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The modern competitive environment of financial advisory business is closely connected to the relationships with clients and business development. Financial advisors deal with various clients, complicated portfolios, and dynamic market environments and it is therefore necessary to have a clear understanding of both the client behavior and business performance.

Frequent analysis of CRM information enables the advisors to recognize the growth patterns, discover new opportunities, and make the right decision that will reinforce the relationship with the clients and enhance the overall performance. Financial advisor CRM will help convert raw data into useful insights to help realize sustainable business development.

Understanding Client Behavior

Regular analysis of CRM data will give an idea about client behavioral patterns that are likely to remain unnoticed. Through interaction review, transaction review, level of engagement; the financial advisor is able to get a better insight into client preferences as well as their future needs. Such knowledge will help the advisors focus their services and communications to suit clients in a manner that creates trust and loyalty to them over time.

Periodic reviews of data also show changes in client engagement including the course of time. As an illustrative case, a decline in the number of responses to emails or the number of scheduled meetings may suggest the necessity to conduct proactive outreach. By recognizing these trends in time, the advisors are able to ensure that the problems are resolved before they become a problem and the client satisfaction and retention rates will be high.

Improving Operational Efficiency

CRM data reviews allow removing repetitive processes within the company and improving its efficiency. The advisors can track the work of the team, the responsiveness rate, and the completion rate of the tasks, and with the help of this analysis, one can determine the points at which the working process should be refined. This does not only save on the administrative pressure but also results in timely, regular service by the clients.

Also, regular data analysis will enable advisors to identify duplication or inefficiency within available processes. From the trends, teams can identify high value activities like client engagement and strategic planning instead of administrative repetitive work by streamlining the working process. CRM for financial advisors enables easier implementation of these improvements since it offers the tools required to automate reporting and bring the focus to the key metrics.

Identifying Revenue Opportunities

CRM data is not only a log of communication with clients but also a valuable source of information regarding the possible income increase. Monitoring trends in customer portfolios and use of services can enable the advisors to identify the opportunities of upselling or cross-selling the services. Advisors will be able to use an insight into the receptiveness of their clients to new offerings to free up a specific approach that helps maximize the revenue but does not flood clients with a lot of information.

Besides this, data analysis can show unexploited markets or gaps in service in an advisory practice. Through such trends, financial advisors are able to formulate new programs, services or packages that are in line with the needs of the clients. Exploiting the wisdom behind the best CRM software means that the opportunities would be captured effectively and responded upon effectively.

Supporting Strategic Decision Making

Periodic review of CRM data provides the financial advisors with the information needed in making informed decisions. Decisions made based on data are more precise and less susceptible to bias and assist advisors in allocating resources in the most effective way and focus on initiatives that lead to growth. Advisors are able to determine the trends in client acquisition, retention, and portfolio performance, which will enable them to optimize marketing efforts and become more satisfying to clients.

Besides, data review facilitates long-term strategic planning. The realization of historical trends will enable advisors to predict the growth in the future more precisely and create possible strategies that can be executed as a response to the market forces and client behavior. The capability to make strategic changes on the basis of sound data will eventually enhance the competitiveness of a firm in the market.

Frequently examining CRM data is vital to the financial advisor who desires to unveil growth patterns and make sound, strategic choices. Through behavioral knowledge of the client, identifying the revenue potential, operational efficiency, and enabling decisions that are factual, advisors can leverage the value of their clients and optimize their business results. Implementing a CRM on financial advisors in day-to-day practice would make sure analysis and utilization of data always take place. With the optimal CRM software, advisory teams could use insights to take action, which created growth and positioned the company to achieve long-term success.

Updated

December 24, 2025

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Edge computing has been of great importance to gamers and streamers relying on quick and responsive connections. With the constantly increasing complexity and popularity of online games and live streaming platforms, the slightest performance and experience can be influenced by slight delays.

Conventional models of data processing are frequently based on remote data centers, which may add latency that is perceptible when using them in competitive play or real time content generation. The concept of edge computing alters this situation since processing moves nearer to the user, eliminating delays and enhancing the overall digital experiences.

Understanding Edge Computing

The concept of processing data near its source is known as edge computing as opposed to transmitting data over a long distance to centralized servers. To gamers and streamers, it implies that activities like player movements and voice chat, or even stream encoding can be processed by local servers. Through reducing the physical distance that the data has to cover, edge computing reduces the duration required by information to transfer between the user and the service.

This strategy is contrary to conventional cloud computing where data is usually transported over hundreds and even thousands of miles before it is processed. Cloud systems are powerful but distance presents inescapable delays. Edge computing is used in a complement to cloud infrastructure, where time-sensitive processors are performed by the local infrastructure and less urgent processing is provided by central servers. The balance enables online platforms to provide quicker responses with no compromise on scalability or reliability.

Latency Reduction in Gaming

Gaming requires low latency, particularly in a competitive and multiplayer game. Even a delay of a few milliseconds may be the difference between the victory and defeat. By making game servers geographically nearer to players, edge computing can minimise latency, where inputs like clicking the mouse or controlling actions can be processed almost instantly.

This can be particularly noticeable to those players who are using home internet connections. Rather than moving data packets through the congested networks to access remote servers, they will be sent to the edge nodes nearby. This minimizes the lag, enhances coordination among players and a smoother overall experience is made possible. Since the edge based architectures are being embraced by increasingly more game developers, it is increasingly becoming possible to offer consistent low latency performance to more people.

Benefits for Live Streaming

Streamers also encounter another but similarly challenging problem of latency. Live streaming involves the encoding of video, transmitting the video to a platform, and sending it to the viewers in real time. Edge computing assists in doing part of this computation nearer to the streamer and reduces the latency between what occurs on screen and what the viewers observe.

Reduced latency is of great significance to interactive streams where interaction with the audience is a concern. Live chat response, polls, and real time reactions are also features that are also more natural when there are minimal delays. Through edge infrastructure, streaming platforms are able to offer creators more consistent performance even in the event of a high traffic event or peak usage.

Role of Network Infrastructure

Edge computing is very reliant on the network infrastructure. Internet providers are also instrumental in the implementation of edge nodes in regional networks, enabling the user to experience lower latency without having to alter their hardware. Such deployments take investments and coordination but can dramatically enhance the quality of the service in latency sensitive applications.

With the ongoing increase in the demand of gaming and streaming, the internet providers are more than willing to endorse edge computing solutions. Placing the processing resources near residential and urban centers will enable them to deliver more competitive services and achieve the customer expectations regarding speed and responsiveness. This change in infrastructure is a long term enhancement and not a short term optimization.

Impact on User Experience

As a user, the benefits of edge computing can be seen more as small but significant enhancements. Games become more interactive and streams load quicker and there is less lag in interactions. Such advantages add to a feeling of trustworthiness that increases confidence in the online services and platforms.

To both gamers and streamers, edge computing will help in providing a more engaging and interactive online environment. With the advancement of technologies and their usage, lower latency will supersede high-quality features instead of being considered a luxury. The change is useful in ensuring that online entertainment keeps growing without impacting on performance, and edge computing is a cornerstone of the modern internet experience.

Updated

December 24, 2025

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The US State Department said it would deny visas to five people, including a former EU commissioner, for seeking to “coerce” American social media platforms into suppressing viewpoints they oppose.

“These radical activists and weaponized NGOs have advanced censorship crackdowns by foreign states – in each case targeting American speakers and American companies,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Thierry Breton, the former top tech regulator at the European Commission, suggested that a “witch hunt” was taking place.

Breton was described by the State Department as the “mastermind” of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes content moderation on social media firms.

However, it has angered some US conservatives who see it as seeking to censor right-wing opinions. Brussels denies this.

Breton has clashed with Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and owner of X, over obligations to follow EU rules.

The European Commission recently fined X €120m (£105m) over its blue tick badges – the first fine under the DSA. It said the platform’s blue tick system was “deceptive” because the firm was not “meaningfully verifying users”.

In response, Musk’s site blocked the Commission from making adverts on its platform.

Reacting to the visa ban, Breton posted on X: “To our American friends: Censorship isn’t where you think it is.”

Clare Melford, who leads the UK-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was also listed.

US Undersecretary of State Sarah B Rogers accused the GDI of using US taxpayer money “to exhort censorship and blacklisting of American speech and press”.

A GDI spokesperson told the BBC that “the visa sanctions announced today are an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship”.

“The Trump Administration is, once again, using the full weight of the federal government to intimidate, censor, and silence voices they disagree with. Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and un-American.”

Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit that fights online hate and misinformation, was also handed a ban.

Rogers called Mr Ahmed a “key collaborator with the Biden Administration’s effort to weaponize the government against US citizens”.

The BBC has reached out to the CCDH for comment.

Also subject to bans were Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of HateAid, a German organisation that the State Department said helped enforce the DSA.

In a statement to the BBC, the two CEOs called it an “act of repression by a government that is increasingly disregarding the rule of law and trying to silence its critics by any means necessary”.

“We will not be intimidated by a government that uses accusations of censorship to silence those who stand up for human rights and freedom of expression,” they added.

Rubio said that steps had been taken to impose visa restrictions on “agents of the global censorship-industrial complex who, as a result, will be generally barred from entering the United States”.

“President Trump has been clear that his America First foreign policy rejects violations of American sovereignty. Extraterritorial overreach by foreign censors targeting American speech is no exception,” he added.

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On Sunday, Vince Zampella, the co-creator of the Call of Duty video game series, died in a car crash in Los Angeles at the age of 55. Though best known for that series of blockbuster military shooters, Zampella touched a huge number of lives – not only the hundreds of people who worked at the game development studios he led under Activision and EA, but the millions of people who played the games that bore his imprint.

A lifelong gamer, Zampella had a Pong console as a child, then an Atari 2600 and a Commodore 64. He told IGN in 2016 that his favourite game from childhood was Donkey Kong: “I would spend hours at the arcade playing it.” Zampella’s first job in the industry was at GameTek in Miami, which specialised in video-game versions of popular US quizshows. He described his role on the small team as: “producer slash customer services slash tester – whatever needed to be done.”

It was at a developer called 2015, Inc in Tulsa that Zampella had his first smash hit as lead designer. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault was the third title in the acclaimed series of second world war shooters, which had been inspired by Saving Private Ryan and written in conjunction with Steven Spielberg. Zampella had envisioned a new type of shooter with an epic, cinematic sense of immersion. The game was a bestseller, acclaimed for its globetrotting narrative and taut, tense action – especially during its thrilling depiction of the Omaha beach landing.

He will be remembered as one of the most influential game designers of his era

When publisher Electronic Arts made the decision to take the development of Medal of Honour in-house, Zampella and his colleague Jason West left, together with Grant Collier, and set up Infinity Ward in Los Angeles. There they created Call of Duty, a second world war shooter designed to exceed Medal of Honor’s sense of epic drama – indeed, its original development title had been Medal of Honor Killer. Critically, the game featured a range of lead characters including US, British and Russian fighters rather than giving players control of a single “super soldier”. “It’s meant to show you that no one side won the war – it was an allied effort,” Zampella said at the time.

Once again, the emphasis was on dramatic set-piece battles on a vast scale, with the player surrounded by computer-controlled allies giving the impression of being a small part of a wider campaign. “We’re all about authenticity and intensity,” Zampella said. “We’ve strived to put as many guys on screen as possible. It’s about your squad, not you as a lone gunman.”

Cinematic intensity … Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009).

This emphasis on teamwork and cinematic intensity would become emblematic of Call of Duty. While two sequels remained in the theatre of the second world war, for the fourth title, released in 2007, Zampella and West decided to move into the modern era. The result, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, is one of the most important and influential first-person shooters ever made.

Its campaign features a group of special forces operatives, including newcomer John “Soap” MacTavish and grizzled SAS captain John Price, taking on Russian ultra-nationalists and a Middle Eastern warlord. It had imaginative and exciting missions, including All Ghillied Up, a sniper mission in the wake of the Chornobyl disaster, and the eerie Death From Above, in which players control the various weapons of a C-130 aircraft, taking out enemies on the ground who appear merely as dots on an infrared screen. Meanwhile, the game’s online multiplayer mode brought new innovations including kill-streaks, which allowed players on a winning run to call in special attacks such as airstrikes. Infinity Ward created the template for multiplayer shooters that is still used today. Call of Duty’s DNA is present in every modern hit of the genre.

I always felt he still had his greatest game ahead of him. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll never get to play it

In 2010, Zampella and West were fired from Infinity Ward by publisher Activision, and went on to form Respawn Entertainment, taking more than 30 Call of Duty staff with them. Under new publisher Electronic Arts, the company released Titanfall in 2014, a multiplayer-focused sci-fi shooter intended to innovate within the genre. The game emphasised the player’s freedom of movement, allowing for smooth, parkour-style navigation of obstacles and structures. Players were also able to call in and pilot giant, heavily armed mechs. As Zampella explained at the time: “It’s taking the old paradigm of these shooter games being very grounded and two-dimensional and now adding this verticality to it and making it something that’s a new experience; something that people haven’t seen before.”

‘It was an allied effort’ … Call of Duty: WWII (2017). Photograph: Rich Stanton/Call of Duty

After splitting with Activision, Zampella advised several other game creatives who found themselves at odds with their publishers and were considering striking out on their own. One of them was Hideo Kojima, creator of Metal Gear Solid and, at his own studio Kojima Productions, the Death Stranding series. “When I was preparing to go independent myself, and maybe because he felt we were in similar situations, he took the time to listen to me, offered advice, and supported me in many ways,” wrote a “heartbroken” Kojima on X after Zampella’s death. “He even showed me around the studio. Even after he moved to DICE, whenever I went to Los Angeles, we would have meals together and talk about our respective futures”

Titanfall’s sequel added an extraordinary single-player story to the original’s fluid online play – it is still one of the best shooter campaigns around. That series’ emphasis on smooth, seamless movement would also characterise Respawn’s entry into the battle royale genre: Apex Legends. Released with almost no pre-publicity in 2019, it would attract 10m players in its opening 72 hours and still maintains a place in the pantheon alongside Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone.

Respawn next made two excellent single-player Star Wars games, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor. Zampella’s peers have noted that working on the Star Wars franchise brought him and his colleagues at Respawn great joy.

In 2020, Electronic Arts put Zampella in charge of the Battlefield franchise, with a remit to recharge the series after the disappointing performance of Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042. Released in October, Battlefield 6 was widely praised as a return to form, especially the online multiplayer modes. It sold 7m copies in three days, the best ever opening for the series.

Working on the Star Wars games brought Zampella great joy … Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023). Photograph: Electronic Arts

Zampella will be remembered as one of the most influential game designers of his era and a ceaseless innovator in the first-person shooter genre – and with the Star Wars Jedi series, outside it. He was someone whom you always looked forward to encountering or interviewing at games industry events, an outspoken creative who cared deeply about video games and the player’s experience.

“Vince was an extraordinary person – a gamer at heart, but also a visionary executive with a rare ability to recognise talent and give people the freedom and confidence to create something truly great,” wrote Geoff Keighley on X, who runs the Game Awards and, as a former games journalist, worked on a documentary about Titanfall with Zampella. “Even when it was difficult or uncomfortable, Vince never wavered in his commitment to honesty and transparency. He believed that the truth mattered, and he was willing to share it with the world. Vince cared deeply about doing the right thing. And even while working inside large organisations, he consistently pushed to put players first – to prioritise the experience, the craft and the people who played the games. He leaves behind an incredible legacy of work … I always felt he still had his greatest one ahead of him. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll never get to play it.”

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Staying in touch with loved ones this Christmas just got a little bit easier for thousands of people across the country.

Over 100 new mobile masts have been upgraded to bring 4G to Britain’s rural communities.

Of the 105 enhanced masts, 44 are located in Wales, 33 in Scotland, and 28 in England.

To see if your area will be getting a much-needed signal boost just in time for the holidays, you can use our interactive map below.  

According to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), these new mobile towers will provide 9,500 premises and 400 businesses with high-speed connections. 

Collectively, they will provide better signal to an area extending more than 1,550 square miles (4,000 square kilometres).

That is equivalent to a region two and a half times larger than Greater London. 

Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd says: ‘More of Britain’s rural communities are finally getting the connection they’ve been waiting for as we deck the hills with 4G coverage.’

These major upgrades will provide a 4G network for customers of all mobile network providers through the Shared Rural Network. 

This is a joint programme between the government and the mobile network operators EE, Virgin Media O2 and VodafoneThree to improve rural coverage across Britain.

In 2020, the network providers pledged £500 million to fill out so-called ‘partial not-spots’, where there is coverage from only one service provider.

This was backed by up to £500 million in funding from the Government, to bring mobile coverage up to 95 per cent by 2025.

Today, as the project’s deadline rapidly approaches, the Shared Rural Network has already surpassed its initial goals.

Currently, 96 per cent of the country is covered by 4G signal, up from 92 per cent in 2021.

Ms Lloyd adds: ‘These 100 upgraded masts mean businesses can ring up sales, families can video call their loved ones this Christmas without buffering mid-conversation.

‘Whether you’re in the Welsh valleys, the Scottish Highlands, or England’s national parks – rural communities are finally getting the connections they deserve.’

Over 100 new mobile masts have been completed to bring 4G to Britain’s rural communities in England, Wales, and Scotland 

What is the Shared Rural Network? 

In 2020, the UK Government signed an agreement called The Shared Rural Network (SRN) to improve rural mobile coverage by 2025.

Under the deal, mobile industry operators will invest around £500 million to fill ‘partial not-spots’. 

‘The Government will invest up to £500 million on new masts in “total not-spots” (areas with no coverage from any operator),’ the UK government explained.

‘This part of the SRN will also include masts built as part of the Home Office’s new Emergency Services Network, which is also forecast to improve rural mobile coverage.

‘Together these commitments are expected to bring 4G coverage to 95 per cent of the UK landmass by 2025.’ 

This programme has provided coverage for 280,000 homes and 9,900 miles (16,000 km) of roads, offering better connections for emergency services.

DSIT claims that these new connections will also be a boost for the tourism industry in rural areas, allowing visitors to stay connected while enjoying nature. 

New coverage is now available in 10 national parks across England, Scotland, and Wales – including Eryri National Park and the Lake District. 

However, there are still significant areas where 4G coverage is only offered by one or two providers.

Only 70 per cent of Scotland is forecast to have coverage from all four providers, with only 63 per cent of the Highlands and Islands region being fully covered. 

That is a significant improvement from only 26 per cent of the Highlands and Islands prior to the Shared Rural Network, but it still leaves many people without a stable connection.

Likewise, only 74 per cent of Mid and West Wales will have coverage from all four providers – up from 51 per cent prior to the Shared Rural Network. 

England, meanwhile, has significantly better coverage, with at least 83 per cent of all regions covered by all four providers. 

This expansion is provided by the Shared Rural Network (SRN), which has created cell towers which can be used by all major network providers. These maps show the regions covered by all four providers (blue), covered by at least one provider (yellow), and no providers at all (red) before and after the introduction of the SRN 

The SRN has dramatically improved connection in rural regions, but some areas, such as the Scottish Highlands and Islands, still have large areas of partial and total not spots (red and yellow)

For example, the area covered by at least one provider in North Wales has increased from just 63 per cent to 83 per cent in the last five years. 

Additionally, even the most remote regions have seen significant improvements in connectivity since the implementation of the plan. 

Ben Roome, CEO of Mova, the Shared Rural Network delivery partner, says: ‘Christmas is a time for connection and this year more rural communities than ever can share that spirit. 

‘With the 100th site activated, in Llanfair on the border between England and Wales, these publicly funded masts can connect families, friends and businesses across a cumulative area of over 4,000 square kilometres, irrespective of mobile provider.’

EXPLAINED: THE EVOLUTION OF MOBILE BROADBAND UP TO 5G

The evolution of the G system started in 1980 with the invention of the mobile phone which allowed for analogue data to be transmitted via phone calls.   

Digital came into play in 1991 with 2G and SMS and MMS capabilities were launched. 

Since then, the capabilities and carrying capacity for the mobile network has increased massively. 

More data can be transferred from one point to another via the mobile network quicker than ever.

5G is expected to be 100 times faster than the currently used 4G. 

Whilst the jump from 3G to 4G was most beneficial for mobile browsing and working, the step to 5G will be so fast they become almost real-time. 

That means mobile operations will be just as fast as office-based internet connections.

Potential uses for 5g include: 

• Simultaneous translation of several languages in a party conference call 
• Self-driving cars can stream movies, music and navigation information from the cloud
• A full length 8GB film can be downloaded in six seconds. 

5G is expected to be so quick and efficient it is possible it could start the end of wired connections.  

By the end of 2020, industry estimates claim 50 billion devices will be connected to 5G.

The evolution of from 1G to 5G. The predicted speed of 5G is more than 1Gbps – 1,000 times greater than the existing speed of 4G and could be implemented in laptops of the future 

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On Monday, the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission banned all new foreign-made drone models from distribution in the U.S., citing “national security concerns.” Americans who already own older foreign drone models will still be able to use those products, the government said.

In a fact sheet published Monday, the FCC claimed that “criminals, hostile foreign actors, and terrorists” could use drones “to present new and serious threats to our homeland.” As a result, the agency said that it had updated its Covered List — which is a list of products that have been “deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security” of the country — to include all “UAS and UAS critical components produced abroad.”

The FCC’s chairman, Brendan Carr, said Monday that he approved of the policy. “I welcome this Executive Branch national security determination, and I am pleased that the FCC has now added foreign drones and related components, which pose an unacceptable national security risk, to the FCC’s Covered List,” Carr said. “Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will work closely with U.S. drone makers to unleash American drone dominance.”

The new rule will obviously impact many different companies, but it is destined to strike a blow against Chinese drone maker DJI, which is currently considered the dominant player in drone sales globally. Indeed, DJI is considered to be one of the most popular drone brands for American consumers.

When reached for comment by TechCrunch, DJI said it disapproved of the decision. “DJI is disappointed by the Federal Communications Commission’s action today to add foreign‑made drones to the Covered List. While DJI was not singled out, no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination.”

The company, which said that it remained committed to the U.S. market, continued: “As the industry leader, DJI has advocated for an open, competitive market that benefits all US consumers and commercial users, and will continue to do so. DJI products are among the safest and most secure on the market, supported by years of reviews conducted by U.S. government agencies and independent third parties.”

Throughout his multiple presidential administrations, Trump has repeatedly played hardball with Chinese companies. His administration laid the groundwork for the new drone ban with an executive order passed in June that sought to boost the production of U.S.-made drones and thus foster a “strong and secure domestic drone sector,” while also securing “the United States drone supply chain against foreign control or exploitation.”

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Photo by Ian Usher / Unsplash

The thermal and multispectral drones are standing to gain prominence in the device inspection industry, representing a considerable change in industrial inspections on energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure fields.

Such aerial systems enable organisations to collect accurate visual and sensor data without closing down business activities or putting the workers in unsafe conditions.

With growing demands on industries to advance safety, down-time reduction as well as cost control, sophisticated drone platforms are transforming the asset monitoring and maintenance process.

Technology Overview

The sensors on thermal drones identify the variations of heat on the surfaces and elements. Such an ability allows detecting overheating equipment, electrical issues, and insulation failures which cannot be seen by human vision. Measuring changes in temperature on-the-fly allows the inspectors to identify developing problems at an early stage and do repairs in order of importance before the failures get out of control.

Multispectral drones gather data in multiple bands of light in the light spectrum beyond visible. These sensors are typically employed to measure material conditions, corrosion, intrusion of moisture and degradation of the surface. In the case of the industrial inspections, the multispectral imagery will give more information on the structural health and environmental stress that determines long term performance of asset performance.

Inspection Accuracy

Accuracy in inspection has been enhanced by the accuracy that thermal and multispectral drones provide. Conventional visual scope inspections are usually based on subjective inspection and restricted access points. The data collected by drone based imaging is consistent and repeatable and that can be analyzed across time to enable the inspector to identify the changes and to verify the effectiveness of the maintenance work.

The information that is taken by such drones can be incorporated into asset management systems to be analysed in detail. The engineers will be able to compare the past and present images and determine the trends and anticipate future problems. This fact based strategy minimizes guesses and enables better decision making within inspection and maintenance personnel.

Safety Improvements

Enhanced safety of the workers is one of the most significant effects of advanced drones. Previously inspections would need the use of scaffolding, rope access, or entry into a tight area, this is now achievable remotely. This minimizes the risk of falls, high-temperature, and exposure to dangerous substances that lead to safer working conditions in industrial premises.

Remote inspections also reduce the interference to active operations. Refineries, power plants and manufacturing lines can remain operational during inspections, which occur overhead. Organizations safeguard staff as well as production processes by preventing an unnecessary shutdown along with manual access.

Cost Efficiency

Drones that are thermal and multispectral do reduce the cost of inspection by decreasing the number of labor hours and equipment needs. One drone flight will save days of hand inspection labor, reducing costs of lifts, scaffolding, and specialized access crews. In the long run, this savings can be high in large or widely spaced facilities.

The outsourcing of drone inspections by specialization is becoming a common practice in many firms. By outsourcing drone services, the company can have access to trained pilots, certified equipment, and advanced analytics without incurring the cost of maintaining an internal program. This ease enables the use of dronement based inspections to be available to any organizations regardless of their size.

Maintenance Planning

The fact that thermal and multispectral data give a detailed insight, helps in proactive maintenance strategies. Maintenance teams will be in a position to schedule the repair on an early warning sign due to drone inspection rather than responding to breakdowns. It is a predictive method that increases the life cycle of assets and minimizes unforeseen failures.

Organizations enhance reliability and continuity of operations by coordinating inspection information with the maintenance planning. Drones also allow transitioning to preventive and not reactive maintenance models and allocate resources in the areas with the highest demand. What is more central is that as these technologies further develop, their application in the industrial inspection and asset management will become the norm.

Updated

December 23, 2025

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Netflix has revealed that 33 million viewers worldwide tuned in to watch Anthony Joshua face Jake Paul in their highly anticipated boxing match, making it one of the most-watched live sporting events on the streaming platform to date. The fight ended with Joshua knocking out Paul in the sixth round.

The fight at the Kaseya Centre in Miami was Joshua’s first in over a year. Right from the start, his experience and power stood out, although the match moved at a slower pace than many fans had hoped.

Joshua ended the fight with a clear knockout, settling weeks of debate about whether the match should have taken place. Netflix later celebrated on social media, calling it “the knockout heard around the world.”

Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the 6th round

When boxing met the Netflix streaming scale

Beyond the knockout, the fight signalled something bigger for sports and the streaming industry. Netflix’s involvement significantly expanded the match’s audience, drawing in millions of casual viewers who might not typically watch the sport. For many, this was less about titles and rankings and more about spectacle.

Worldwide streaming services have greatly expanded boxing’s audience. Unlike expensive pay-per-view events, this fight was accessible to viewers globally, revolutionising how major boxing matches are watched.

The Joshua-Paul event was a huge financial success. Reports suggest that Joshua and Paul earned a combined total of approximately $184 million. This demonstrates the significant commercial interest in the fight and the increasing popularity of boxing events featuring celebrities.

The fight unfolded as expected. In the beginning, Paul had trouble keeping up, as he was ften falling more than holding on. Conversely, Joshua stayed calm, saving his energy and staying in control.

Read also: Anthony Joshua to fight YouTube star Jake Paul on December 19

Joshua’s dominance was clear by the fifth round. He knocked Paul down twice before winning in the sixth round with a powerful series of punches. The referee stopped the fight, as Paul was unable to continue. Joshua landed almost three times as many punches as Paul during the fight.

The result prompts speculation about prospects. Joshua’s victory maintains his activity and prominence amid discussions for major fights in 2026, potentially including a highly anticipated bout with Tyson Fury. Paul’s defeat stalls his progress and reignites questions regarding the boundaries of crossover boxing.

For Netflix, the takeaway is clear: live sports, particularly boxing’s blend with entertainment, can still captivate a massive global audience.

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Enterprise software company ServiceNow agreed to acquire nine-year-old cybersecurity startup Armis for $7.75 billion in cash.

The deal is a massive valuation jump for the company. Just last month, Armis raised a $435 million pre-IPO funding round, which valued the company at $6.1 billion.

Armis co-founder and CEO Yevgeny Dibrov had told TechCrunch last month that the company aims to go public in late 2026 or 2027, adding that an IPO is his “personal dream.”

Given the unpredictability of IPO markets and how few cybersecurity companies actually go public, it is not a surprise that Armis ultimately chose an M&A exit.

According to ServiceNow, Armis has reached $340 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), with year-over-year growth exceeding 50%.

Armis, which provides security software for critical infrastructure to Fortune 500 companies and governments, will help ServiceNow expand its cybersecurity offerings.

The deal caps off a busy acquisition year for ServiceNow, which scooped up Moveworks for $2.85 billion and agreed to acquire cybersecurity startup Veza for $1 billion.

According to PitchBook, Armis has raised a total of $1.45 billion in venture capital from investors, including Sequoia, CapitalG, and Insight Partners.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash

In the case of B2B startups and smaller tech companies, the cost of creating a strong brand image may be difficult particularly when dealing with limited budgets. Good promotional materials that are cost effective give a chance to have increased visibility, build relationships with clients and give long term impressions without necessarily spending a lot of money. The choice of promotional materials will be able to enhance advertising campaigns without being costly.

Promotional materials are not merely a case of giveaway but they are promotional tools that help convey professionalism and brand identity. To startup companies that are focused on gaining a competitive edge in the environment of competitive technologies, it can be beneficial to pay careful attention to promotional items, as it will help to establish rapport with customers and partners and develop brand recognition in the long term.

Choosing Promotional Products Wisely

When choosing the promotional materials, it is important to ensure that they represent your target audience in order to be cost effective. Tech startups and companies with limited resources tend to have the least resources, and thus products that would be useful, memorable, and related provide the best value. Branded USB drives, notebooks, or technology accessories are among the products that B2B clients can use on their daily basis to stay reminded of the company.

The other factor is quality as opposed to quantity. Offering substandard products can save on initial expenses, but will give a bad impression of the brand. Promoting by buying reasonably priced products that reflect professionalism will mean that promotional products will be perceived as useful, which will strengthen trust in clients and prospects.

Leveraging Corporate Clothing

Corporate wear has two advantages to emerging tech companies. T-shirts, hoodies, and polo shirts are branded clothing that could provide the employees with a feeling of unity, as well as used as walking advertisements at the workplace. These products are usually highly appreciated and will give the brand a long lasting exposure.

Corporate clothing is a strategic tool that tech startups can employ during a trade show, conference, or a meeting with the client. High-quality clothing conveys a tone of contemporary and friendly language, promoting brand recognition and trust. The popularity and effectiveness of these materials can also be improved by selecting multi-purpose and comfortable materials.

Utilizing Corporate Gifts

Corporate gifts are significant to developing the relationship of B2B without putting strain on the budgets. Careful products like branded pens, planners, or mini tech devices may increase customer loyalty and show their value. The trick is to choose presents, which will match the tastes and the workplace of the person receiving the gift.

Startups and emerging technology companies can also look into gifts that have a practical use. Valuable products are likely to be held on and valued to the maximum exposure to the brand. Also, custom corporate gifts provide a feeling of connection, and it indicates that a company considers every client or partner as an individual.

Prioritizing Digital and Hybrid Options

Besides tangible products, digital or hybrid promotional materials should be considered a cost effective solution. Electronic gift cards, branded software solutions or downloadable materials offer value with little production and logistics required to ship. These options enable the tech firms to contact clients far away or widen campaigns without huge overheads.

Brand impact could also be improved by integrating digital solutions with conventional content. An example would be putting a QR code on a branded tech accessory or a notebook that will take customers to company material: this will be a tangible and digital touch point, making B2B customer experience more engaging.

Optimizing Bulk Purchasing and Supplier Partnerships

The promotion materials may be bought in bulk or good relations with the suppliers may be established to save the costs. Negotiation of volume discounts or negotiating package deals which contain several items at reduced prices are usually the advantage of startups. Premeditated campaigns enable the firms to optimise budgets as well as get quality products.

Flexibility and reliability may also be achieved through long term supplier partnerships. Development of relationships with reliable suppliers will guarantee uniform product quality and availability to replenish the warehouses with their products within short notice. This will minimise the chances of incurring excess expenditure on last minute orders but the image of the company remains professional.

Measuring Impact and Adjusting Strategy

The effectiveness of promotional materials needs to be assessed to ensure continuity in cost effectiveness. Startups need to observe the engagement, client feedback, and the ROI to identify the items that add the most value. Frequent analysis will enable companies to optimize the initiatives and invest in materials that can give quantifiable outcomes.

The promotion campaigns are adjusted to the performance insights to be sure that the resources are distributed properly. B2B startups and tech companies can ensure that their promotion materials are as effective as possible and their costs are managed through constant monitoring of results and thus provide the company with greater brand recognition in a competitive market.

Conclusion

Branding requires cost efficient promotional materials which are crucial in the B2B startups and developing technology companies. Considerable choice, tactical application of organization garments and company presents, and incorporation of electronic choices can enhance the promotion endeavors without violating constrained budgets.

Startups can attain sustainable client interaction and brand presence through focusing on quality, relevance, and measurability. Besides increasing visibility these materials reflect professionalism and care, their use is the basis of long-term competitive growth in B2B markets.

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For years, the unofficial motto of Ghana’s cryptocurrency market was “innovate until you get caught.” That era had just ended with the recent passing of the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill, 2025.

Speaking at the Bank of Ghana’s annual thanksgiving service during the weekend, the Governor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, confirmed that the new legislation effectively ends years of regulatory ambiguity.

“This year also saw the passage of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, a significant step in preparing the regulatory framework for digital asset activities. The Bill establishes the basis for licensing and supervising participants in this space, ensuring that emerging activity is brought within clear, accountable, and well-governed boundaries,” Governor Johnson said.

Building on his earlier promise at the IMF’s annual meetings in Washington sometime in October, where he announced that a draft bill is being advanced to parliament and that the country aims to have a legal and regulatory regime for crypto in place by December 2025, the governor effectively promised that the days of looking over one’s shoulder are over, stating flatly that “no one is going to be arrested for engaging in crypto.”

But as the initial euphoria settles in Accra this morning, a colder reality is dawning on the nation’s crypto and fintech founders: safety has a price tag. 

Governor Johnson Asiama of the Bank of Ghana

While the new law effectively ends the regulatory “Wild West,” it replaces the fear of police raids with the crushing weight of compliance costs, potentially handing the market keys to well-capitalised foreign giants while local startups struggle to foot the bill.

The passing of the bill is not just a legal milestone, but a market-clearing event. By classifying crypto exchanges and wallet providers as accountable institutions, Ghana has signalled that the free ride is over.

The reality for Ghanaian crypto is no longer about if you can operate, but how much it will cost you to do so.

Ghana’s VASP Bill: From illegal to unaffordable?

The most immediate impact of the VASP Bill will be a consolidation of the market. During the grey market era, barriers to entry were low; anyone with a Telegram group and a P2P connection could run a quasi-exchange.

The new bill changes the math entirely.

Under the new framework, Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) must now obtain formal licenses from the Bank of Ghana. This sounds bureaucratic, but it is effectively a financial moat. The requirements, spanning rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) reporting, and capital solvency mandates, favour incumbents.

Global giants like Binance or Coinbase, which have entire departments dedicated to compliance, can absorb these costs as a line item.

For a lean Ghanaian startup facilitating $50,000 in monthly volume, however, the cost of hiring a compliance officer and paying licensing fees could be existential. 

We are likely to see a wave of acqui-hires, where smaller local players are bought out not for their technology, but for their user bases, as they fail to meet the new capital adequacy standards.

The irony of regulation is that while it legitimises the industry, it often kills the very grassroots innovation that built it.

The regional power play: Accra vs. Lagos

The geopolitical implications of this bill are perhaps more significant than the domestic ones. For the last decade, Nigeria has been the undisputed king of African crypto volume, driving billions in flows despite a hostile relationship with its own Central Bank (CBN).

But capital hates uncertainty, and Nigeria’s regulatory approach has been anything but stable, oscillating between banking bans and reluctant engagement.

Ghana has now leapfrogged its larger neighbour by offering something Nigeria hasn’t: legislative certainty. By passing a clear VASP Bill, Accra is positioning itself as the “Delaware of West Africa,” a safe harbour where Web3 companies can incorporate without fear of sudden policy U-turns.

This could trigger a capital flight of sorts. Venture Capitalists (VCs) looking to deploy funds in West Africa may now mandate that their portfolio companies domicile in Ghana, even if their primary customer base remains in Nigeria.

We have seen this hub-and-spoke model work in other regions (like Singapore vs. Southeast Asia), and Ghana is now arguably the most attractive regulatory sandbox in the ECOWAS region.

The surveillance trade-off: The taxman cometh for crypto ‘bros’

Finally, we must address the visibility aspect of the bill. Governor Asiama noted that the bill brings activity within “clear, accountable boundaries.” In plain English, this means the government can now see the money.

With $3 billion in crypto transactions recorded in Ghana over the 12 months leading to June 2024, the state is aware of the revenue potential. The VASP Bill effectively turns exchanges into deputies of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). While the bill itself focuses on licensing, it creates the data infrastructure for taxation.

Users who flocked to crypto to hedge against Cedi inflation or to move funds anonymously will face a rude awakening. 

The mandatory KYC requirements mean that every wallet address on a regulated exchange will be linked to a Ghana Card. The privacy premium of crypto is evaporating. The next major announcement from Accra will almost certainly not come from the Bank of Ghana, but from the tax authorities, armed with a new list of high-net-worth crypto holders provided by the very exchanges they just legalised.

Notwithstanding the possible tax obligations, the passing of the VASP Bill is undoubtedly a victory for legitimacy. It removes the risk of arbitrary arrest and integrates crypto into the formal financial system. But for the small traders and startups who built this $3 billion market in the shadows, the celebration should be cautious. 

The jungle is gone, the zoo now has fences, admission fees, and keepers watching every move. Ghana is open for crypto business, but only for those who can afford the fees.

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Worshippers of a church in Las Vegas, Nevada believe they witnessed a true miracle during a holiday mass.

Father Edmund Nnadozie was preaching at St Thomas More during the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe when the congregation erupted, claiming they saw a face appear in the wrinkles of fabric near the altar.

The cloth had been draped over a pedestal holding a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The feast is celebrated on December 12. 

Parishioners captured images showing the fabric later wrinkling into what they all believed was a shape resembling a human face.

Ben Yzaguirre, who attended that mass, photographed the phenomenon and told local Fox5 Vegas: ‘I believe it’s a miracle, a sign from heaven. It’s beautiful to see, and I’m glad I was able to be a part of that.’

Images of the face have flooded social media, where other worshippers who attended the mass echoed Yzaguirre’s statements.

‘I was there at this Mass. Miracles happen,’ one user shared on X.  While others were quick to dismiss it, saying the worshippers experienced pareidolia, the tendency to see faces in random patterns or groups of objects.

However, Nnadozie told the local news outlet that the timing of the image makes the incident difficult to dismiss as a coincidence. 

‘I looked at it, I’m like, ‘Oh, wait a minute,’ I looked at it again, and that was the face of, you know, it’s Our Lady,’ Nnadozie said, saying there were 800 people there and no one touched the fabric.

Father Edmund Nnadozie was preaching at St Thomas More during the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe when the congregation erupted, claiming they saw a face appear in the wrinkles of fabric near the altar

Pictured is the face appearing in the wrinkled cloth (without being darkened). Many people have said the worshippers experienced pareidolia, the tendency to see faces in random patterns or groups of objects

The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe begins in 1531 when the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared to an indigenous man named Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill, near modern-day Mexico City. She requested that a church be built on the site in her honor. 

To convince the skeptical bishop, Juan Diego gathered roses in his tilma, a simple cloak, despite it being winter when no flowers normally bloomed. 

When he opened the tilma before the bishop, the roses fell to the floor, and an image of the Virgin Mary miraculously appeared on the fabric.

The tilma, which is still preserved today in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, has long been venerated by millions of Catholics worldwide. 

Scientists and historians have marveled at the image, noting that the cloth has lasted nearly 500 years with no significant deterioration, and the exact method of its creation remains a mystery.

For worshippers in Las Vegas, the appearance of a face on a cloth during the holiday mass echoes this centuries-old miracle, inspiring devotion and sparking conversation about faith, wonder, and the enduring power of the Virgin’s image.

Nnadozie told Fox5 Vegas: ”I think maybe Our Lady was sending a message to us, ‘Hey, I’m still around, I know today is a celebration of my day, and I can still show myself.

‘God chooses when a miracle happens, and a miracle can happen in Las Vegas.’

Worshippers believe it was the face of Our Lady of Guadalupe (PICTURED)

The cloth had been draped over a pedestal holding a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The feast is celebrated on December 12. The ‘face’ was darkened in a local news segment 

Yzaguirre said the experience resonates even with those who were not present at the mass.

‘Sometimes the world or the community needs these things as well, and it’s not just for us to keep to ourselves,’ he said. 

In 2018, a church in Mexico claimed to have experienced a miracle when it found a ‘weeping’ Virgin Mary statue that was leaking olive oil.

A sample of fluid was taken from the statue, located at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, and sent for a chemical analysis.

‘And we determined it was olive oil, a scented olive oil,’ Bishop Oscar Cantú told the Las Cruces Sun News.

‘Some of the witnesses claimed it smelled of roses, so something similar to the oil I bless and consecrate each year that we use for baptism, for confirmations, and for ordination of the priests.’ 

Church leaders looked at the possibility that something from inside the statue was causing the leak.

‘We examined the interior of the hollow statue,’ Cantú added. ‘There’s nothing on the interior that’s not supposed to be there, except for cobwebs. So we took pictures; we examined it.’

Church officials looked to the Mexican manufacturers to see if there was any fluid that could have lingered from the building process. Wax was found to be used in the process, but it is ‘so hot that all of the wax melts away,’ Cantú asserted.

He said: ‘In that process, they assured us there would be no possibility of any moisture remaining in the bronze. So those are some of the facts that we have established.’ 

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Nigerian merchants can now accept Apple Pay payments through Nomba, as the fintech expands its payments stack to support Apple’s contactless payment service across in-store and online checkouts.

The integration allows merchants on Nomba’s platform to receive payments from Apple Pay users without requiring physical cards or initiating bank transfers to access instant payments from their global customers, including diaspora Nigerians.

“Payments globally are moving toward speed, security, and invisible checkout,” said Pelumi Aboluwarin, Nomba’s CTO. “Our responsibility is to ensure Nigerian merchants are not left behind, but are fully prepared for the future of payments.”

Nomba is the latest Nigerian fintech to support Apple Pay, following Stripe-owned Paystack’s integration in 2021 and a similar launch by cross-border payments fintech Platnova in July 2025. While Apple Pay is widely used in markets such as North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, its adoption in Nigeria has been limited by regulatory constraints and infrastructure challenges.

Unlike a full consumer rollout that would require Nigerian banks to issue Apple Pay-enabled cards, Nomba’s integration focuses on merchant acceptance. Customers globally can pay Nigerian businesses using Apple Pay on their iPhones, authenticated with Face ID linked to their stored card details.  For Nigerian merchants using Nomba, the feature works across physical point-of-sale (POS) terminals and online checkouts.

The integration was enabled through strategic global partnerships and regulatory alignment with licenced foreign entities already approved within Apple’s payments ecosystem. While Nomba did not disclose its partners, Aboluwarin said the company worked with them to “carry out the deep technical and operational work required to extend Apple Pay capabilities into Nigeria in a compliant and scalable way.”

Nomba said integrating Apple Pay in Nigeria required meeting some of the most stringent global security, compliance, and certification standards in payments. The company added that its Money Transmitter (MTL) and Money Services Business (MSB) licences in the United States enable it to partner with global payment processors operating under defined service-level agreements (SLAs).

For Nigerian businesses, accepting international payments often means delayed settlements, withheld funds, and unfavourable foreign exchange rates due to transactions being routed through upstream processors outside the country. Nomba believes its Apple Pay integration will reduce these frictions by allowing faster checkout and improving settlement reliability.

“Even when settlements from upstream processors are delayed, we ensure merchants are paid on time using our own funds,” the company said.

According to Aboluwarin, the addition of Apple Pay is expected to improve customer experience and merchant revenue, particularly for businesses that serve tourists and returning diaspora Nigerians. In 2024, Nigerians living abroad spent ₦60 billion during their December homecoming visits, according to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). 

Faster checkout, shorter queues, and fewer payment failures could make a meaningful difference for merchants during such high-traffic periods, Nomba added.

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A group of writers, including Theranos whistleblower and “Bad Blood” author John Carreyrou, is filing a lawsuit against Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta, xAI, and Perplexity, accusing the companies of training their models on pirated copies of their books.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because another set of authors already filed a class action suit against Anthropic for these same acts of copyright infringement. In that case, the judge ruled that it was legal for Anthropic and similar AI companies to train on pirated copies of books, but that it was not legal to pirate the books in the first place.

While eligible writers can receive about $3,000 from the $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement, some authors were dissatisfied with that resolution — it doesn’t hold AI companies accountable for the actual act of using stolen books to train their models, which generate billions of dollars of revenue.

According to the new lawsuit, the plaintiffs say that the proposed Anthropic settlement “seems to serve [the AI companies], not creators.”

“LLM companies should not be able to so easily extinguish thousands upon thousands of high-value claims at bargain-basement rates, eliding what should be the true cost of their massive willful infringement,” the lawsuit says.

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As a tech remote worker living in Lagos, you would think you have escaped the struggles of Monday morning traffic and the daily “no fuel, no light” routine until you encounter the real hustle of remote work itself. 

From battling unstable internet connections and power supply to juggling time zones with foreign teammates and trying to stay productive through generator noise, the life of a tech remote worker isn’t that easy.

A few weeks ago, I attended Jobberman’s Remote WorkFest 2025, a hybrid event for remote workers where industry experts shared what it really takes to thrive as a Nigerian remote worker.

This article was inspired by specific sessions led by Olamide Adeyeye, Jobberman Nigeria’s Country Head of Program and Dr Valerie Okorie, a medical doctor who represented AwaDoc.

To avoid missing out on better opportunities, here are ten practical ways to survive and stay relevant as a tech remote worker navigating Lagos life in 2026.

Live at Jobberman’s remote workfest

Read also: When design saves lives: How AwaDoc is using WhatsApp and AI to transform healthcare across Africa

1.  Be a great communicator

While everyone understands that, as a tech remote worker based in Lagos, it’s essential to ensure stable electricity and internet speed, we won’t start with that. The first and important step to take to ensure you’re a survivor of remote work in 2026 is to be a great communicator. 

“You could be the best coder in the room, but if you can’t communicate clearly through many means, you may become invisible,” Adeyeye said in his presentation.

In a traditional office, people can see your effort — your body language, your presence, your energy. But in remote work, your emails, Slack messages, reports, and updates are your voice. They are the only ways your team knows what you’re doing and how valuable you are.

That’s why he described communication as the most important skill employers look for. If an organisation from the U.S., Germany, or Austria wants to hire you, the first thing they are looking for is how and when you communicate. 

“Part of the red flags that employers pay attention to during the hiring process is a delay in communicating. Green flags are proactive communication, proof and not promises, infrastructure issues. So, part of what you’re checking is your internet speed, the processing capacity of your device, and all of that,” Adeyeye added.

2. Master self-management

Remote work is built on trust and discipline. Adeyeye explained that in global teams, most of the work happens asynchronously. This means people work in different time zones and at different hours.

When your manager in the U.S. is sleeping, can they trust that you’re doing your work in Lagos without supervision? That’s what self-management means.

It’s not just about doing tasks, it’s about being reliable, predictable, and accountable. You need to manage your time, deliver on deadlines, and stay productive despite distractions like power outages, noise, or Lagos chaos.

3. Build technical and digital competence 

While soft skills are critical, Adeyeye also pointed out that technical competence remains a non-negotiable foundation. Employers still want to know if you can actually do the work.

This doesn’t just mean coding or data science; it also includes your proficiency with digital tools such as project management systems, AI assistants, and collaboration software. You must be comfortable navigating technology, because it’s the backbone of remote collaboration.

To sustain remote work, keep learning and upgrading. Take online courses, join webinars, and practice with global tools. 

4. Become AI-fluent 

Adeyeye’s remarks on AI were both a warning and an opportunity. He noted that artificial intelligence is reshaping the global job market, projecting that by 2030, AI and machine learning will create approximately 170 million new jobs.

In other words, AI isn’t the enemy; it’s the tool. The professionals who survive and thrive will be those who learn to work alongside AI, not compete with it.

For Nigerian remote workers, this means learning to use AI-powered platforms for writing, research, analytics, customer service, or even task automation. AI fluency makes you faster, sharper, and more globally competitive.

5. Build cultural fluency and Emotional Intelligence 

Finally, Adeyeye urged young Africans to develop cultural awareness and adaptability, which are essential for anyone working with international teams.

He explained that thriving in remote work isn’t just about skills but connection. You need to understand different cultures, communication styles, humour, and expectations.

Cultural fluency means being globally aware, respectful, and flexible. It’s a soft skill that can open doors far beyond your technical ability.

Dr Valerie Okorie, a Nigerian medical doctor

The healthy side of surviving in Lagos as a tech remote worker 

According to Dr Valerie Okorie, surviving as a tech remote worker in Lagos is not just about earning in dollars or escaping traffic. It is about staying healthy while doing the work. In her words, “Your body is your engine. If you don’t take care of it, you will pay for it later.”

Here are five practical ways she believes remote workers in Lagos can stay healthy and sane.

6. Keep your body in motion

As a tech remote worker who has been avoiding Lagos traffic all morning, it’s important to ensure a constant body movement and flexibility with your muscles occasionally. 

“Remote work has quietly removed movement from our daily lives. When you remove the commute, you remove the movement. We are always sitting down, and this sitting disease can cause deep vein thrombosis.

Now, when you sit down for 12 hours, what will happen is that your blood will slowly flow to your legs and form clots, small clots. This goes and blocks a vessel up there. In your head, it causes a stroke. In your heart, it causes a heart attack,” she said.

A short walk, a light jog, or even regular stretching during the day can make a big difference.

7. Pay attention to how you sit and work

Many remote workers sit for up to 12 hours with poor posture. Backs are bent, necks are down, and laptops are pressed close. Over time, this causes chronic back and neck pain. 

Dr Valerie reminded remote workers to be conscious of posture. Sit upright, adjust your chair and table, and take short breaks. Your body is not designed to stay in one position all day, no matter how good the pay is.

8. Don’t guess your health, check it!

One of her biggest points was that looking healthy doesn’t always mean being healthy. “You might be slim, but your blood vessels might be full of fat,” she said. Long sitting hours, stress, coffee, and constant snacking can affect blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. 

In order to survive and stay strong as a tech remote worker, Dr Valerie encouraged remote workers to know their health conditions. Checking your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol helps you catch problems early, before they turn serious.

9. Protect your vision with the 20-20-20 rule

Remote tech work often involves jumping from a laptop screen to a phone screen, which causes digital eye strain and blurry vision. High pressure in the eyes can also lead to glaucoma, a condition that can permanently damage your eyesight. 

To prevent this, you should use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This simple habit acts as exercise for your eyes and helps reduce strain.

10. Don’t ignore your mental health

It is common for remote workers in Lagos to stay indoors for days, only leaving for church or errands. This leads to a Vitamin D deficiency, which can weaken your bones and worsen chronic back pain.

Lack of sunlight is also linked to higher levels of anxiety and depression. You should make it a point to go outside and feel the sun on your skin.

She also spoke about loneliness, a common struggle for remote workers. Call a friend, see people, and don’t replace real connections with endless scrolling; create a shutdown routine.

Read also: Tax: FG partners US, UK, Canada, others to track remote workers earning dollars

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