Telecom
6 Things You Didn’t Know Your Smartphone Could Do

Smartphones are amazingly useful machines. Indeed, they are not just called smart for nothing. That device in your hands could do so much more than you know it is capable of, yet most of us miss out on some of these incredible functionalities.
Interestingly, research shows that the majority of smartphone users explore less than 40% of the utility of these devices. Whereas the majority are comfortable with making calls, watching online movies or taking that occasional selfie; there is a lot more benefits locked in your smartphone.
Yudala – Nigeria’s fastest growing composite e-commerce outfit – shares six new things you could do with your smartphone.
Speak any language
You probably didn’t know this but with your smartphone, you can easily speak and understand any language – a task that some of the world’s most prolific linguists will struggle at. If you are using an Android phone, all you need to do is use Google Now to translate a word, phrase or sentence for you from any language of your choice.
The most interesting part is that, you can even get both a spoken and written response. Amazing, right? You can also use the app – iTranslate which can be downloaded on iOS, Windows Phone and Android, for the same purpose.
Measure your heart health
With the growing cases of heart-related ailments, the importance of monitoring one’s heart health cannot be over-emphasized. Your smartphone can help you achieve this without taking a trip to the doctor.
With apps such as Cardiio or Blood Pressure Companion, you can measure your heart rate blood pressure and overall level of cardiovascular health and fitness. Some of these apps can also take voice memos for symptom tracking and help you take note of any drastic changes or readings that may be a cause for concern.
Prevent drunk driving (and potential accidents)
You are probably out for a party, had a few drinks and not too sure you can comfortably drive yourself home.
Not to worry! You can know for sure if you are too inebriated to get behind the wheels with a smartphone app.
A very good example is the Smartphone Breathalyzer which can measure the alcohol on your breath in just five seconds, then wirelessly sends your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) reading to your iOS or Android smartphone.
Through this and similar apps, you can predict how long it will take for your BAC levels to return to zero percent. The most interesting part of this is you can even use them to book an Uber ride!
Find out what song is playing
You have just heard that memorable tune on the radio or on a stranger’s device and wish to find out the artiste or song title. That’s an easy task. With apps such as Shazam or SoundHound installed on your smartphone, you’ve got all you need to identify a song as it’s playing. Furthermore, a number of platforms such as Google, Apple and Microsoft have song identification tools built right into their respective virtual assistants, so you can just use Google Now, ask Siri or tap the Music Search icon inside Cortana for the same purpose.
Scan a document
These days, you don’t need to invest in a large flatbed scanner to scan that urgent document. With your smartphone, you have the perfect, convenient tool for this. Just open your smartphone camera which effortlessly becomes a makeshift scanner.
Once you snap the document, you can save it as an image and share with the intended recipient. The higher the resolution of your smartphone camera, the better the quality.
With Google Drive and apps such as CamScanner and Evernote, you can go further by converting scanned images into PDF files and read the text in them.
Remote lock or wipe your lost phone
The pain of losing one’s phone is often excruciating. The possibility of unauthorized access to your data and sensitive information makes this loss even more depressing.
If you are using an Android smartphone, you can use the Android Device Manager to track and take control of your phone, in the event that you lose it.
What’s more, you can use the Android Device Manager to ring your phone, remotely lock it or even factory reset it if you know you’re never getting it back.
Telecom
9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN

9mobile, Nigerian operator, has reportedly gained approval for roaming on the MTN Nigeria network in a deal that some commentators suggest could improve its position in the market and, more specifically, tempt back lost subscribers.
After finally gaining regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 9mobile plans to launch national roaming services on the MTN network from this month.
Under the agreement, 9mobile subscribers will gain access to MTN’s infrastructure for calls, texts and data in areas where 9mobile’s coverage is weak or unavailable.
For 9mobile, the deal offers a cost-effective way to expand coverage without the heavy investment required for nationwide infrastructure.
According to ITWeb Africa, the decision comes nearly five years after initial discussions – much longer than expected due, the Techloy news service said, to regulatory bottlenecks, shifting market conditions, and unclear execution timelines.
It may, however, prove pivotal for 9mobile, whose market share has dwindled to 1.72% in April 2025, down from 6.6% in 2020 when the proposal was first submitted. Indeed, in 2015 the company once known as Etisalat Nigeria had over 23 million subscribers and a 15.7% market share.
Of course, there’s also something in this for MTN. In exchange for network access, MTN gains utilisation rights to 9mobile’s underused spectrum in the 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 2100MHz bands – key frequencies for expanding coverage and improving data capacity.
For MTN, which serves over 84 million subscribers, this additional spectrum could reduce congestion and improve service quality.
The company has also had financial difficulties in the Nigerian market due to the naira’s substantial depreciation; this deal could support better service provision at a reduced cost.
That said, MTN Nigeria’s results for the first quarter to March 31 2025 were apparently much improved, and the company recently announced a massive capital expenditure drive for 2025 of some NGN900 billion (US$568.5 million) as it seeks to significantly enhance network service quality in major cities like Lagos and Abuja and extend improvements to other areas.
Telecom
Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime Today

Banks and telecom companies will begin deducting USSD banking charges directly from customers’ airtime instead of their bank accounts beginning from today, June 3.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a communications protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to interact with a mobile network operator’s computers.
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) announced this change in an e-mail message to customers, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Key details:
Each USSD session will cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, charged by your mobile network.
You will be asked to approve the charge before it’s deducted from your airtime.
If you prefer, you can use other banking channels like ATMs, mobile apps, or internet banking.
This change is part of a move to end the long-standing debt dispute between banks and telecoms over unpaid USSD fees.
As of late 2024, banks owed telecom companies ₦160 billion. For example, MTN was owed ₦42 billion by Nigerian banks.
By shifting USSD fees to customers’ airtime, the telcos aim to recover these debts and avoid future issues.
Telecom
IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles

IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited and one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has formally commissioned 65 Response, Patrol, and Escort (RPE) vehicles to G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, its long-standing security partner.
The commissioning ceremony which held in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to operational excellence, safety, and strategic partnerships.
The fully equipped vehicles, customized with radio systems, public address systems, medical kits, ladders, and amber lights, are expected to significantly enhance G4S’s patrol capabilities and enable proactive risk mitigation across IHS Nigeria’s infrastructure footprint in the country.
Speaking at the event, Jubril Saba, Vice President, Operations at IHS Nigeria, remarked: “IHS Nigeria is delighted to formally hand over these Response, Patrol and Escort (RPE) vehicles to our valued security partner, G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited. As a company, we recognize that the success of our operations lies not only in our technology and infrastructure but also in the strength of the partnerships we build and sustain.
G4S has been an essential partner in protecting our sites, supporting our teams, and ensuring operational continuity across the country. This initiative is more than just a commissioning of vehicles; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the safety of our people and assets, our drive for operational excellence, and our belief in strong partnerships.
We understand that securing our infrastructure and communities is critical to sustaining high-quality services nationwide, and we are confident this fleet will enhance G4S’s capacity to support us.”
Also speaking at the event, Jonas Ahl, Managing Director of G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, expressed his appreciation for the partnership:
“We are proud to receive these 65 custom-built patrol vehicles from IHS Nigeria. Each unit is fully outfitted to meet the specific security needs of our operations, equipped with communication systems, emergency response tools, and visibility-enhancing features. These vehicles will not only improve our response times and field presence but also enable us to reduce risk and deter criminal activity more effectively.
I would like to thank the IHS team for their excellent collaboration throughout this project. We are proud to serve IHS and remain committed to protecting the assets that power connectivity across Nigeria.”
This strategic gesture reinforces IHS Nigeria’s position as a socially responsible and security-conscious industry leader, while highlighting the value of operational synergy with trusted partners like G4S.
The deployment of these vehicles marks another milestone in IHS’s mission to secure its infrastructure and deliver uninterrupted service to millions of users across the country.
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