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NITRA: Okere Advocates for Improved FinTech Innovations

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As “money is going digital” around the world, with central banks from England to China publicly floating the notion of issuing their own national digital currencies, it has become imperative for Nigeria and other developing economies to innovate on technology that will even cater for needs of rural dwellers.

 

Conceptually, the idea of harnessing the upside of the digital revolution; mobile payments in particular, while preserving the existing legal and regulatory set up, practically, demonstrate the significant cost savings, a reduction of operational and fraud risks in the current payments systems, that blackchain, for instance, will bring in strengthening the ability to execute monetary policy.

 

“From a consumer’s perspective, the prospect of total digital money is still mind-boggling. It is more likely that societies would not go completely digital overnight. Instead, central banks could start issuing digital currency units alongside notes and coins as base money, and adjust the mix over time, according to uptake.  Once critical usage levels are reached and network effects kick in, universal adoption could happen very quickly”, said Austin Okere, founder, CWG Plc and Entrepreneur in Residence, Columbia Business School, New York.

 

He made the remarks while speaking on “The Fintech Challenge and the New Face of Banking”, as chairman at the 3rd Quarterly Forum organized by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA).

 

NITRA, is an umbrella body for journalists reporting information and communications technology in Nigeria organized its third edition of her quarterly forum tagged “Digital Payment: Prospects and Challenges of a Financially Inclusive Nigeria.” recently in Lagos.

 

Okere Continued: “For me the biggest thing that has happen in ICT development here in Nigeria properly in Africa is the advent of broadband and Smart phones,

 

“The combination of broadband and smart phones makes it possible that we can do business modules that has never existed before, such as what you are discussing today, “Digital Payments,”

 

“If not that we have broadband and smart phones it will be impossible for this business module to exist or to book flights and buy things online.”

 

He added that money is going digital around the world; central banks from England to China have publicly floated the notion of issuing their own national digital currencies.

 

They like the idea of harnessing the upside of the digital revolution; mobile payments in particular, while preserving the existing legal and regulatory set up.

 

The founder of Computer Warehouse Group noted that the changes coming financial sector will be as large as the original invention of the internet, and this may not be overstated.

 

Who would have imagined a decade ago that e-commerce, championed by Amazon and Alibaba will be displacing high street retailers, or that ride hailing will be dominated by UBER, a technology platform.

 

He stated that a report carried out in 2015 by Goldman Sachs estimated that $4.7tn of financial services revenue is at risk of displacement from Fintech groups.

 

The key to this revolution lies in Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.

 

But it is their underlying technology that is proving to be of practical benefit to organizations, the famous blockchain.

 

He added that Regulators are now helping Fintechs because they believe that Fintech firms are small enough for any problems to be manageable, and on the other hand, might produce useful innovation.

 

He said that the future of Fintech is bright.

 

“Accenture recently released a report which found that investment in Fintech around the world has increased dramatically from $930 million in 2008 to more than $12 billion by early 2015.

 

“The lucrative global transfers markets are major target by Fintechs.

 

“International money transfers, which have long been a thorny issue for entrepreneurs, are getting easier as well.

 

“For smaller transactions, services like PayPal automatically convert currencies, so it’s easy for a customer to purchase goods from anywhere in the world.

 

“Additionally, a service called TransferWise is streamlining international money transfers, disrupting that sector by offering a 90 percent discount on traditional bank transfer fees


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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BoI, MTN Foundation Launch N1Bn Fund for Women Entrepreneurs

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Bank of Industry (BoI) and MTN Nigeria Foundation have launched a N1 billion Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Matching Fund to support women-owned businesses across Nigeria.

BoI, MTN Foundation Launch N1Bn Fund for Women Entrepreneurs

The fund was launched at the official unveiling of the BOI–MTN Foundation Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Matching Fund held in Lagos.

Dr Olasupo Olusi, managing director of BoI, said the initiative reflects a shared commitment to entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment.

Represented by Oluwatoyin Edu, executive director, MSMEs, Olusi, said the partnership has grown from a N100 million youth programme in 2018 to a N1 billion fund, financed equally by both institutions.

“Today, we are pleased to deepen this collaboration with the launch of the N1 billion Y’ellopreneur 3.0 Matching Fund.

“This programme aligns strongly with BoI’s 2025–2027 strategy for enterprise development and economic transformation,” he said.

Olusi said 1,000 women entrepreneurs would receive structured training, while 200 women-led MSMEs would access loans of up to N5 million each.

The BoI boss added that the programme targets sectors including agro-processing, light manufacturing, fashion, energy, waste management and digital services.

Mrs Mosun Belo-Olusoga, chairman of MTN Nigeria Foundation, said the initiative highlighted women’s critical role in economic development.

According to her, the foundation now treats women’s empowerment as central to nation-building, rather than a corporate social responsibility obligation.

Belo-Olusoga said over 5,700 women had been trained, with the programme designed to bridge economic gaps limiting women’s participation.

“This fund provides equipment financing, enabling women to transition from small-scale operations to industrial-level businesses,” she said.

She stressed the need for greater awareness, especially in rural communities, to ensure inclusiveness.

Mrs Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the foundation, said the initiative combined capacity building with access to capital.

Sanya said beneficiaries would undergo a five-week training programme by Pan-Atlantic University Enterprise Development Centre, ending with business growth plans.

She said the foundation aimed to build 30,000 female-led businesses in five years, with 10,000 expected to receive funding.

“We believe this partnership with BoI opens the door to scaling women-owned businesses through working capital and equipment financing,” she said.

Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of Lagos State governor, described the initiative as timely in tackling unemployment and unlocking women’s economic potential.

Represented by Mrs Oyinlola Agoro, she said equipping women with skills, mentorship and planning tools is vital for resilient enterprises.

Sanwo-Olu commended earlier phases, which trained over 5,700 women and supported 122 beneficiaries with equipment.

“This shows that when women are empowered, families thrive, communities prosper and the economy grows stronger.

“The N1 billion matching fund will deepen financial inclusion and promote women-led enterprises,” she said.

She reaffirmed her commitment to initiatives promoting women’s empowerment, economic independence and inclusive development.


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NSIA Sign MoU with UK’s Asset Green Ltd to Develop $496M Integrated Dairy Livestock Production Platform in Nigeria

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L-r: Rod Bassett, Asset Green Ltd Director & Agrium Capital Ltd CEO; Albrecht Frischenschlager, Group CIO, United Green Group; Aminu Umar-Sadiq, MD and CEO NSIA; and Tayo Ajayi, Vice President Head Climate & Sustainability investments. at the signing ceremony in London this week
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The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK‑based Asset Green Ltd to advance the development of a large‑scale integrated dairy livestock production and processing platform set to transform Nigeria’s dairy industry and strengthen national food security.

Signed on Tuesday in London ahead of the State Visit, the MoU outlines the framework for collaboration and the project‑development cost commitments leading up to the formal shareholders’ agreement.

This initiative represents one of the most ambitious integrated dairy investments ever undertaken in Nigeria. It will combine 20,000 hectares of climate‑smart, regenerative crop and forage production with a modern 10,000‑milking cow dairy operation, supported by a state‑of‑the‑art processing plant capable of producing fresh milk, milk powders, butter, cream, and up to 15,000 metric tonnes of infant formula annually.

Designed to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported milk powder, the project will modernise agricultural practices, improve nutrition, and integrate up to 10,000 rural households into the supply chain through inclusive out‑grower schemes. Once operational, the platform is expected to generate over US$620 million annually and create 2,500 direct and 5,000 indirect jobs nationwide.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, said: “Over a decade ago, the UK provided pivotal support to Nigeria in establishing the NSIA, offering legal and financial expertise that helped lay the foundation for its successful launch and strengthening its governance and credibility.

“That early institutional investment has paid dividends, helping to build a resilient Nigerian institution capable of creating jobs and driving transformational, long‑term development.

“The NSIA and Asset Green partnership is a powerful example of how that groundwork continues to deliver impact – a full‑circle moment that reflects the long-term economic cooperation between the UK and Nigeria and the shared commitment to deepening sustainable, private‑sector‑driven growth.”

NSIA Managing Director & CEO, Aminu Umar‑Sadiq, said: “NSIA is pleased to partner with Asset Green on this transformative investment. With a project size of almost US$500 million, this is one of the most ambitious initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s food and nutrition security in a generation.

“By combining climate‑smart farming, advanced processing capacity, and inclusive out‑grower participation, we are laying the foundation for a modern, competitive dairy sector that reduces import dependence, creates meaningful jobs, and delivers long‑term value for Nigerians.”

Asset Green Ltd Director & Agrium Capital Ltd CEO, Rod Bassett, said: “This partnership between NSIA and Asset Green is the business and investment innovation required to unlock the potential of the agriculture sector in Nigeria, with the development of such a future (dairy) food system.

“The foundation of the approach is one of collaborating with NSIA and their shared vision and purpose to establish a platform to catalyse the development of such a national strategic priority. We are incredibly proud to partner with Nigeria’s premier investment institution.

“The development of greenfield projects have consistently played a major role in our history, establishing industries or nurturing young businesses that are able to deliver catalytic transformation.

This US$500 million greenfield investment in Nigeria’s dairy industry allows for the development of advanced and necessary infrastructure spanning the full production and supply system to enhance local production, reduce the reliance on the huge imports of dairy goods into Nigeria, deliver environmental services and strengthen national food sovereignty and nutritional resilience.”

 


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Kaspersky Discovers Infostealers Mimicking Claude Code, OpenClaw and Other AI Developer Tools

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In March 2026, Kaspersky Threat Research has identified a new malicious campaign targeted at developers looking for installation instructions for Claude Code, a development agent created by Anthropic. When searching for “Claude Code download”, sponsored advertisements appear at the top of the search results.

One of these ads redirects users to a malicious webpage that closely imitates the official installation documentation for Claude Code. As a result, users are tricked into installing malware which harvests sensitive information including credentials, crypto wallet data, browser sessions, and other confidential files. Similar malicious campaigns mimic other popular AI tools, including OpenClaw.

The fake documentation page is visually identical to the legitimate one and is hosted on the website-building and hosting platform Squarespace. Because the page precisely copies the original instructions, users may not notice the difference when copying and executing installation commands.

However, instead of installing the developer tool, the commands deliver malware to the victim’s system. Depending on the operating system, the malicious commands deploy different infostealers:

.  Windows systems receive Amatera, an information-stealing malware that collects data from user directories, web browsers, and cryptocurrency wallets before sending the stolen information to a remote server. Amatera has previously been observed in campaigns using the ClickFix distribution technique and is operated under a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) model.

 .  macOS systems receive AMOS, another infostealer previously documented in several malware campaigns targeting Apple devices. It has been described by Kaspersky before.

Kaspersky researchers also identified similar malicious campaigns targeting other popular AI tools, including OpenClaw and Doubao. Using the same approach, attackers registered multiple domains and distributed files containing the Amatera infostealer while disguising them as legitimate downloads for these tools.

“The campaign poses significant risks because AI development tools such as Claude Code and OpenClaw are widely used not only by hobbyists and automation enthusiasts but also by professional developers working in large organisations.

If infected, victims may unknowingly expose source code from active projects, confidential corporate data, authentication credentials, and private accounts. This makes such campaigns particularly dangerous for businesses whose developers rely on AI-assisted coding tools,” comments Vladimir Gursky, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.

In December 2025, Kaspersky detected that attackers spread a macOS infostealer using Google Ads. A specially generated chat interface designed to resemble a ChatGPT tutorial pretended to guide users through installing the Atlas Browser. The malicious instructions appeared to be hosted on a legitimate site associated with OpenAI, helping attackers gain users’ trust.


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