impact will depend on effectively converting research findings into implementable policies across sectors.
For the administration, the message is clear: a resilient digital economy demands not just infrastructure, but the intelligence to power it.
General News
Myitura Launches Women-Focused Healthcare Financing Solutions to Bridge Access Gap

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.
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