💵 Lagride Secures $100m Funding

Plus: 🤖Microsoft, FG Train 4M Nigerians in AI Skills

Innovation Village
December 18, 2025

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Good Morning Valued Subscribers👋

The other day it was Netflix making bold moves, today Paramount is stepping up with a $108 billion bid for Warner Bros. only to have it flatly rejected. In the world of media, deals of this scale rarely follow a straight path, and this latest twist shows just how high the stakes are when content empires collide.

The refusal underscores that, beyond the numbers, control over franchises, intellectual property, and audience reach is fiercely guarded. For viewers, it might seem like corporate chess, but each move reshapes how stories are produced, distributed, and ultimately consumed. As media giants jockey for dominance, the ripple effects reach far beyond boardrooms affecting subscriptions, streaming options, and the very shape of entertainment for years to come.

In short, the battle for Warner Bros. isn’t just about price tags; it’s about strategy, influence, and the future of the global content landscape.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

🤖 Microsoft, FG Train 4M Nigerians in AI Skills
💵 Lagride Secures $100m UBA Funding
🪙 Luno, AltSchool Africa Launch Crypto Education Programme
📺 Airtel Money Enables Showmax Subscriptions
💵 VOLZ Raises $5m for Algerian Travel Tech

🤖ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Microsoft, FG Train 4M Nigerians in AI Skills

Microsoft says its partnership with Nigeria’s federal government has trained over four million Nigerians in digital skills over five years. The programme includes certifications, student pathways, and a new plan to train 350,000 people in AI, supporting Nigeria’s push to build a competitive, AI-ready workforce..........…..…continue reading

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With AdQuick, you can now easily plan, deploy and measure campaigns just as easily as digital ads, making them a no-brainer to add to your team’s toolbox.

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💵 FUNDING

Lagride Secures $100m UBA Funding

Lagos-backed e-hailing platform Lagride has secured a $100 million financing facility from UBA to scale its Drive-To-Own programme. The funding will help about 3,500 drivers transition from rentals to vehicle ownership, expand access to formal credit, and support cleaner, technology-driven urban mobility in Lagos........…..…continue reading

🪙 CRYPTOCURRENCY

Luno, AltSchool Africa Launch Crypto Education Programme

Luno and AltSchool Africa have launched a fully funded crypto education initiative targeting 15,000 Nigerians to improve digital asset literacy and promote safer participation in the crypto economy. The year-long programme will offer beginner-friendly, practical training on wallets, exchanges, stablecoins, and blockchain tools, with certificates awarded to successful participants............…..…continue reading

📺 MEDIA

Airtel Money Enables Showmax Subscriptions

Airtel Money has partnered with Showmax to let customers pay for streaming subscriptions directly from their mobile wallets, eliminating the need for cards or third-party platforms. The integration simplifies access to entertainment, especially for mobile-first users, and strengthens mobile money’s role in Africa’s digital services ecosystem..........…..…continue reading

Postdoctoral Fellowship for African Students (2026‑2027) — Funding opportunity for postdoctoral researchers from Africa.
NRF (South Africa) Honours Scholarships — Postgraduate scholarship for Honours students in South Africa.
AGNES Intra‑Africa Mobility Grant 2025 — Grant for young researchers from sub-Saharan Africa to support mobility (research visits, collaboration).
Salzburg Global Program Internship 2026— Opportunities to broaden your knowledge across their pillars(Peace and Justice, Education, Culture, Health and Finance).
Ilorin Innovation Hub Accelerator program 2025 — A programme created to support high-potential African startups building hardware, software and infrastructure that will shape the continent’s digital and industrial future.

💵FUNDING

VOLZ Raises $5m for Algerian Travel Tech

Algerian travel-tech startup VOLZ has raised nearly $5 million in a landmark local-currency funding round led by Tell Group, marking the largest dinar-denominated raise by an Algerian startup. The funding supports VOLZ’s expansion across North and West Africa and validates its locally tailored flight-booking model, while also delivering the first exit for the Algerian Startup Fund........…continue reading