Category: News

Meta has convened some of Nigeria’s leading digital creators for a collaborative session focused on the future of artificial intelligence and content creation, highlighting the growing role of AI in shaping the country’s digital economy.

The event, held under the Nigeria Creator Circle, brought together creators from diverse content niches to network, exchange ideas and gain hands-on experience with Meta AI, the company’s artificial intelligence platform designed to enhance creativity and productivity.

Participants explored how AI powered tools can support content development, improve storytelling, boost audience engagement and unlock new opportunities for creators across social media platforms. The gathering also provided a platform for creators to discuss emerging industry trends, share experiences and collaborate on innovative ways to leverage AI in their work.

According to Meta, the initiative forms part of its broader commitment to empowering creators with the knowledge and technology needed to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven digital landscape. The company said the programme encourages collaboration while showcasing practical applications of artificial intelligence in content creation.

The session featured some of Nigeria’s prominent creators, including Miss Ezeani, Virtuous Irianele, Danielle Diana, Dubem Victoire Mahounou, Callmi Kenzy, Mercy Thaddeus, ShallyTech, Deborah Ogele and Bola Montana, among others.

Meta described the event as the beginning of a broader journey to help creators embrace AI responsibly while expanding their creative possibilities. Under the campaign theme #ThisIsHowYouAI, participants explored how emerging technologies can complement human creativity, simplify workflows and enable creators to produce more engaging and impactful content.

The initiative underscores Meta’s continued investment in Africa’s creator economy as it seeks to equip digital creators with cutting edge tools, strengthen creative communities and foster innovation across the continent.

Female entrepreneurs received a major boost as the FirstGem Spark A Gem Pitch-A-Thon Challenge concluded with winners sharing a total of ₦10 million in grant funding to expand their businesses.

The competition brought together women-led businesses from sectors including catering, beauty, logistics, and agriculture, providing participants with an opportunity to pitch their business ideas before a panel of judges. The initiative aims to support female entrepreneurs by providing access to funding, mentorship, and a supportive business network.

At the end of the competition, the top three entrepreneurs were awarded cash grants of ₦5 million, ₦3 million, and ₦2 million, respectively, to help scale their ventures, strengthen operations, and create more economic opportunities within their communities.

Organisers said the challenge reflects FirstGem’s commitment to empowering women through practical financial support rather than just advocacy. Beyond the grant awards, the programme also seeks to equip female business owners with the knowledge, tools, and community needed to build sustainable enterprises and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.

The organisers described the atmosphere throughout the event as energetic and inspiring, with participants showcasing innovative ideas and demonstrating the resilience and creativity of women entrepreneurs across different industries.

They congratulated the winners and commended every participant for presenting bold business solutions, noting that the quality of pitches highlighted the growing potential of women owned enterprises in Nigeria.

The Spark A Gem Pitch-A-Thon Challenge forms part of FirstGem’s broader efforts to promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship among women by creating opportunities that enable them to access capital, grow their businesses, generate employment, and strengthen their role in driving economic growth. Organisers expressed optimism that the beneficiaries would use the grants to expand their operations and inspire more women to pursue entrepreneurship with confidence.

Iran has commenced a week-long period of national mourning for its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose body now lies in state in Tehran as senior government officials, foreign dignitaries, and thousands of mourners gather to pay their final respects.

According to Al Jazeera, Khamenei’s coffin was carried through the Grand Mosalla religious complex in Tehran on Friday, draped in the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The ceremony marks the beginning of six days of funeral rites ahead of his burial, which was postponed due to the outbreak of war following his death.

Khamenei, who led Iran for more than three decades, was killed on February 28 at the age of 86 during a joint United States-Israeli military strike on his residential compound. Also killed in the attack were members of his immediate family, including his three-year-old granddaughter, eldest daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and other top officials attended Friday’s ceremony. The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Ahmad Vahidi, also made his first public appearance since the conflict began.

According to Al Jazeera, more than 50 foreign delegations have already visited Tehran to honour the late leader. Among those attending are the presidents of Iraq, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Georgia, as well as Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.

Al Jazeera also reported that Iran deliberately did not invite several European nations, with authorities saying invitations were withheld from countries they believe directly or indirectly supported the United States and Israel during the military campaign against Iran.

Authorities expect millions of people to participate in public mourning events beginning on Saturday. Funeral processions are scheduled to pass through several important religious cities, including Qom in Iran and Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, before concluding in Mashhad, Khamenei’s birthplace and home to one of Shia Islam’s holiest shrines.

State media showed mourners throwing scarves and personal belongings toward Khamenei’s coffin to receive blessings, a longstanding religious tradition in Iran. The coffin was covered with a flag bearing the inscription “Ya Hussein,” a revered Shia expression commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein.

According to Al Jazeera, Iranian officials are portraying the funeral as a powerful demonstration of national unity following the conflict, insisting that the assassination of the country’s supreme leader failed to weaken the government but instead strengthened public solidarity in the face of external pressure.