Category: The Nation – Nigeria

One is James Duru, a chartered accountant who recently earned a Master’s degree from American University in Washington, D.C., the political heartbeat of the United States. Another is Sunday Ogunleye, an MSc graduate in Management and Data Analytics from Indiana Wesleyan University. No less accomplished is Moses Adebayo, who studied Quantitative Economics at Miami University and is now pursuing a PhD in Economics at Northern Illinois University.

Though separated by hundreds of miles and charting careers in seemingly different fields, the trio discovered a unison of purpose that transcended books and borders. Together, they built a dual-function software system aimed at defending one of education’s most fragile values: integrity. AI Guard is designed to block students from copying real-time tests or exams into Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools for answers from ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms, while Cite Guard helps researchers craft theses that are solidly referenced and academically sound.

For them, this is more than tech innovation-it is a crusade. ‘As much as no student desires to fail, the least we can all do is to study a little more-not cheat the process to academic excellence,’ says James, speaking from his Washington, D.C., office at H and R Block Inc., where he juggles a demanding tax consultancy schedule with his passion project. His comic, easy-going manner makes him a favourite at work, but he admits the venture is steadily eating into his nightlife. The sacrifice, he insists, is worth it. Sunday agrees, confessing that the project has consumed the time he once devoted to social media.

Sunday has always been fascinated by social media trends and algorithms. At one point, he even wrote an article on how Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) posts influenced the U.S. stock market-a subject that sharpened his understanding of the digital economy. For balance, he works as a financial reporting analyst at the Indiana University Foundation, where spreadsheets and statements keep him grounded in the realities of finance. Moses, on the other hand, barely paused after completing his Master’s before securing a scholarship for his PhD. The doctorate, often described as a marathon that consumes every corner of life, is no less demanding. Yet Moses dares the odds, carving out space for both his research and the AI Guard/Cite Guard project. ‘I have a lot of hope for this project. That is why I don’t mind pouring all my resources into its success,’ Moses says. He refuses to see the PhD as a narrow, solitary path. ‘If this project becomes another contribution I make to the academic community, I am satisfied.’

Sunday, however, is less easily contented. ‘My aspiration is to replicate the applications of this software in the schools where the three of us studied. Beyond that, I want to see it adopted widely by lecturers across the United States.’ Once that milestone is reached, Sunday dreams of bringing the innovation to Nigeria. He envisions a tour across African universities, beginning in Nigeria, to promote AI Guard and Cite Guard as a way of giving back to the communities that shaped them.

From ‘Yahoo Boy’ to ‘Tech Bro’: How African innovators are rewriting the narrative

James, Sunday, and Moses wear their impressive academic laurels with pride. Yet, it is their shared passion for artificial intelligence that has carried them beyond the professional lanes they already mastered. They are not alone in this pursuit. Across Africa, the rise of the so-called ‘tech bro’ has become a cultural phenomenon-one that is rattling old stereotypes and positioning the continent as a serious player in the global tech revolution.

Take Nigerian-born Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, for instance. Trained in legal studies at the University of Waterloo, he pivoted into fintech entrepreneurship and went on to co-found Andela and Flutterwave. In 2019, New African magazine listed him among the 100 most influential Africans, after he led Flutterwave to process over $2 billion across 50 million transactions, pulling in millions of dollars in annual revenues. The list of black and indigenous talents transforming Africa into a budding Silicon Valley is growing-and fast. More importantly, it is upending a damaging stereotype. Once, the continent’s digital-savvy youth were dismissed as ‘yahoo boys,’ shorthand for internet fraudsters. Today, they are more likely to be recognized as software developers, fintech disruptors, and artificial intelligence pioneers. And it’s not just fintech. In South Africa, Sam Hutchinson’s Sendmarc has emerged as a cybersecurity force, helping businesses fight phishing, spoofing, and impersonation through automated DMARC, DKIM, and SPF controls. From Lagos to Johannesburg, Nairobi to Accra, Africa’s innovators are rewriting the continent’s tech story-one line of code at a time.

Introducing the first-of-its-kind offline AI software in academics

Since the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence, its application across fields has become almost inevitable. The COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a global lockdown, accelerated this shift dramatically. With classrooms shut and offices emptied, AI-powered tools helped bridge the gap between people and their work-life. At the height of the pandemic, even the United Nations endorsed remote learning as a way to preserve quality education and ensure social inclusion. Artificial intelligence was the engine that kept learning afloat.

Globally, the education technology sector saw an explosion of platforms. In Singapore, Erudite became a household name for personalized online learning, while in the United States, Yellowbrick carved a niche with its expansive digital courses. The U.S. now dominates the edtech landscape, accounting for more than a third of leading platforms worldwide. China follows with around 10 percent, while the United Kingdom contributes just over 6 percent. Even Brazil has carved a space, with Afya, a company that runs medical schools and delivers online courses in health sciences, earning a spot among the global top 10. Yet, as impressive as these platforms are, they share one limitation: connectivity. That is where the first-of-its-kind offline AI academic software steps in to change the game.

Even if the idea of AI use for learning and grading had been alien to less developed countries, COVID-19 made sure that changed. Despite the advantages of AI in education, its threat to education is a greater nightmare. This is why the AI Guard/Cite Guard are nipping the bud in the head. ‘My mentor, Prof Augustine Duru, approached me with his concerns about how his students were mostly inactive and less-performative in classes but acing their tests and exams, he suspected they received some forms of assistance,’ James recounted the story of how his team’s project was conceived.

‘The prof further investigated the issue and found out indeed that students are able to copy questions and transfer to Chat-GPT for answers. It was then I knew it was a problem that needed an urgent solution. He shared the problem with me because he perceived I was tech-savvy.’ During his Master’s programme at AU, he was a research assistant under Prof Duru in the same college, and grew fond of the professor in spite of his educational feat.

James grew increasingly restless after one of his lecturers voiced concerns about the creeping influence of artificial intelligence on academic honesty. Determined not to leave the problem unattended, he reached out to two erudite colleagues with whom he had once toyed with the idea of co-authoring research papers in Economics. What began as casual intellectual brainstorming soon evolved into long hours of Zoom meetings that gave birth to AI Guard-a tool designed squarely to address lecturers’ anxieties. Out of that same creative fire, the trio later forged Cite Guard, born from their shared desire to ease the recurring headache researchers face when managing references in their theses.

AI Guard is built to empower educators. The software allows mobile and computer users to edit, format, and convert text documents into various image formats. It supports loading and saving text from file types such as .docx and .pdf, while offering robust text editing and image-handling options. Crucially, it encourages faculties to upload assessments-tests and examinations-as reduced-quality but clearly visible images on learning platforms. By doing so, students are hindered from running Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools to extract questions accurately for AI-driven solutions. In essence, AI Guard safeguards the sanctity of real-time academic assessments.

Cite Guard, on the other hand, is crafted specifically for researchers. It streamlines the painstaking process of citation verification by automatically detecting missing or uncited references in academic manuscripts. Compatible with widely used citation styles such as APA, Chicago, and Harvard, the tool enables users to load documents, analyse them for compliance, and generate reports highlighting gaps. For students and scholars alike, Cite Guard is a quiet guardian-helping to strengthen the credibility of research outputs by ensuring references are not overlooked. Together, the innovations embody one mission: protecting academic integrity. The duo of AI Guard and Cite Guard could easily have joined the long list of plagiarism- and cheating-detection tools like Turnitin, Quetext, and Scribbr. But James, Sunday, and Moses pushed their idea a step further, introducing a groundbreaking twist: both applications were designed to function offline. This decision was not cosmetic-it was strategic.

For years, U.S. schools have grappled with the menace of data leaks. Even before AI surged into classrooms, vulnerabilities in educational software exposed millions of records. A study by Comparitech’s Charlotte Bond revealed that since 2005, K-12 school districts and universities across the United States have suffered 3,713 data breaches, compromising more than 37.6 million records. The problem reached crisis levels in 2023-the year before AI Guard and Cite Guard were conceived-when educational institutions recorded 954 breaches, nearly seven times the 2022 figure of 139. That year alone, almost 4.3 million student records were exposed, much of it traced to exploitation of vulnerabilities in internet-connected systems.

Against this backdrop, the trio understood their assignment: protecting academic integrity must not come at the cost of worsening exam leaks or exposing sensitive data. Thus, they built a platform that works independently of the internet. This offline attribute is the software’s unique selling point, one the developers believe will win the trust of lecturers, administrators, and students alike. As they put it in their mission statement: ‘Any software is more vulnerable to attack when it is run over the internet. Setting up an offline software reduces the chances of a hacker a great deal.’ That offline-first philosophy makes AI Guard and Cite Guard not just tools against academic dishonesty, but also guardians of institutional security-offering peace of mind in an age of digital vulnerability.

The 2nd edition of Quomodo Inter-Schools Swimming Competition ended recently at the Ikoyi Club 1938 with Grange School emerging the overall champions after a keen contest by all the schools.

The event, sponsored by Quomodo Systems Africa, witnessed spirited performances from young swimmers representing Avi-Cenna International School, Children’s International School, Corona Schools, Grange School, Greensprings School, Lagoon and Whitesands Schools, and Meadow Hall School.

From the opening event to the final relays, the poolside atmosphere was electrifying and charged with cheers, and bursts of school pride, banters and bragging rights of sort.

In the end, Grange School topped the scoreboard with 517 points, followed by Children’s International School with 389 points and Corona Schools in third place with 250.5 points.

Greensprings School came fourth with 196.5 points, while Meadow Hall School secured fifth position with 149 points.

Lagoon and Whitesands Schools finished with 87 points, while Avi-Cenna International School ended with 68 points.

The Chairman of the Ikoyi Club Swimming Section, Akinbulejo Onabolu, hailed the event standard, adding that it was a proof of Nigeria’s rising swimming prospects in the sport which is fast becoming a culture.

For Quomodo Systems Africa, the competition is aimed at investing in the future of young athletes.

Olufunke Preghafi, Quomodo’s General Manager, Finance, expressed joy at seeing children as young as six showing skills, energy, and determination to excel.

‘This is one of our key CSR projects this year,’ she noted. ‘Quomodo has always stood for youth development and all-round growth. Swimming builds confidence, strength, and resilience; qualities children can carry into every area of life. That’s why we are proud to support this initiative.’

With every stroke and dive, these young swimmers not only entertained the crowd but also embodied the promise of a new generation of swimmers for Nigeria.

Morocco’s OCP Group, a major global player in phosphate rock and plant nutrition solutions, recorded consolidated revenue of 52.16 billion dirhams ($5.7 billion) for the first half this year.

The financial results reflected a 21 per cent increase from the 43.24 billion dirhams ($4.7 billion) generated during the same period last year.

According to the company’s results , the strong performance was primarily driven by robust fertilizer demand in the Indian market and sustained export growth to Europe.

Additionally, rising fertilizer export prices contributed significantly, propelled by an increase in sulfur costs and global demand that exceeded available supply, pushing prices higher throughout 2025.

‘The price of fertilizers on the international market rose from $520/T in the first half of 2024 to $589/T in the first half of 2025,’ the document noted.

By region, South America was the top destination for OCP’s fertilizer shipments, accounting for 26 percent of revenue, followed by Europe (21 percent), India (19 percent), and Africa (18 percent). The remaining sales were realized in other Asian countries, Oceania, and North America.

OCP is confident in promising prospects for the remainder of the fiscal year, having continued to expand its fertilizer production capabilities.

In July, OCP subsidiary Nutricrops commissioned a new triple superphosphate (TSP) production line at the Jorf Lasfar industrial platform with an annual capacity of 500,000 tons. A month earlier, in March 2025, the company commissioned a new phosphoric acid treatment unit with a capacity of 1,500 tons of phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5) per day.

These initiatives are expected to increase fertilizer production in the second half of the fiscal year and further boost the company’s sales. For the full year 2024, OCP had reported total revenues of 96.9 billion dirhams ($9.8 billion).

The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Bankers’ Committee for their role in the successful revamp and commissioning of the National Theatre at Iganmu in Lagos.

AFRIMA described the restoration of the cultural landmark as a bold step in safeguarding Nigeria’s creative heritage and empowering the arts sector.

The historic edifice, originally opened in 1976, has been revamped and upgraded as part of efforts to reposition Nigeria’s creative economy. The project, undertaken by the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee as part of their commitment to giving back to the nation, was commissioned during the country’s 65th Independence anniversary celebrations.

AFRIMA President and Executive Producer, Mike Dada, described the development as a milestone for Nigeria’s cultural industries and a symbol of renewed confidence in the creative sector.

‘The National Arts Theatre has played a crucial role in nurturing African creativity, serving for decades as a hub for music, theatre, film, and cultural festivals. Its revival speaks volumes about Nigeria’s vision and the dedication of stakeholders like the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee to supporting the creative economy. This is not just a building restored, but a renewal of cultural confidence and an investment in future generations of Nigerian and African talent,’ he said.

Beyond the theatre, AFRIMA used the occasion to congratulate Nigeria on its 65th anniversary of independence. Dada hailed the country’s resilience and influence in shaping Africa’s creative and cultural industries, pointing to its leadership in music, film, fashion and digital culture.

‘On behalf of the International Executive Committee of AFRIMA, I extend heartfelt congratulations to Nigeria as the country marks 65 years of independence. Nigeria remains a vital partner to AFRIMA and a key pillar of Africa’s cultural identity. Its creative energy continues to inspire not just the continent but the world,’ he added.

He noted that Nigeria’s role as host of the 9th AFRIMA has amplified African music on the global stage while promoting unity across the continent.

AFRIMA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting African music, nurturing young talent and using culture as a tool for continental pride and development.

The ninth AFRIMA Awards is organised in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), the Federal Government of Nigeria, and Lagos State, the official host city.

Fans across Africa and the diaspora have also been reminded that voting is still ongoing at www.afrima.org/vote, with organisers urging the public to support their favourite artistes.

Neighbours of the Somtochukwu Maduagwu, the presenter with Arise News channel, who died during a robbery attack at her residence in Katampe, Abuja. in the early hours of Monday, have narrated how she died.

One of them, Ejiro Okpihwo, the organiser of the most beautiful girl in Abuja beauty pageant, who lives on the ground floor of the house, said the robbers came to their premises about 2:55 am, broke doors and attacked them. He contacted the Divisional Police Officer around 3am. He also called the OC Surveillance of the Mabuchi Police Station.

Surprisingly, Okpihwo said, the police got to the scene in less than 10 minutes, but by then the robbers, using a car from their house, had escaped.

‘But they passed the criminals on the road. The robbers were up to 14. The police saw three cars in convoy going left, but they were coming from right. They did not see the robbers. The lady was supposed to marry in December. She’s gone. I will not lie to you, the Nigerian Police did their best, they could have done that day, but hospitals never did the right thing.

‘She was not raped, she was not shot, we saw the wounds on her head, we saw the wounds where she hit her head in one of those pavements here. Immediately, Somtochuwkwu jumped and hit her head, and the armed robbers left. They left, because the fear is there, the fear, the tension. The robbers are heartless.

‘Immediately the girl landed on the floor with her head, fear engraved in the environment. This house and the other house were not robbed, because the house was already open for them to rob. They left her things – phone, etc.”

At the hospital, he said the workers asked for a police re

Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer delivered a stunning performance in the closing stages of their Europa League clash against Roma, saving three consecutive penalties to secure a dramatic 1-0 victory for the French side.

The match began with an early goal from Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, who capitalized on a defensive error to score in the 6th minute. Despite Roma pressing for an equaliser, they were continually frustrated by Lille’s defense.

Their best chance came in the 80th minute when Aissa Mandi was penalised for a handball inside the box. Substitute Artem Dovbyk stepped up for the home side but his penalty was saved by Ozer. However, the referee, Erik Lambrechts, ruled the save out as Ozer was judged to have moved off his line, prompting a retake.

Dovbyk tried again, and once more, Ozer denied him. But for the second time, the Lille keeper was penalised for moving too early, giving Roma yet another chance from the spot.

Matias Soule took the third penalty, but Ozer stood tall yet again, producing a third stunning save – this time, a legal one – to preserve Lille’s lead and seal a memorable win.

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini said afterwards: ‘I’ve never seen three missed penalties in one match. It was an almost unique, random situation, which ultimately compromised the result.’

The South East Landlords Association (SELA) has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to create a National Park in the Southeast, stressing that the region remains the only part of the country without one.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the association made its position known in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Prince Onukwue, and Secretary, Pst. Ekeocha Charles.

Onukwue, who read the statement, said, ‘We plead with Mr President to give us one National Park in the Southeast. The Southeast is the only region that has no National Park, and we are feeling left behind. Inasmuch as we appreciate what the President is doing for the region, we urge him to solve this problem for us.’

He also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for appointing Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu as the Board Chairman of the National Parks Commission, describing it as a recognition of indigenous talents and a commitment to national development.

According to Onukwue, Ononogbu’s appointment is a testament to the president’s effort to empower people from the region while fostering unity and progress across the country.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kano State Chapter, has called for collaboration by all stakeholders in tackling Nigeria’s challenges.

In his independence anniversary speech, Chairman, ACF Kano Chapter, Goni Faruk Umar, said the challenges before the country were formidable, including pervasive poverty, widespread unemployment, the scourge of insecurity, the menace of drug abuse, the decline in educational standards, and the erosion of moral values.

He, however, noted that these adversities were not a sentence of despair, calling on all to commit to purposeful action.

He said, ‘As a Forum consecrated to dialogue, unity, and service, the ACF asserts that our collective strength lies in our ability to build bridges across divides, nurture the potentials of our youth, and harness the abundant human and natural resources entrusted to us by Providence’.

He added, ‘Sixty-five years ago, our visionary founding fathers, through uncommon courage and sacrifice, secured for us the priceless gift of sovereignty. They bequeathed a Nation consecrated to the ideals of liberty, dignity, and collective destiny.

‘Today, as we commemorate their triumph, we must not merely luxuriate in nostalgia but renew our sacred covenant to safeguard their legacy and bequeath to posterity a Nigeria worthy of their dreams.

‘The narrative of our Nation is one of resilience and renaissance; a people who, despite trials of adversity and the tremors of division, have remained indivisible and resolute. Yet, independence will find its truest expression not in ceremonial remembrance but in the tangible realities of peace, prosperity, equity, and justice for every citizen irrespective of creed, culture, or circumstance’.

Umar called on parents and guardians to know that the crucible of Nigeria’s future is in their homes.

‘Guard your children, mentor them with love, and instil in them the virtues of discipline, honesty, and service. To our youth, we affirm: you are the pulsating heart of this Republic. Reject the snares of drugs and despair; embrace the path of knowledge, creativity, and productivity.

‘And to our leaders, we appeal: let integrity, vision, and statesmanship govern your stewardship, for history will measure us not by lofty rhetoric but by the lives we uplift and the destinies we transform.

‘The ACF Kano State Chapter remains unwavering in its resolve to empower communities, advance education, preserve our cultural heritage, and safeguard the peace and security of our people. We shall continue to be a voice of conscience, a pillar of unity, and a beacon of hope.

‘As we hoist our cherished green-white-green standard this day, let it be a solemn reminder that independence is not an end but an eternal journey of vigilance, sacrifice, and renewal,’ Umar said.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed seized fake, expired, substandard, and falsified drugs and products worth N15 billion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

According to the Director General of the Agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the destruction, held in Ibadan, became necessary to prevent reintroduction of the drugs into circulation.

Adeyeye, who was represented at the event by NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, said NAFDAC as lead agency and chair of the Federal Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods is resolutely committed towards ensuring that foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemical, packaged water and drinks are safe, wholesome and effective for human consumption.

She said, ‘There is no doubt that drugs are a critical aspect of NAFDAC’s mandate, and the agency has established strict guidelines governing the licensing, sale, and distribution of drug products.

‘The products we destroyed today include expired, counterfeit, uncontrolled, unregistered, and banned drugs such as Analgin, Cocodamol, Codeine cough syrup, Tramadol, Oxytocin, and various types of vaccines.

‘The estimated street value of these products being destroyed today stands at fifteen billion naira only.’

She stated that the destruction of those products will eliminate the risk of their re-entry into the Nigerian market.

She thanked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which handed over 25 40ft containers of pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol 225mg, Artesunate injection, CSC cough syrup with codeine, as well as frozen chicken, which is prohibited.

She also appreciated the Police, Nigerian Army, DSS, NDLEA, NSCDC, and Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, among others, for their support.

She urged stakeholders to educate their families and wards about the dangers of patronizing quacks and unauthorized medicine dealers.

She, however, sought the cooperation of Nigerians in providing information to help prevent and ultimately eradicate the presence of unregistered and dangerous medicines and other volatile products from society.

In his remark, SK Tijani, who spoke on behalf of the Controller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, said there is synergy between Customs and NAFDAC in the fight against fake, expired, substandard, and unwholesome drugs and products across the nation.

He said all stakeholders must play their role in making sure that the nation is free from criminal activities, such as importing and producing the products and drugs.

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday returned to Abuja after a week-long international mission where he represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and concluded strategic engagements in Germany.

During the high-level meetings in New York, the Vice President delivered President Tinubu’s national statement in which Nigeria called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations, including a permanent African seat on the Security Council.

He also championed Africa’s sovereignty over its estimated $700 billion mineral resources, urging global equity in resource governance.

Shettima also met with United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, who commended Nigeria’s bid for a permanent Security Council seat, and later showcased Nigeria’s $200 billion energy transition opportunity to global investors in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Vice President strengthened strategic partnerships with the United Kingdom, the Gates Foundation, and other international stakeholders while assuring the Nigerian diaspora community of robust engagement in the policies and programmes of President Tinubu’s administration.

Shettima proceeded to Germany where he held further talks with financial and development partners, rounding off what observers described as a highly successful diplomatic mission before returning to Abuja.