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Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Good Morning!
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Microsoft is investigating DeepSeek for alleged misuse of OpenAI’s API, while the AI firm also faces scrutiny after failing a news accuracy test, raising concerns about its reliability.
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Meanwhile, Eyouth and EDT&Partners have launched a $6 million digital skills initiative to support youth across Africa and the MENA region.
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In Nigeria, the approved 50% telecom tariff hike is projected to create two million jobs and generate ₦1.6 trillion in tax revenue, according to GSMA.
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Got a news tip or scoop? Share it with us. If you've got the inside scoop on something big happening, let us know. We're all ears. Email us at [email protected].
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The debate over Nigeria’s 50% telecom tariff hike is intensifying, with the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) taking legal action against the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
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Subscribers argue that the increase is excessive, suggesting a more moderate 5–10% hike would have been fairer.
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NATCOMS President Adeolu Ogunbanjo has accused the NCC of ignoring concerns about how this will burden low-income users who rely on affordable telecom services for daily communication.
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The NCC, on the other hand, insists the hike is necessary to address rising operational costs that have remained unchanged for over a decade.
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Telecom operators, including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom had originally pushed for a 100% increase, citing inflation, high import costs, and the need for sustained investment in infrastructure.
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The NCC ultimately approved a 50% adjustment, raising call rates to ₦16.5 per minute and data costs to ₦431.25 per GB, set to take effect in February.
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Beyond NATCOMS, other stakeholders are also challenging the hike.
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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian government, calling the increase “unlawful” and a violation of Nigerians' rights to access information.
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The group is seeking a court injunction to block the implementation of the new tariffs, arguing that it disproportionately affects ordinary citizens while favouring telecom operators.
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Meanwhile, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS) have threatened boycotts, adding to the mounting pressure.
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The growing backlash highlights widespread concerns that the new tariffs could widen the digital divide, making essential services less accessible to millions of Nigerians.
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Despite the criticisms, the government remains firm on the need for the adjustment.
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Minister of Communications Bosun Tijani and Finance Minister Wale Edun have defended the hike, emphasising the need for telecom operators to remain financially sustainable amid rising costs. They argue that without a tariff review, Nigeria risks falling behind in telecom infrastructure development, which is critical for economic growth.
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In the news
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Alibaba unveils Qwen 2.5 AI, claims it beats OpenAI and DeepSeek: Alibaba has launched Qwen 2.5, its latest AI model, claiming it outperforms OpenAI’s GPT-4o, DeepSeek-V3, and Meta’s Llama-3.1-405B. The release comes amid rising competition in China’s AI market, with DeepSeek’s aggressive pricing forcing major players like ByteDance, Tencent, and Baidu to adjust their strategies. - Technext
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Microsoft probes DeepSeek for alleged OpenAI API misuse: Microsoft is investigating claims that Chinese AI firm DeepSeek used OpenAI’s API to train its models, following accusations from Trump’s AI and crypto advisor, David Sacks. A Bloomberg Law report suggests DeepSeek may have copied OpenAI data, violating terms that prohibit using API output to train competing models. Microsoft, a major OpenAI investor, alerted the ChatGPT maker to the suspected breach. Sacks labeled DeepSeek’s actions as "theft," citing “substantial evidence” of knowledge extraction from OpenAI’s AI models. - Technext
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DeepSeek AI fails news accuracy test, raises reliability concerns: Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s chatbot scored just 17% accuracy in a NewsGuard audit, ranking 10th out of 11 compared to Western rivals like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The bot repeated false claims 30% of the time and provided vague or unhelpful answers 53% of the time, resulting in an 83% fail rate—worse than the 62% average of its competitors. - Reuters
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Eyouth, EDT&Partners launch $6M digital skills initiative for African & MENA youth: Egyptian edtech startup Eyouth has partnered with global education consultancy EDT&Partners in a $6 million initiative to equip one million young people across Africa and the Middle East with essential digital skills. The program, launching in February 2025, will train individuals aged 15-35 in AI, programming, data analysis, and digital marketing, leveraging Eyouth’s platform and EDT&Partners' educational frameworks. It will also provide financial support to qualified educators in the region. - Disrupt Africa
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Telcos push for fairer fees under new Financial Reporting Act: Telecom operators in Nigeria are urging the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to review its new annual payment structure, arguing that it unfairly increases costs for companies. Under the amended FRC Act 2023, fees are now based on a percentage of annual turnover instead of a fixed ₦1 million cap, which telcos say will significantly raise their financial burden. The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has called for a fairer system, particularly for non-quoted public interest companies. - BusinessDay
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50% telecom tariff hike to create 2M jobs, boost revenue: The NCC’s approval of a 50% telecom tariff hike is expected to generate two million jobs and ₦1.6 trillion in tax revenue. The policy could also attract over $150 million in investments, strengthening Nigeria’s economy. Angela Wamola, GSMA’s head for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the move will improve service quality and drive innovation, supporting long-term economic growth. - BusinessDay
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Markets and Business
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Moove acquires Kovi, boosts revenue to $275M: Nigerian mobility financing company Moove has acquired Brazilian urban mobility provider Kovi in an all-share deal, pending regulatory approval. The acquisition pushes Moove’s annual revenue to $275 million, a 139% increase from last March. Kovi, backed by Y Combinator, will continue operating under its brand in Brazil and Mexico, with plans for further expansion across Latin America. - Technext
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Nigeria’s e-payments hit ₦1.07 quadrillion in 2024, a record high: Nigeria’s electronic payment transactions reached an all-time high of ₦1.07 quadrillion ($702.6 billion) in 2024, marking the first time the country crossed the quadrillion mark. According to NIBSS, this represents a 79.6% increase from ₦600 trillion in 2023. December saw the highest transaction value at ₦115.1 trillion, driven by festive spending. The volume of transactions for the year also jumped from 9.7 billion in 2023 to 11.2 billion in 2024. This represents a 15.5% increase in the volume of electronic transactions year on year. - Nairametrics
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Other stories
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Crypto.com to delist USDT in Europe by Jan. 31 under MiCA rules: Crypto.com will remove Tether’s USDT and nine other tokens in Europe by Jan. 31 to comply with the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Users have until March 31 to convert assets, as the exchange follows new restrictions set by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). - Technext
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DeepSeek's global success received by Chinese with pride and glee: Chinese bloggers, state media and local citizens have welcomed DeepSeek's global success with pride and glee, with some saying the homegrown AI startup's meteoric rise is a sign China is beating back Washington's attempts to contain the country's tech industry. DeepSeek last week launched a free AI assistant that it says uses less data at a fraction of the cost of incumbent services. By Monday, it had overtaken U.S. rival ChatGPT in downloads from Apple's App Store, triggering a global selloff in tech shares. - Reuters
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