News
Panic as Another Toxic Waste Scare Hits Koko

Fresh toxic waste scare has hit Koko town in Warri North Local Government of Delta State, 30 years after 8,000 drums of toxic wastes were dumped in the ancient Itsekiri community by some unscrupulous Italian businessmen, according to the Nation.
The dumping of a yet unknown quantity of industrial wastes from the facilities of an oil multinational is causing panic in the community.
Sources in the town told The Nation that the materials started arriving in the community by vessels several months ago, but the panic was sparked by reports that laboratory tests have confirmed the waste to be toxic.
“Our initial reports have confirmed our fears; the materials are toxic. The tests were carried out in several facilities, including some belonging to a government agency.
“We have all the results ready now and are preparing to take the reports to the Minister of Environment before the end of this week,” a source said.
Despite the concern, more consignments of the alleged harmful materials were still being shipped to the town, last Tuesday evening.
There are fears that many children may have drunk from water sources that are likely to have been contaminated by the waste as a primary school water source is located directly near the site.
“People around the area first noticed the material sometime last year. They are being brought in by barges and trucks picked them up to the site, where they are now burying them,” a source, who asked not to be named because of ongoing investigations, told our reporter.
Nevertheless, an official of Ebenco Services, the company behind the materials, said contrary to the allegation, they are not toxic but sludge, which are being recycled.
The official, simply identified as Ebenezer, told our reporter on telephone on Tuesday night: “This is sludge and it is not toxic; it is wealth to us because we are recycling them.”
Our reporter’s request for independent verification of the recycling claim was turned down because he “needed management’s approval”.
Follow-up calls and text messages to the official on Wednesday afternoon were unanswered.
The materials were brought in from an international oil company, which runs a Joint Venture (JV) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Mr Amorighoye Mene, Secretary of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILOT), in a telephone chat with our reporter, differed with Ebenezer, stressing: ” These substances, from test reports, are toxic and dangerous to schools and residential buildings around there.
“It must be stopped and proper remediation must be done to cure the land and environment around there.”
It was gathered that the materials were brought in by several vessels and transported by truck to a populated area of the city by a local contractor.
Expectedly, the incident is causing anxiety in Koko, which attracted global attention in 1987, following the deposition of 3,500 tonnes of some of the world’s most hazardous waste comprising polychlorinated biphenyl sulphate (PCBS) and methyl melamine, among others from Italy.
Although the 1987 waste was returned to Italy in two vessels – Karin B and Deepsea Carrier – after prolonged negotiation between the Federal and Italian governments, Koko has never been the same again.
The incident coincided with the collapse of economic and social activities in the then bustling port city, which is now a ghost of itself.
Ebenco Services seems to be enjoying the support of some prominent indigenes of the community.
Shortly after our reporter contacted the company on Tuesday night, a high-ranking official of the Koko Community Executive Council called our reporter to “appeal for soft handling of the report”.
The official, who apparently did not see anything wrong in the matter, said.
“I do not know why this is coming up now; we have been on this and the man has been doing his business since without any problem. Please lets find a way to help him (contractor).”
News
Tech Alliance Aims to Transform Africa’s Mapping System

Space42, the UAE-based global AI-powered space-tech company, part of technology group G42, this week announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft and Esri to deliver high-resolution, scalable base maps across all 54 African countries, serving over 1.4 billion people.
Known as the “Map Africa Initiative,” the project will create a comprehensive base map of the continent to date, addressing challenges in infrastructure, investment, and institutional gaps, according to Space24.
The company said the updated mapping system will catalyse economic development through increased access to intelligent solutions that support governments, businesses, and communities.
The five-year collaboration aims to strengthen geospatial capabilities across Africa and the UAE, and provide precise and accessible data to national and regional stakeholders.
Space 24 detailed how the initiative will enable economic opportunities and innovation, saying the program is expected to unlock long-term value across multiple industries including: ports and logistics; renewable energy; security and disaster response; smart cities and digital economies.
It added: “Accurate maps are foundational to urban planning, public services, and technology deployment. The data will be licensed to national governments, enabling ownership and long-term updating by National Mapping Agencies. Over time, the initiative will also support a new commercial ecosystem of African startups. The data will eventually be housed in G42 and Microsoft-managed data centers across the continent.”
Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Smart Solutions at Space42, said: “Partnership is core to the UAE’s DNA, and is central to how Space42 operates. This collaboration with Microsoft and Esri is more than technical; it’s strategic. It advances Space42’s business priorities, strengthens our role as a trusted partner to governments, and delivers meaningful benefits to communities across Africa.
“Accurate, high-quality mapping and the intelligence solutions built on it are essential for growth, resilience, and inclusive innovation. With reliable data, communities and economies prosper.”
While, Jack Dangermond, president of Esri added: “We are proud to support the Map Africa Initiative in partnership with Space42. Transforming satellite imagery into detailed, accurate base maps at continental scale requires advanced geospatial technology and professional production workflows.
“These same capabilities have supported similar national and regional mapping efforts around the world. With Map Africa, we are helping to establish a foundational resource that will drive infrastructure planning, economic growth, and sustainable development across the continent.”
News
Kenya Tops Global Rankings for ChatGPT Use

Kenya has emerged as the global leader in the adoption of ChatGPT, with a higher percentage of its internet users utilizing the AI chatbot than any other country.
According to the July 2025 Global Digital Report from DataReportal and Meltwater, an astounding 42.1% of Kenyan internet users aged 16 and above used ChatGPT in the past month.
This remarkable statistic places Kenya at the forefront of a global shift towards integrating artificial intelligence into daily life, outranking traditionally tech-forward nations such as the United Arab Emirates (42%), Israel (41.4%), Malaysia (39.8%), and Brazil (39.7%). In contrast, major economies like Russia (10.8%), China (7.3%), and Japan (5.8%) showed significantly lower adoption rates.
The report, which provides a comprehensive snapshot of digital trends worldwide, also highlights Kenya’s significant contribution to the platform’s overall traffic. The country is ranked third globally in website traffic to ChatGPT, accounting for 4.81% of all global visits, trailing only the United States and India.
Analysts attribute Kenya’s rapid and widespread adoption of ChatGPT to two primary factors:
- A Young, Tech-Savvy Population: With a median age of just 20, Kenya has one of the youngest populations in the world. This demographic is highly digitally native and has been quick to explore and adopt AI tools for a wide range of purposes, including education, business operations, and content creation.
- High Mobile Internet Penetration: Over 48% of Kenya’s population uses the internet regularly, with the vast majority accessing it via mobile devices. The accessibility of AI tools like ChatGPT on smartphones has been a critical enabler of its adoption, even in semi-urban and rural areas.
The report’s findings come shortly after OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, revealed that the platform now handles over 2.5 billion prompts globally every day. While OpenAI did not provide a breakdown of these prompts by use case, the platform’s popularity for tasks ranging from writing and coding to research and brainstorming is undeniable.
Kenya’s top ranking is a powerful indicator of the country’s dynamic and fast-evolving digital landscape, showcasing an eagerness to embrace cutting-edge technologies and positioning the nation as a key player in the future of AI adoption in Africa.
News
Yahoo Mail Halts Free Storage Service, Caps at 20GB

Yahoo Mail has announced a major shift in its storage policy, slashing the free email storage cap to 20GB and rolling out a new subscription model starting at $1.99 per month for 100GB.
The change, which takes effect immediately, marks a significant downgrade for many long-time users who have grown accustomed to Yahoo’s previously generous storage offering.
In a notice sent to users on Tuesday, the company urged account holders to review their current storage usage and consider paid upgrade options to avoid disruptions.
“Once you reach the 20GB limit, you will no longer be able to send or receive emails unless you either delete existing messages or upgrade your account,” the notice warned.
While access to inboxes will remain intact for now, users will be forced to clean up their accounts or move to a paid tier to maintain full functionality.
Yahoo has unveiled two new storage plans which are 100GB for $1.99/month and 1TB for $9.99/month.
For those seeking a more premium experience, Yahoo is also offering Yahoo Mail Plus, which includes 200GB of storage, an ad-free interface, and additional features. However, users opting for the 100GB and 1TB tiers will still be served ads, a move likely to frustrate those paying for expanded capacity.
To ease the transition, Yahoo is rolling out new tools to help users manage their inboxes more efficiently. These include real-time storage tracking, a usage dashboard, sorting options for large emails, and an attachment manager to help clear out space-consuming files.
Despite the enhancements, the abrupt downgrade has sparked concerns among users, particularly those with email archives spanning more than a decade. Critics argue the change could pressure many into paying for what was previously free, without a proportionate upgrade in value, especially considering ads remain in place for all but the premium Plus tier.
Yahoo’s new model brings it closer to competitors like Gmail, which offers 15GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Google’s paid plans also begin at $1.99/month for 100GB, but offer additional benefits such as photo backups and expanded cloud services. Gmail also provides a cleaner experience, with minimal ads even on its free plan.
Yahoo Mail’s new 20GB limit applies exclusively to email storage, a slight advantage for users who don’t rely heavily on broader cloud services. But the real test will be how users respond to the newly imposed constraints and whether the value proposition is strong enough to convert them into paying subscribers.
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