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Alibaba to raise HK$12bn in exchangeable bonds
Tech

Alibaba launches AI model, claims it surpasses DeepSeek-V3

Chinese tech company Alibaba launched a new version of its Qwen 2.5 artificial intelligence model on Wednesday, claiming it surpassed the highly-regarded DeepSeek-V3. The timing of the Qwen 2.5-Max’s release, coinciding with the first day of the Lunar New Year when most Chinese people are off work, reflects the pressure DeepSeek’s rapid rise in the […]

News

FG grants 25-year license to 10 gas distribution companies

The Nigerian government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, has granted 25-year gas distribution licenses to 10 companies for the establishment and operation of gas networks. These licenses, focused on promoting domestic gas use, cover franchise areas in Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and Benin City. The goal is to ensure natural gas […]

OpenAI makes ChatGPT free, expands access without sign-ups
Tech

Mobile AI apps reach $2bn market, driven by ChatGPT

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is driving a significant surge in spending on AI apps and services for smartphones. Since its mobile release in May 2023, the chatbot has earned $529 million, nearly four times more than the second-highest earner, according to a new report from Appfigures. AI app spending is expected to nearly quadruple in 2024, reaching […]

Microsoft plans for collaboration with AI agents
Tech

Microsoft probes possible unauthorized access to OpenAI data

Microsoft and OpenAI are looking into whether a group connected to the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek gained unauthorized access to data from OpenAI’s technology. Sources say that last fall, Microsoft’s security team detected what they believe were attempts by individuals linked to DeepSeek to exfiltrate large amounts of data through OpenAI’s API, according to Bloomberg. […]

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$3.25bn foreign investment to power 23m people – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has announced that Nigeria is securing over $3.25 billion in foreign investment to ensure a reliable power supply for 23.7 million people. He emphasized the country’s commitment to providing electricity to even the most remote and hard-to-reach communities, aiming for greater energy equity across the nation. President Bola Tinubu made this statement […]

News

NUPRC eyes N15tn revenue for 2025

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has set a revenue target of N15 trillion for this year. The Commission’s Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, revealed this goal on Tuesday while speaking to the press after receiving the ThisDay CEO of the Year Award in Lagos. Komolafe highlighted that the NUPRC exceeded its 2024 revenue target by […]

News

Cardoso warns banks on FX code violations

Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has issued a strong warning to financial institutions, stressing that any violations of the newly introduced Nigeria Foreign Exchange Code will result in severe penalties. At the launch of the FX Code at the CBN headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Cardoso emphasized the importance of the framework in […]

How FG can boost Nigeria's digital growth - Analyst
News

Telecoms subscribers to sue NCC as tariff hike talks stall

The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers announced on Wednesday that it intends to take legal action against the telecom regulator, the NCC, over its failure to reduce the recently implemented tariff hike to a more reasonable 10 per cent. The increase, which was introduced last week Monday, marks the first adjustment in over a decade […]

Microsoft brings OpenAI's free GPT-oss-20b model to Windows
News

Microsoft launches ‘Scareware Blocker’ to tackle online scams

Microsoft is rolling out a new feature called “Scareware Blocker,” designed to combat one of the internet’s oldest and most persistent scams. The tool leverages machine learning and computer vision and aims to identify and neutralize scareware — deceptive software that tricks users into believing their computers are under threat. Scareware typically masquerades as fake […]

Spotify launches custom transitions to enhance playlists
News

Spotify pays $10bn to music industry in 2024

Global audio streaming giant Spotify announced on Tuesday that it paid $10 billion to the music industry in 2024, bringing its total payouts since inception to nearly $60 billion. The company emphasized this milestone as part of its effort to counter claims that it inadequately compensates artists for their work. Spotify clarified that the payouts […]

UK job vacancies drop 23%, signaling economic slowdown
News

UK considers extending BBC license fee to Netflix, Disney viewers

The United Kingdom is considering changes to the BBC license fee, which could impact households that only use streaming services like Netflix and Disney, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday. This is part of a broader effort to revise the funding model for the public-service broadcaster. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office, the Treasury, and […]

Google to pay $30m to settle YouTube children’s privacy lawsuit
Tech

Google slams EU regulators over €4.3bn Android fine

Google has accused European Union antitrust regulators of mishandling their investigation, which led to a record €4.3 billion ($4.5 billion) fine for allegedly abusing the market power of its Android ecosystem. During an appeals hearing at the EU’s Court of Justice on Tuesday, Google’s lawyers criticized the European Commission for making “grave errors” and argued […]