E-Business
Top Stories Nigerians “Googled” Most in August, 2015
Enter the ‘Embers, Nigeria! September signals the start of the ‘Year’s ending’ for many but the Month that preceded Month No. 9 was certainly not lacking in incident.
The following are the stories which got us closest to Google in August.
This being Nigeria, matters pertaining to her crude always make the news.
So, when President Buhari appointed Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as the new Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), those who didn’t know about the man found out the Energy, Petroleum and Investment Law specialist had been etching his footprints in the global Oil and Gas Industry for a quarter century.
Another appointment that turned heads was that of Adamawa State-born Babachir David Lawal as the SGF (Secretary to the Government of the Federation).
An engineer by training, Mr. Lawal had previously done stints at the Delta Steel Company, Aladja and the Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited.
Of course, there’s much more to these ‘anointed’ men and Nigerians ‘consulted’ Google on how to find out more.
Winning gold (finally!) at the FIBA 2015 Afrobasket Championship in Tunisia were D’Tigers, Nigeria’s Senior Male Basketball Team, who beat 10-time Champs and perennial nemeses, Angola by 74-65. Well done, boys!
Not done well were Nigerian athletes led by Blessing Okagbare and sadly kept out of medal contention at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China but amidst all the thrills and spills, the real interest was on the explosive promise of the Usain Bolt-Justin Gatlin encounters.
A Sports loving Nigeria ‘employed’ Google Search to help keep tabs on all the joy and pain.
Another lady who must be feeling hard done by is Chelsea FC’s Chief Medic, Eva Carneiro who, together with the team physio, found herself in the global (and Google) spotlight after her altercation with Coach Jose Mourinho during the Blues’ hard-fought draw with Swansea.
The good doctor got ‘relegated’ to club’s training facilities. Read the news and watch the video again and decide if justice was done.
Still on the matter of power, when Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika called for the dismissal of three of the North African nation’s security chiefs, many wondered about the decision and a mirror was held to the country’s troubled history and Ahmed Ben Bella, a guerilla leader who fought the French colonialists, became the country’s first president and eventually overstayed his welcome.
A sad echo can be found in today’s Algeria and other African nations. Of course, Google Search helped to unearth the path to the past for curious thousands.
Showbiz ruled as ever in August and the release of Straight outta Compton, the movie biopic of seminal Rap group N.W.A (Dr Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy E) and Entrepreneur Dre’s accompanying Soundtrack inspired the Social Media meme event Straight Outta (CAPTION) where everybody jumped in on the craze with captions as ‘Mushin’, ‘Your Dreams’ and what’s yours?
One stunt that apparently didn’t go according to plan was the now-infamous ‘death hoax’ of Five Star Records’ act, Skiibii.
The hip hop prospect’s ‘reported’ collapse and death was widely mourned on social media by Industry colleagues, only for label mate KCee to later announce him back to life.
The backlash from the ‘conned’ majority was massive, something Skiibii’s latest video and single, Sampu isn’t likely to be.
Thousands of Nigerians were on Google to help them connect enough knowledge that persuaded them to either defend or deride the 22-year old.
From a young man’s faked death to an aged monarch’s real passing: when the demise of the Ooni of Ife was made public, some were saddened but probably, none was more scared than the Abobaku (‘He who dies with the king’, literally). So, there was some sympathy – and let’s face it, humour – stirred up when alleged rumours broke that the king’s designated escort to the afterlife had made for destinations unknown.
We were soon assured Mr. Abobaku was not AWOL and was ‘ready and willing’ to fulfil his destiny – at least, that was the official statement.
And from archaic institutions to modern gadgetry as Lexus announced the imminent launch of its hoverboard, a technological marvel which sails on air.
This is in contrast to the wheeled namesakes that had gotten Hip Hop rebels Wiz Khalifa and Naija’s own May D into trouble with law enforcement.
Thousands in Naija looked to Google to point them toward an increased understanding of the phenomenon.
Another wonder gadget still making waves is Google’s (and Infinix Mobility’s and MTN’s and Jumia’s) Android One, a high-performance, relatively low-priced smartphone that has been described as a revolution that will empower millions across Africa and the world.
E-Business
Check Point Reveals Nigeria as Second Most Targeted African Country for Cyberattacks in November

The November 2025 Global Threat Intelligence report released by Check Point Research on Tuesday, shows Nigerian organisations faced an average of 3,374 cyberattacks per week.

Making the country as one of the primary targets for cybercriminals in Africa last month, with a record of a staggering volume of digital threats despite an overall decline in attacks across the continent.
The report shows that this figure places Nigeria second among the four major African nations analysed, trailing only Angola, which topped the list with 4,251 weekly attacks per organisation.
While Africa as a whole saw a 13 percent year-on-year decrease in cyber incidents, Nigeria’s high numbers reveal a persistent vulnerability within its digital infrastructure. Kenya and South Africa followed Nigeria with 2,384 and 1,863 weekly attacks, respectively.
The report also identified government institutions and financial services as the most targeted sectors across Africa. Globally, the education and research sector remained the most frequent victim, hit by an average of 4,656 attacks per week.
A significant highlight of the report is the emerging threat posed by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Check Point Research found that one in every 35 GenAI prompts submitted within corporate networks globally posed a high risk of sensitive data leakage.
In Nigeria and abroad, employees are increasingly using AI tools that operate outside of formal security frameworks. The report noted that 87 percent of organisations using GenAI were affected by ‘high-risk’ prompts, which often included the input of proprietary code, customer data, or internal communications into public AI models.
Ransomware continues to be a primary tool for extortion, with global incidents rising by 22 percent year-on-year. While North America remains the most targeted region for ransomware, the impact is increasingly felt in emerging markets like Nigeria.
The most active ransomware groups identified in November were Qilin, Clop, and Akira, which primarily targeted industrial manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.
E-Business
JustMarkets Launches Global Boost Contest With Gold Prizes for Traders

JustMarkets, a worldwide broker with more than 12 years of experience in the online trading realm, is launching the Boost Contest, which represents a large-scale trading activity with the purpose of motivating traders, with the most proficient traders being awarded for their exceptional performance through a number of valuable prizes. This activity will last until the 31st of January, 2026.

JustMarkets
A Competition Developed with the Goal of Providing More Opportunities for Traders Worldwide
Boost Contest competition participants will be traders with Standard, Pro, or Raw Spread accounts of the MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platforms.
To participate, traders will only be required to have a minimum account balance of $100 with a minimum of 3 traded lots. These were the requirements set for participants. Of course, the purpose of such a competition is for every broker client to participate. At the same time, however, JustMarkets sought to encourage traders to conduct in-depth analysis, different strategies, risk, and discipline. It was with this objective that this form of competition was established.
Multiple-tier rewards system with real gold
What sets the Boost Contest apart is the Weekly Lucky Draws component, in which traders compete for real gold prizes, awarded in three levels, based on their cumulative trading volume achieved through the competition:
Tier I (more than 100 lots): 15 grams of gold (3 winners)
Tier II (50-99 lots): Gold worth 10 grams (5 winners)
Tier III (10-49 lots): 5 grams of gold (7 winners)
This competition design thus provides traders with different levels of activity with the same opportunity of benefiting from valuable rewards.
Weekly Draws to Encourage Continued Participation
Apart from the top-level prizes, the competition also includes a series of weekly prizes. Traders participating in the competition will qualify for entry into the draw if they execute a minimum of three trades per week. Five lucky traders will be awarded $200 every week.
The introduction of the Boost Contest meets JustMarkets long-term obligations in:
Engaging traders through effective rewards programs
Fostering regular and organized trading practices
Enhancing transparency and integrity within all promotion endeavors
Offering a welcoming space where traders with different skill sets can participate
This reflects the purpose of JustMarkets, which is not only to offer traders good trading terms but also opportunities that add value to the entire trading experience.
A Global Platform Built on Trust and Innovation
As a globally recognized trading platform, JustMarkets continues to invest in initiatives that elevate client experience while adhering to high operational standards. The company maintains a robust technological infrastructure, offers multilingual support, and upholds strict security principles, all foundational elements behind long-term client trust.
The Boost Contest shows JustMarkets dedication to create a convenient and transparent trading environment where everyone can reach their full investment potential by clear rules, transparent rewards, and a stable trading ecosystem.
E-Business
Microsoft Empowers 350,000 more Nigerians with AI Skills

Microsoft, in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, today announced a major milestone in its AI National Skills Initiative (AINSI), with more than 350,000 Nigerians reached with AI skills through the programme. This achievement builds on Microsoft’s longstanding partnership with the government, which has delivered digital training to over 4 million people since 2021.

Microsoft
The milestone underscores Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive, technology-driven growth and reflects strong progress in preparing individuals and organisations to thrive in the digital economy.
“Nigeria cannot afford to wait,” said Abideen Yusuf, General Manager, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana. “AI is reshaping every sector, and the countries that move fastest on skills will lead. We must equip people now, at scale and with intent, so the immense opportunity presented by AI doesn’t pass us by.”
Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, emphasised this point: “AI skilling is no longer optional for Nigeria’s digital future—it is the foundation of our competitiveness. At Lagos Business School, we believe that equipping leaders and citizens with AI capabilities is essential for driving inclusive growth, innovation, and national transformation.”
As it stands, a significant percentage of Nigerian graduates are still to acquire digital skills, highlighting the importance of workforce readiness. Launched in January, the second phase of the Nigeria skilling programme, under Microsoft’s AINSI, aims to reach 1 million citizens over three years, strengthening Nigeria’s AI capability and national competitiveness. AINSI is helping drive a range of different programmes designed to embed AI skills across every sector of the economy.
Empowering organisational leaders
Over the past year, AINSI has advanced ethical and inclusive AI leadership in Nigeria’s public sector. Working with Lagos Business School, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Microsoft has trained 99 public sector leaders, including Members of the National Assembly and senior executives from 58 ministries and agencies. These sessions equipped leaders with strategies for AI-powered reporting and sector-specific roadmaps.
Equipping developers for the future
Developer-focused programmes are creating a strong pipeline of technical talent. Through government-driven initiatives like Developers in Government (DevsInGov) and the 3 Million Technical Talent initiative, led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, developers in public sectors have gained new skills. Around 645 participants have been trained in analytics and AI integration. Another 1,000 developers learned advanced skills in areas such as DevOps, machine learning and data science. These efforts are helping Nigeria’s workforce prepare for the future by advancing AI fluency across the digital ecosystem.
Bringing AI skills to every tech user
To reach everyday tech users, developers, and business leaders, Microsoft hosted a flagship programme, Microsoft AI Skills Week – engaging over 235,000 participants through AI digital literacy workshops, business leader strategy sessions and an Agentic AI hackathon. Partnering with VISA, TeKnowledge, UNICEF, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, the initiative trained more than 11,400 individuals and certified over 1,700. A standout moment was the Agentic AI hackathon, showcasing innovative solutions for document verification, risk assessment, and fraud detection, demonstrating the real-world impact of AI skills in fintech.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft has demonstrated that AI readiness requires coordinated investment across every stakeholder group — government, developers, educators, and communities. By building capacity for evidence-driven governance, responsible innovation, classroom integration, and community adoption, we are laying the foundation for a globally competitive workforce. True digital transformation happens when the entire ecosystem moves forward together,” commented Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, CEO/Founder, Data Science Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Microsoft and its partners will continue driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through targeted upskilling in AI and cybersecurity, expanded access to AI education, and ongoing developer training. These activities aim to build local expertise at all levels and support Nigeria’s young population in taking an active role in Africa’s digital future.
“Nigeria is on track to capture 43% of Africa’s projected $136 billion AI-driven productivity gains by 2030,” concluded Yusuf. “By collaborating with the government to equip leaders, developers, and tech users, we’re building a future-ready workforce and helping Nigerians adopt and adapt the technology, thereby maximising its potential.”
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