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Madica, a pre-seed investment program focused on Africa, has announced its first funding recipients and plans for the future. 
Launched in late 2022 by Flourish Ventures, Madica aims to address the funding gap faced by many African startups, particularly those led by underrepresented founders.
Madica has wasted no time in making its mark, announcing its first investments in three innovative startups across diverse industries and boosting innovation across a wide range of ventures.
Kola Market, a Ghanaian B2B platform, is one of the startups, helping Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by providing innovative tools to boost their sales, optimize inventory management, and secure financing. In addressing these needs, Kola Market helps SMEs thrive in the competitive African market.
GoBEBA, a Kenyan company, tackles the challenge of getting bulky essentials to urban consumers. The company’s direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform simplifies the purchase and delivery process, ensuring safe, quick, and reliable doorstep service. This makes it easier for people in cities to get the everyday items they need without time issues.
Looking to the future of food, NewForm Foods, a South African company, is developing cultivated meat technology. Its solution allows food producers and retailers to rapidly develop and scale cultivated meat products at a lower cost than traditional methods.
This advancement has the potential to bolster the food industry and promote more sustainable practices.
Madica isn’t stopping there. The VC plans to invest in up to 30 startups by the end of the year, seeking opportunities in emerging markets like Tunisia, Morocco, and Ethiopia.
This is in line with its goal to support a wider range of founders and sectors, particularly those beyond the well-funded fintech space and those led by women.
Madica also gives up to $200,000 per startup and tailored support including mentorship and hands-on guidance for up to 18 months. The program structure is designed to be both personalized and adaptable, attending to the specific needs of each company at different stages.
Madica aims to boost investment in Africa’s pre-seed stage, attract more capital to the continent, and serve as a reference point for global VCs looking to invest in Africa. Succeeding in this could bring about expansion through partnerships, further ensuring its mission is fulfilled.
Emmanuel Adegboye, Head of Madica, places emphasis on the importance of supporting overlooked founders. “We’re excited to announce our first set of investments, which showcase the remarkable talent and innovation in the African tech ecosystem. Each one of these startups represents the untapped potential of African founders who lack the support they direly need because they are too often perceived as risky by global investors. This year, our goal is to support more of these founders and integrate them into the global startup ecosystem. 
The glaring imbalance in venture funding in Africa is a big concern, and we want to support founders who are often overlooked by investors. We aim to be a catalyst and inspire other investors to join our goal of broadening the reach of venture capital and founder mentorship.” 
Marie-Reine Seshie, founder and CEO, Kola Market, said, “We’re encouraged about the possibilities this support opens up, allowing us to test new ideas and scale our operations in ways that will make a difference, especially for our customers.”
Tasneem Karodia, co-founder and COO, Newform Foods conclusively noted: “I think this is a great fit and we look forward to continuing this partnership into the future on our journey to scale.” 
The post Madica Invests in Three African Startups, Targets Up to 30 by Year’s End appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Qualcomm Incorporated today announced the shortlisted startups for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024, as well as the winner of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund.
The Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform, now in its second year, aims to work with and support the development of Africa’s emerging technology ecosystem by providing mentorship, education, and training programs with a focus on 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT.
This year, Qualcomm received an overwhelming response, with approximately 250 applications from 30 countries.
Highlights: 

Startup cohort announced for 2024 Qualcomm Make in Africa startup incubation program featuring technologies. 
Announcement of the awardee of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund, supporting startups in scaling their societal and market impact. 
Development of L2Pro Africa website content nears completion, providing free online training on intellectual property protection. 

As the first initiative of its kind in Africa, Qualcomm Make in Africa is an equity-free mentorship program that identifies promising early-stage startups keen on applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies such as 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT to innovative end-to-end systems solutions, including hardware.
These startups have demonstrated exceptional potential in applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies to innovative end-to-end systems solutions.
The selected startups will receive free mentorship, business coaching, access to engineering consultation for product development, and guidance on protecting intellectual property.
The 2024 cohort includes the following startups (listed in alphabetical order):

Aurora Health from Kenya provides AI-based cardiovascular health care tools
CropScan from Kenya uses solar-powered smart farming IoT devices
Cure Bionics from Tunisia makes smart 3D printed prosthetic arms
DevisionX from Egypt provides AI-based low-code computer vision tools
Kalio from Cameroon is building AI tools for Agricultural IoT
Kitovu from Nigeria provides tools and software for smart agricultural warehouse management
NextAI Studios from Kenya builds AI-based emotion detection into toys for children’s mental healthcare
RIM Nextgen from Kenya, uses smart tools for monitoring propane consumption
Sparcx from South Africa uses AI for enhancing radar signal processing
Vizmerald from Tunisia, is working on AI-based textile industry inspection

Qualcomm is also proud to announce the awardee of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund.
This fund, provided by Qualcomm through its Qualcomm Wireless Reach Initiative, aims to support startups in scaling their societal and market impact.
Ecorich Solutions Limited, a female-founded organization based in Nairobi, Kenya, will be awarded funding to help scale the impact of their smart organic food composter.
Wireless Reach funding will support Ecorich to address the dual challenge of organic waste management and the need for sustainable agricultural practices, with the goal of reducing environmental pollution, improving crop yields for farmers, and mitigating waste-related health risks for communities.
The other nine startups from the 2023 cohort will also receive valuable stipends to continue fueling their growth.
These startups have showcased innovative uses of wireless technology to address pressing needs in their communities.
In addition, Qualcomm said it was excited to highlight the progress of the L2Pro Africa IP e-learning Platform, a free online training program designed to empower startups, SMEs, and researchers in Africa to protect, secure, and maximize their innovations.
This program has been created in collaboration with Adams and Adams, Africa’s leading intellectual property (IP) law firm.
The education content has been updated with individual filing procedures for patents, industrial designs, and trademarks in the countries of Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda and within the two African patent organizations, ARIPO and OAPI.
These step-by-step descriptions of per-country filing requirements empower inventors to interact effectively with IP professionals such as an IP attorney and their respective IP offices.
“I am thrilled with the overwhelming response to the Africa Innovation Platform this year,” said Alex Rogers, President, QTL & Global Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated. “The quality and diversity of the applications received reflect the immense talent and potential within Africa’s technology ecosystem. We are excited to work with the shortlisted startups and provide them with the necessary resources and support to drive innovation and create a positive impact in their communities.”
“We applaud Qualcomm for launching the second year of its Innovate in Africa Platform, which not only equips the upcoming generation of African entrepreneurs with expertise in pivotal areas like AI/ML, healthcare, agri-tech, smart cities, and communications but also empowers them to safeguard their intellectual property through the complimentary L2ProAfrica program.”, said John Omo, secretary general, African Telecommunications Union (ATU).
Mr. Omo also emphasized that the ATU remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the continent.
“Our youth innovation program, among other initiatives, plays a crucial role in cultivating the talents and aspirations of Africa’s young visionaries,” he affirmed. “We are ready to collaborate with additional partners to realize this objective.”
The post Meet Startups Shortlisted for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Security teams rely on an ever-growing stack of security tools to keep their organization safe.
Yet, coverage gaps and alerts across these tools do not get proper and timely attention because of the difficulty engaging company employees busy with their daily work to fix them.
Today, Amplifier Security has launched from stealth with a $3.3m investment and the industry’s first AI-powered human-in-the-loop automation and security copilot that connects the dots between an organization’s existing security stack and their people.
The pre-seed funding round was led by Cota Capital with participation from WestWave Capital and Shift Left Ventures, and included angel investments from industry luminaries and founders of Slack, MobileIron, Centrify, PeopleNet, Skyflow and Mercury.
Enforcing security controls through automation gets pushback from users whose work is disrupted, for example, when a security patch update forces a system reboot during a critical workstream.
Triaging security tool alerts means closing the loop with the end user to determine true versus false positives before taking disruptive actions – a truly burdensome process for everyone.
Security teams do their best to navigate this complex situation — but it often leads to a strained relationship with the workforce.
Amplifier Security
The Amplifier Security solution extends the value and effectiveness of existing security tools by empowering the entire company to work together towards a much faster response time that dramatically increases the security health and culture of an organization.
Amplifier provides an engagement layer between existing security tools and the workforce through Ampy – a trusted copilot that acts as an AI security buddy who helps employees understand the risk they are creating for the organization and solves their security issues while balancing their productivity.
Building on the experiences people are used to, for example with credit card companies verifying suspicious transactions, Ampy engages with employees, guiding them through security protocols based on real-time insights.
This approach not only speeds up response times but also significantly boosts an organization’s security posture by involving employees directly in the security process.
Amplifier enhances the compliance of existing deployed tools like identity security, MFA, endpoint security, vulnerability scanning and management, SaaS and cloud security, SIEM and security training; and makes adaptive human protection a reality for organizations.
Amplifier Security was founded by Shreyas Sadalgi, CEO and Thomas Donnelly, CTO and President, who both have two decades of experience in enterprise security, IT and automation.
Donnelly is a three-time CISO and CIO with over a decade of experience leveraging human-centric approaches and technology that transformed security in organizations.
He firmly believes that in today’s dynamic and decentralized workplaces, CISOs need to completely rethink how their teams operate by allowing users to self heal their own security issues.
Rather than security operating in the background and interrupting employee productivity at inopportune times, Amplifier delivers an incredible user experience that drives everyone in the workforce to participate in their own security.
“There is a massive gap in the market that is preventing security practitioners from being successful. Most security tools aren’t built to engage users, as they’re always meant to work in the background.” said Shreyas Sadalgi, CEO and co-founder at Amplifier Security. “Amplifier flips the script by engaging employees on behalf of all security tools in a more human-friendly way, where every end-user interaction is a two-way conversation with the right tonality, context, empathy and actionable information based on the security finding and the user role. Our mission with Amplifier is to shift the cybersecurity focus to include both technology and the people who use it, creating a balanced and more secure environment for businesses.”
Amplifier Security
Amplifier has been engaged with security teams at over 15 companies as its marquee design partners; many who have been using its product in private betas and seeing daily value — hours saved every week toiling in spreadsheets, quick identification of tooling gaps in their environments, and the ability to self-heal common security issues.
“Most organizations haven’t significantly changed their approach to threat management – keeping the old silos between those responsible for security monitoring and those responding to the rest of the employee base.” said Steve Mancini, Head of Security at Guardant Health. “Security teams can no longer operate this way. Security has to be embedded in every function, and that means empowering all employees to participate in security. Even with all the security automations, our employees are the best sensors of the unusual or anomalous at every level of our business. They enable us to quickly get context when we notice suspicious behavior and identify incidents faster based on their proactive observations.”
Cal Henderson, co-founder of Slack added:
“The way we operated our corporate security engineering program closely aligns with the design principles at the core of Amplifier Security’s vision. I’m a firm believer that engaging the workforce for security automation with a productivity platform like Slack is the only modern way to solve today’s dynamic cybersecurity threat landscape.”
Aditya Singh, Partner at Cota Capital commented:
“Security is fundamentally about both people and technology, yet the industry has largely built security tools focused solely on the technology element. Everyone knows that when it comes to cybersecurity in workplaces, engaging humans is the biggest opportunity. Amplifier answers the bell with its unique human-in-the-loop solution. We believe they are uniquely positioned to turn this trend into a movement that forward-thinking CISOs will embrace so that they can more efficiently and effectively manage enterprise security.”
Gaurav Manglik, Partner at WestWave Capital said:
“The lack of human engagement in security automation is a missed opportunity to educate people on the why behind the risk of each security finding. Because of today’s hybrid and dynamic workplaces where everyone is moving fast in the spirit of hyperproductivity, this problem has become harder to solve at scale. After assessing the market for many years, Amplifier has done the best execution we’ve seen from a product and team perspective thus far.”
The post Slack Founder Backs Amplifier Security with $3.3m Pre-seed Round appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Signature Bank, a front-line digital bank in Nigeria may soon have a foothold in Lagos.
In an exclusive chat with our correspondent, a source at the Signature Bank confirmed the specifics of the expansion is not yet determined, “Although there is yet to be a work in center in Lagos, when it is time, the bank will make it public”
Signature Bank, the nascent bank, which  strategic expansion aligns with the  the vision to broaden its reach, enhance financial inclusion, and catalyze economic growth in the city and surrounding areas, noted that it provide qualitative services to its all client across the country  and pride itself in getting positive feedback on its product and services.
Our source said, while the Bank is at preparatory stage to launch a branch in Lagos,  being a  digital bank provides unfettered opportunity for Nigerians to enjoy from its qualitative services.
“Signature bank is a digital bank, even though you are not in Lagos, you can still have an account with us and use our services.
“We are yet to have a branch in Lagos, although we recently launched a branch in Asaba. As a Commercial Bank we are here to serve the public and provide financial assistance to the general public.
“Although commercial banks’ operations revolve around almost the same thing, we stand out in providing topnotch services to our customers, and pride ourselves in getting positive feedback on our product and services.
The source noted that, through its deliberately designed and efficiently managed system and the customer-centered approach, Signature Bank applies a range of applications in rendering its qualitative service to the people.
“We have mobile App, USSD services, we also have cards, and also made provision for internet banking, through these mediums we are able to render services to our customers.
Last week, Signature Bank announced the opening of its newest branch in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The Asaba branch opening marks a significant milestone in Signature bank’s commitment to serving the community with tailored financial solutions and unparalleled customer service.
The new branch also provides a convenient and accessible hub for individuals, businesses, and organizations seeking trusted banking services.
This is in addition to the Bank’s goal to facilitate economic development, empower local entrepreneurs, and strengthen the financial fabric of the community.
Founded in 2002, Signature Bank said it was dedicated to driving positive change and providing personalized banking solutions to individuals and communities.
The digital banking industry has been growing steadily worldwide and Nigeria is no exception.
Digital banks are becoming increasingly popular due to their low charges, convenience, and efficient internet-based transactions.
They are known for their technologically adept personnel, who provide exceptional services, making them a threat to traditional brick-and mortar banks.
The post EXCLUSIVE: Signature Bank Hits Lagos Soon appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Gift card sales in Nigeria have grown in popularity as people become more aware of its potential as a lucrative source of revenue.
Platforms like Grip have become reliable sources for turning unused gift cards into cash as people look to get the most out of them.
One of the main advantages of gift card trading is that it gives people access to foreign markets and currencies.
In this detailed guide, we’ll show you how to tap into the gift card market, including what gift cards are used for, which have the highest rates, and how to trade gift cards.
What Are Gift Cards?
Gift cards are prepaid cards issued by retailers or online platforms containing a specific monetary value.
While they are commonly used as gifts for various occasions, many recipients often receive gift cards for stores they don’t frequent or products they don’t need, resulting in unused balances.
A popular solution is to sell them on platforms like GripNg.
Most Popular Gift Cards with the Best Rates:
Several gift cards are in high demand in Nigeria, with platforms like GripNg offering the best market rate. Some of the most sought-after gift cards include Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Steam.
These gift cards are valued for their versatility and the wide range of products and services available for purchase.
How to Trade Gift Cards on Grip NG:
Grip NG provides a seamless platform for individuals to trade unused gift cards for cash. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to sell gift cards on Grip NG:
1. Download the Grip NG App: First, download the Grip NG mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Sign Up or Log In: If you’re a first-time user, create a new account or log in to your existing account.
3. Navigate to the Trade Section: Once logged in, navigate to the Sell section within the app.
4. Select Your Gift Card: Select the type of gift card you want to sell from the list of supported retailers and brands.
5. Enter Card Details: Input the relevant details of your gift card, including the card value and any other required information.
6. Complete the Trade: Upload an image of the gift card and accept the required terms and conditions.
7. Receive Payment: After completing the trade, you’ll receive payment directly into your Grip NG account. You can then withdraw the funds.
8. 24/7 Customer Support: Grip NG offers 24/7 customer support if you encounter any issues or have questions during the trading process.
[SC] The post Where to Sell Your Gift Cards in Nigeria appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Some hours ago, IBM released the 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlighting an emerging global identity crisis as cybercriminals double down on exploiting user identities to compromise enterprises worldwide. 
This global trend is also reflected in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA), with the use of valid local accounts and valid cloud accounts, making up the primary cause of cyberattacks against organizations in the region, according to X-Force – highlighting the need for strong user access and control strategies by enterprises.
According to IBM X-Force, IBM Consulting offensive and defensive security services arm, in 2023, cybercriminals saw more opportunities to “log in” versus hack into corporate networks through valid accounts – making this tactic a preferred weapon of choice for threat actors.
Saudi Arabia was the most targeted country in MEA, representing 40% of overall incidents that X-Force responded to in the region, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while made of 30% of incidents.
At the industry level, the most targeted sectors in the region were finance and insurance, making up 38% of incidents, followed by transportation and energy at 19% each.
The X-Force Threat Intelligence Index is based on insights and observations from monitoring over 150 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries.
In addition, data is gathered and analyzed from multiple sources within IBM, including IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence, Incident Response, X-Force Red, IBM Managed Security Services, and data provided from Red Hat Insights and Intezer, which contributed to the 2024 report.
Identity Crisis Poised to Worsen in the Region 
Exploiting valid accounts has become the path of least resistance for cybercriminals, with billions of compromised credentials accessible on the Dark Web today.
The use of valid local accounts (52%) and valid cloud accounts (48%) represented  the most commonly observed initial infection vectors in cyberattacks against  organizations in the Middle East and Africa region, with espionage making up the top impact.
Globally, in 2023, X-Force saw attackers increasingly invest in operations to obtain users’ identities – with a 266% uptick in infostealing malware, designed to steal personal identifiable information like emails, social media and messaging app credentials, banking details, crypto wallet data and more.
In MEA, malware in general was the top action on objective that X-Force observed threat actors using, representing 50% of incidents.
The use of malware was followed by DDoS, email threat hacking, server access and the use of legitimate tools for malicious purposes, all at 17%, respectively.
This “easy entry” for attackers is one that’s harder to detect, eliciting a costly response from enterprises. According to X-Force, major incidents caused by attackers using valid accounts were associated to nearly 200% more complex response measures by security teams than the average incident – with defenders needing to distinguish between legitimate and malicious user activity on the network.
In fact, IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that breaches caused by stolen or compromised credentials required roughly 11 months to detect and recover from – the longest response lifecycle than any other infection vector.
Identity-based threats will likely continue to grow as adversaries leverage generative AI to optimize their attacks.
Already in 2023, X-Force observed over 800,000 posts on AI and GPT across Dark Web forums, reaffirming these innovations have caught cybercriminals attention and interest.
“The rising threats to user identities pose a major security risk in the region. In today’s digital landscape, where we live, work, and engage with one another online, safeguarding sensitive information demands proactive measures,” said Babacar Kane, General Manager and Technology Leader, IBM Africa Growth Markets. “As threat actors start to look to AI to optimize their attacks, embracing AI-powered solutions isn’t just a choice anymore but a necessity to fortify organizations against evolving cyber threats that will scale. Partnering with the right technology provider ensures businesses remain ahead of the curve, fostering resilience and trust in their operations while propelling the region’s economic prospects.”
Cybersecurity recommendations by X-Force:

Reduce blast radius –

Organisations should consider implementing solutions to reduce the damage that a data security incident could potentially cause by reducing the incident’s blast radius- namely the potential impact of an incident given the compromise of particular users, devices or data.
This could include implementing a least privileged framework, network segmentation and an identity fabric that extends modern security and detection and response capabilities to outdated applications and system.

Stress-test your environments & have a plan –

Hire hackers to stress test your environment and identify the existing cracks that cybercriminals could exploit to gain access to your network and carry out attacks.
Also having incident response plans that are customised for your environment is key to reducing the time to respond, remediate and recover from an attack.
Those plans should be regularly drilled and include a cross-organisational response, incorporate stakeholders outside of IT and test lines of communication between technical teams and senior leadership.

Adopt AI securely –

Organisations should focus on the following key tenets to secure their AI adoption: secure the AI underlying training data, secure the models and secure the use and inferencing of the models.
It’s paramount to also secure the broader infrastructure surrounding AI models.
IBM recently introduced a comprehensive Framework for Securing Generative AI to help organisations prioritise defenses best on highest risk and potential impact.
The post IBM’s Report Shows Middle East and Africa Face Identity-based Threats appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Mastercard, in collaboration with the Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads for Nigeria (CeBIH), recently hosted the second edition of its annual Fraud Forum in Lagos, Nigeria. 
Building on the success of the inaugural edition in 2023, this year’s forum convened key industry players ranging from financial institutions, payment service banks, and fintech companies, to discuss critical issues such as threats and vulnerability, intel-sharing, and best practices in combating industry risks.
The cybersecurity event, attended by key public and private sector actors, also covered the regional threat landscape based on Mastercard’s strategic threat intelligence data.
This timely intervention is crucial in a region where cyberattacks remain prevalent, especially amidst Nigeria’s rapid economic expansion and widespread adoption of digital financial services.
Recent data from the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) revealed a staggering 276% increase in fraud-related losses within Nigeria’s deposit banks, underscoring the need for continuous vigilance and proactive cybersecurity strategies within the financial sector.
In response to the escalating threats amid Nigeria’s bourgeoning financial landscape, key government bodies have called for enhanced collaboration within the payment systems’ ecosystem to curtail the rise in E-Fraud in the country.
“We are excited to continue the Fraud Forum in Nigeria,” said Kari Tukur, vice president, Customer and Solutions Center, West & East Africa, Mastercard. “With cyberattacks posing serious challenges within the Nigerian financial ecosystem, we take pride in establishing a platform where key stakeholders can convene, network, and exchange best practices to safeguard against potential vulnerabilities. Mastercard remains committed to creating unique and essential solutions to help business owners protect themselves and their customers against vulnerabilities, and this platform provides us with an opportunity to drive knowledge regarding these solutions as we aim to elevate cybersecurity standards and ensure the resilience of the Nigerian financial ecosystem.”
The forum delved into various aspects of cybersecurity, including common attack methods used by cyber criminals, their motivations, the assets they target, and the best practices to safeguard against attacks.
Attendees gained valuable insights into the regional cyber threat landscape, with a focus on the financial services sector, which has become a prime target for cybercriminals in recent years.
It also presented an avenue for Mastercard to showcase its latest fraud prevention techniques and tools, including the Mastercard Decision Intelligence, a real-time authorization decisioning solution that empowers issuers to approve more genuine transactions while effectively managing risk.
“We are delighted to partner with Mastercard on another edition of the Mastercard Fraud Forum in Nigeria. This event continues to serve as a pivotal platform for industry leaders, stakeholders, and experts to convene and address the evolving landscape of fraud and cybersecurity challenges, especially in a period marked by increased sophistication. With this year’s edition, we continue to deepen our commitment to fostering collaboration and implementing effective strategies to combat fraud and safeguard the integrity of the financial ecosystem.” Temitope Onibaniyi, Secretary, Emerging Payments of CeBIH, representing Celestina Appeal, the CeBIH Chairman, added.
The forum aligns with Mastercard’s goal of providing clarity to the complex cybersecurity landscape, in a bid to foster an ecosystem where digital transactions are built on trust.
As part of its commitment to combating fraud, Mastercard also announced that it will be sponsoring the CeBIH Quarterly Sessions for the second consecutive year, bringing together industry experts to discuss the latest trends in fraud prevention and share best practices for protecting customers.
The post eBanking: Mastercard and CEBIH Join Forces to Bolster Security in Nigeria appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The world has greatly moved from handling financial transactions physically to doing almost everything digitally.
These days, people no longer need to stand in long queues at the bank and large amounts can be sent across continents by pressing a few buttons.
This new era of technological advancement has influenced the financial sector, making people’s interaction with money less cumbersome and happen at greater speed.
Financial technological advancements such as online banking, investment applications, cryptocurrency, and more have not only changed how people manage money but also impacted how it is earned.
Considering this, we will look at some important ways to stay ahead in this fast-changing financial environment with some smart money hacks to know in 2024.
Hack 1: Leveraging the Gig Economy
The gig economy describes a workforce or labour market that engages short-term workers or freelancers for temporary jobs. Individuals mostly access them through online platforms like Fiverr, Freelancer, Upwork, etc.
As opposed to regular employment, gig workers or freelancers get hired to perform tasks for clients or companies on flexible terms rather than under long-term contracts. Many individuals take on gigs as a side hustle to supplement their income.
Most gig workers find their clients through applications created for that purpose, and we will be looking at some of the popular ones as well as opportunities to earn extra money below:
1. Ride-hailing apps (Uber, Bolt, InDrive): These applications connect drivers to customers. Payment can also be made on the application without the driver or passenger having to exchange a word with each other.
2. Food delivery apps (Glovo, Chowdeck): Individuals can earn extra cash by registering to deliver food from restaurants or groceries from supermarkets to customers. Their services also sometimes get rewarded with tips from impressed customers.
3. Freelancer, Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal: These are examples of global freelance marketplaces that connect individuals to potential employers who need an endless range of services, such as writing, graphic design, software engineers, product managers, project managers, etc. Using these platforms has numerous benefits, including access to international clients.
Hack #2: Embracing Cryptocurrency for Growth Potential
The COVID-19 pandemic no doubt contributed greatly to the popularity of cryptocurrencies, with investors looking for alternatives after the quarantine and restricted movement affecting many financial markets and the world’s economy.
This led to a recognition of the potential of a digital economy, and digital currencies soon became the order of the day, with many businesses operating online.
Several investors also changed their investments to cryptocurrencies.
The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies using blockchain technology, removes the need for intermediaries like banks and the government, giving investors greater control over their transactions.
Also, the transactional cost of cryptocurrencies can be very minimal or zero. Blockchain technology makes it almost impossible for unauthorised parties to access a person’s funds.
In addition, anybody can make use of cryptocurrency if they have an internet connection, it gives individuals greater control over their funds.
Using cryptocurrencies as an investment vehicle has several benefits including diversifying a person’s investment portfolio, which helps to reduce the overall risk, and it has the potential for high return on investments.
Cryptocurrency helps to lessen the effects of market risks. By including it in one’s portfolio, investors can reduce the impact of negative downturns in the financial market.
Tips to safely navigate the cryptocurrency market
To protect investors from getting affected by the crypto market, it is important to take some precautions. Below are a few tips to help in safe crypto investment.
1. Do some research: To invest smartly in crypto, it is best to learn about fundamentals like blockchain technology and market trends. As an investor, you should also stay informed about new developments in the market to make a more reasonable decision.
2. Use major and time-tested cryptocurrencies: Investors should largely invest in well-established crypto assets with a proven track record of reliability.
3. Diversify your investments: In other words, do not put all your eggs in one basket by spreading your investments across different assets.
4. Be alert for phishing scams: Several fraudulent websites appear to be legitimate crypto accounts and wallets by making small and unnoticeable changes in their URLs. Also, beware of providing sensitive information without careful vetting and clicking on suspicious links.
5. Trade cryptocurrencies like BTC, Ethereum and Solana on secure and trusted platforms like Zabira.
Hack #3: Harnessing the Power of Digital Assets like Gift Cards
In the realm of digital assets, gift cards are one of the smartest hacks you can have in your arsenal. Forget hiding cash under your mattress! Gift cards can be a surprisingly strategic way to store savings.
They offer security, often in reloadable options, and some platforms even allow you to trade them for cash at a slight discount, turning them into a flexible, short-term investment with a guaranteed return.
Think of Gift Cards as buying gold bullion that you can gift or store away to trade whenever you want for cash and when you think of trading gift cards for cash, look no further than Grip.ng.
Grip.ng is a trusted gift card trading platform that allows users to trade, pay bills, fund wallets and participate in sports betting while having safe and secure transactions.
Available on Web, iOS and Android, Grip.ng’s user-friendly interface advantages allow users to enjoy a secure and seamless experience, some of which include:

Buying and selling of gift cards
Enjoying the best rates on all gift cards while trading with Grip.ng
Make easy payments including cable subscriptions, airtime and data purchases, electricity bills and betting
Security, safety and confidentiality of all transactions on the platform

Overall, by taking advantage of the gig economy to earn additional income with flexible jobs, making good use of AI to seek out great investment options and opportunities, embracing cryptocurrency to diversify one’s investment portfolio, and using the innovative solutions provided by Grip.ng’s gift cards, you can become one of those making smart financial decisions in 2024.
Due to Grip.ng’s unbeatable rates and secure platform, its ease of use in daily transactions like subscriptions, Data purchases, electricity purchases, and more, it should be the first port of call for someone looking to make conscious money moves in 2024.
The post Three Smart Money Hacks to Know in 2024 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The Nigeria Sovereignty investment Authority (NSIA), said it has invested N571bn on some vital national project, such as: the Completion and handover of the Second-Niger Bridge Project, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Project,  Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway project among  others.     
The Second-Niger Bridge project is a 1.6km bridge in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria connecting Asaba to Onitsha.
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project – LIE – is a 127.6 km-long expressway cutting through Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States which is over 90% to completion, while, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road (AKR) is a 375.9 km highway that connects the north of Nigeria to other parts of the country.
It is a revised project.
Aminu Umar Sadiq, the managing director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, noted this in Abuja in the course of the public presentation of NSIA’s the 2023 financial earnings.
The NIF in 2023, pivoted to a thematic approach to investing, prioritizing trends and long-term growth potential across five strategic thematic areas: Transport and Logistics; Industrialisation; Services; Technology and Innovation; as well as Climate and Sustainability.
NSIA continued to maintain its status as the premier public sector institution that develops, executes and invests in complex infrastructure projects through its activities in NIF and other Governmental mandates.
Aminu said the investment is targeted at boosting the country’s domestic infrastructure and boosting economic viability.
The NSIA projects also  includes “completed and commissioning of  the 10MW solar project in Kano and the corresponding interconnection and distribution infrastructure, “ launching  the NSIA Advanced Medical Service Ltd (MedServe) after successfully operationalising 3 proof-of-concept centers.
Initiation of  its Healthcare Expansion Programme through MedServe aiming to establish 23 diagnostic centers, 7 catheterisation labs, and 3 oncology centers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory in two phases. Construction of the first 10 centers is scheduled to commence in Q1 2024.
It also Created a US$500 million Renewables Investment Platform for Limitless Energy (RIPLE) to promote the development, investment, and operation of renewable energy projects across the entire value chain.
In collaboration with Vitol, established Carbon Vista, for investments in carbon reduction and avoidance projects. While collaborating with InfraCredit to develop an innovative construction finance warehouse facility to unlock long-term domestic capital to finance greenfield climate infrastructure projects in Nigeria.
NSIA launched a US$15 million Joint Preparatory Facility with Afreximbank, and commenced the development of a 10,000-seater Arena in collaboration with Metrowave Sports and Infrastructure Limited (MSIL), providing a dedicated venue for sporting events, concerts, conferences, exhibitions, and other events. NSIA also aim at exploring strategic partnerships to scale the program in 2024 (NPI 2.0).
Aminu stated further that “The NSIA’s impact on domestic investments has created real-time jobs and contributed to ease of doing business”.
Subsequently, by creating a more attractive investment environment, the NSIA is effectively leveraging its resources to attract significant additional capital for critical projects.
According to him,
“Already, the NSIA has made investments in over 50 per cent of locally owned and operated private equity funds. This targeted support strengthens the local financial ecosystem and empowers homegrown businesses to contribute to national development,”
He acknowledged key factors affecting investments both domestically and internationally, including tightening global monetary policy, China’s economic slowdown, the 2023 United States Banking crisis, Nigeria’s political transition, and persistently high inflation.
Established by the NSIA Act, which was signed into law in May 2011, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (“NSIA” or “The Authority”) is an investment institution of the Federation set up to manage funds in excess of budgeted hydrocarbon revenues.
Its mission also includes playing a leading role in driving sustained economic development, enhancing the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure, providing stabilization support in times of economic stress.
According to the Audited result for the 2023 financial year, NSIA recorded for the  11 consecutive years, continuous positive earnings with a cumulative annual growth rate of 11  7.3%.
It Net Assets grew 119% to ₦2.22 trillion in Dec-23 (Dec-22: ₦1.02 trillion).
NSIA’s Total Operating Income increased from ₦101.1 billion in the previous year to ₦1.18 trillion, inclusive of foreign exchange gains during the period.
This significant rise was attributed to the positive performance of the equities and fixed-income portfolios, as well as the positive performance of NSIA’s infrastructure investments.
The Total Comprehensive Income closed at ₦1.18 trillion for 2023, a growth of 1,122% relative to ₦96.96 billion in 2022.
NSIA’s core Total Comprehensive Income (excluding foreign exchange gains) rose from ₦21.39 billion in the previous year to ₦164.69 billion, marking a 670% increase attributable to the Authority’s robust strategic asset allocation and adherence to best-in-class enterprise risk management processes.
However, as at the time of filling this report, our correspondent is yet to receive a response from the inquiry sent to the Nigeria Sovereignty investment Authority (NSIA), requesting breakdown and further analysis of each of the projects of which the some of N571bn was invested.
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In almost every circle, you will find a tech-bro, tech-sis, or tech enthusiast diligently refining their skills, aspiring to secure dream tech jobs that promise financial success and elevated social status.
What was once considered a niche has now evolved into a revered profession, capturing the interest of today’s youth.
The growing interest in the tech industry has prompted enthusiasts to look for the best methods and resources to acquire the skills needed to succeed in this dynamic field.
Are you among those eager to acquire these sought-after tech skills? Here are four ways to do it.
1. Join networks and communities:
Tech enthusiasts are encouraged to join communities, attend meetups, or participate in hackathons.
These activities provide valuable networking opportunities with other tech enthusiasts and industry experts.
You can gain insights, guidance, and support to advance your tech skills by engaging in these events. Additionally, networking can open doors to job opportunities and collaborative projects.
2. Engage in Hands-On Projects: 
Creating projects is an excellent way to strengthen your tech skills. You can build a website, develop a mobile app, or work on a data analysis project, leveraging open-source projects.
The more you practice, the more your knowledge expands, allowing you to gain expertise even with initial setbacks or roadblocks.
3. Get an Industry Mentor:
Another way to garner tech skills is to learn directly from an expert. A mentor can offer personalised advice, share industry insights, and provide support as you navigate your career path.
Look for mentors who align with your career goals and values, and actively engage with them to maximise the benefits of mentorship.
4. Enroll in Tech Academy Programs: 
Whether physical or virtual, institutions and reputable platforms offer In-demand tech courses one of which is the Zarttalent Academy.
The Zarttalent Academy provides diverse tech courses in Frontend Engineering, Backend Engineering, Project Management, and Product Design.
In addition to a comprehensive learning experience, the academy awards students who complete the programs with globally recognised certificates.
Graduates enjoy additional benefits such as international internship opportunities, access to global mentors, international job opportunities, and dedicated career support services.
Technology has become an essential part of our daily lives and no one can do without it. Acquiring in-demand tech skills can help you stay ahead of the curve and give you a competitive edge in the job market.
If you are a tech enthusiast looking to hone your skills, consider joining the next cohort at Zarttalent Academy.
The post Listicle: How Tech Enthusiasts Can Garner In-Demand Skills in 2024 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.