Telecom
Google Announces First Winners of Impact Challenge Africa
Google on Wednesday announced the winners of the first Google Impact Challenge in Nigeria where Twelve non-profits and social enterprises each were awarded a share of $2m in grant funding.
Three out of four winners were chosen by the judges, they include – The Cece Yara Foundation, HelpMum, Project Enable Africa and the final winner chosen by the general public was Vetsark.
All four winners will receive $250 000 each, while the eight runners up will each receive $125 000.
The funding will be allocated in tranches, to be assigned to each enterprise as they reach a set of predefined milestones specific to each venture.
In addition to the funding, the winners and runners up also receive support from Google to reach their goals and meet those milestones.
Google Impact Challenge Africa, a competition to find the most innovative African non-profits and social enterprises using technology to solve societal problems, opened in May and more than 5,000 (Five thousand) entries were received in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Judging to narrow down the 12 finalists was conducted by a team of Googlers and Google partners with expertise in the sector.
Group photograph of Judges at the grand finale of the first Google Impact Challenge held on Wednesday in Lagos
Voting was then opened to the public from 8 to 26 November. On the night, each entrant pitched their enterprise to a judging panel, which voted on the winners. The results of the public vote determined the people’s choice winner.
Judges on the night included Chairman CEO Channels media group John Momoh, chairman/CEO;
Mrs. Parminder Vir, Chief Executive Officer, Tony Elumelu Foundation; Rapper, CEO of Chocolate City Music Group, MI Abaga; Philanthropist and Executive Director of Nigeria Network of
NGOs Oluseyi Oyebisi; Managing General Partner, EchoVC Partners Eghosa Omoigui and Google Nigeria’s Country Director Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor.
Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Google Country Director in Nigeria, speaking at the event, said “Many African innovators are doing great work with real impact and Google is keen to shine a light on their work, and also give a financial boost to their projects and ideas.
“We believe technology can help local and national organisations to better reach their goals and solve some of the continent’s most pressing challenges, and Google is eager to provide support to individuals and organisations using technology in new ways to make a positive difference.”
The following are the detailed information on the four winners:
Vetsark – It is planning to launch Alpha Prime Disease Surveillance Technology to predict, prevent, and control pests and disease outbreaks in Nigeria to protect crops and livestock.
The Cece Yara Foundation – It established the first toll-free child helpline and child advocacy centre in Nigeria and aims to connect victims with professional services through the web, SMS, and mobile apps
.
HelpMum – Using mobile technology, HelpMum provides clean birth kits to ensure that pregnant women are given the best possible care during delivery, irrespective of where they live.
Project Enable Africa – This digital inclusion project promotes the access of people with disabilities and their caregivers to ICT skills and opportunities.
The detailed information of the eight runners up winners are
BudgiT Foundation – Its Tracka Capital Project raises a community of active citizens who monitor the implementation of government projects to ensure service delivery.
Bunmi Adedayo Foundation – This non-profit organisation trains public primary school teachers to bridge competency gaps in their teaching methodology as well as any subject area deficiencies.
Junior Achievement Nigeria – Provides entrepreneurship and digital skills training for secondary school students.
LearnFactory Nigeria – Its EmBED project uses technologies like virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence to make learning fun for children.
Rural Development and Reformation Foundation – Its OLEJU campaign is designed to economically empower women to become skilled artisans using creative recycling technology as a major tool.
Seed Tracker – IITA – This digital app is designed to enhance quality seed production and access to seed markets, addressing the lack of knowledge in the sector.
Solar Sister Nigeria – This non-profit social enterprise recruits, trains, and mentors women to deliver transformational solar and clean cooking solutions directly to the doorsteps of homes across the country.
The Roothub Tech 101 – A training programme designed to provide much-needed technology skills to disadvantaged youths in the rural areas of Nigeria.
In a strategic move to deepen its presence in emerging economies, global cryptocurrency exchange MEXC has launched peer-to-peer (P2P) trading support for three new fiat currencies — the Nigerian Naira (NGN), Ethiopian Birr (ETB), and Pakistani Rupee (PKR). This expansion reflects the company’s increasing focus on localising crypto access in high-growth, underbanked regions.
The addition of NGN, ETB, and PKR to MEXC’s P2P platform enables users in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Pakistan to trade major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC) directly with their local currencies.
The trades come with zero transaction fees, in line with MEXC’s strategy to lower entry barriers for users and encourage grassroots participation in the digital asset economy.
The update is more than a technical expansion — it underscores MEXC’s recognition of Africa and South Asia as rising crypto frontiers. Nigeria, often cited as one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets, and Ethiopia, where digital finance is beginning to surge amid reforms, represent key territories for crypto adoption. Similarly, Pakistan’s growing youth population and fintech appetite offer strong potential for crypto-enabled financial inclusion.
To support the rollout, MEXC is actively onboarding new merchants to its P2P platform. Merchants benefit from zero transaction fees, dedicated customer support, a special verification badge, and invitations to exclusive community events. The goal is to nurture a local network of verified sellers and buyers who can facilitate seamless and trusted crypto trades.
P2P trading — which allows users to transact directly without third-party intermediaries — is especially relevant in markets where banking infrastructure is either insufficient or heavily regulated. By bypassing traditional systems, P2P provides a lifeline for users seeking stablecoins, alternative stores of value, or more flexible remittance solutions.
This latest expansion signals MEXC’s intent to compete aggressively for market share in underserved territories while enabling more users to access and benefit from Web3 technologies. As global exchanges race to localise their services, MEXC’s early moves into fiat integration may prove pivotal in shaping the next wave of crypto adoption across the Global South.
At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.
Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.
During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”
The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.
They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.
The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.
The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.
The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.
As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.
MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.
According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.
If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.
Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.
Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.
MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.
“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.
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