By Oluwatunmise Omoseyin OpenAI has rolled out a new year in review feature for ChatGPT users, offering a personalised look back at how people used the chatbot throughout the year. The experience, called ‘Your Year with ChatGPT’, is designed to be light, reflective and easy to enjoy. The recap presents users with a summary of their activity on ChatGPT, showing what they asked about most and how they interacted with the tool, just like Spotify Wrapped. It uses simple visuals and playful language to turn everyday chats into a short digital story. One standout part of the feature is its creative touch. ChatGPT generates a poem and a piece of pixel style artwork inspired by the most common topics of the user, whether it is writing, problem-solving, learning or creative projects. The review also assigns users fun titles or “archetypes” based on their chat habits, alongside small awards that reflect how they use the platform. The aim is to make the recap feel personal rather than technical. ‘Your Year with ChatGPT’ is available on both the web and mobile apps for eligible Free, Plus and Pro users. It can be accessed through the ChatGPT sidebar or by simply asking the chatbot for a year-end review. To use the feature, users must have chat history and saved memory options enabled and meet a basic level of activity. The recap does not open automatically and remains optional. OpenAI says the feature respects user privacy, giving people control over their data and what is remembered. Team, Education and Enterprise accounts are not included in the rollout.
Sun King rolls out installment phones for traders, students nationwide
After nearly two decades of providing off-grid solar solutions, Sun King has officially launched a smartphone financing model in Nigeria. Announced on Tuesday, December 23, the initiative applies the successful “Pay-As-You-Go” (PayGo) solar framework of the company to mobile devices, allowing customers to bypass high upfront costs through small, periodic installments. We are now extending the same approach as solar to smartphones… making it easier for people to stay connected and participate fully in the digital economy – Omoyemi Tuga, VP for PayGo Sales (West & Central Africa), Sun King Sun King, formerly called Greenlight Planet, has been a leader in the off-grid sector since 2007, and has extended over $1.4 billion in solar loans globally. The company aims to reach the informal sector including traders, students, and farmers, who lack access to traditional banking credit, by leveraging its existing network of community-based agents across all 36 Nigerian states.This mirrors models used by competitors like M-KOPA and EasyBuy, where the device is digitally locked if payments are missed and unlocked upon completion of the contract.The financing is available through Sun King’s network of field agents and retail shops in every state and the FCT, in order to ensure grassroots reach.The model covers popular mid-range and entry-level brands, including Samsung (A-series), Tecno (Pop/Spark series), and Infinix (Smart/Hot series).Customers can take a device home the same day after a quick onboarding process and an initial deposit, with no requirement for formal collateral or proof of income.
Google delays full switch from Assistant to Gemini on Android
By Oluwatunmise Omoseyin Google has delayed its plan to fully replace Google Assistant with its Gemini AI on Android devices, pushing the transition into 2026. The company had earlier indicated that Gemini would become the default assistant on most Android phones by the end of 2025. However, Google says it needs more time to ensure a smooth and reliable experience for users before completing the switch. Gemini, designed to handle voice commands, app controls and smart home tasks, has already been set as the default assistant on new devices such as the Pixel 9 series. Still, Google Assistant continues to run alongside Gemini on many Android phones. Google explained that replacing Assistant, which has been part of Android for nearly a decade, is more complex than expected. Gemini requires more processing power and memory, and only devices running Android 10 or later with at least 2GB of RAM will be eligible for the upgrade. This means some older and low-end phones, especially in developing markets, may not support Gemini fully. Google said it wants to avoid performance issues that could affect everyday tasks like setting alarms, navigation and voice dictation. Google aims to improve Gemini’s speed, accuracy and reliability, by extending the timeline, before making it the sole assistant on Android. For now, both services will continue to coexist, with Gemini gradually taking on more responsibilities as updates are released.
Lagos closes key Island roads for Autofest 2025, issues Advisory
The Lagos State Government has issued a traffic advisory ahead of the 7th Road Edition of the Lagos Autofest 2025, scheduled to hold on Sunday, December 22. To facilitate the high-speed street race, vehicular movement will be strictly restricted around the Inner Marina and surrounding Lagos Island between 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM.Organized by the BMW Club of Nigeria and Work and Play Promotion, the Lagos Autofest has become a staple of the “Detty December” calendar, which blends motorsport with entertainment. The event features supercars, precision drifting, and high-speed racing. Given the nature of street racing, the state government has prioritized a total lockdown during the event hours to prevent accidents involving non-participating motorists and pedestrians.The race route covers Marina Road (UBA) through Kakawa Street, Balabina Street, Broad Street, and Issah Williams Street, before returning to the Inner Marina finish point. All junctions and intersections feeding into this corridor will be physically cordoned off with road barriers. Motorists will not be able to cross or enter the race track under any circumstances during the 7-hour window.The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Nigeria Police Force, and FRSC, will be deployed at every entry point to manage diversions and ensure public safety.Officials stated that the Autofest will attract international attention and boost the local hospitality and tourism sectors. They added that the Sunday afternoon timing was chosen to minimize the impact on the business community, which is usually closed during that period.Motorists intending to visit Lagos Island on Sunday are advised to complete their trips before noon or utilize the Onikan-Force Road axis to bypass the restricted Marina zone. All roads are expected to be fully reopened by 8:00 PM on Sunday evening after a post-race safety inspection.
Legal Experts slam FIRS MoU with France over economic data exposure fears
A debate has erupted following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France’s Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP) on December 10. While the FIRS stated that the deal is a critical step toward digital tax administration, legal experts and opposition figures are raising alarms over data sovereignty.The partnership aims to leverage on the decades of experience in AI-powered audits of France and the automated compliance systems as the FIRS plan to adopt this into the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) in January 2026.Oladipupo Ige, a legal expert argued that even advisory access can lead to data exposure, potentially giving a foreign power visibility into Nigeria’s economic heartbeat.Dr. Segun Adebayo warned that aggregated data, though anonymized, can reveal vulnerabilities, industry-specific compliance gaps, and revenue dependencies, providing France with leverage in future trade and loan negotiations.Meanwhile, the FIRS maintains that no raw taxpayer data will leave the country.The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) is expected to conduct an independent review of the MoU. Meanwhile, opposition parties and the Northern Elders Forum are calling for the suspension of the deal until full public disclosure of the terms is made to the National Assembly.
After 16 years of sidelining Africa, PayPal abandons the account-first model for partnership
PayPal has announced the launch of PayPal World in Africa, scheduled for 2026. This was confirmed by Otto Williams, PayPal’s Senior VP for the Middle East and Africa, to end the decade-long standoff where African entrepreneurs were restricted from receiving funds overseas.The new platform acts as a cross-border bridge that connects existing local mobile money wallets directly to millions of global merchants, rather than forcing users to open traditional Western-style PayPal accounts.For nearly 20 years, PayPal’s relationship with Africa was defined by distrust over fraud and high chargeback rates. The company also maintained a send-only policy in many African nations, including Nigeria. This created a digital wall for freelancers and small businesses who could pay for global services but could not get paid.During this absence, Africa built its own financial world. Systems like M-Pesa (Kenya) and MTN MoMo to revolutionize mobile finance, turning Africa into the global leader for mobile money, accounting for 70% of the world’s transaction value. PayPal’s 2026 entry is an admission that it can no longer win a wallet war against these homegrown giants.Under the PayPal World model, users won’t need a separate PayPal account. They can simply click a PayPal button at an international checkout, which then links directly to their M-Pesa, MTN, or Flutterwave wallet to complete the payment. Africa follows a 2024-2025 rollout in India (via UPI), China (WeChat Pay), and Brazil (Mercado Pago). By 2026, a Kenyan user could scan a M-Pesa QR code to pay a merchant who only uses PayPal, and vice versa.To support this rollout, PayPal has committed $100 million for venture investments and innovation in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, including hiring local staff to scale regional compliance and operations.