E-Business
NIMC’s Proposed National ID Gets Cold Reception
Federal government recently announced plans to launch three new national identity cards in May, targeting 104 million citizens.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to establish a unified and secure digital identity framework across the nation.
In an X post on April 6th, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) disclosed the news with a statement signed by Kayode Adegoke, the body’s corporate communication lead.
Per the official statement, the ID will be powered by AfriGo, a national card scheme created by the country’s apex bank (CBN) to perform domestic transactions such as existing debit cards and the like.
The Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) is teaming with the NIMC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the initiative.
According to benjamindada.com, it is the umpteenth time Nigerians are being introduced to a system of identification.
Since the late 2000s, citizens have been subject to various forms of the same, including national ID cards, bank verification numbers (BVN), and national identification numbers (NIN), each of which has stirred controversy.
Under the newly proposed scheme, Nigerians are getting a bank-enabled national ID, a social intervention card, and an optional ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card, as disclosed by Ayodele Babalola, technical adviser, Media, and Communications to the Director-General of NIMC.
From the looks of reactions, particularly on social media, the plan is not going down well with Nigerians, most of whom have already been profiled under the country’s existing identification schemes. To some, the system is becoming too complicated and redundant to keep up with due to the hassles that come with it.
“The most interesting thing about all things is that it is never in the masses’ favor but an avenue to loot and create an unnecessary inconvenience for the masses. From NATIONAL ID CARD, BVN, NIN, and now, A new National ID CARD,” @Akewusolaf commented.
In another opinion, @MikaelCBernard said, “This is unnecessary. A simple plastic ID with a QR code to verify is enough. You’re not a fintech, leave credit card issuing alone”.
In 2021 and 2022, the government allocated over N50 billion (≈$38 million) to NIMC to procure “state-of-the-art” equipment for NIN registration.
Regardless of the funding, Nigerians endured to meet the registration deadlines and link their identification numbers with their SIM cards. The country’s telecoms watchdog has at some point blocked un-linked phone lines.
Idris Abubakar, a Nigerian tech journalist pointed to more than 14 years of the government’s attempt at the same idea.
“They have failed each time. Under a new Minister of Interior, an individual with a controversial track record, it’s clear that the NIMC will push ahead with the same idea. Contracts will go out, but no work will be done,” he said.
Isa Pantami, then minister of Communication and Digital Economy, had come under fire due to the NIN’s ineffectiveness when it comes to addressing rising insurgency and kidnapping.
There is no indication how the new system will make up for the former’s shortcomings.
The 2024 Digital Identity Fraud in Africa Report by Africa’s leading identity verification startup, Smile ID, revealed that the Nigerian National Identity document is one of the most vulnerable in the continent, coming in 9th place overall.
Credit: benjamindada.com,
Temu, the global online marketplace, has joined the International Trademark Association (INTA) as a corporate member and serves on its Anti-Counterfeiting Committee.
INTA is a global association that brings together more than 6,700 organizations, representing over 37,000 trademark professionals and brand owners across 181 countries. By joining INTA, Temu deepens its commitment to building a trusted online marketplace and advancing global IP protection through broader, cross-industry collaboration.
“INTA welcomes TEMU’s willingness to engage in anticounterfeiting initiatives, including in the Association’s annual Anticounterfeiting Workshop and Online Takedown Certificate Program which serve to share best practices and connect stakeholders,” said Alastair Gray, Director of Anti-Counterfeiting, INTA. “Constructive collaboration with these efforts can contribute to the protection of intellectual property rights for INTA members and support the removal of counterfeit products from the platform which ultimately protects consumers.”
At the 2025 INTA Annual Meeting held in San Diego in May, Temu participated in the Anti-Counterfeiting Committee Roundtable, serving as a moderator to facilitate discussions among brand owners, online platforms, and government officials on emerging technologies, best practices for collaboration, and strategies to strengthen global anti-counterfeiting efforts.
“Joining INTA and serving on its Anti-Counterfeiting Committee reflects Temu’s ongoing commitment to ensuring a trustworthy online shopping experience,” said a Temu spokesperson. “We value collaboration with industry peers and stakeholders and are dedicated to advancing collective efforts in intellectual property protection.”
Temu also participates in INTA-led online workshops, including the Online Platform Notice and Takedown Certification Program, which outlines the latest procedures and best practices used by e-commerce platforms and social media companies. These workshops aim to enhance the quality and accuracy of rights-holder notices, promoting more effective takedown processes and content moderation.
Since launching in 2022, Temu has made significant investments in IP enforcement. Its measures include comprehensive seller vetting and compliance training, 24/7 algorithmic monitoring with manual review, a dedicated IP protection portal and brand registry to streamline takedown submissions, and an internal enforcement team that handles claims with speed and accuracy.
China’s Huawei Technologies unveiled an AI computing system on Saturday that an industry expert said rivals Nvidia’s most advanced product, as the company aims to expand its footprint in the country’s booming AI sector.
The CloudMatrix 384 system made its public debut at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), a three-day event in Shanghai, attracting a large crowd to Huawei’s booth with its showcase of cutting-edge AI innovations.
The system has attracted significant interest from the global AI community since Huawei (HWT.UL) first introduced it in April. Industry analysts see it as a direct challenger to Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72, the most advanced system-level offering currently available from the U.S. chipmaker.
In an April article, Dylan Patel, founder of semiconductor research firm SemiAnalysis, stated that Huawei now possesses AI system capabilities that could surpass those of Nvidia.
Huawei staff at its WAIC booth declined to comment when asked to introduce the CloudMatrix 384 system.
A spokesperson for Huawei did not respond to questions.
Huawei has become widely regarded as China’s most promising domestic supplier of chips essential for AI development, even though the company faces U.S. export restrictions.
Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang told Bloomberg in May that Huawei had been “moving quite fast” and named the CloudMatrix as an example.
The CloudMatrix 384 system features 384 of Huawei’s latest 910C chips and, according to SemiAnalysis, surpasses Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72 in certain performance metrics, despite the latter using 72 B200 chips.
SemiAnalysis attributes this performance advantage to Huawei’s strong system design, which offsets the lower power of individual chips by leveraging a greater number of them and incorporating system-level innovations.
Huawei describes the system as utilizing a “supernode” architecture that enables ultra-high-speed interconnectivity between chips.
In June, Zhang Pingan, CEO, Huawei Cloud confirmed that the CloudMatrix 384 was already operational on Huawei’s cloud platform.
Transcorp Hotels Plc has delivered a stellar performance in the first half of 2025, recording a 60% year-on-year surge in revenue to ₦47.57 billion, up from ₦29.72 billion in H1 2024. Gross profit climbed 71% to ₦36.21 billion, maintaining a strong 76% margin despite inflation and operational headwinds.
The hospitality giant, a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc, also announced an interim dividend payout of ₦1.024 billion — offering ₦0.10 per 50 kobo ordinary share to shareholders.
In a bold move, the company unveiled Nigeria’s largest corporate venue — the 5,000-seat Transcorp Centre — staking its claim as the new leader in event hospitality. Chairman Emmanuel Nnorom described the results as proof of Transcorp Hotels’ transformative strategies and unwavering investor commitment. MD/CEO Uzo Oshogwe attributed the success to relentless execution and a resilient business model.
Transcorp Hotels, renowned for iconic assets like Transcorp Hilton Abuja and its digital platform Aura, says it isn’t just leading Nigeria’s hospitality sector — it’s redefining excellence across Africa.
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