3 AM crisis: When muscle spasm strikes POS agent by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

A midnight leg cramp is not just pain for Nigeria’s 1.5 million POS agents standing up to 14 hours daily, it’s an occupational hazard. In this Telecoms Clinic feature, REMMY NWEKE explores the physical toll of agency banking, debunks the "tight band" myth, and offers practical ergonomic fixes for operators.

Midnight Agony at 3:15 AM:
The time was 3:15 AM on a quiet Sunday morning. While most of the neighborhood was fast asleep, Bisi woke up screaming in agony. A sharp, excruciating knot had seized her right calf, locking her leg in a rigid, unbearable spasm. 

Disoriented and unable to move, Bisi relied on her husband, who fortunately was right beside her, to react quickly. Panicked but following her desperate instructions, he pulled her toes back toward her shin and massaged the hardened muscle until the contraction slowly released, leaving behind a deep, dull ache. 

CBN: Five pillars for next-generation Fintech growth in Nigeria - ITREALMS

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has declared that the next phase of fintech development in the country must center on five strategic outcomes to drive sustainable expansion, consumer confidence, and economic resilience, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking in Lagos at the 3rd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2026, CBN Governor Mr. Olayemi Cardoso stated that Nigeria’s evolving digital financial ecosystem must consistently deliver services that are reliable, secure, fair, and widely accessible.

CBN Governor, Cardoso to keynote @Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2026 - ITREALMS Online

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, is set to deliver an address as Special Guest of Honour at the 3rd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2026, reports ITREALMS.

The event is scheduled for Friday, July 31, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Victoria Island, Lagos, starting at 10:00 AM prompt, with the apex bank officially confirming Governor Cardoso’s participation over the weekend.

PufferPay CEO, Emmanuel Ovaga, to keynote Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2026 - ITREALMS

The Chief Executive Officer of PufferPay Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Ovaga, has been tapped to deliver the keynote address at the highly anticipated 3rd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2026, reports ITREALMS.

The high-level industry dialogue is scheduled to hold on Friday, July 31, 2026, at the prestigious Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Modern Shylock, Flexi cash and 'Digital Pound of Flesh' by Remmy Nweke | WeekendDigits@ITREALMS

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The marketing banners adorning Nigerian billboards paint a flawless picture of financial liberation, emphasizing zero-fee transactions, instant peer-to-peer transfers, and ubiquitous point-of-sale terminals. Front and center of this retail fintech renaissance is PalmPay, a platform that captured over 35 million accounts by deeply embedding itself into the fabric of the underbanked population.

Yet, behind the slick animations of cashback games and the convenience of a three-second transfer lies a dark, algorithmic undertow. As millions of Nigerians pivot away from traditional banking toward agile mobile-money platforms, a growing chorus of consumer distress echoes across social media.

DBI Insight: Fintech driving financial inclusion as scale - ITREALMS

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Financial technology platforms are accelerating access to financial services across Nigeria, particularly among underserved populations and small businesses.

The DBI report highlights fintech as a key driver of inclusion, innovation, and economic resilience within the digital economy.

— DBI Nigeria Digital Economy Outlook 2026

Thrifto: Digitizing the ‘Ajo’ - How Nigerian Fintech is engineering social trust - Commentary@ITREALMS

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For generations, millions of Nigerians have relied on informal group savings schemes known by different names across the country; ajo in Yoruba communities, esusu in parts of the South-West, isusu in Igboland and adashe in the North.

The concept is simple: a group of people contribute a fixed amount periodically, and each member receives the pooled sum when it is their turn.

PalmPay’s Purple Woman 3.0 tackles fintech’s gender gap - ITREALMS

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Leading fintech platform in Nigeria’s technology sector, PalmPay, has concluded the third edition of its Purple Woman Masterclass, reports ITREALMS.

The initiative, coinciding with International Women's Day 2026, aims to transition young women from digital learners to industry professionals through a rigorous skill-acquisition and internship pipeline.

Nigeria's fintech giant hit by sex scandal - ITREALMS

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Paystack, a Nigerian payments technology company owned by Stripe, has suspended its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ezra Olubi, over allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate, reports ITREALMS.

The allegations surfaced on social media on November 12, 2025, and prompted widespread criticism online, with many users expressing disappointment and outrage.

Telecom, fintech leaders push for strategic partnerships, inclusive policies @WATISE 2025

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The 2025 edition of the West Africa Telecommunications Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (WATISE) concluded in Lagos with a resounding call for governments, regulators, and industry players to deepen collaboration, protect telecom infrastructure, and accelerate inclusive digital access across the region.

Held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos, the summit convened key stakeholders from the telecommunications, technology, and financial services sectors under the theme: “Digitalising the West African Economy: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Critical Stakeholders.”

FinTech stakeholders seek collaboration to advance group in Nigeria - ITREALMS

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Stakeholders at the 2nd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Roundtable 2025 have emphasized the need for collaboration between regulators and operators to advance the sustainable growth of Nigeria's fintech ecosystem and financial inclusion.

Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), noted that Nigeria has emerged as one of Africa's most vibrant fintech ecosystems.

Stanbic IBTC, NEM, Zenith, STI, Ecobank, KBL for Business Journal Fintech Roundtable 2025 - ITREALMS

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As the countdown begins for the 2nd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2025 coming up on Friday, August 29, 2025 at Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Lagos, corporate titans have continued to support the event in terms of corporate sponsorship.

The event comes with the theme: Fintech & Financial Inclusion: The Opportunities & Challenges for Nigeria by 10am.

NGX boss, Umaru Kwairanga to chair Business Journal Fintech Roundtable'25 - ITREALMS

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The Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, will chair the 2nd Business Journal Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2025 scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2025 at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos. Time is 10-am prompt.

The theme of the Roundtable is: Fintech & Financial Inclusion: The Opportunities & Challenges for Nigeria.

FirstBank sponsors maiden edition, Nigerian Fintech Festival in Lagos - ITREALMS

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The inaugural edition of the Nigerian Fintech Festival, sponsored by FirstBank is set to take place in Lagos on September 26, 2024. 

The Nigerian Fintech Festival 2024 will host over 1000 industry stakeholders within the fintech and financial service sector, with the aim to foster collaboration and partnership required to deepen digital payments and unlock value to drive sustainable growth for the business ecosystem in Nigeria.

Experts: Fintech to drive economy, lifts millions out of poverty in Nigeria - ITREALMS

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Leveraging Financial Technology (Fintech) will promote financial inclusion, enhance the well-being of Nigerians and ensure sustainable economic growth, according to experts, reports ITREALMS.

These took the centre-stage at the maiden Nigeria Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2024 organised by Business Journal Media Group in Lagos, as experts dissents the 'Role of Fintech & Financial Inclusion in Citizen Empowerment and Economic Growth' stated that proper leverage of fintech will enhance the economy of the nation and take Nigerians out of poverty.

Experts set for Nigeria Fintech, Financial Inclusion roundtable @April 26 - ITREALMS

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Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and Dr. Apochi Agada, Group Managing Director/CEO, Unified Payment Services Limited would Chair and deliver the Keynote Address respectively at The Nigeria Fintech & Financial Inclusion Roundtable 2024 set for Friday, April 26, 2024 in Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

The roundtable under the theme: “The Role of Fintech & Financial Inclusion in Citizen Empowerment and Economic Growth” is expected to host other speakers including Mrs. Adekunbi Ademiluyi, Managing Director/CEO, HumanManager Limited; Dr. Stanley Jacob, Vice President, Fintech Association of Nigeria and Dr. Bode Oguntoke, Group Head of Audit, FBN Holdings Plc.

NCC, Moniepoint, back NITRA FinTech Forum'23 - ITREALMS

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As the industry media body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), prepares for its stakeholders engagement event, the NITRA Financial Technology (FinTech) Forum 2023, Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has thrown its weight behind the event.

The event, which is slated to hold on October 26, 2023 at CitiHeight Hotel, Ikeja has also gained the support and partnership of all-in-one payments, banking and operations platform, Moniepoint MFB.

FinTech: NITRA to host multi-sectoral forum - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), has announced its upcoming event, tagged NITRA Financial Technology (FINTECH) Forum 2023, slated to hold on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at CitiHeight Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event, which will gather industry stakeholders in the financial technology sector, and the ICT industry as a whole, both from the public and private sectors, will discuss and find ways of accelerating growth in the Fintech sector as a means of achieving laudable federal government set targets and policies.

CBN, CBE sign deal for ‘Nigeria-Egypt FinTech Bridge’ - ITREALMS

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a Nigeria-Egypt FinTech Bridge, reports ITREALMS.

The signing ceremony, which took place at the Seamless North Africa 2023 conference at the Egypt International Exhibition Center, Cairo, on July 17 – 18, 2023, comes after a series of engagements on issues around payment systems, financial technology, and financial inclusion in Africa.

AfricaCom 2022: Huawei launches Fintech 2.0 to boost mobile money - ITREALMS

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Huawei has launched an innovative offering called Fintech 2.0, to revolutionize mobile money in Africa, reports ITREALMS.

This offering is also aimed at increasing financial inclusion and greatly improving the consumer’s digital user experience.