Telecom
Airtel Wins Best Company in Education CSR Award at SERAs 2014
Airtel Nigeria,leading telecoms operator has been adjudged the Best Company in Education CSR by SERAs (Social Enterprise Report Awards) at its 2014 Awards ceremony, in recognition of its laudable CSR initiatives aimed at improving the standard and quality of education in Nigeria
The award presentation to Airtel took place at the 8th edition of SERA which held recently at the Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos.
The SERA awards also known as the Nigeria CSR Awards, is one of Nigeria’s highly acclaimed awards recognized by Industry experts. Other nominees for the awards category include Samsung, Etisalat and Oando.
In a citation by the organizers, Airtel’s Adopt-a-School programme and the Bridge IT project were described as some of the key initiatives of the Telco which have contributed to the development of education in the country.
While receiving the awards, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, managing director and chief executive officer, Airtel Nigeria,said that supporting programmes which cut across critical areas of societal needs such as education, youth empowerment among many other initiatives are in the DNA of Airtel.
He also commended the commitment and sacrifices of all staff of the company which he said had been pivotal to the successes of the company’s CSR efforts, adding that the company would not relent in its drive towards an improved society.
Ogunsanya said: “At Airtel we place strong emphasis on giving back to the society because we know that government alone cannot continue to shoulder the huge responsibilities. For this reason we prioritize our CSR focus on developing education, health, environment and sports as well as empowering youths in Nigeria.
The MD further commended the organizers of the award for identifying the Telco’s CSR efforts which makes the company exemplary.
Through its Adopt-a-School Initiative, Airtel Nigeria has contributed immensely towards improving education within communities in Nigeria. Under the programme, the Telco collaborates with State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) in various states to provide primary school pupils in under-served communities with educational materials such as note books, uniforms, classroom furniture and borehole for potable water.
As part of this initiative, new blocks of classrooms have also been built to replace dilapidated structures in some schools across Nigeria, while the teachers receive periodic training as part of efforts aimed at improving teaching quality and standards.
The schools which are currently benefitting from this initiative are Oremeji Primary School II, Ajegunle, Lagos; St. John Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State; Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba, Cross River and Community Primary School, Amumara, Imo State.
Airtel also recently conducted free eye-screening for teachers and pupils of these schools, and those who required corrective glasses were provided with eye-glasses to improve their sight.
In addition, Airtel in 2011 partnered with Nokia and Pearson to create the Bridge IT project, which empowers teachers across Lagos State to adopt innovative and effective teaching practices through the use of mobile technology and student-focused pedagogy.
A total of 132 primary schools in Lagos have so far benefitted from this project.
The Telco also caters for various primary schools across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria through the Goal-for-Education scheme.
The scheme involves giving the participating teams in the Airtel Rising Stars U-17 grassroot football tournament, aggregated monetary value for the number of goals scored during regular match time.
After the competition, the teams are encouraged to donate the money to schools in their home states.
Mr. Ken Egbas, chief responsibility officer and founder of SERAs Awards, maintains that “the annual ceremony has grown to become the epicenter of the corporate social responsibility industry in Nigeria and recognizes the contributions of socially responsible corporate organizations in Nigeria.”
A Social Enterprise Report – compendium of best practices in CSR and Sustainability was also launched at the event.
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.
Netflix has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in Spanish film and television productions over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to Spain as a key creative hub in Europe.
The announcement was made by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos at an event held at Netflix’s production studios near Madrid, celebrating the company’s 10-year presence in the country.
Sarandos emphasized that the investment would contribute significantly to Spain’s economy, create jobs, and enable the streaming platform to produce more local content. He was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in unveiling the initiative.
Netflix first established its international production studios in Madrid in 2019, following the success of the Spanish-language hit series Money Heist.
Since then, its 22,000-square-meter facility has become one of Netflix’s major production centers within the European Union.
The company currently supports over 20,000 jobs in Spain, highlighting the nation’s growing influence in global entertainment.
The investment reflects Netflix’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in European markets through original content and local talent.
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