News
Nigeria: A Chance for Re-Awakening
By Austin Okere
By March 2020, it had become very clear that COVID-19 was a global pandemic. The news media was awash with a shock announcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria on her exchange rate policy; “In what can be regarded as an unexpected yet positive move, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday moved the official exchange rate from N307/US$1 to N360/US$1.
At the Investors and Exporters Window (I & E), the CBN also adjusted the NGN peg upwards by 5.7%, as it raised its intervention rate to N380 from N366.” this caption was Dateline Mar 24, 2020 on Nairametrics.com.
I wrote this article three years ago on January 20, 2017, after a sharp drop in Oil prices – and surprised how relevant it is even today. What was our experience as a country, what did we learn from it and how is it that we have once again been caught desperately unawares?
Why can’t we fix our educational system and send our children to schools here? And fix our hospitals and treat our sick here, instead of our notoriety as big spenders on medical tourism?
Nigerians are gradually coming to terms that the cheese has indeed moved this time. The days of lucre and easy money, fuelled by petrodollars are far behind us; no thanks to shale oil and other sources of energy.
The aimless swagger has been replaced by a renewed sense of purpose and the need to produce in order to survive. No wonder Agriculture seems to be the only game in town these days. To borrow from the words of Pravin Gordhan, Finance Minister of South Africa, it is now Agri-Cool. All manner of yesterday’s nose thumpers now proudly call themselves farmers; it is beginning to have a nice ring and tone to it.
Unlike other oil boom and busts, it seems that this particular bust is here to stay. We seem to be in a stalemate. If we cut production to shore up prices, the shale producers will seize the opportunity to increase their own production and drive the prices right down. Not to talk of the conscious global effort towards cleaner renewable energy, and the significant improvement in its technology and adoption. COP 21 in Paris cemented the commitment to clean environment and green energy.
Time there was not too long ago in Nigeria, when first class and business class seats on commercial airlines were filled way before economy seats, and private jets littered all our airports.
But how did we get here and how did we subsequently fall from such deluded Olympian heights? The recurrent mistake we keep making as a nation is failing to anticipate and plan for our oil windfalls. There have been many boom opportunities since Nigeria joined the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1971; Oil prices increased by 400% in six short months after the Yom Kippur War following the Arab Oil Embargo. Crude prices doubled from $14 in 1978 to $35 per barrel in 1981 following the Iran/Iraq war.
The price of crude oil spiked in 1990 with the uncertainties associated the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing Gulf War – the so called ‘Gulf War windfall’ under then Head of State Ibrahim Babangida. The report of the panel of enquiry headed by the eminent Dr. Pius Okigbo in 1994 was critical of the government’s role in mismanaging the $12.4b windfall. Perhaps most of it had gone with the wind.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that the latest windfall happened between February 2011 and August 2014, under the Goodluck Jonathan presidency, when oil prices were much in excess of $100 per barrel. Another golden opportunity was squandered, characterised by organised kleptocracy of epic proportions as has now come to light.
There is a saying in my native Igbo culture that an abomination that endures for long enough becomes part of the culture. Corruption came close to achieving this status in Nigeria.
Our inflated egos were matched with the adventure into GDP rebasing in 2014 which put Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, overtaking poster boy South Africa. Alas this new status, propped up by an artificial exchange rate sustained by huge foreign reserves did not last. As the reserves dwindled, partial reality in the foreign exchange rate has wiped away close to half of the estimated $510b GDP, and along with it our bragging rights.
I say ‘partial reality in the foreign exchange rate’, because I still feel that a differential of over 60% between the official rate and the parallel rate to the dollar seems to suggest that one of the rates is way off the mark. The acute shortage of the ‘Official Dollar’ seems to suggest that the parallel rate is closer to the mark.
The thing about the market is that you can distort it for a while, but you cannot hold it back for long. The market is like water; it will always find its level.
The earlier we let this happen the better for our economy. Within the period of a decade, I have witnessed the British pound at close to £1 to $1.9 and now as low as £1 to $1.22; and yet the British government is not scrambling to shore up the pound by all means (including expensive subsidy of the currency).
It should be understood that such distortions open huge arbitrage opportunities for those with access, which distract from productive pursuit. Rent seeking from allocation of dollars creates a new crop of overnight billionaires akin to those created during the era of petroleum subsidy. In the long run, it blows no good wind.
I have always argued that more important than the exchange rate, is the stability of the rate, which removes uncertainty, and attracts investment.
As it is, we are inadvertently inviting more pressure on the naira because even locals are saving their money in dollars, albeit at zero interest rates. And why not? They have figured out that even at the relatively high interest rates on treasury bills and fixed deposits, savings are halved in real terms due to the fast deteriorating exchange rate of the naira.
We have to understand that the exchange rate is an indicator of the perception of performance, and opportunity in the economy. To shore it up you have to do the hard work of better economic management.
Removing the alert on the dashboard of your car that tells you that the oil level is low puts out the irritating light, but does not guarantee that the engine will not knock further down the road.
There is now a fervent glamour for buying Nigerian and growing what we eat. About time too. According to the Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria spends about $22bn annually on food imports. How can a country with a huge population of over 170 million people (a viable consumer market by any standard), squander such a whopping amount on imported food, and in the process export much needed jobs in the agriculture value chain? This is despite the huge fertile landmass and favourable climate?
It is no different in the Education and Health sectors. It was estimated that Nigerians studying in British and American Universities spent over N137billion on tuition and living expenses in 2014.
There were also about 71,000 Nigerian students who paid tuition fees in excess of N160billion in Ghana during the same period (these may have easily doubled in the past year due to the deteriorating foreign exchange rate). And yet the Nigerian Government’s total budget for education in 2017 is N540b (a paltry $1.1b against South Africa’s $22b)
Why can’t we fix our educational system and send our children to schools here? And fix our hospitals and treat our sick here, instead of our notoriety as big spenders on medical tourism?
I understand that luxury shop owners in Dubai and London are asking loudly ‘where are the Nigerians?’ Well, the Nigerians are at home, confronting the new realities of basic survival. You only have to look into the eyes of the average Nigerian to glean the pain of adjustment. This difficult period is too painful to waste. We must seize the opportunity of this painful reality check, for a reawakening and realignment towards doing the right thing. As Maria Robinson said “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today to make a new ending”. Let us begin today to write the ending we want for our country.
Austin Okere is the Founder of CWG Plc, the largest ICT Company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange & Entrepreneur in Residence at CBS, New York. Austin also serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Business School Network, and on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Innovation and Intrapreneurship. Austin now runs the Ausso Leadership Academy focused on Business and Entrepreneurial Mentorship
At the Security Analyst Summit in Thailand, Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) unveiled the latest BlueNoroff APT activity through two highly targeted malicious campaigns ‘GhostCall’ and ‘GhostHire’. The ongoing operations have been targeting Web3 and cryptocurrency organisations across India, Turkiye, Australia and other countries in Europe and Asia since at least April 2025.
BlueNoroff, a subdivision of the notorious Lazarus group, continues to expand its signature ‘SnatchCrypto’ campaign, a financially motivated operation which targets crypto industries worldwide. The newly described GhostCall and GhostHire campaigns employ new infiltration techniques and customised malware to compromise blockchain developers and executives. These attacks affect macOS and Windows systems as primary targets and are managed through a unified command-and-control infrastructure.
The GhostCall campaign focuses on macOS devices, beginning with a highly sophisticated and personalised social engineering attack. The attackers reach out via Telegram, impersonating venture capitalists and in some cases using compromised accounts of real entrepreneurs and startup founders to promote investment or partnership opportunities. The victims are invited to fake investment meetings on phishing sites mimicking Zoom or Microsoft Teams during which they are prompted to “update” their client to fix an audio issue, this action downloads a malicious script and deploys a malware infection on the device.
“This campaign relied on deliberate and carefully planned deception. Attackers replayed videos of previous victims during staged meetings to make the interaction appear like a real call and manipulate new targets. The data collected in this process is then used not only against the initial victim but also exploited to enable subsequent and supply-chain attacks, leveraging established trust relationships to compromise a broader range of organisations and users,” comments Sojun Ryu, security researcher at Kaspersky GReAT.
Attackers deployed seven multi-stage execution chains, four which were previously unseen, to distribute a range of new customised payloads, including crypto stealers, browser credential stealers, secrets stealer, and Telegram credential stealers.
In the GhostHire campaign the APT targets blockchain developers by posing as recruiters. Victims are tricked into downloading and running a GitHub repository containing malware, presented as a skill assessment. GhostHire shares its infrastructure and tools with the GhostCall campaign, but instead of using video calls, it focuses on approaching hands-on developers and engineers through fake recruitment. After initial contact, victims are added to a Telegram bot that delivers either a ZIP file or a GitHub link, along with a short deadline to complete the task. Once executed, the malware installs itself on the victim’s machine, customised for the operating system.
The use of generative AI has enabled BlueNoroff to accelerate malware development and refine its attack techniques. The attackers introduced new programming languages and added additional features, complicating detection and analysis tasks. It further enables the actor to manage and expand its operations, increasing both the complexity and scale of attacks.
“Since its previous campaigns, the threat actor’s targeting strategy has evolved beyond simple cryptocurrency and browser credential theft. The use of generative AI has significantly accelerated this process, enabling easier malware development with reduced operational overhead.
“This AI-driven approach helps to fill the gaps in available information, enabling more focused targeting. By combining compromised data with AI’s analytical capabilities, the scope of these attacks has expanded. We hope our research will contribute to preventing further harm,” comments Omar Amin, senior security researcher at Kaspersky GReAT.
News
Moniepoint Unveils Nigeria’s First Informal Economy AI Chatbot, As FG Lauds Fintech Giant for Powering Business Growth Across the Country
Moniepoint Inc, Africa’s leading business payments and personal banking servicing platform, has launched “M”, Nigeria’s first artificial intelligence-powered chatbot dedicated to demystifying the informal economy, while earning commendations from the Federal Government for its decade-long commitment to driving financial inclusion and business growth across Africa’s most populous nation.
Speaking at the launch of the second edition of Nigeria’s Informal Economy Report powered by Moniepoint, Vice President Kashim Shettima represented by Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment noted that the informal economy lies at the heart of Nigeria’s story of resilience, creativity, and enterprise, from market traders to artisans, service providers, and young digital entrepreneurs.
“Millions of Nigerians power commerce daily in ways that are unseen yet indispensable to our economy. This report gives an important window into the challenges and opportunities within the sector. It provides a stronger foundation for inclusive, evidence-based policymaking.
“The Tinubu-led administration places high priority on the informal sector, which has remained central to Nigeria’s economic resilience. I commend Moniepoint for its decade-long contribution to financial inclusion, supporting millions of informal businesses across Africa”, she said.
To bring the report’s insights to life, “M,” a friendly, AI-powered guide that helps users explore and understand Nigeria’s informal economy. Built on cutting-edge Large Language Model (LLM) technology, M provides conversational and easy-to-understand responses to complex queries. It represents Moniepoint’s belief that technology should serve people, especially the everyday entrepreneurs who keep the economy moving. “M” is designed to make data on small businesses and informal trade accessible, useful, and actionable for everyone from policymakers and researchers to journalists and the general public.
In his welcome remarks, Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director, Moniepoint MFB, noted that the Bank’s focus lies in providing millions of these informal operators with the tools they need to thrive sustainably.
“This year’s report dives deeper into unemployment, taxation, savings behavior, and business operations within the informal economy, and what we’ve found paints a picture of both resilience and fragility. These insights remind us that the informal economy is not just a tool for survival but a living ecosystem of innovation and adaptation.
“We are determined to help shape a more inclusive and sustainable Nigeria, not just for today, but for generations yet unborn. The informal economy is not the shadow of our nation’s progress, it is its pulse. Our job is to make sure it beats stronger”, he said.
The launch event also served to mark a significant milestone as Moniepoint commemorates 10 years of service to now over 10 million active businesses and individuals, processing more than one billion transactions monthly and facilitating payments exceeding $22 billion. The company aims to strengthen public-private collaboration in building a more data-driven, inclusive, and digitized economy aligned with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, Moniepoint has grown from building financial solutions and infrastructure for Nigeria’s major banks to becoming the nation’s largest business payments platform and leading merchant acquirer, providing an all-in-one banking platform offering payments, banking, credit, business tools, and cross-border payment solutions.
Hon. Ayodele Olawande, Minister, Federal Ministry of Youth Development represented by Mrs. Ebiho Agun, Technical Adviser commended Moniepoint for its commitment to understanding and illuminating the dynamics of a sector that, though often overlooked, but remains the backbone of our national economy.
“While Moniepoint has aptly drawn attention to the vast potential of the informal economy, largely powered by youth, it is clear that realizing this potential requires strong synergy among government, private sector players, financial institutions, and development partners.
“Together, we must move from insight to action, designing and implementing strategies that will enable informal enterprises to access finance.”
During a panel session which was moderated by Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Moniepoint Inc, Didi Uwemakpan with the theme: Building an inclusive and sustainable economy for Nigeria, the panelists which included Uche Uzoebo, MD/CEO, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities, SANEF, Chinasa Collins-Ogbuo, Head, Inclusion for All Initiative, Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA); Charles Odii, Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and MD, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank were emphatic about the need to increase access to finance, markets, and other structured interventions for the informal economy.
Speaking to its partnership with Moniepoint on the report, DG, SMEDAN expressed satisfaction that the report shows real progress with more businesses formalizing, accessing finance, and using digital tools, while acknowledging some challenges that persist, especially around rising costs and access to affordable credit.
“We are working with our partners and under this administration’s economic agenda to close these gaps: free CAC registration for 250,000 small businesses, a partnership with SEC to list 1,000 SMEs on the capital market, and new shared industrial hubs that make it cheaper to run a business. We are also working with state governments to deepen access to affordable finance and complement efforts of the Federal Government to create a regulatory environment that supports the growth of small businesses,” he said.
Some of the dignitaries who attended the event include Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation & MSME, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media and Emergency Management (OVP), Ahmed Ningi, Registrar/ Chief Executive, The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Akin Morakinyo, Mohammed Bagudu, Special Adviser on Stakeholder Management and Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Deputy Director, Digital Economy, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Dr. Amina Sambo-Magaji, National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), and Investment Officer. IFC. Meissa Gueye.
Moniepoint’s transformative impact has earned recognition on the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies list, TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, and CNBC’s World’s Top Fintech Companies. The Central Bank of Nigeria honored Moniepoint as Financially Inclusive Fintech of the Year, while the company received SME Microfinance Bank of the Year awards at the BusinessDay Banks & Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards in both 2024 and 2025.
Elon Musk’s company xAI has launched Grokipedia to compete with online encyclopedia Wikipedia, which he has accused of ideological bias.
Elon Musk
The site dubbed version 0.1 had more than 885,000 articles by Monday evening, compared to Wikipedia’s more than seven million in English.
The launch came with the promise of a newer version, 1.0, which Musk said would be “10X better” than the current live site, which he claimed is already “better than Wikipedia.”
“The goal of Grok and Grokipedia.com is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We will never be perfect, but we shall nonetheless strive towards that goal,” he said on X following the launch.
Grokipedia’s release had been marked down for the end of September, but was delayed by the US entrepreneur to “purge out the propaganda,” Musk said in a separate X post.
Musk has been a regular critic of Wikipedia.
In 2024, he accused the site of being “controlled by far-left activists” and called for donations to the platform to cease.
In August, he said, “Wikipedia cannot be used as a definitive source for Community Notes, as the editorial control there is extremely left-biased.”
The content of Grokipedia is generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and the generative AI assistant Grok.
A Grokipedia article about Musk states that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has “influenced broader debates on technological progress, demographic decline, and institutional biases, often via X,” amid what the page says are “criticisms from legacy media outlets that exhibit systemic left-leaning tilts in coverage.”
Created in 2001, Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia managed by volunteers, largely funded by donations, and whose pages can be written or edited by internet users.
“Unlike newer projects, Wikipedia’s strengths are clear: it has transparent policies, rigorous volunteer oversight, and a strong culture of continuous improvement,” a spokeswoman from Wikimedia Foundation told AFP in an email.
It claims the site is written to inform “billions of readers without promoting a particular point of view.”
When asked about the launch of Grokipedia, the spokeswoman said Wikimedia is “still in the process of understanding how Grokipedia works.”
She highlighted that Wikimedia “is – and always will be – human.”
“This human-created knowledge is what AI companies rely on to generate content; even Grokipedia needs Wikipedia to exist.”
The birth of Grokipedia has been welcomed by several right-wing figures, including hardline Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin, who described the article about him as “neutral, objective, accurate,” whereas Wikipedia’s page, according to him, is “totally biased and defamatory.”
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