Google has launched Gemini CLI, a command-line interface tool designed to give developers direct access to the company’s most advanced AI capabilities without leaving their local environment.

The release marks a strategic move in Google’s race to dominate the AI-assisted software development space, as competition intensifies between major players like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

The open-source AI agent, now available in preview, allows users to perform a wide range of tasks — from writing and debugging code to generating content and conducting in-depth research — all from the terminal. The tool is powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s current flagship AI model with a 1 million-token context window, giving it the ability to process entire codebases or extensive documentation in a single prompt.

“It provides lightweight access to Gemini, giving you the most direct path from your prompt to our model,” Google said in its launch announcement.

Designed for More Than Just Code

While Gemini CLI is built to assist developers with coding, its scope extends far beyond that. Google says it can also help with “content generation, problem solving, task management, and research.” The AI is integrated with Gemini Code Assist, Model Context Protocol (MCP), and Google Search, allowing it to provide accurate responses across a range of technical and non-technical queries.

The tool also supports image and video generation, thanks to integration with Google’s Imagen and Veo models, giving developers access to multimodal output capabilities — a feature not commonly found in terminal-based tools.

Most Generous Free Tier in the Market

Google is offering Gemini CLI free of charge during its preview phase, with usage tied to a personal Google account through a Gemini Code Assist license. This provides:

• 60 model requests per minute
• Up to 1,000 requests per day

According to Google, this is the most generous free-tier allowance among current AI code assistants. It significantly outpaces Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, which operates under a subscription model and lacks terminal-based interaction. Google has not said whether it will introduce paid plans after the preview.

The launch of Gemini CLI comes as Google tries to gain ground in a crowded market. Microsoft and OpenAI have already embedded their models into developer tools like GitHub Copilot and Windows Terminal. Anthropic’s Claude is gaining traction for its strong reasoning ability and large context windows. But Google is betting that full terminal integration and open accessibility will set Gemini CLI apart.

What makes Gemini CLI different is not just that it can write code — many AI tools can — but that it is designed to operate like a local assistant embedded in a developer’s workflow. It can access file systems, reason over project structure, and respond to natural language prompts while preserving privacy and control.

Developers Reaction

Initial reaction from developers has been positive. Users on GitHub and Reddit have noted how the tool reduces friction by eliminating the need to switch between browser-based AI interfaces and local development tools. Others point to the tool’s robust capabilities, especially its support for persistent conversation and long-context reasoning.

Gemini CLI is also a signal of Google’s broader ambitions. It is part of the company’s wider push to infuse Gemini into every layer of productivity and creativity, from Gmail to Docs, and now into the command line.

The launch comes at a time when Google faces pressure to prove its AI offerings are competitive after playing catch-up to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. In releasing an open-source tool that combines Gemini’s reasoning engine with developer-centric functionality, Google is laying the groundwork for deeper adoption — especially among independent developers and small teams who may find Copilot’s enterprise focus restrictive or costly.

This release also intensifies the debate over how much control developers should cede to AI agents. With tools like Gemini CLI performing tasks autonomously based on local files, privacy, and data handling will remain central concerns, even as the benefits in productivity grow clearer.

However, the bottom line seems to be that Gemini CLI represents a meaningful evolution in developer tooling — not just a smarter coding assistant, but a bridge to AI-powered workflows entirely within the command line.

Shareholders of Dangote Cement Plc have approved a final dividend of N30 per share for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, reinforcing the company’s position as one of the most shareholder-friendly firms on the Nigerian Exchange.

The approval, given at the company’s 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos on June 23, 2025, saw 353 out of 360 shareholders voting in support of the dividend, which translates into a record-breaking payout of N506.21 billion.

The dividend, paid from retained earnings totaling N1.2 trillion, reflects the group’s expanding profitability and sustained cash generation, even amid an inflationary domestic economy, volatile exchange rates, and rising energy costs. The payout also underscores the strength of Nigeria’s equities market, which has put up a performance that defies the country’s macroeconomic headwinds.

At the same AGM, shareholders also reappointed Aliko Dangote, Ernest Ebi, Viswanathan Shankar, Cherie Blair, and Douraid Zaghouani to the board after their mandatory retirement by rotation. In line with the company’s governance framework, they also approved N20 million in annual remuneration for the Chairman and N15 million each for non-executive directors for the 2025 financial year.

Chairman Aliko Dangote used the occasion to affirm Nigeria’s growing stature in Africa’s cement industry. He stated that Nigeria is now the continent’s largest exporter of cement, surpassing countries that once dominated the trade. According to him, the country has transitioned from being a major importer to becoming Africa’s top supplier, thanks in large part to the aggressive export and production strategy adopted by Dangote Cement.

“Our focus remains on reducing production and forex-related costs, expanding our market footprint, and strengthening exports. We are now earning significant foreign exchange through outbound shipments, which is helping stabilize our operations and contribute to the economy,” he said.

Dangote Cement’s performance in the first quarter of 2025 reflects that strategic focus. Revenue for the quarter rose to N994.6 billion, up sharply from N817.3 billion in the same period of 2024. Despite a marginal 2.29% increase in the cost of sales to N407.2 billion, the company recorded a gross profit of N587.3 billion, driven by pricing strength and volume growth.

Fuel and power costs continued to account for the bulk of production expenses, consuming 43.5% of the cost structure, followed by raw materials at 21.3%. Still, the company’s profit after tax surged 85.71% to N209.2 billion, highlighting how operational efficiencies and export-led revenue are helping shield earnings from local economic disruptions.

Dangote Cement’s total assets now stand at N6.4 trillion, while retained earnings jumped 20.74% year-on-year to N1.2 trillion. This strong financial position has enabled the company to consistently reward investors. The N30 dividend for FY 2024 matches the figure declared for the 2023 financial year, consolidating a dividend trend that has seen steady increases since 2018.

In that time, the payout grew from just above N10 per share to N16 in 2022, then N20 in 2023, and finally N30—delivered back-to-back. With the company’s share price currently at N440, the dividend yield stands at 6.81%, making it one of the most attractive stocks for income-seeking investors.

While Nigeria continues to grapple with rising inflation, high interest rates, currency devaluation, and sluggish industrial growth, the Nigerian stock market has largely bucked the trend. Dangote Cement, along with other companies in the banking, telecom, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors, has helped lift the NGX All Share Index, which continues to post double-digit gains in the face of domestic economic adversity.

Analysts say this is partly due to increased participation by institutional investors, as well as the shift toward companies that generate foreign exchange or hold significant dollar-denominated assets. Dangote Cement fits both profiles, thanks to its export capacity and pan-African footprint.

With ongoing investments in alternative fuels, expanded terminals for exports, and cost-saving technologies, Dangote Cement appears positioned not only to maintain its dominant market share but to deepen its strategic relevance across Africa’s construction and infrastructure boom.

The N30 per share dividend signals confidence in that trajectory, and in a market environment clouded by uncertainty, shareholders are now looking to Dangote Cement not just as a strong performer—but as a stabilizing force on the Nigerian Exchange.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso, has urged African countries to align more deliberately in pursuit of a unified economic future, as the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) continues to grow into a continental economic force.

Cardoso issued the call for “strategic cohesion” on Wednesday while speaking at the ongoing Afreximbank 2025 Annual Meetings, themed “Building the Future on Decades of Resilience,” where he also praised the bank’s expansive transformation.

Held in the presence of heads of state, trade ministers, central bankers, private sector leaders, and development experts, the annual gathering offered a platform for evaluating the bank’s progress and assessing the next phase of economic integration and financial self-reliance in Africa.

Cardoso applauded Afreximbank’s exponential growth from a modest initial capital base of $750 million to over $40 billion in total capital assets as of 2024. He described this leap as evidence of the bank’s prudent financial management and the increasing confidence African states and global investors place in the continent’s institutions.

“This remarkable trajectory reflects not only prudent financial stewardship but also the continent’s growing confidence in its capabilities,” Cardoso said. “It is also a testament to the expanding coalition of stakeholders, spanning 51 African countries and a mix of public and private investors who have placed their trust in Afreximbank.”

He described the bank as more than a lender—”a convener of ambition and a catalyst for change”—playing a vital role in designing and implementing strategies that are elevating African economic agency on the global stage.

Challenges Amid Progress

While recognizing the bank’s successes, Cardoso cautioned against complacency, stressing that Africa remains exposed to formidable threats: rising global protectionism, shifting geopolitical tensions, and a fragmented world economy. These trends, he warned, could obstruct Africa’s path to sustainable development unless mitigated by more unified policies and regional coordination.

He explained that these challenges threaten not only the developmental prospects of individual countries but also the integrity of Africa’s broader growth agenda. Afreximbank’s role, therefore, becomes even more critical in stabilizing the region’s financial architecture and defending its economic sovereignty.

AfCFTA, Diaspora Engagement, and Institutional Resilience

To fortify the continent’s economic future, Cardoso called for a concerted push to deepen regional integration, accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and build stronger links with the African diaspora. These efforts, he said, will position African economies to better respond to crises, harness capital, and build transnational supply chains.

He added that institutions must embrace long-term thinking and crisis preparedness, underpinned by sound infrastructure, data integrity, and adaptive governance frameworks.

“First, it takes strategic foresight—the ability to look beyond the noise of the present and invest in solutions for the next decade, not just the next quarter. Resilient institutions are always thinking ahead. Second, it requires crisis preparedness,” he added.

Nigeria remains a cornerstone of Afreximbank’s operations and is one of its largest shareholders. The country is also a major recipient of the bank’s financing efforts. As of 2024, Nigeria accounted for nearly 60% of the bank’s $30 billion investment in Africa’s energy sector, according to internal figures.

These investments include substantial funding for Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery, the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, and the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, headquartered in Abuja. These projects form part of a broader vision to make the Gulf of Guinea the heart of Africa’s energy independence, reducing the continent’s historic reliance on refined fuel imports.

Afreximbank is also instrumental in Nigeria’s emergence as Africa’s largest fertilizer producer, backing the sector to achieve an annual production capacity of 7.5 million metric tons. Additionally, the bank is expanding into the creative economy, offering credit lines, skill-building programs, and market development tools to support Nigeria’s growing cultural export industry.

Restoring Trust in Monetary Policy

Cardoso also used his platform to highlight the Central Bank of Nigeria’s current reform drive. He noted that the CBN is focused on restoring trust in the country’s monetary system through institutional transparency, credible policy signals, and the rebuilding of investor confidence.

He emphasized that strong monetary governance is essential not just for domestic stability but for Nigeria’s ability to function as a regional economic anchor.