On Techpoint Digest, we discuss CBN forcing PoS agents to choose a single provider, a Lagos boy's journey to global AI work, and South Africa's AI strategy.
Sveiki, Victoria from Techpoint here, Here’s what I’ve got for you today: CBN forces PoS agents to pick one provider A Lagos boy’s path to global AI work South Africa unveils AI strategy CBN forces PoS agents to pick one provider The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. [PHOTO CREDIT: Ehud Kaduna] Nigeria’s agent banking space just got a shake-up. The Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced new rules that force PoS agents to choose just one provider, and that single decision could now define their entire business. Platforms like OPay are already positioned to benefit as agents begin to consolidate. What changed is simple but significant. Before now, most PoS agents ran multiple terminals from different providers to avoid downtime and maximise earnings. Under the new policy, that’s no longer allowed. Agents must now operate with one financial institution, use dedicated accounts, comply with transaction limits, and work only from registered locations with approved devices. What this means is that the game has shifted from flexibility to reliability. Agents can no longer “switch” when one network fails, so the provider they pick must be fast, stable, and trusted. This is where players like OPay gain an edge: speed, uptime, and existing customer trust now directly translate to daily income for agents. Why it matters is because PoS agents are the backbone of everyday banking in Nigeria. Millions rely on them for withdrawals, transfers, and payments. The new rules aim to reduce fraud, improve transparency, and make transactions more consistent. But there’s a flip side: fewer choices for agents could mean less competition and potential pressure on smaller fintechs trying to survive. The context here is years of rapid growth and rising concerns. Nigeria’s PoS ecosystem expanded quickly to fill gaps left by traditional banks, but that growth came with issues, failed transactions, fraud risks, and inconsistent service. The new policy is the regulator’s attempt to clean that up, even if it means forcing a major reset across the industry. A Lagos boy’s path to global AI work Source:guardian.ng What started as sneaking into cyber cafés in Ketu, Lagos, with spare school money has now turned into a full-blown career in machine learning. For Gift Ojeabulu, the tech journey wasn’t exactly planned. He once wanted to become a doctor and spent time rapping, dancing, DJing, and even acting before eventually finding his way into data science and MLOps. Today, he works with global teams and co-founded Data Community Africa, helping others across the continent get into AI. Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer Techpoint Digest Stop struggling to find your tech career path Discover in-demand tech skills and build a standout portfolio in this FREE 5-day email course His earliest memories of tech are simple but telling: clicking around computers in cafés, playing games like Winning 11, FIFA, and Mortal Kombat, and just figuring things out as he went. At the time, it didn’t feel like a foundation for a tech career, but looking back, it was. Between gaming, tinkering with equipment while DJing, and watching sci-fi films like The Matrix, his curiosity for how things worked kept growing quietly in the background. The turning point came much later and somewhat unexpectedly. After missing out on Medicine, moving through Medical Biochemistry, and eventually landing in Computer Science, he had to start from scratch. He taught himself through online courses, experimented with web and Android development, and built his first app, only to lose everything when his laptop crashed. That setback could have ended things, but instead, it pushed him further. An AI bootcamp in 2018 opened a new path, and by 2019, he was already winning competitions and gaining recognition. Since then, things have moved quickly. From his first role applying machine learning to sports analytics to working in MLOps and landing global opportunities, Gift has steadily built a career at the intersection of data and real-world impact. Now, he’s working on AI systems across continents while also building communities back home. If you want the full story, find out more in Delight’s latest on After Hours. South Africa unveils AI strategy Artificial Intelligence South Africa is moving closer to regulating artificial intelligence, with the government publishing a draft national AI policy that could pave the way for new laws by 2027. The plan, driven by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, lays out how the country wants to regulate, grow, and future-proof its AI ecosystem, while balancing innovation with oversight. At its core, this isn’t just about rules. It’s about positioning Sout...
