Business

Google Grant Nigeria N2.8bn AI Fund

Published

2 years ago

October 31, 2024

OCHEFA

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Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital economy says the federal government has secured N2.8 billion grant from Google to boost artificial intelligence (AI) talent development in the country.

The Minister discloses this at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday. Tijani said that the support comes one month after the government partnered with Google to launch a N100 million AI fund initiative in Nigeria.

” The fund is part of Google’s $5.8 million commitment to support digital skills programmes across sub-Saharan Africa.

“This support from Google is a testament to our commitment to positioning Nigeria as a leader in AI innovation,” the minister said.

Matt Brittin, President, Google EMEA, said the grant will be implemented in Nigeria through the government’s ongoing three million technical talents (3MTT) programme with a focus on 20,000 Nigerians with AI skills.

The 3MTT, launched on October 13, is a four-year programme aimed at training Nigerians and building the country’s technical talent backbone to power the digital economy and position Nigeria as a net talent exporter.

Brittin added that through the scheme, 125,000 educators will be trained and 10 promising Nigerian AI startups will be empowered with N100 million.

” I am pleased to announce that Google.org is providing N2.8 billion (or approximately $1.7 million) in funding to the Data Scientists Network Foundation, supporting the honourable minister’s vision for AI growth in Nigeria,” Brittin said.

“This funding will be directed toward critical initiatives that advance AI skills and opportunities across the country. Through this grant, we’re supporting the FMCIDE’s 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) program, with a focus on equipping 20,000 young Nigerians with advanced skills in AI and data science.

“Additionally, the Experience AI Program, developed with the Raspberry Pi Foundation, will train 25,000 educators to inspire and educate 125,000 young learners, introducing them to AI fundamentals.

The AI Fund, created in collaboration with NCAIR, is providing 10 promising Nigerian AI startups with N100 million in funding, alongside up to $3.5 million in Google Cloud Credits, mentorship from Google engineers, and technical support.”

Brittin said BetaLife Health, Bunce, CDIAL AI, Farmspeak, Lendsqr, ProDevs, Rana Energy, SaaSPro Health, Towntalk and Trade Lenda, are the 10 startups selected for the AI fund.

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Business

Dangote, NMDPRA Clash Over Refinery’s Free Zone Status

The case has been adjourned until September 9, 2026, when the court is expected to hear the motion on notice.

Published

13 hours ago

September 1, 2026

OCHEFA

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A fresh regulatory battle between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has erupted into a major legal confrontation over the extent of government’s regulatory powers within Nigeria’s free zones.

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained NMDPRA from enforcing its directive suspending the loading and truck-out of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery, effectively stopping the regulator from taking enforcement action against the facility pending the determination of the substantive application.

Justice Akintayo Aluko, in an interim ruling, also barred NMDPRA, its officers, agents and representatives from entering, sealing, shutting down, restricting access to, obstructing, suspending, disrupting, inspecting, supervising, sanctioning or otherwise interfering with the refinery’s operations at the Lekki Free Zone.

The order followed an ex-parte application filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1174/2026.

At the heart of the dispute is NMDPRA’s August 24, 2026 directive suspending the loading and truck-out of petroleum products from the refinery.

But the case is rapidly assuming significance beyond the immediate dispute over product evacuation.

It raises a fundamental question about the jurisdiction of Nigeria’s petroleum regulator over businesses operating within designated free zones.

Who Regulates the Refinery?

Dangote is challenging NMDPRA’s action on the ground that the regulator lacks the authority to exercise regulatory or oversight powers over operations within free zones, including the Dangote Industrial Free Zone.

Justice Aluko said the documents placed before the court raised “serious issues” requiring determination, particularly whether NMDPRA possesses the regulatory or oversight powers it sought to exercise over the refinery.

The judge also referred to a March 2, 2026 letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation which, according to the court, “clearly stated” that NMDPRA was not entitled to exercise regulatory powers or oversight functions over operations within free zones.The apparent conflict between that position and NMDPRA’s August 24 directive now forms one of the central issues before the court.

Justice Aluko said the critical question was whether NMDPRA should be allowed to exercise the disputed regulatory authority while the substantive issues remained unresolved.

High Stakes for Downstream Market

The dispute comes at a sensitive time for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry, where the Dangote Refinery has become a major source of locally refined petroleum products.

Any regulatory action capable of restricting the refinery’s ability to load and evacuate products has potential implications for petroleum distribution and supply across the country.

For Dangote, the legal battle is also about protecting the operational autonomy and investment framework of a refinery established within a free-zone environment.

For NMDPRA, the issue goes to the core of its mandate as the statutory regulator of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector.

The eventual substantive ruling could therefore have consequences well beyond the two parties.

It could establish a judicial precedent on how far petroleum-sector regulators can go in supervising or enforcing their mandates against businesses operating within free zones.

The case has been adjourned until September 9, 2026, when the court is expected to hear the motion on notice.

Business

Commercial Banks Borrowing From CBN Drops By 89% in August

The CBN has two short term lending windows for banks: the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) and Repo lending.

Published

17 hours ago

September 1, 2026

OCHEFA

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Commercial banks borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) declined by 89 percent to N126 billion in August 2026 from N1.19 trillion in July 2026.

This means higher liquidity in the banking system.

The CBN has two short term lending windows for banks: the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) and Repo lending.

The apex bank lends money to banks through the SLF at interest rate of 500 bases points (bps) above the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR).

It also lends money to banks through Repurchase (Repo) arrangement, which involves the purchase of banks’ securities with the agreement to sell back at a specific date and usually for a higher price.

Source: Vanguard