E-Business
Intel to Buy Altera for $16.7Bn to Boost Data Center Business

Intel Corp agreed to buy Altera Corp for $16.7 billion as the world’s biggest chipmaker seeks to make up for slowing demand from the PC industry by expanding its line-up of higher-margin chips used in data centers.
By combining with Altera, Intel will be able to bundle its processing chips with the smaller company’s programmable chips, which are used, among other things, to speed up Web-searches.
Intel said on Monday it would offer $54 per share in cash, a 10.5 percent premium to Altera’s closing price on Friday.
Altera, based in San Jose, California, rejected an earlier unsolicited offer of $54 per share from Intel in April, a person familiar with the matter had told Reuters.
The deal is the third big one in the highly fragmented chip industry this year. Avago Technologies Ltd (AVGO.O) agreed last week to buy Broadcom Corp (BRCM.O) for $37 billion in the industry’s biggest-ever takeover.
The deal, Intel’s biggest since it bought security software maker McAfee in 2011 for $7.7 billion, follows the expiry on Monday of a standstill agreement between the companies.
The companies said they expected the deal to closed in six to nine months.
Intel will continue support and development of Altera’s ARM-based and power management chips, the companies said.
Intel already makes chips for Altera, which does not have its own foundry. The partnership, set up in 2013, is unusual for Intel, which has traditionally been unwilling to share its technology.
The New York Post reported on Thursday that Intel and Altera had restarted talks.
Up to Friday’s close, Altera’s shares had risen 41.3 percent since the Wall Street Journal reported on March 27 that Intel and Altera were in takeover talks.
NXP Semiconductors NV (NXPI.O) set off the latest round of chip industry deals in March when it agreed to buy Freescale Semiconductor Ltd (FSL.N) for $12 billion.
Net revenue in Intel’s data center group increased 18 percent in 2014, providing just over a quarter of overall revenue. Revenue from the company’s PC group increased 4 percent, generating about 62 percent of total revenue.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Rothschild Inc are financial advisers to Intel and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP are legal advisers.
Goldman Sachs & Co is Altera’s financial adviser and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Professional Corp is legal adviser.
E-Business
INEC Sets Up AI Division to Strengthen Electoral System

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its ICT Department.
This marks a significant stride toward enhancing electoral integrity, efficiency, and innovation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
This decision was reached at the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, following a series of consultations and engagements on the global and continental impact of AI on elections.
In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC underscored that the growing relevance of AI in electoral matters necessitated a proactive institutional framework to manage both the risks and opportunities it presents.
“Our interactions with electoral bodies across Africa highlighted both the risks of AI—such as fake news and content manipulation—and the vast potential it holds for data-driven decision-making, risk mitigation, automated voter services, and geo-spatial intelligence for logistics,” Olumekun noted.
According to him, the newly created division will centralise the Commission’s AI efforts, ensuring a harmonized approach to deploying intelligent systems that enhance decision-making, improve voter engagement, and boost the credibility of the electoral process.
“The creation of this division puts the Commission at the forefront of institutionalizing AI capabilities in electoral management.
It is also part of our ongoing reforms in areas where administrative action is sufficient to drive change,” he said.
He added that the AI Division will help INEC better coordinate its existing technological investments while providing safeguards against the misuse of AI technologies.
“We are positioning ourselves to maximise the positive impact of AI while mitigating its negative implications. This step strengthens the credibility and transparency of elections in Nigeria,” Olumekun concluded.
The initiative, INEC emphasised, reflects its commitment to embracing innovation in safeguarding democracy and improving electoral services nationwide.
E-Business
CAC, NIBSS Unveil Platform for Data Access to Private Firms

Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has unveiled a new Application Programming Interface (API) integration system to allow private firms access company data from the Commission’s database.
Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), registrar general of CAC, who spoke in Abuja at the unveiling said the system would give selected private organizations access to CAC services through technology-based companies, called “super agents.”
“This is a practical step to show that the Commission is committed to meeting the expectations of our customers,” he said.
Magaji explained that the integration allows the agents to retrieve data from the CAC database for use in specific client requests, outside the standard services provided by the Commission.
“Before now, only a few government agencies had this integration, especially those involved in investigations, anti-money laundering, and terrorism financing. Now, private companies that meet the criteria can also access it,” he said.
He said the system complies with the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, and information such as residential addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth may be restricted.
“This is a call to law firms and companies with the right technology. We’ve started with NIPS because of their credibility. Embassies and banks can now authenticate company records directly through them.”
“There are prescribed fees. We already collect them on our portal, and now customers can also pay through these agents,” he explained.
He named NIPS, MoneyPoint, and OPE as some of the companies involved.
“OPE and MoneyPoint handle only registrations. But NIPS has moved further into validation and verification,” he said.
Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, executive director at NIBSS, who represented Premier Oiwoh, managing director, said the service allows secure and efficient data verification.
“This is the result of years of effort to connect our systems with CAC. It will help users verify data within the limits of data protection laws,” she said.
She said the move is a way to lower costs and promote interoperability across the financial sector.
E-Business
FG Launches Online Citizenship, Business Management Platform

Ministry of Interior has announced the launch of a new Online Citizenship and Business Management Platform in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
A statement signed by Dr Magdalene Ajani, permanent secretary, Ministry of Interior’s said the initiative forms a key part of its ongoing reforms aimed at promoting transparency, enhancing operational efficiency, and significantly improving service delivery to the public.
The new digital platform is designed to streamline the application and processing of citizenship and business-related services, ensuring faster turnaround times and improved user experience.
The platform allows users to apply for and manage business permits, ensuring that both local and foreign businesses operate legally in Nigeria.
It includes an Expatriate Quota System to manage work permits for foreign employees, helping companies hire skilled workers while complying with Nigeria’s immigration laws.
The Citizenship Administration and Management System provides a streamlined online process for applying, tracking, and managing Nigerian citizenship applications and related services.
Members of the public, corporate entities, and other stakeholders are expected to access the platform through the ministry’s website: https://interior.gov.ng , Direct Portal Access: https://candb.interior.gov.ng , or contact candb-support@interior.gov.ng for support and inquiries.
“The Ministry of Interior remains committed to establishing a more efficient, transparent, and secure framework for citizenship administration, while continuously enhancing service delivery through digital transformation,” the statement read in part.
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