General News
ThriveAgric Wins $1m as Regional Winners of 2022 AYuTe Africa Challenge

Agricultural technology company, ThriveAgric, has recently emerged the West African winners of the annual AYuTe Africa Challenge, receiving a $1m grant prize as reward.
Organised by Heifer International, the Agriculture Youth Technology (AYuTe) Challenge was set up to support young entrepreneurs working to scale food security on the continent by developing and deploying affordable tech solutions to impact smallholder farmers.
This recognition is the second in the last three months for ThriveAgric, having emerged the overall winner and Visa Direct winner of the global Visa Everywhere Initiative 2022 last December.
Live Streamed on TechCrunch, the intense 12-month competition had over 4000 startup founders from North America, Latin America, Central Europe, Middle East and Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific to showcase payments innovations.
For six years, through technology, ThriveAgric has built a network of over 500,000 smallholder farmers, giving them access to insight, distribution and over $150 million in credit, thereby improving their livelihoods and enabling them to grow more than 5 percent of grains consumed in Nigeria.
Speaking on the achievements, Uka Eje, CEO and Co-Founder at ThriveAgric said, “These endorsements are an encouraging validation of the hard work we have put in through the years and pointers that we are on the right path.
Our desire to create more impact among African smallholder farmers and also expand to new territories is a major driving force for us, as we aim to develop the largest network of profitable farmers in Africa. We remain resolute with our goal of reaching one million farmers this year in Nigeria alone.”
The AYuTe Africa Challenge is one of the most ambitious agriculture competitions on the continent, with a vision of combining the power of African youth with the many possibilities of emerging technologies to support smallholder farmers across Africa to grow their businesses and incomes.
In addition to the cash grants, it also deploys a team of expert advisers and accomplished business veterans to support AYuTe Africa Champions as they translate this funding into business expansion strategies.
Agriculture in Africa has a massive social and economic footprint. According to McKinsey, agriculture makes up about 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP with more than 60 percent of the population being smallholder farmers. With demand increasing and supply in shortfall, smallholder farmers are battling new levels of economic and ecological challenges in farming.
Last year, months of torrential flooding in Nigeria damaged over 400,000 hectares of farmlands, leading to an all time high food inflation of 21 percent in the country. In Kenya, East Africa, a prolonged and most severe drought undercut farmers’ ability to grow crops, or raise livestock resulting in an acute food insecurity for over 3.5 million people, manifesting in starvation and malnutrition.
Part of ThriveAgric’s work is to ensure that infrastructural buffers are in place to mitigate against extreme conditions that may threaten smallholders’ livelihoods or a nation’s food security.
Having recorded great success in Nigeria, ThriveAgric is looking to deepen its roots in West Africa as well as expand to the East of the continent as part of its goal to reach 10 million farmers by 2027.
General News
Study Reveals 7% of Industrial Organizations Tackle Vulnerabilities Only When Necessary

A study titled “Securing OT with Purpose-built Solutions” conducted by Kaspersky in collaboration with VDC Research, illuminates the shifting landscape of cybersecurity within the industrial sector.
Focusing on key industries such as energy, utilities, manufacturing and transportation, this research surveyed over 250 decision-makers to unveil vital trends and challenges faced in fortifying industrial environments against cyber threats.
A strong cybersecurity strategy begins with complete visibility into an organisation’s assets, allowing leaders to understand what assets need protection and assess the highest risk areas. In environments where IT and OT (Operational Technology) systems converge, this demands more than just a comprehensive asset inventory.
Organisations must implement a risk assessment methodology that is aligned with their operational realities – by establishing a clear asset baseline, organisations can engage in meaningful risk assessments that address both corporate risk criteria and the potential physical and cyber consequences of vulnerabilities.
Recent survey findings reveal a concerning trend: a significant number of organisations are not engaging in regular penetration testing or vulnerability assessments.
Only 27.1% of respondents perform these critical evaluations on a monthly basis, while the majority—48.4%—conduct assessments every few months. Alarmingly, 16.7% do so only once or twice a year, and 7.4% address vulnerabilities solely as needed. This inconsistent approach can leave organisations vulnerable as they navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Every software platform is inherently vulnerable to bugs, insecure code, and other weaknesses that malicious actors can exploit to compromise IT environments. For industrial companies, effective patch management is therefore crucial to mitigate these risks.
However, studies reveal that many organisations encounter significant challenges in this area, often struggling to allocate the necessary time to pause operations for critical updates.
Disturbingly, many organisations patch their OT systems only every few months or even longer, significantly heightening their risk exposure. Specifically, 31.4% apply patches monthly, while 46.9% do so every few months, and 12.4% update only once or twice a year.
These challenges in maintaining effective patch management are exacerbated in OT environments, where limited device visibility, inconsistent vendor patch availability, specialised expertise requirements and regulatory compliance add layers of complexity to the cybersecurity landscape.
As IT and OT systems increasingly converge, there is a pressing need to harmonise these traditionally disparate systems, which have often relied on proprietary technologies rather than open standards.
The challenge is further intensified by the rapid proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices—ranging from cameras and smart sensors for asset tracking and health monitoring to advanced climate control systems. This explosion of connected devices broadens the attack surface for industrial organisations, underscoring the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures.
For industrial customers, Kaspersky provides a unique ecosystem that seamlessly integrates specialised OT-grade technologies, expert knowledge and invaluable expertise. Kaspersky Industrial Cybersecurity (KICS), a native XDR platform for critical infrastructure, is the cornerstone of this OT ecosystem, that offers centralised asset inventory, risk management and audit, and enables security scalability across diverse, distributed infrastructure via a single platform.
Additionally, Kaspersky recommends that industrial organisations adopt the Secure by Design ideology when deploying new OT devices or systems.
“At Kaspersky, we bring the Secure-by-Design concept to life through our Cyber Immunity approach. This means building products that are resilient by architecture — able to withstand attacks, even those exploiting unknown vulnerabilities.
Unlike traditional systems, Cyber Immune products don’t rely on constant patching or external security layers. As a result, our clients benefit from stronger protection, simplified maintenance and a lower total cost of ownership — without compromising on security,” says Dmitry Lukiyan, Head of KasperskyOS Business Unit.
With Cyber Immune products based on KasperskyOS, organisations can enhance their systems’ resilience with minimal additional cybersecurity costs, thereby reducing overall cybersecurity expenses in the long term.
General News
NITDA, NCFRMI Forge Strategic Alliance for Inclusive Digital Transformation of Displaced Nigerians

Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to advancing inclusive digital transformation, particularly among Nigeria’s displaced population.
He made this known during a strategic engagement with the leadership of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) at NITDA’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
Inuwa highlighted the productive partnership NITDA and NCFRMI have cultivated over the years through staff training and ICT support. He announced plans to “reactivate and scale up this collaboration by supplying new IT equipment and introducing customised digital literacy programmes in resettlement cities.” This initiative aligns with NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024–2027), which aims to achieve 70% digital literacy nationwide by 2027, a central pillar of the Federal Government’s digital economy agenda.
Outlining NITDA’s renewed efforts include several key strategies: Establishing community-based digital learning centres with shared devices; Deploying trained National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to deliver ICT training in resettlement camps; and Providing ICT infrastructure tailored to the unique needs of each community.
Inuwa also revealed that NITDA is partnering with an international organisation to deploy innovative tech hubs within Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the Federal Capital Territory.
He emphasised the need for a formalised workstream between both agencies to conduct joint needs assessments in resettlement cities and camps, design and deliver customised interventions for each community, and develop a scalable, replicable model for nationwide adoption. This collaboration, Inuwa reiterated, is crucial for scaling impact and reaching more Nigerians in need, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Hon. Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, commended NITDA’s leadership in driving national development. He noted that Nigeria currently hosts over 6.1 million internally displaced persons due to insecurity, insurgency, and natural disasters, with over 125,000 Nigerians also seeking refuge in neighboring countries. While the Federal Government is addressing these challenges, deeper partnerships are essential to empower vulnerable populations.
Commissioner Ahmed stressed that the partnership extends beyond digital tools, aiming to restore dignity and opportunity. He added that strengthening host communities by improving access to clean water, rehabilitated schools, and healthcare services is also a goal.
Resettlement cities have already been developed in Kano, Borno, Zamfara, Katsina, and Daura, with a new site in Keffi, Nasarawa State, housing over 40 households. These centers provide homes, healthcare facilities, markets, schools, vocational training hubs, and agricultural land to empower displaced persons to rebuild their lives.
“Digital literacy is now a vital component of empowerment. With initiatives like JAMB’s shift to Computer-Based Testing, we must ensure that displaced children and youth acquire the ICT skills needed to thrive in today’s world. “We are fully committed to working with NITDA to ensure no Nigerian child is left behind.”
General News
NASRDA, Galaxy Space Firm Sign MoU on Satellite Connectivity

National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Galaxy Space, Chinese LEO satellite player, to deploy direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite services nationwide by the end of this year.
According to media reports, Galaxy Space will integrate its LEO satellite constellation into Nigeria’s telecom grid, which will allow existing smartphones and laptops to link directly to the satellites.
The MoU also covers technology‑transfer programmes, joint R&D labs and the co‑production of a CubeSat by Nigerian engineers.
Apart from the benefit of enabling mobile coverage outside of terrestrial network range, Dr Matthew Adepoju, director- general, NASRDA, said the deal with GalaxySpace would enable Nigeria to build up its domestic space technology sector.
“It is no longer acceptable that we must import every single device we need,” he told the News Agency of Nigera. “The time has come for us to produce our own technologies here at home.”
GalaxySpace, which designs and manufactures its own LEO satellites, currently has a test constellation of seven LEO satellites in orbit, and has said its “Mini-Spider” constellation will eventually comprise up to 1,000 satellites.
GalaxySpace said it has also signed multi-tier partnerships in Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Last year, it also signed a deal with Hong Kong carrier PCCW Global to integrate its LEOsat connectivity with PCCW’s worldwide network, giving it access to over 3,000 cities across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
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