💼 Dangote, Mittal Join World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab

Today’s Menu ☕️

💼 Dangote, Mittal Join World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab
📱 Meta Lays Off Employees in Reality Labs Amid Strategic Restructuring
🥽 What Happened to the Metaverse?
🧑🏽‍💻 Can Technology Fix WAEC’s Exam Malpractice Problem? Here’s What Might Work
📱WhatsApp Translation Feature Helps Businesses Get Ahead Across Africa and Beyond

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 💼 BUSINESS

Dangote, Mittal Join World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab

The World Bank Group has launched the next phase of its Private Sector Investment Lab, reinforcing its commitment to job creation and sustainable development in emerging economies. The initiative, which seeks to unlock private capital for impactful investments, now includes Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote and Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal among its newly appointed members.

The inclusion of these industry giants marks a strategic pivot in the Lab’s mission—from identifying barriers to investment to accelerating practical, job-focused solutions. Their addition brings hands-on experience in driving employment through large-scale infrastructure, manufacturing, and telecommunications projects across Africa and Asia...........…continue reading

📱 SOCIAL MEDIA

Meta Lays Off Employees in Reality Labs Amid Strategic Restructuring

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has confirmed layoffs within its Reality Labs division, the arm responsible for driving its ambitious efforts in virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR). The company has not disclosed the number of employees affected, but the cuts hit various teams within Oculus Studios, the in-house game development unit behind the Quest VR headsets.

The layoffs come as part of a broader restructuring strategy aimed at streamlining operations and ensuring long-term efficiency across Meta’s mixed reality initiatives. The teams working on projects such as Supernatural, a popular VR fitness app, were among those impacted...........…continue reading

🥽 METAVERSE

What Happened to the Metaverse?

Just a few years ago, the metaverse was the next big thing. Tech giants poured billions into building immersive virtual worlds. Executives changed their job titles, startups rebranded overnight, and Facebook became Meta. From gaming to education, from retail to real estate, the metaverse was pitched as the future of the internet—a seamless blend of virtual and physical realities. But in 2024 and 2025, talk of the metaverse has largely faded. So, what happened?

The term “metaverse” gained massive traction in late 2021 when Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would become Meta Platforms, signaling a bold pivot into immersive virtual worlds. The idea was not new—science fiction and gaming had long explored digital realms—but the promise of virtual meetings, NFT-powered economies, and avatar-driven lifestyles seemed closer than ever..........…continue reading

🧑🏽‍💻 EDUCATION

Can Technology Fix WAEC’s Exam Malpractice Problem? Here’s What Might Work

When the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recently announced it had banned 574 secondary schools from conducting the 2025 WASSCE due to exam malpractice, the news sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s education sector. But beyond public outrage lies a deeper question: Can technology finally solve WAEC’s cheating crisis?

The scale of malpractice is staggering, and it’s not new. From “miracle centres” to coordinated cheating schemes, the ecosystem of exam fraud has grown more sophisticated over the years. But thankfully, so has technology—and that might just be WAEC’s best shot at restoring credibility.......…continue reading

📱 MESSAGING

WhatsApp Translation Feature Helps Businesses Get Ahead Across Africa and Beyond

When WhatsApp quietly rolled out its new in-app translation feature to some Android beta users in 2025, most people saw it as a win for casual conversations and travel plans. But there’s another group that should be paying very close attention: small businesses.

WhatsApp Business is already a lifeline for millions of entrepreneurs across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. From clothing vendors in Lagos to tour operators in Nairobi and digital freelancers in Cairo, the app enables direct, real-time customer engagement. Now, with built-in translation, the growth potential just got a major upgrade.

Until now, cross-border communication on WhatsApp required copy-pasting messages into Google Translate or relying on browser extensions. That extra step often slowed down conversations—or worse, led to miscommunication. With WhatsApp’s new translation tool, small businesses can respond to inquiries in multiple languages from within the app.......…continue reading

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