E-Business
Mixed Bag for PC Vendors, Decline Continued in 1Q16

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 60.6 million units in the first quarter of 2016 (1Q16), a year-on-year decline of 11.5%, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.
Shipments were in line with conservative expectations for a decline of 11.3%, and anticipated a relatively weak environment during the first half of 2016 as Windows 10 enterprise upgrades largely remained in pilot phase while consumer demand remains weak. The volatility in stocks, commodities and currencies also helped depress shipments.
Inventory reductions in the channel, which were a headwind through much of 2015, seem to be wrapping up.
Similarly, some rebound in economic conditions should support both commercial and consumer activity going forward.
Nevertheless, channels, vendors, and users remain cautious about new purchases. Overall, Asia/Pacific and EMEA performed slightly better than forecast, while the Americas pulled down worldwide results.
“In the short term, the PC market must still grapple with limited consumer interest and competition from other infrastructure upgrades in the commercial market,” said Jay Chou, Research Manager, IDC Worldwide PC Tracker, “Nevertheless, IDC still projects total business IT spending to grow compared to 2015, and as we head toward the end of 2016 things should start picking up in terms of Windows 10 pilots turning into actual PC purchases.”
PC shipments to the U.S. fell 5.8% to 13.6 million units in 1Q16. PC channels remained challenged with aging inventory although inventory churn has reportedly improved throughout the last two quarters. Market inhibitors that were present in 4Q15 lingered through 1Q16.
These issues included softened demand due to global economic concerns, the Windows 10 free upgrade path stalling some consumer PC purchases, and increased attrition towards detachables. “Demand for PCs in the U.S. remains sluggish,” said IDC Research Director, Devices & Displays, Linn Huang. “However, we should be entering a period of reprieve. Peak corporate and education buying seasons have historically started in the second quarter. With some IT buyers thinking about early Windows 10 transitions and with the potential continued ascent of Chromebooks in U.S. K-12, the PC market should experience a modest rebound in the coming months.”
Regional Highlights
United States – Dell overtook HP Inc. for the first place ranking for the first time since the third quarter of 2009, ending a run of 25 consecutive quarters with HP Inc. at the top of the U.S. PC market. Dell’s U.S.
PC shipments rose 4.2% year over year to 3.48 million – good for a 25.6% share. HP Inc’s PC shipments to the U.S. fell 14.1% to 3.44 million units (25.3% share).
Lenovo continued its aggressive growth trajectory as its 1.9 million units shipped represented 21.1% year-over-year growth and accounted for 14.1% of total U.S. PC shipments.
Apple’s Mac shipments rose 5.6% year over year to nearly 1.8 million (13.0% market share).
Acer’s shipments fell 10.4% to 0.7 million, but the company overtook ASUS and Toshiba to regain a seat in the U.S. top five.
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) – EMEA PC shipments declined double-digit year over year, which was in line with the forecast. 1Q16 was the last quarter to suffer from an unfavorable year-over-year comparison due to large Bing shipments in the prior year, which significantly affected the consumer market.
Windows 10 had a limited impact on PC renewals as its rapid adoption came mostly from free software upgrades.
The new products launched with Windows 10 and Skylake architecture supported sales growth but could not reverse the overall negative trend.
Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) – The APeJ PC market continued to decline as end user demand remained soft, while vendors focused on inventory clearing.
Economic uncertainty weighed on the overall market performance across the region, with businesses limiting their investments and many commercial projects being postponed or downsized, while consumer spending was dampened by currency fluctuations and increases in pricing.
Japan – The market performed slightly better than forecast but still had negative growth. Slowing economic outlook and continued uncertainty over currency rates further dampened demand.
Vendor Highlights
Lenovo maintained its top global rank for the quarter with U.S. growth in excess of 20%. However, the company faced a challenging quarter in all other markets with international shipments declining 12.5% from the prior year, bringing total worldwide volume down 8.5% from a year ago.
HP Inc. remained the number 2 vendor as it navigated its separation from HP Enterprise during the quarter. The company struggled with some inventory issues in North America and a continued slow market in Latin America, with total worldwide shipments declining nearly 11% from the prior year.
Dell remained the number 3 vendor globally, outperforming the market with a decline of just 2%, and also pulled to the lead in the United States market. Strong shipments of notebook PCs helped the vendor achieve the best quarter among the top 5 vendors.
Apple took the fourth spot worldwide and continued to outperform the market, thanks to solid growth in North America.
ASUS declined 8.3% from a year ago and dropped to the number 5 position. North America still saw decent uptake, but the vendor faced challenges elsewhere, especially EMEA.
E-Business
Tech Expert Unveils BAT-BOT AI App to Curb Fake News ahead of 2027 Elections

An artificial intelligence (AI) application has been developed to help combat the spread of fake news, misinformation and political propaganda as political activities gradually build toward the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

The app, known as BAT-BOT AI, was unveiled in Abuja by Mr. Gunu Usman, its founder, who said the platform is designed to assist the federal government in addressing the growing challenge of false information within nation’s digital space.
Mr Usman explained that the new platform was created to ensure that factual information circulates faster than falsehood.
He noted that the rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and manipulated narratives targeting the administration of Bola Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress, and national institutions poses risks to democratic stability and public trust.
According to Mr. Usman, BAT-BOT AI was developed to support public access to verified information while countering misleading narratives online.
The Technology expert described the system as a sovereign AI-powered civic information and fact-verification platform designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital information ecosystem ahead of the 2027 general election.
He added that the initiative aligns with the government’s policy direction under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, which seeks to promote transparency and encourage informed civic participation.
The founder further explained that the platform is currently accessible to Nigerians through multiple digital channels, enabling users to verify claims, seek clarification on government policies and obtain information on national development initiatives.
Mr. Usman expressed optimism that the tool would help curb the spread of false information and contribute to a more credible digital environment as the country prepares for the next electoral cycle.
E-Business
Why JustMarkets Is a Strong Choice for Gold Trading

Over the past four years, gold has risen by more than 400%. The precious metal has long been one of the most traded assets in global financial markets. From its role as a traditional store of value to its sensitivity to inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty, gold continues to attract traders seeking efficient and predictable trading opportunities during a period of global uncertainty and high volatility.

JustMarkets
For traders looking to effectively access gold markets, choosing the right trading environment is as important as timing their entry. One of the most popular and effective gold trading platforms is JustMarkets, offering the tools, conditions, and infrastructure to enable traders to achieve their most ambitious gold trading goals.
Tight Spreads on XAU/USD
Cost efficiency is a critical factor in gold trading, especially for active day traders. JustMarkets offers extremely competitive XAU/USD spreads, allowing traders to open and close positions with reduced transaction costs. Lower spreads can significantly impact short-term strategies, where precision and timing are key to effectively entering a trade. By minimizing trading costs, JustMarkets helps traders focus more on market analysis and finding the ideal entry point, and less on overhead.
Fast and Reliable Execution
Gold is recognized for its volatility, especially during the day, especially with economic announcements or geopolitical events. Speed is of the essence in volatile markets. JustMarkets provides high-speed execution of orders, which helps minimize the risks of delays, especially during periods of high volatility. This ensures that traders are able to respond better to market conditions, thereby having better control over trade management.
Flexible Trading Conditions
Each trader has their own approach to gold, ranging from intraday trading to position trading. JustMarkets offers flexible leverage and account types, enabling traders to adjust their exposure based on their risk tolerance and trading style. This flexibility is suitable for both conservative and aggressive traders while still allowing them to access the same global gold market.
Advanced Platforms and Tools
Successful gold trading is based on thorough technical and fundamental analysis. JustMarkets provides access to industry-standard trading platforms equipped with advanced charting tools, multiple timeframes, and a wide range of indicators for recognizing divergences and clear entry points. These features help traders analyze price trends, identify key levels, and plan their trades with greater confidence.
Accessibility via mobile devices and computers via the JustMarkets Mobile Trading app also ensures traders can monitor positions and market movements from anywhere and at any time.
Education and Market Support
Gold is also affected by factors such as inflation rates, central bank policies, and currency fluctuations. Understanding these factors is important for developing a structured trading strategy.
JustMarkets offers resources for traders, which provide information on how global events can impact the price of gold like case studies, daily, bank and weekly analysis. This is a knowledge-based system, which enables the trader to make more informed decisions rather than relying on the price movements of gold.
Trading Activities That Keep Gold Traders Engaged
In addition to the competitive trading environment, JustMarkets also runs various special activities and campaigns that aim to make the trading experience more interesting. At certain intervals, the special activities may include trading contests on specific trading instruments, such as gold, which are highly sought after by traders. This will give the traders an added impetus to keep trading.
The special activities are designed to encourage trading, consistency, and skill-building among the traders, along with the additional motivation for the trading strategies. This is also in line with the overall philosophy of JustMarkets to create a dynamic trading environment where trading, learning, and motivation are linked together.
A Trading Environment Built for Gold Traders
Gold is still one of the most dynamic markets with the greatest number of opportunities in the world. With tight spreads on XAU/USD, fast execution, flexible trading terms, and access to advanced analytical tools, JustMarkets creates an optimal trading environment for those who want to trade gold efficiently.
In addition to the comprehensive educational assistance, JustMarkets continues to position itself as a strong competitor for traders who are looking for professional trading conditions combined with growth opportunities.
E-Business
Microsoft Expands Africa AI Push while DeepSeek Gains Users

Microsoft is stepping up its push to expand artificial-intelligence adoption across Africa as competition intensifies with Chinas DeepSeek for influence in one of the worlds youngest and fastest-growing digital markets.

The company plans to train 3 million Africans on its AI technologies this year through partnerships with schools, universities and other institutions, with a focus on South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco.
The effort reflects Microsofts broader attempt to accelerate adoption of its AI ecosystem across emerging markets where developers and enterprises are increasingly experimenting with generative AI tools.
Alongside the training initiative, Microsoft is working with MTN Group (MTNOY), Africas largest telecommunications company, to distribute Microsoft 365 and its Copilot digital assistant to about 300 million subscribers.
The Elevate program is designed to expand AI literacy and reduce cost barriers that might otherwise limit adoption, according to regional leadership.
The push comes as Chinese technology firms expand their footprint across the continent, with DeepSeeks open-source models accounting for roughly 11% to 14% of chatbot use in several African markets and reaching about 20% in countries such as Ethiopia and Zimbabwe following investments tied to digital infrastructure and telecom networks.
Microsoft is also increasing its infrastructure investment in the region.
In South Africa, the company plans to invest 5.4 billion rand, or about $330 million, to expand its cloud and AI capacity by the end of next year, while it is also exploring plans for a geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.
Early corporate adoption is emerging across the continent, with South African grocer Spar Group using Copilot in ways that save more than 700 employee hours annually and Nigerias Access Holdings integrating AI into daily workflows.
Regional leadership has suggested broader AI adoption could potentially contribute up to $1.5 trillion to Africas gross domestic product by 2030 if governments and businesses continue investing in digital infrastructure and AI skills.
General News2 days agoInterswitch Advocates Trust-Driven Infrastructure as Cornerstones of Africa’s Cross-Border Capital Future
News2 days agoNLNG Advances Media Excellence with Change Your Story Workshop
E-Business2 days agoWhy JustMarkets Is a Strong Choice for Gold Trading
E-Financial2 days agoCBN Orders Banks to Restrict Access to Banking Services for Loan Defaulters
E-Financial2 days agoUBA Business Series Celebrates ‘Gen.W: The Evolved Woman’ in Push for Female Empowerment
Telecom2 days agoNDPC Warns Content Creators Against Privacy Violations in Viral Videos
General News2 days agoFCCPC Launches Fuel Price Surveillance, Probes Airline Price Gouging, Resolves N10bn Complaints
E-Financial2 days agoRecapitalisation Without Transformation is a Risk Nigeria Cannot Afford













