Broadcasting
The Future of IT: Democratising Application Development with Low-code Platforms
By Hyther Nizam, President – MEA, Zoho Corp.
With COVID-19 accelerating the digital transformation of businesses, many organisations were forced to adopt a work-from-home strategy, and customers began to increasingly purchase goods and services online. The outbreak highlighted the critical nature of software and its impact on people’s lives, both professionally and personally.
At the same time, the function of the IT department has evolved and it has been crucial in supporting organisations in shifting to a new way of working. While numerous departments have seen budget cuts, many businesses have increased their IT spending. This is because the department, now expected to complete more tasks more quickly, is vital to the success of a business.
The rise of low-code app development platforms
To accommodate the unexpected change in business, working apps and systems had to be developed and deployed in the shortest period possible. With IT departments now playing such a critical role in strategic business development, the evolution of low-code and no-code (L/N) has helped to lighten the IT load for businesses of all sizes. According to Gartner, low code applications will account for more than 65% of all app development functions by 2024,with 66% of large organisations adopting at least four low code platforms.
L/N development platforms allow for the rapid development of comprehensive technological solutions without the need for extensive programming skills. This makes life easier for business users, analysts, sales and marketing executives. In other words, those who are closest to the requirement and issue at hand are contextually more informed.
South African businesses that use low-code and no-code software benefit from the following:
Reduce the time it takes to develop and deploy innovative apps.
Reduce the strain on professional developers by ensuring that all business requirements are met while adhering to regulatory criteria for development methods and components.
Allow business users to give shape to their innovative and practical solutions without having to specialise in specific programming languages.
Bring together business and IT teams. Business developers can create applications within the constraints imposed by IT specialists. A centralised, simple-to-use development platform also enables the IT staff to monitor the development process and intervene as necessary.
Low-code platforms also help address the challenges posed by ‘Shadow IT’ or ‘Rogue IT’ practices, which often happens when business teams or individuals start using different tools to solve their problems without keeping their IT teams in the loop.
IT possibilities enabled by low-code platforms
Recently, businesses have successfully launched two types of apps employing the low-code application development paradigm, with some focusing completely on solutions as part of their pivotal strategies in the face of the pandemic.
Internal apps: Current conditions have sparked a rise in internal collaboration apps such as contact tracing, virtual check-in portals for remote employees, and COVID-19 live dashboards to name a few. From employee management to streamlining operations with automated approval processes, low-code platforms have played a vital role in allowing different types of users to ship critical solutions for automation, connectivity and communication, allowing thousands of employees to take their work home with them and for business to continue as usual with minimal disruptions. This is further enabled by the ability of modern low-code platforms to integrate with legacy systems and processes, allowing for web and mobile apps with seamless user experiences that can push and pull information from existing internal systems.
Customer-facing apps: Post lockdown announcements during the first wave of the pandemic, many businesses quickly rolled out self-service web portals and mobile apps, and extended their products and services to their customers digitally. For instance, a number of banks launched digital solutions for banking, loans, forex etc. Even the large, well-established banks that witness stiff competition from fintechs and neobanks (who are technically more flexible and savvy) are now able to compete successfully with the latter, thanks to low-code application platforms.
The potential for simpler business process automation, unencumbered by complex code structures or delivery delays, makes L/N platforms a strategic asset for any company. Not to mention the fact that we now have AI-assisted L/N platforms that can provide guided experience for non-programmers, assisting them in developing better applications through intelligent suggestions.
All things considered, low-code and no-code solutions will give businesses the freedom they have always needed to achieve true agility and innovation.
American Tower Corporation (ATC) Nigeria and the ProFuturo Foundation have announced a strategic partnership aimed at transforming the educational sector through digital innovation and technology.
The programme, which is being implemented in conjunction with the Kukah Centre, is expected to benefit over 5,600 school children and 34 teachers across 11 schools in Kano, Kebbi and Taraba states.
The initiative is part of a broader global collaboration between American Tower and ProFuturo Foundation, targeting education gaps in seven African and Latin American countries.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ATC Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Mr Pieter Van Der Westhuizen, said the partnership was aligned with the company’s Digital Communities programme, which facilitates technology-driven learning, financial literacy for adults and access to healthcare services in underserved areas.
“At ATC Nigeria, we are proud to support this impactful collaboration, which brings digital tools directly into classrooms. This partnership is not just about equipment—it’s about giving children the future they deserve,” he said.
General Manager of ProFuturo Foundation, Ms Magdalena Brier, described the partnership as a crucial step towards bridging the digital divide and empowering vulnerable communities.
“This alliance reinforces our mission to transform lives by improving access to education and digital tools. Every child and teacher reached through this programme is a testament to what we can achieve together,” she said.
Each school will be equipped with a digital learning kit, which includes computers, tablets, routers, projectors and other essential components tailored to foster interactive learning—even in areas with limited connectivity.
The initiative seeks to strengthen innovative teaching practices and promote inclusive education through digital transformation, with active support from local authorities who were present at the official launch.
About ₦2 billion changes hands in bets every day (KPMG Gaming Outlook 2025), driven by a 60-million-strong punter base that treats wagering as both entertainment and side-hustle. Industry revenue is on pace to hit US $3.63 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) by December 2025 – roughly the size of Nigeria’s entire recorded-music market.
Smartphones rule this universe: more than 90 percent of slips now start and finish on a handset, which is why the market leaders obsess over data-lite apps and USSD deposits almost as much as odds feeds.
Our Litmus Test for “Best”
To separate hype from heft we graded each book on the nine variables that still matter after the banner ads fade:
- Odds edge & market depth – average margin on EPL, NPFL and niche sports
- Live tech stack – cash-out latency, in-play uptime, streaming rights
- Payout speed & reliability
- Responsible-gaming tools (RG) – time-outs, self-exclusion, deposit caps
- Licensing strength & dispute history
- Promotions that actually pay
- Product breadth – virtuals, jackpots, prediction games, casino
- Financial resilience – operating cash flow, retail footprint, VC war chest
- Cultural traction – agent networks, grassroots sponsorships, meme power
The Heavyweights – and Why Each Owns a Piece of The Best
| Operator | What They Nail | Ticking Time-Bombs | Verdict |
| SportyBet | Biggest traffic (≈ 57 M visits / month), sub-5-second cash-outs, crazy-low EPL margin (~4.5%). | Still no retail city hubs; crash loops on older Tecno devices. | Mobile kingpin |
| Bet9ja | Heritage trust, retail agents in 20 states, jackpots like Super9ja; circa ₦10 billion monthly handle. | Dated UX; odds less sharp since 2024 revamp. | Legacy war-horse |
| BetKing | Data-driven odds, Genius Sports in-play feed, renewed deal with Gamble Alert for RG training. | Slower KYC queues at peak traffic. | RG poster-child |
| Surebet247 | NLRC Permit 0001081; cash-first agent model with mobile slip tracking; boosted welcome bonus to ₦150k; full cash-out on domestic basketball. | Android app, iOS app; livestream rights still pending. | Mobile dark horse |
| 1xBet & Betway | Global market buffet, esports, crypto options. | Offshore-licence optics; occasional geoblock glitches. | International muscle |
| NairaBet, AccessBET, Msport, Premier Bet, BetPawa | NairaBet = pioneer cachet; Msport & BetPawa blitz TikTok; Premier Bet just signed Francis Ngannou. | Each misses at least one core pillar (RG tooling, market depth or fast payouts). | Specialist niches |
Two Deep-Cut Insights the Billboards Won’t Show You
- Women are quietly reshaping the market. According to University of Abuja (“according to data from the University of Abuja”), 30 percent of urban Lagos women now gamble regularly, and a 2025 field survey found daily spend often tops ₦50,000 despite lower median income.
- Mobile-money betting dents student wallets. According to Lagos State University, mobile-money deposits explain 26.7 percent of the variance in student financial well-being – a stat that should make every platform’s RG desk sweat.
So, Who Actually Wins?
- Premier-League diehards who live for lightning-fast in-play cash-out: SportyBet wears the crown.
- Corner-shop loyalists who still like to chat with a clerk: Surebet247 Betshop nails the cash-plus-mobile sweet spot.
- Jackpot chasers who want EPL on Saturday, Ugandan Super League on Tuesday, and darts on Thursday: Bet9ja is still the Swiss-Army knife.
Punters who value self-exclusion toggles and deposit caps (you should): BetKing edges ahead.
In reality, “best” is contextual. Odds hawks, live-stream junkies, crypto degenerates and agent-network stalwarts will all point to different logos. What you don’t want is a bookie that melts down at 89′ when Villarreal finally scores.
On that front, the four names above – plus a rapidly innovating Surebet247 mobile bet shop – look built to survive Nigeria’s next data-price hike and the NLRC’s tightening audit screws.
The rest? Keep one eye on their uptime dashboards – and the other on your bankroll.
By Lukman Otunuga, Senior Market Analyst at FXTM.
A flurry of high-risk events may pump global financial markets with fresh volatility this week.
Top-tier data, including US Inflation, the unofficial start of earnings season, and US Congress “Crypto Week,” among other themes, could spell fresh opportunities.
Amidst this, uncertainty over global trade will add to the mix after President Donald Trump threatened 35% tariffs on the EU and Mexico over the weekend.
Regarding US inflation, this may impact bets around Fed cuts in the second half of this year. Markets are forecasting CPI to rise 2.6% from 2.4% in the prior month, with core CPI rising to 2.9% from 2.8%. Signs of rising prices may shave bets around the Fed cutting interest rates – boosting the dollar as a result.
Closer to home, Nigeria’s June CPI data due July 15 is expected to show signs of cooling inflationary pressures. This could offer some relief to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which aggressively hiked interest rates throughout 2024. Inflation is expected to have eased to 21.4% year-on-year from 23% in May – marking the 4th consecutive month of decline. However, the slowdown is largely a technical adjustment aided by the recent gains in the Naira amid higher non-oil exports and a weaker dollar.
The CBN is scheduled to meet later this month and will most likely keep rates unchanged at 27.5%.
One key challenge for the country will be how to re-tweak its budget for lower oil prices. Indeed, the budget was based around oil production at 2 million barrels and oil prices of $75. Brent is trading around $70 with the nation producing 1.544m b/d of crude in May according to OPEC. Nigeria is hoping to raise production to 1.9m b/d by the end of 2025. But its impact on the economy may be muted if oversupply and tepid demand keep oil prices subdued. Brent is up 4% this month but still down over 6% since the start of 2025.
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