CPC: Nigeria’s Trial or Triumph in U.S. Religious Freedom Politics? Asks Remmy Nweke - WeekendDigits@ITREALMS

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As Washington weighs Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) fate, WeekendDigits@ITREALMS with REMMY NWEKE reports that Abuja, the seat of the federal government, appears to be doubling down on faith diplomacy, brandishing the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council’s (NIREC) interfaith bridges and moral voices as proof that unity, not persecution, defines its religious freedom posture.

When the United States designates a nation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), it is not mere diplomatic labeling, it is a signal to the global community that a government has allegedly tolerated or engaged in “particularly severe violations” of religious freedom.

Under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998, this label ranks among the most serious rebukes Washington can issue against a sovereign state.

George Agu to lead discussions @Afritech 5.0 - ITREALMS

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…Renowned technology executive and founder to speak on Africa’s digital future through AI and sovereign technologies.

The organisers of the Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH 5.0) are delighted to announce George Agu, a distinguished technology entrepreneur and executive, as one of the keynote speakers at this year’s edition themed “AI & Sovereign Tech: Building Africa’s Digital Independence.”

Agu, the MD/CEO of ActivEdge Technologies Limited, is an astute founder and technology leader whose illustrious career spans over twenty-five years across core banking systems, enterprise applications, fintech, cybersecurity, and AI-powered e-government services. 

CVA 2025: Consumer’s verdict becomes the brand badge of honour by Elvis Eromosele - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian marketplace is undergoing a quiet revolution. One powered not by corporate boardrooms or marketing agencies, but by the people who matter most: the consumers. The Consumers Value Awards (CVA), organised by BrandXchange, is the platform that gives Nigerians the power to shape the nation’s business landscape through their votes.

The Consumers Value Awards (CVA) seek to recognise brands and government agencies for superior consumer satisfaction and value, determined solely by public votes. The awards aim to empower consumers by giving them a platform to express their opinions, hold companies accountable, and influence market practices.

Solemnity of All Saints: A call to holiness for all by Chris Uruakpa - ITREALMS

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Today, 1st November, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, a feast dedicated to honoring all the Saints, both known and unknown, who have attained eternal glory. On this day, we remember not only the celebrated Saints but also those whose holiness may have gone unnoticed, yet whose lives continue to inspire faith and virtue.

These holy men and women are examples for us to emulate, their lives remind us of the beauty of living faithfully according to the Gospel. We also seek their prayers and intercession, trusting in the unity of the Communion of Saints, that great spiritual fellowship linking God’s people in heaven, on earth, and in the state of purification.

Transforming Africa: NITDA DG calls for urgent investment in digital infrastructure - ITREALMS

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The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has declared that Africa’s economic destiny depends on its ability to build and control its own computing capacity, describing it as the bedrock of sustainable digital transformation, job creation, and intra-African trade, reports ITREALMS.

Inuwa made this assertion while speaking at the 2nd Annual Sustainability Week Africa, held at The Westin, Cape Town, South Africa, where he presented insights on how digital technologies can accelerate the continent’s transition to a greener and more inclusive economy.

100 youths begin NCDMB, Renaissance, PETAN Graduate Internship Programme - ITREALMS

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One hundred young graduates of diverse academic disciplines on Thursday began a Graduate Internship Programme jointly sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Renaissance Africa Energy Company (RAEC) Limited, and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) as part of a collaborative initiative to provide youths with critical skills, exposure and practical knowledge of the work environment in the oil and gas industry.

Under the initiative tagged 2025/2027 NCDMB/PETAN/Renaissance Graduate Internship Programme, the graduates drawn from engineering, geology, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the natural sciences, among others, are to be deployed to PETAN member companies in the oil and gas sector for structured, targeted and industry-relevant training.

Health awareness'25 - TBL Supervisor says early detection, correct information key to reducing burden of Buruli Ulcer in rural communities

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The Health Supervisor in-charge of Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy (TBL) in Awka North, under the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Mrs. Celestina Igwe, has stressed that early detection and accurate information are crucial to reducing the growing burden of Buruli Ulcer in rural communities.

Mrs. Igwe made this known during the Awba-Ofemili Community Health Awareness Campaign held on Thursday, October 23, 2025 (Nkwo Market Day) at the Civic Centre, Awba-Ofemili, themed “Buruli Ulcer (Elu-Ulee or Ulee-Okpa): Know the Signs, Stop the Spread.”

Is Nigeria’s software industry powerless in AI Age asks Don Pedro Aganbi - ITREALMS

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rewriting the rules of global software development, creating new winners and leaving laggards behind. Across the world, countries are racing to integrate AI into their economies, from digital governance and financial services to health and education. 

Yet in Nigeria, the conversation remains fragmented, weighed down by institutional inertia, leadership wrangling, and a lack of coherent national direction.

Bokku Mart Ad fallout: Mirror to Nigeria’s digital prejudices and regulatory gaps by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

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The Bokku Mart ad controversy exposes deep-seated digital prejudices and weak advertising oversight in Nigeria. In this edition of Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS, REMMY NWEKE examines the urgent need for ethical regulation, cultural sensitivity, and responsible influencer marketing practices.

Preamble:

The controversy surrounding the recently deleted Bokku Mart online advertisement has once again exposed Nigeria’s uneasy intersection between digital influence, ethnic sensitivity, and weak advertising oversight. What began as a routine promotional video by a supermarket chain has spiraled into a national debate about prejudice, brand accountability, and the dangers of unregulated influencer marketing in the digital age.

Deepfakes: Next human vulnerability for businesses" Asks Ben Jacob - ITREALMS

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Synthetic audio and video generation technologies, known as deepfakes, have reached a critical threshold. Once mostly limited to social media entertainment or occasional political manipulation, they are now fully integrated tools in cyberattack tactics. This shift represents more than a technological evolution; it marks a transformation where human perception itself has become an attack surface. Recognizing a familiar voice or face is no longer a guarantee of authenticity.

In this context, businesses face a threat that relies less on raw technical skill and more on subtle manipulation of human behavior. Fraud campaigns now exploit cloned voices and manipulated videos to simulate authentic communications, deceiving even the most vigilant employees. 

Alternative Bank, Utiva partner on scholarships to boost digital skills for women - ITREALMS

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The Alternative Bank (‘AltBank’) has announced the launch of The Alternative Bank-Utiva Women in Tech Scholarship, a landmark initiative designed to empower women entrepreneurs with digital skills, innovation design, and business growth training. 

The announcement was made during a high-level virtual convening held on Friday to commemorate the International Day for Rural Women.

Konga Yakata gets dates for Nigeria’s biggest black Friday sale - ITREALMS

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Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce giant, Konga, has officially announced the dates for its highly anticipated Konga Yakata 2025, Nigeria’s biggest annual Black Friday sale.

The month-long shopping festival will run from Saturday, November 1st to Sunday, November 30th, 2025, promising shoppers across Nigeria a more exciting, rewarding, and value-packed experience than ever before.

Bokku Mart Ad scandal: Ethics, stereotypes, and price of digital influence - Editorial@ITREALMS

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The recent Bokku Mart advertisement scandal is yet another reminder of how easily the digital space can amplify insensitivity when ethics take the backseat to engagement. 

What began as a seemingly harmless promotional video quickly spiraled into a national debate on ethnic stereotyping, brand responsibility, and the moral limits of influencer marketing in Nigeria’s digital age.

Aliko Dangote Foundation promote fermented foods for nutrition and food security - ITREALMS

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The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), in partnership with Sight and Life Foundation (SAL), has launched a nationwide initiative titled “Promotion of Production & Consumption of Fermented Foods for Food & Nutrition Security in Nigeria,” reports ITREALMS.

The programme, unveiled at a workshop in Lagos, aims to combat malnutrition and improve food security by promoting the production and consumption of locally fermented foods.

BOI, MAN, NECA’s chief executives, others set to address low productivity in Nigeria @WES 2025 - ITREALMS

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All is set for the annual WorldStage Economic Summit 2025 on Friday November 21, 2025 at The Event Centre, Nigerian Exchange Limited, 2/4 Customs Street, Lagos by 10am, with top experts from the public, private and academia set to address the theme: Tackling the Issue of Low Productivity in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the organisers, World Stage Limited, a research and technology driven Africa focused firm, among the top chief executives that have confirmed participation in the summit include Dr. Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI); Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); and Mr. Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde, Director General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

FOI in Nigeria’s Digital Governance: What law allows citizens to ask by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

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This edition of Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS, by REMMY NWEKE, examines how the FOI Act empowers Nigerians to access information on telecom regulation, pricing, broadband rollout, and digital identity systems; reinforcing transparency as key to consumer rights and national digital development.

Strategic pillars of modern economy:
When conversations on transparency and accountability emerge in Nigeria, national attention often focuses on elections, budgeting, and public procurement. Yet the telecommunications and digital governance sector; one of the most strategic pillars of the modern Nigerian economy, and remains comparatively under-examined. 

This is despite the fact that decisions in this sector affect how Nigerians communicate, access financial services, participate in governance, learn, work, and interact in the digital world.

Felix Abugu emerges scribe of Anya Ndi Igbo - ITREALMS

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A non-partisan organisation with the interest of the Igbo at heart, Anya Ndi Igbo, has appointed Mr Felix Oguejiofor Abugu as its Secretary, reports ITREALMS.

Mr Abugu, a veteran journalist takes over from Barrister Emeka Nwadioke, who has occupied the position since Sir Okey Nwadinobi, the pioneer secretary, was elected the Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide in January 2025.

Bokku Mart pulls ‘Omo Igbo’ Ad, apologises over ethnic slur - ITREALMS

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A fast-rising retail chain in Lagos, Bokku Mart, has come under intense public scrutiny following a controversial social media advertisement that many Nigerians described as ethnically insensitive, reports ITREALMS.

The promotional video, featuring popular influencer @DefolahBby, was criticised for making a disparaging reference to the Igbo ethnic group. 

Awba-Ofemili Health Awareness 2025: Tackling misinformation key to protecting community health - ITREALMS

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The Awba-Ofemili Development Union (ADU) Health Committee has called for greater vigilance against health-related misinformation, warning that myths and falsehoods about diseases like Buruli Ulcer (Elu-Ulee) could undermine community health development, reports ITREALMS.

This call was made following the successful Awba-Ofemili Community Health Awareness Campaign 2025, themed “Buruli Ulcer (Elu-Ulee): Know the Signs, Stop the Spread,” held on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the Civic Centre, Awba-Ofemili.

Cybersecurity and Africa’s Agenda 2063: Justice Phillips to chair Realnews 13th lecture - ITREALMS

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The management of Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, publishers of Realnews Magazine Online, has announced that Honourable Justice Ayotunde Phillips, former Chief Judge of Lagos State, will chair the Realnews 13th anniversary lecture scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

The lecture, themed “Cybersecurity, Illicit Financial Flows and Achieving Agenda 2063 in Africa,” will begin at 10 a.m. and feature a panel discussion moderated by Justice Phillips.

FirstBank revolutionizes cross-border payments with PAPSS integration - ITREALMS

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FirstBank has integrated the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) into its LIT app, enabling customers to make instant, secure, and local currency-based cross-border payments across Africa, reports ITREALMS.

This integration reduces transaction costs, improves settlement efficiency, and increases access to digital banking services.

AfriGO, Tizel and ActivEdge to showcase innovative solutions @AfriTECH 5.0 - ITREALMS

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Preparations are in top gear for the Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH 5.0) as leading players in Nigeria’s technology and digital economy; Digital Encode Limited, the platinum sponsor of this year’s Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH 5.0), will be joined by AfriGOpay Financial Services Ltd, ActivEdge Technologies, Tizel Cybersecurity, and Tecom Concepts Limited, as Gold sponsors of the event.

The four companies, accompanied by other gold sponsors are; itel, SKOT Communications, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), and Digital Realty with the Nigerian Communications Commission offering partner support.

ntel CEO confirms Q1 2026 comeback - ITREALMS

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The Chief Executive Officer of ntel, Soji Maurice-Diya, has confirmed that the Nigerian telecoms brand will officially re-enter the market in Q1 2026, with a renewed strategy focused on innovation, inclusion, and sustainability. 

Speaking at the Technology Times Thought Leadership Series, Maurice-Diya outlined ntel's vision to redefine Nigeria's telecoms industry.