Australia has begun rolling out a digital travel declaration system that will gradually replace the paper Incoming Passenger Card completed by international travellers upon arrival. The initiative is part of the Australian government’s broader effort to modernise border processing, strengthen biosecurity checks and improve the travel experience at airports and seaports. Backed by an investment of A$56.1 million over four years, the new Australia Travel Declaration is expected to be implemented nationwide within the next 12 to 18 months. The digital declaration will enable travellers to submit customs, travel and biosecurity information online before departure, reducing paperwork on arrival and…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised $2.5 billion through a private placement as it prepares for a planned initial public offering (IPO), reinforcing its financial position ahead of the next phase of expansion. The successful fundraising was confirmed on Friday by Devakumar Edwin, the refinery’s Group Executive Director, according to Reuters. The fresh capital will support the expansion of the 650,000-barrels-per-day refinery, enabling it to increase production capacity and strengthen its presence in Nigeria’s domestic fuel market while expanding exports across Africa and beyond. The fundraising underscores strong investor confidence in what is widely regarded as the world’s largest single-train refinery.…
By Adewale Okoya Nigeria’s public finances present one of Africa’s most striking economic paradoxes. On paper, the combined budgets of the federal government, 36 state governments and 774 local government councils appear enormous, amounting to between ₦95 trillion and more than ₦100 trillion. Yet, when converted at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official exchange rate of about ₦1,380 to the dollar, the country’s entire public expenditure amounts to only about $69 billion to $73 billion. The implication is sobering. Despite being Africa’s largest economy by population and one of its biggest oil producers, Nigeria ranks behind South Africa, Algeria, Egypt…
Bukayo Saka delivered a sensational hat-trick as England defeated France 6-4 in a breathtaking FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, sealing the nation’s first-ever bronze medal finish at the tournament. In one of the most entertaining matches of the competition, Thomas Tuchel’s side stormed into a commanding 4-0 first-half lead before surviving a spirited French comeback led by Kylian Mbappé. England made their intentions clear from the outset. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the third minute after capitalising on a defensive error before Ezri Konsa doubled the advantage with a powerful header from Rice’s corner. Saka thought he had…
Stakeholders at the Titans of Tech Conference & Expo 2026, themed, Quantum Shift have called for bold policy reforms that will move women from the margins of Nigeria’s digital economy to the centre of decision-making, arguing that true digital inclusion must translate into ownership, leadership and economic power. Speaking during the Women in Tech & Digital Inclusion Forum, themed “Women, Digital Inclusion & Digital Identity: Expanding Access, Opportunity and Economic Empowerment,” panelists agreed that while digital access has improved, government policies must now focus on giving women greater influence over investment, innovation and technology governance. The panel featured Adeuwa Ighodalo,…
Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI has unveiled Kimi K3, a next-generation AI model it says can compete with leading systems from OpenAI and Anthropic, marking another significant step in China’s push to narrow the global AI gap. The model, introduced at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, boasts 2.8 trillion parameters, a key measure of an AI system’s scale and computational capability. Its full suite of coding, reasoning and knowledge-processing features is expected to become available when it is released as an open-source model on July 27. If successful, Kimi K3 will become the world’s first freely…
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has approved a last-minute switch from email-based voter authentication to SMS verification for more than 80,000 registered voters ahead of its national elections, a decision expected to cost the association millions of naira. NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) announced the move on Friday during a press conference, saying the decision was made in response to concerns raised by some candidates over the proposed email-based one-time passwords (OTPs). “We have made that concession. It’s going to cost us millions of naira, but we are ready to make that sacrifice,” Osigwe said. The change means eligible voters…
Apple has reclaimed its position as the world’s most valuable company after its market capitalisation climbed to approximately $4.88 trillion, edging past Nvidia, whose valuation slipped to $4.86 trillion. The milestone follows a 3.5 per cent decline in Nvidia’s share price on Friday, ending the chipmaker’s nearly year-long reign at the top, according to Reuters. Nvidia had dominated global market rankings since April last year, driven by soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips and infrastructure. However, investors are now increasingly optimistic about Apple’s long-term AI strategy and its ability to monetise the technology through its vast ecosystem. Analysts say…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), alongside leading technology firms Tecno, Hyperspace and Digital Realty, will headline the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Innovative & Scientific Conference on July 23, 2026, in Ikeja, Lagos. The conference, themed “Bridging Nigeria’s Digital Divide With Scientific Innovation,” will bring together government agencies, industry leaders, researchers and policymakers to explore how science, technology and innovation can accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation and global competitiveness. NITRA Chairman, Chike Onwuegbuchi, said the conference is designed to provide a platform for stakeholders from the public and private sectors to discuss policies that will strengthen scientific innovation, deepen collaboration between local and…
…Taiwanese semiconductor giant plans four more Arizona plants, lifting total US investment to $265bn Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has announced an additional $100 billion investment to expand its manufacturing operations in the United States, reinforcing America’s push to strengthen domestic semiconductor production. The new commitment raises TSMC’s total planned investment in the US to $265 billion, making it one of the largest foreign investments in American manufacturing. The announcement coincided with the company’s strong second-quarter financial results, as soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips continued to fuel record earnings. TSMC Chief Executive C.C. Wei said the latest investment…