E-Business
WACOT Rice Limited Boosts Nigeria’s Food Security, Distributes Agri-Inputs to Farmers in Kebbi

WACOT Rice Limited has concluded the distribution of agri-inputs to smallholder rice farmers in Argungu, Augie, Suru and Dandi Local Government Areas of Kebbi State. This is in demonstration of its commitment to the success of the Argungu Outgrower Expansion Program (AOEP).

The AOEP which is a partnership between WACOT Rice Limited and the West African Trade and Investment Hub (TH) seeks to increase the quality of smallholder farmer livelihoods via access to required agri-input financing, capacity building trainings on Yield Enhancement Techniques (YET) and Good Agronomic Practices (GAP).
The input distribution was carried out at village and community levels. The Emir of Argungu, His Highness Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera (CON), flagged off the 2021/2022 Dry Season agri-input distribution exercise at his palace in on the 8th of December 2021.
The ongoing program involves 3,464 registered farmers in four LGAs. These farmers, comprising of 10% women and 25% youth, have received agri-inputs and as the season progresses, they will also be supported with both on and off-field training sessions.
Commenting on the exercise, the Chairman of WACOT Rice Limited – Farouk Gumel, said the distribution of certified seeds, agrochemicals, and fertilizer to the project participants will enhance their productivity and thus, income.
He added that, “I am excited about the significant participation of youth and women this season who continue to play a critical role in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain. I will encourage more to sign up as this will support our ambitions to become a self-sufficient nation”
One of the beneficiaries, Hajia Kulu Augie, who has a three-hectare rice farm at Kasuwanamu Fadama area of Kebbi, commended WACOT and its partner, the Trade Hub, for the kind gesture, noting that it had made life easier for the farmers by empowering them.
She said, “they are helping many people with the input they give us. I got NPK, Urea, fertilisers and herbicides for this planting season, which will boost my yield.
“Then, the terms are convenient because I only need to provide them with rice worth the value of inputs I got from them.
“The arrangement is also beautiful in that I can sell the remaining rice to them at the going rate or take it elsewhere; there is no compulsion at all.”
Recall that in December 2020, WACOT Rice signed a co-investment partnership with the Trade Hub to the tune of $10.5 million to support the company’s Argungu Rice Outgrower Expansion Project based in Kebbi State.
In this partnership, WACOT Rice will register an additional 5,143 farmers to complement its already existing outgrower network in the state.
These new farmers are expected to cultivate over 5,000 additional hectares of land thereby producing over 20,000 tons of paddy which will be utilised at WACOT Rice’s 120,000-ton rice mill in Kebbi
WACOT Rice Limited – a member of the TGI Group, operates an integrated state-of-the-art rice mill in Argungu, Kebbi State. The mill is one of the largest rice mills in Sub-Saharan Africa and sources paddy from various paddy producing states across Nigeria.
The mill was commissioned by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in 2017 and produces premium household brands of parboiled rice Big Bull and Patriot.
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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