Valentine’s Day is more than grand gestures; it’s built on the small, meaningful actions that shape relationships, sending timely support, saving together, or managing shared responsibilities. PalmPay encourages users to share 30–60 second real-life stories, either solo or duet style, showing how PalmPay always works and has helped them support or stay connected with someone they love.

The campaign runs from February 9th to 21st across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. Four winners will receive ₦100,000 each week for two weeks, totalling a prize pool of ₦800,000.

Entries can take many forms, including couple videos, solo stories, split-screen duets for long-distance couples, or voiceover narratives with photos or clips, making the campaign inclusive for married couples, parents, and long-term partners.

How to Participate:

• Share an authentic love story about your partner
• Clearly show PalmPay in action (transfers, savings, or other in-app activities)
• Be creative and emotionally engaging
• Post between February 9th – 21st with the hashtag #LoveWithPalmPay
• Share on any of PalmPay’s social media platforms

“Love evolves, and so do relationships,” said Olorunfemi Hanson, Head of Marketing and Communication, PalmPay. “From dating to parenthood, the small money moments we share every day play a big role in keeping us connected. With #LoveWithPalmPay, we want to celebrate those stories and show how PalmPay always works, making everyday love simpler, reliable, and meaningful.”

This Valentine’s Day, PalmPay celebrates love as it truly is real, intentional, and built on shared moments.

PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.

PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users and processes up to 15 million transactions daily. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh. For more information, visit www.palmpay.com

The post PalmPay Celebrates Valentine’s with #LoveWithPalmPay Campaign appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Valentine’s Day is one of the most daunting gift-giving holidays. You want to get something for your partner, of course, but also you like to let your friends and family(and even your dogs) know how much they’re loved.

It’s a tricky holiday: The perfect Valentine’s Day gift is sentimental but not saccharine-sweet. Genuinely useful but not overly practical.

It has a personal touch — but could potentially be replicated for a friend or two (or three).

If you need a little help, here are six AI-powered Google tools to help you find the perfect gift.

1. Search (and shop) what you see with Google Lens 

Google Lens is the ultimate companion tool when gift inspiration strikes. You might already know that Lens is a handy shopping feature that allows you to take a photo of something and find what it is and where to buy it or something similar.

But there are a couple other ways it can work, too.

For example, my mom loves getting flowers, so when I see some while out on a run I can quickly open the Google app (Android and iOS) and snap a pic with Lens to identify them. (Plus, using multisearch, I could even type in descriptive text to search for, say, similar flowers in a blue hue.)

And since my husband and I like to go big on a fancy meal instead of exchanging gifts on Valentine’s Day, if I see a pic of a pasta dinner we really loved while vacationing in Italy in my photo gallery, I can ask Lens to tell me more about what it was and help me find a restaurant near me that serves it.

2. Circle up with Circle to Search before you buy

I get tons of gift ideas when I’m scrolling social media that make me think of my friends and family — so if I happen to come across an image that happens to have the perfect dog bed in the background, I can use Circle to Search to help me find out more about it without leaving whatever app I’m using.

All I have to do is  simply circle, highlight or scribble that specific part of an item and Circle to Search can help me discover more about the item and even shop for it or similar items from a range of retailers without switching apps.

Circle to Search is available on Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and the new Samsung Galaxy S24 series.

3. Try AI-enhanced photo gifts  

A picture is worth a thousand words — including, “Thank you so much, I love it!” While my first love language is sharing an elaborate meal, a close runner-up is photo gifts.

I take a ton of photos with my Pixel 8 Pro, especially during special trips and important moments, and preserving those memories for my loved ones can make a thoughtful, affordable gift.

Like the photo below that I took at Yosemite on a hiking trip with my husband, which I captured using the Tensor-powered Super Res Zoom feature. Or the one I took of the night sky with Night Sight (which also uses AI) during a yearly camping trip with my girlfriends.

Whatever photos I end up using, I’ll also run them through AI editing features like Magic Eraser to get rid of unwanted objects or Photo Unblur to clean them up a bit before I print them.

And if you plan on sharing or gifting a photo of you and your significant other, Best Take is your best friend: This tool uses AI to scan a handful of photos taken in quick succession and allows you to select the best image of each person in the picture.

4. Gemini: Your AI Genie for Inspiration

Stuck on finding the perfect experience? Let Gemini be your genie in a digital bottle! Ask it open-ended questions like “romantic things to do in Cape Town this Valentine’s Day” or “unique Valentine’s Day experiences in Johannesburg,” and watch a treasure trove of personalised ideas unfold.

It’s like having a knowledgeable friend by your side, guiding you towards experiences that resonate with your love and the spirit of Africa.

5. Spark your creativity with AI experiments 

You don’t have to spend money on a gift to let someone know you’re thinking of them. If you need an artistic spark, here are two Google AI experiments you should try: First, there’s Instrument Playground, a Google AI-powered tool that lets you choose one of over 100 instruments from around the world you’d like to play to generate a 20 second sound clip. What’s more, you can add an adjective to your prompt – such as ‘romantic’ – to shape the results, making sure your clip captures the perfect mood for Valentine’s Day.

If words are more your thing, try Poem Portraits, an algorithm trained on more than 20 million words of 19th century poetry.

All you have to do is choose a single word as a jumping off point and Poem Portraits will write a short poem for you, as well as add it to a stylized photo from your camera roll (if you want it to — you can skip this option).

You can save this short poem as well as add it to the collective poem, a massive crowd-based, ongoing text based on user contributions. Which, I suppose, you could think of as a gift for everyone who comes across it.

6. YouTube Music: Soundtrack to Your Love Story

Set the mood with a soundtrack that beats to the rhythm of your hearts. With YouTube Music, you’re just a search away from crafting the perfect Afropop love song playlist.

Let the vibrant melodies of amapiano or the soulful harmonies of highlife fill the air, creating an unforgettable ambiance that lingers long after the last note fades.

The post Six AI Tools to Help You Celebrate Valentine’s Day the African Way appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This promotion runs from 5th February to 12th February 2024.

According to Kevin Olumese, the senior marketing manager, PalmPay, “this exciting (Purple Valentine) challenge aims to celebrate the love and show appreciation to PalmPay users for their continued loyalty and support.

The campaign will provide users with an opportunity to win fantastic rewards.

How to Win in PalmPay Purple Valentine Challenge

1. Download the PalmPay App
2. Update your BVN/NIN on the PalmPay App
3. Post an attractive video or picture of you and your partner.
4. Caption it with what makes him/her special. Add the hashtag #PalmPayPurpleValentine
5. The post with the most replies showing interest in you and your partner, stands the chance to participate in our Valentine Date Show.
6. Winning couples from the Date Show get a Special Valentine’s Date courtesy of PalmPay.

According to Olumese, “We look forward to an exciting challenge. This is our way of celebrating the season of love and appreciating the trust and loyalty our users have shown us. We hope this campaign adds a touch of excitement and joy to their Valentine’s Day celebrations.”

For more information about the PalmPay Purple Valentine Bonanza and to view the full terms and conditions, follow PalmPay on social media – on Instagram @palmpayapp_ng, Twitter @palmpay_ng, Facebook @palmpayapp.ng.

The post Shoot Your Shot in the PalmPay Purple Valentine Challenge and Win a Date Night appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The data provides a unique window into the hearts and minds of the country’s residents as they seek answers and ideas related to the occasion.

ALSO READ: 5 Reasons You Won’t Get a Gift this Valentine’s

According to Google trends, Nigerians are actively searching for information and inspiration related to Valentine’s Day, and the insights offer a fascinating glimpse into their thoughts and interests.

“At Google, our goal is to provide the information people are looking for in the moments that matter to them,” says Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Relations Manager, Google, West Africa. “These trends showcase the crucial role search plays in helping Nigerians find answers to their most pressing questions, especially during special occasions like Valentine’s Day. It underscores the importance of search in these exciting moments.”

According to the data, Nigeria is currently the top country searching for love in 2023, and it has been the country searching the most for dating apps worldwide since 2004.

The search for “the origin of valentine” has also increased by 200% in the past week. The data also shows that searches for “valentine messages for boyfriend” have risen by 300% in the past week, and “valentine hair style” has surged by 250% over the same period. “best dating app in the world” also spiked by 250%, while “the origin of valentine” rose by 200%. “valentine gift ideas for him in Nigeria” and “best valentine gift for girlfriend” both spiked by 120% in the past week.

In addition to searching for Valentine’s Day ideas, Nigerians are also searching for answers to questions related to the holiday. The most trending questions on Valentine’s Day over the past week include:

1. Is Valentine’s Day for Muslim?
2. When was Valentine’s Day created?
3. How to celebrate Valentine’s Day in school?
4. What to do on Valentine’s Day with your boyfriend?
5. How did Valentine come about?
6. Is Valentine worldwide?
7. Who discovered Valentine’s Day?
8. How to wish your boyfriend Happy Valentine’s Day?
9. What to get your boyfriend for Valentine’s Day in high school?
10. How to survive Valentine’s Day alone?

And a list of the most searched questions on dates over the past year include:

1. How to ask a girl out on a date?
2. What to do on a first date?
3. Where to go on a date in Lagos?
4. What to discuss on a first date?
5. What to wear on a first date?
6. What does it mean to go on a date?
7. How to date a girl on WhatsApp?
8. What to ask a guy on a first date?
9. How to go on a date with a girl?
10. Where to go on a date?

These insights showcase the crucial role search plays in helping Nigerians find answers to their most pressing questions, especially during special occasions like Valentine’s Day. It underscores the importance of search in these exciting moments.

Map: Nigeria is the top country searching for Love so far in 2023

Map: Nigeria is also the country searching the most for Dating Apps worldwide since 2004

The post Valentine’s Day: Nigeria are ‘Searching for Love on Google, See Trends Report appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Violets are blue

I’ll buy a gift

But it won’t be for you…

It’s that time of the year when roses go round, and stores run out of chocolates and cards. But what’s more important is the fact that you might not get a gift this Valentine’s.

February 14th, famously known as Valentine’s Day, Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, originated as a Christian feast day honouring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. However, through later folk traditions, this day has become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

It’s a day when lovers exchange gifts, love cards and treats among themselves and make their partners feel special.

However, with the evolution of the times, Valentine’s Day has become not only a day for lovers, but a time and season to show love to your family, friends, and people around you. Nevertheless, despite the huge outpouring of love, emotions and exchange of gifts that accompany the event, you probably might not be getting a gift for Valentine’s.

Here are 5 reasons you may be left empty-handed this Valentine’s:

1. You have someone particular in mind

Your mind is fixated on a particular person, and because of that, you fail to see that significant other person in the wings who is willing to share that special day with you. This could be even more droopy when to your “Mr. or Ms. Right,” you may not be an option, and then you’re stuck in the cycle of expecting a gift from someone who doesn’t have you in mind.

2. You don’t reciprocate

Most of the time, we’re often caught up in what we would get that we forget what we should give. Besides, people like to be appreciated in return, so over the years, if you’re one to get gifts but not give in return, you might start to get less and less gifts each year, meaning you may just end up without one this year.

3. Things are just expensive

Maybe you’re not the cause. Maybe things are quite expensive, especially considering the scarcity of fuel and new Naira notes. With the situation of things now, your partner might not be able to get you something tangible with the budget he or she has. You may also be faced with this challenge.

One of the easy ways out of this quagmire is to rely on Konga to ease that pain. Before you buy anything, just check prices on www.konga.com and you are assured of the cheapest deals for all Valentine’s gift ideas and more.

4. You’re expecting a Genie

You don’t want a gift. You want your wish list. Gifting ought to be a medium for conveying one’s feelings and intentions. Rather than allowing your partner to get you what they want, you tend to impose your will, which takes away the fun.

5. You’re simply uninterested

While others are all about the hustle and bustle of the season, you really don’t care. You don’t see what the fuss about Valentine’s all is about. Neither do you believe in mapping out a special day to show love. You’re not really bothered about how the day goes because, to you, every day is Valentine’s Day.

There is no doubt that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.

These tips will be of invaluable help if you do not want to end up among the horde of potentially disappointed Valentine’s gift hopefuls.

The post 5 Reasons You Won’t Get a Gift this Valentine’s appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

As Will Smith says in the underrated romantic comedy Hitch, “Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away”.

So, here are five Google resources you can use to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day and show your significant other the love and appreciation they deserve:

1. Book a romantic getaway

With several countries and airlines recently announcing an ease in travel restrictions , Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to spoil yourself and your significant other with a dream trip to a romantic destination.

Make this Valentine’s extra special and explore the best locations for a couple’s escape, find the best flights, hotels, vacation rentals, and romantic activities you can do with your partner using Google Travel which can help you easily plan every aspect of your getaway.

2. Find the perfect spot for an unforgettable date night

Looking to treat your partner to a candlelit dinner, a romantic picnic in the park, or a night out at the movies but don’t know where to go that’s outside of your usual stomping grounds?

With Google Maps you can find new places, restaurants and experiences right at your fingertips using features such as the Explore tab which provides you with a list of local locations and activities to choose from.

Narrow down your search by using the search bar. Once you’ve found what you’re looking for you can use the star rating for that location, find its distance from where you are, locate opening and closing times, as well as photos and reviews from people who have visited before it.

You can then save that location and select it on the day to easily navigate the best routes that will get you there on time without hitting traffic or congestion.

3. Prepare an intimate evening with your distanced partner

Unfortunately, whether it be because of work or you’re just in a long distance relationship, you might not be able to be with your significant other on Valentine’s Day. But, being apart on the most romantic day of the year doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the day with them at all.

With video-conferencing platforms like Google Meet you can video chat with your better half and spend some quality time together, even while you’re apart.

If you want to go the extra mile to make your video call special, you can liaise with their friends or family to set up some rose petals, candles, food and drinks to create a romantic atmosphere where they are in time for your special call.

4. Set the mood with an enchanting (or passionate) playlist

If you want to set the right mood on Valentine’s Day, then you need to create a romantic ambience and nothing does this better than music. But, nothing takes you out of the mood faster than when the wrong song plays.

To make sure you’ve set up the right atmosphere, for the day or night, whether you’re on your way out or having a romantic night in, create a playlist on YouTube Music by simply opening YouTube, find and click on the video you want to add, select save under the video and click on “create new playlist”.

You can then name your new playlist and make it either public or private and easily add new videos to your playlist from the dropdown menu.

YouTube Music also allows you to collaborate on a playlist with someone and this could be a nice activity for the two of you.

5. Get the perfect gift to show your affection

No Valentine’s Day is complete without a gift for your sweetheart. Whether you’re simply looking to get your other half some chocolates and flowers, or something a little more extravagant to spoil them, you can quickly find the perfect gift at the best price on Google Shopping – even if you’ve forgotten and need to get something for them at the last minute!

If Google Search Trends are anything to go by, it’s clear that Nigerians love love from these top trending Valentine’s Day-related search trends for the past year.

Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what Nigerians have been searching for and asking Google.

Google processes more than 40 000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year, worldwide.

‘Top searches’ indicate searches that topped Google’s charts while ‘Most searched’ queries are the most popular terms for the past 15 years, ranked in order by volume of searches. Live search data is available on the Google Nigeria Trends site.

The post Listicle: Here’s 5 Ways to Turn Up the Love this Valentine’s Day appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Highlights:

• Valentine’s Day domains are up by 152% in January
• Six percent of all new valentine’s day related domains found to be malicious, while 55% found to be suspicious
• In the past month, one out of every 371 malicious emails were related to Valentine’s Day

Comparing Years

CPR has graphed below the number of newly registered domains per month over the past three years. This year, the rise in newly registered domains jumped by a triple digit percentage, similar to 2021 and 2020.

New Valentine’s Day Related Domains by Week

In January, CPR witnessed a 152% increase in new domains registered, compared to December. This year, 6% of the new domains were found to be malicious and 55% were found to be suspicious. In the past month, 1 out of every 371 malicious emails were related to Valentine’s Day.

Express your love with roses (while hackers steal your private credentials)

CPR found an example of a phishing scam focused on buyer fraud. The malicious phishing email used “The Millions Roses” branding to lure victims into purchasing gifts for Valentine’s Day.

In the following example, the fraudulent email (see figure below) was sent from a spoofed address. The fraudulent email listed a company address that was different from the legitimate “The Million Roses” brand. This is a sign that the email is from a dubious source, and the website is fake. Anyone who clicked on the link in the email:

(https://firebasestorage[.]googleapis[.]com/v0/b/simo-71947[.]appspot[.]com/o/Dooring[.]html?alt=media&token=f39a49dd-96fd-4040-a3ba-de80ccc606eb) would have been redirected to a fraudulent malicious link, currently inactive, (https://jbrbro[.]page[.]link/doorring) which tried to imitate “The Million Roses” website.

From: The Million Roses® (w0XzqB8i96@tren-jPBDfGZ[.]com)

Subject: Give your Valentine an unforgettable Valentine’s Day Gift.

Phishing is the most common type of social engineering

Phishing attacks occur when malicious actors send messages pretending to be a trusted person or entity. Phishing messages manipulate users into performing actions like installing a malicious file, clicking on a malicious link, or divulging sensitive information such as login credentials.

Social engineering is an increasingly common threat vector used in almost all security incidents. Social engineering attacks, like phishing, are often combined with other threats, such as malware, code injection, and network attacks.

Furthermore, phishing is the number one cause of ransomware. Since these attacks are specifically designed to exploit the human nature of wanting a good deal, it is extremely important to prevent these attacks from ever reaching their desired victims – because just one “wrong click” can cause tremendous damage.

How do you avoid falling victim to phishing scams? Here is what we recommend to spot the signs and stay protected:

Threats or a Sense of Urgency – Emails that threaten negative consequences should always be treated with skepticism. Another strategy is to use urgency to encourage or demand immediate action. Phishers hope that by reading the email in a hurry, they will not thoroughly scrutinize the content and will not discover inconsistencies.

Message Style – An immediate indication of phishing is when a message is written with inappropriate language or tone. For example, if a colleague from work sounds overly casual, or a close friend uses formal language, this should trigger suspicion. Recipients of the message should check for anything else that could indicate a phishing message.

Unusual Requests – If an email requires you to perform non-standard actions, it could indicate that the email is malicious. For example, if an email claims to be from a specific IT team and asks for software to be installed, but these activities are usually handled centrally by the IT department, the email is probably malicious.

Linguistic Errors – Spelling and grammar errors are another sign of phishing emails. Most companies use spell check, so these typos should raise suspicion because the email may not originate from the claimed source.

Web Address Inconsistencies – Another easy way to identify potential phishing attacks is mismatched email addresses, links, and domain names. It’s a good rule of thumb to always cross reference previous communication with the email address.

Recipients should hover over a link in an email before clicking it to confirm the actual link destination. If the email is believed to be sent by The U.S. Postal Service, but the domain of the email address does not contain “usps.com”, that is a sign of a phishing email.

Request for Credentials, Payment Information or Other Personal Details – In many phishing emails, attackers create fake login pages linked from emails that appear to be official. The fake login page typically has a login box or a request for financial account information. If the email is unexpected, the recipient should not enter login credentials or click the link. As a precaution, recipients should directly visit the website they think is the source of the email.

Tips:

• ALWAYS be suspicious of password reset emails: By sending a fake password reset email that directs you to a lookalike phishing site, attackers can convince you to type in your account credentials and send those to them. If you receive an unsolicited password reset email, always visit the website directly (don’t click on embedded links) and change your password to something different on that site (and any other sites with the same password)
• Never EVER share your credentials: Credential theft is a common goal of cyberattacks. Many people reuse the same usernames and passwords across many different accounts, so stealing the credentials for a single account is likely to give an attacker access to a number of the user’s online accounts. As a result, phishing attacks are designed to steal login credentials in various ways
• BEWARE of too good to be true buying offers: as they are really too good and not true… An 80% discount on a new iPhone or an item of jewelry is usually not a reliable or trustworthy purchase opportunity
• ALWAYS verify you are ordering online from an authentic source: Do NOT click on promotional links in emails, instead Google your desired retailer and click the link from the Google results page

Check Point’s anti-phishing solutions include different products that address different attack vectors – email, mobile, endpoint and network. The statistics and data used in this report present data detected by Check Point’s Threat Prevention technologies, stored and analyzed in ThreatCloud. ThreatCloud provides real-time threat intelligence derived from hundreds of millions of sensors worldwide, over networks, endpoints and mobiles. The intelligence is enriched with AI-based engines and exclusive research data from the Check Point Research – The intelligence & Research Arm of Check Point.

The post 6% of All New Valentine’s Day Related Domains Found to be Malicious – Report appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The relationship between music and love is profound – music has the ability to touch us emotionally, and those who are in love have always expressed their feelings for one another through the lyrics of a song, or a melody when words alone will not suffice.

On Valentine’s Day, love is truly all around, inspiring people to take thoughtful actions, like sending gifts, setting up cosy candle-lit dinners, proposing marriage or renewing their relationship vows.

One of the most vital ingredients in the day’s recipe for romance is music, with people worldwide setting the scene with songs that they love, thereby transporting their Valentine’s moment to a magical place.

Making a playlist of songs is an art and can take time, so try these different playlists specially curated and released by Spotify for Valentine’s Day.

First is 100 Best African Love Songs, a playlist with the best love songs from the continent from the 2000s to date, which everyone can enjoy while reminiscing where they were when a specific song was released. For those tying the knot, there’s Small chops, a selection of West African wedding songs specially curated to light up the moment and turn every wedding reception into a feast of love.

Cocoa butter is a smooth blend of local and international R&B and soul tracks, the perfect soundtrack for a Valentine’s celebration, and only matched by Bedroom Jams for setting the scene on a charged evening of romance.

The songs on Country Kind of Love will strike up a melodic rhythm for a Valentine’s event, while 90s Love Songs has beautiful numbers from icons like Brandy, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. Finally, for those moments when love hurts, there’s the End in Tears playlist to lean into for comfort.

While Spotify has an impressive 1,116,121 playlists globally that contain the word “Valentine” in them, those who simply want to share playlists with friends, and those who are hurt from heartbreak are also included in the day, with the word “galantines” (for your female besties) featuring in 28,188 of Spotify’s playlists, and the term “break-up” included in 870,884 playlists around the world.

Adding to the fun of the moment is Blend, a great Spotify feature for friends and couples to try out. Blend merges your most-streamed songs with that of another person, generating a matching results percentage that shows you how much your music tastes align.

Try it by typing “BLEND” in the search bar, clicking on “create blend” and simply share your invite link with your fellow Spotify streamer (or secret crush!).

Get ready to stir up your emotions with music, and enjoy your Val.

The post Feel the Love of This Valentine’s Day with These Playlists on Spotify appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.