News
Techstars Selects its First Company from East Africa

The international investors that have boosted more than 650 technology startups have thrown their weight behind their first East African company, Kenya’s Bamba Group.
US accelerator TechStars believes Kenya’s Bamba Group could be the next AirBnB or Dropbox within the next five years.
The experts will put Bamba through intensive training in Austin, Texas, and give them a cash investment to fast-track their growth.
Amos Schwartzfarb, TechStars Austin Managing Director, said: “We are very happy to select the first company from East Africa into the TechStars programme. Bamba Group is a testament to our globalized world where a startup from any corner of the planet can rise up, pursue their passion and make a lasting impact on the world.”
Bamba Group, a Nairobi-based business founded 3 years ago, developed a data collection software that can run in any country. It is the only company in the world that will send a mobile airtime payment directly to your phone when you submit data in as many as 122 countries.
The cloud-based system is used by major not-for-profit and for-profit companies in Kenya including Aga Khan Foundation, Nairobi Airport Services, and Diamond Trust Bank.
Al Ismaili, Bamba Group CEO, is thrilled his company is among the 2% of the applicants who are accepted into the programme.
He said: “It is our employees that are most deserving of this selection. We now look forward to the next stage of our growth with a new saying around the office – something we now hear regularly from our new mentors at TechStars – ‘Do More Faster’. We hope to make Africa proud”.
Mr Ismaili along with two other co-founders Faiz Hirani and Shehzad Tejani will attend a 13-week acceleration programme for hands-on mentorship and gain access to the TechStars Network, which includes more than 5000 people including founders, alumni, and global mentors.
Following the initial financial investment from TechStars, companies go on to raise an average of over $3million in capital after the programme.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT), Mr Joe, added: “I congratulate Bamba Group for this great opportunity and hope they will inspire many more start-ups to get recognised globally.”
Bamba has embedded itself as a staple in the Kenyan software scene. This is evident through its participation in the Presidential Digi-talent Programme (PDTP), a public–private partnership run by the ICT Authority in Kenya and commissioned by the President of Kenya.
ICT graduates from Kenyan universities are selected for the one-year programme that includes world-class software training, soft-skills training, mentoring and guaranteed internships in both the public and private sector firms involved. Other organizations involved in this programme include Google, Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, Cisco and PwC.
PDTP Advisory Council Chairman and Technology Partner at PwC, Muchemi Wambugu, understands what it takes to sit alongside these top firms from his days working in Silicon Valley for a tech giant IBM.
Mr Wambugu said: “Bamba Group has been a huge asset in our Advisory Council and by extension to our society. PDTP aims to build technology capacity for Government and enrich our already vibrant technology ecosystem. Bamba software was used to capture, monitor and evaluate the interactions between the programme mentors and interns. Al holds a seat on our council and his contributions have been tremendous. He and his firm are well deserving of their selection into one of the world’s top accelerators and we are proud of this young Kenyan firm.”
Cabinet Secretary Mucheru added: “Kenya recognises the economic and social benefit of innovation and entrepreneurship”. Bamba is committed to bringing the Silicon Valley start-up culture into Kenya in order to brew innovation and attract top talent in line with the country’s vision 2030 and National ICT Masterplan 2017.
Bamba Group Project Manager, Peter Onkendi, said: “Working for Bamba Group has been an amazing experience. The company’s culture is fantastic and I look forward to everyday at the office. What we are doing is very exciting and with Bamba being accepted to the TechStars 2016 programme I look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
News
Kaspersky Discovers Infostealers Mimicking Claude Code, OpenClaw and Other AI Developer Tools

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.
News
Breaking…….Nigerian Firms Pledge Millions, Create UK Jobs

Hundreds of new jobs are set to be created as Nigerian banks, fintech innovators and creative industry businesses scale up their operations in Britain.

UK-Nigeria
The move will see millions invested, reinforcing the UK’s position as a leading global business hub, backed by world‑class talent, strong access to capital, and a stable regulatory environment – while showcasing Nigeria’s expanding role as a key source of innovation and investment into the UK, growing both economies.
UK’s Twinings Ovaltine has launched a £24 million manufacturing facility in Lagos, its first in Africa, creating over 100 direct jobs and boosting the company’s exports across West Africa.
It comes as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, are set to commence an historic State Visit on Wednesday [tomorrow, 18th March], strengthening the UK’s position as a global hub for African business.
Thanks to the UK’s Trade and Industrial Strategies – combined with commitments made through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) – the government is attracting investment into key growth sectors including financial services, technology, education and advanced manufacturing.
The Deputy Prime Minister held an ETIP reception yesterday at Kensington Palace, bringing together 180 senior representatives from government and industry to celebrate the breadth, depth, and continued growth of our trade relationship across priority sectors including financial services, education, creative industries, infrastructure and technology. The UK’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Florence Eshalomi, also addressed the group.
Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said: “The UK and Nigeria share a belief in the power of enterprise, innovation and education to transform lives, and today’s commitments show exactly that. With Nigerian firms creating jobs across the UK and British businesses expanding into one of the world’s fastest growing markets, our partnership is strengthening both economies and delivering real benefits for people in both countries.”
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “The UK and Nigeria’s Strategic Partnership is bringing momentum and opportunity to innovators in both our countries.
“We are reducing barriers, creating jobs and opening new pathways for growth. Growth is the core mission of this government, and it underpins our relationship with Nigeria.
“I am deeply proud that the cultural and commercial bonds between our nations are thriving and that both our businesses and people are feeling the benefits of that.”
Zenith Bank, one of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions, opens its Manchester branch today [Tuesday 17 March] with the capacity to create up to 30 new direct jobs in a boost for the Northwest economy.
The bank is also exploring a 2027 London Stock Exchange listing to deepen its UK market presence and unlock long-term funding for UK-Africa growth.
Fidelity Bank’s acquisition and rebrand of Union Bank UK into FidBank UK with plans to double its 62‑person workforce in 2026 and add new capital, while the Fidelity Group makes London its global hub.
FCMB has also selected the UK as the first international destination for its digital cross border payments platform, boosting trade and investment flows between Africa and the rest of the world. Seven Nigerian banks now operate in the UK, supporting at least 1,000 jobs in total.
Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji OON, Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank PLC said: “The United Kingdom remains a key global financial centre.
“The opening of Zenith Bank, Manchester, therefore, marks another important milestone in our international expansion strategy, enabling us to deepen relationships with our customers, support trade and investments, and connect businesses between Africa and the UK more effectively.”
Nigerian fintech investment is also accelerating rapidly:
- LemFi will invest £100 million over the next five years as it designates London its global headquarters.
- Moniepoint plans to grow its London based team to 100 employees in 2026, building the infrastructure that supports millions of African users worldwide.
- Kuda Bank is strengthening its UK headquarters as the base for global expansion and plans to double its UK footprint in 2026.
The UK’s reputation as a global creative capital also continues to deepen ties through:
- EbonyLife, one of Nigeria’s leading creative industry brands, will launch EbonyLife Place London, creating up to 40 new jobs and strengthening the UK’s role as a home for African storytelling and creative talent.
- The SCALE Creative Entrepreneur Award Programme, developed by the British Council and supported by the Department for Business and Trade, will support young Nigerian and UK creative entrepreneurs to grow internationally and build lasting ties to benefit both the UK and Nigerian creative economies.’
- The UK Advertising Exports Group will announce a strategic partnership with the Nigerian advertising sector. This will include a UK-Nigeria Advertising Summit taking place later this year and a talent exchange scheme which will deepen bilateral engagement.
- The British Council and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy in Nigeria, will deliver the UK/Nigeria Season of Culture in 2028, involving a range of innovative initiatives and events designed by UK and Nigeria creative organisations.
- A Creative Industries Roundtable at Lancaster House will bring together alumni, Chevening scholars and creative leaders from both countries.
The following British businesses are also set to benefit thanks to:
- Twining’s Ovaltine launching a £24 million manufacturing facility in Lagos, its first in Africa, creating over 100 direct jobs and boosting the company’s exports across West Africa.
- British fintech Wise will receive approval for its first Nigerian licence, enabling it to expand in a remittances market valued at up to £39.9 million.
- The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), which was set up with UK Support in 2011, has signed an agreement with Asset Green Ltd to explore a largescale integrated dairy project that will strengthen Nigeria’s dairy value chain, reduce reliance on imports and improve nutrition.
Leading UK universities are also expanding into Nigeria, helping train the next generation of Nigerian and British scientists, technologists and innovators. Nigeria is a key education partner and a priority country for the UK’s International Education Strategy.
- The University of Birmingham and the University of Lagos have signed a new agreement to deliver programmes in Applied AI, Digital Communications and Global Surgery.
- The LSE has launched a new Data Science partnership with Nile University of Nigeria alongside the University of the West of England opening a dedicated office in Lagos.
- Wellington College International Lagos will open in 2027, offering places for 1,500 students – becoming one of West Africa’s flagship British curriculum schools.
- EStars, a UK‑owned educational esports and technology company, will partner with the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to deliver esports‑based digital learning programmes to around three million students.
News
Elumelu Tags Elon Musk, Disowns AI-Generated Scam Video

Tony Elumelu, Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, has warned about the growing dangers of artificial intelligence misuse after an AI-generated video falsely showed him promoting a forex and cryptocurrency trading platform.

Tony Elumelu,
The founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation revealed this in a post on his X account on Monday, explaining that the video appeared highly convincing but was entirely fabricated.
In the post, he also tagged Elon Musk, X owner, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy while calling for stronger safeguards against the misuse of artificial intelligence.
“A few days ago, my team flagged an AI-generated video of me endorsing a forex and crypto platform.
“It looked and sounded remarkably real, but it was completely fake. This incident highlights a growing and serious threat to digital trust,” he wrote.
He stressed that he has no affiliation with any cryptocurrency or foreign exchange trading platforms.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I am not associated with any crypto or forex trading platforms.
“My commitment to inclusive prosperity has always been through long-term investments, building sustainable businesses, and empowering entrepreneurs,” he said.
While acknowledging the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, Elumelu urged African youths to embrace the technology responsibly and use it to develop scalable solutions.
“I strongly believe in the potential of AI. It is a defining technology of our time, and African youth must be at the forefront of adopting it to build scalable solutions. We cannot afford to be left behind in the global tech race,” he added.
The business leader, however, warned that rapid technological advancement also presents risks if not properly regulated.
“But the flip side of rapid innovation is the risk of abuse. The ease with which identities can now be cloned to deceive the public is alarming.
“Policymakers and regulators must act now to establish safeguards and hold those using it to scam innocent people accountable,” he said.
Elumelu also urged the public to remain vigilant and protect themselves from digital fraud.
“We must create a safe digital environment where true innovation can thrive without being overshadowed by fraud. Protect your hard-earned money, stay alert, and let us continue to build the Africa we deserve,” he said.
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