Telecom
Anambra State Govt in Talk with US High-Tech Companies on Strategic Partnership

Anambra State Government’s Executive Council delegation, led by His Excellency, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, engaged in strategic discussions with the US Consul-General, William Stevens, and influential leaders from 26 renowned US high-tech companies at a groundbreaking meeting held over the weekend, at the US Consulate General Office in Lagos.

L-R: US Consul-General, William Stevens and Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR, during the groundbreaking meeting held over the weekend, at the US Consulate General in Lagos.
The distinguished Anambra Executive Council delegation included key figures such as Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency; Uchechukwu Christian, State Commissioner for Industry; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Ms. Chinwe Okoli.
The meeting aimed to explore avenues for collaboration, forge corporate alliances, and foster technological partnerships to accelerate Anambra State’s growth, and provided an opportunity to enhance strategic partnerships for economic development and the exchange of technologies, fostering shared prosperity between Anambra State, its tech companies, and their counterparts in the United States.

The Anambra State delegation and representatives of the US Tech firms during the meeting.
The Anambra delegation seized the opportunity to present the state’s tech developmental strides under Governor Soludo’s visionary leadership, as well as the strategic plan of the government to build an Anambra where the tech ecosystem thrives.
Highlighting the key initiatives driving tech revolutions within the state, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, underscored Mr. Governor’s commitment to establishing Anambra as a thriving hub for digital transformation and innovation.
The US high-tech companies participating in the discussions expressed eagerness to support Anambra State in diverse capacities, one of which includes robust support for the State’s Digital Health and Education Transformation initiatives pledged by Amazon Web Services and technical support and offer of substantial discounts for future devices purchased in the state by Dell and HP.

Managing Director, Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata ‘CFA’ (left) and others during the meeting
Meta also pledged to deepen their collaboration in Anambra through partners such as IGHub and Fate Foundation, while Google expressed enthusiasm to pilot several initiatives and explore opportunities to enhance the digital presence of SMEs in Anambra, thereby contributing to increased digital footprints.
Noteworthy, however, is the understanding that these commitments are preliminary and subject to further discussions and finetuning, by both the Anambra State Government and these tech industry giants, towards translating these commitments into impactful projects that will bring about lasting positive change for the people of Anambra.
The strategic alliance signals a significant milestone in Anambra State’s journey towards becoming a technology-driven hub and aligns seamlessly with Mr. Governor’s commitment to his vision to transform Anambra State into the digital and creative capital of Nigeria.

Governor Soludo (middle), the US Consul-General, William Stevens (1st on the Governor’s left) and other delegates from Anambra State and reps of US tech firms in a group photograph after the meeting
The partnerships forged with these leading industry giants, no doubt, are poised to catalyze innovation, economic growth, and societal development within the state.
In his remarks, Governor Soludo expressed gratitude for the willingness of the US companies to support Anambra’s technological advancement, emphasising the state’s commitment under his watch, to creating a conducive environment for collaboration and a thriving ecosystem for innovation.
Telecom
MTN Says New N6.98 USSD Charge Won’t Affect Airtime Recharge

Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief Enterprise business officer, MTN Nigeria, has assured the network subscribers that the new end-user billing system for the use of USSD services will jot affect them.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes are commonly used for banking transactions, airtime recharges, and other mobile services.
The telco said that there is no significant impact or change other than the fact that they will now pay the same N6.98 per session (120 seconds) with their airtime instead of direct bank debit.
Saint-Nwafor, said this during a chat with MTN MIP fellows, explaining that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered telecom operators to ensure that the new billing model resolves trust issues and ensures transparency in the billing process.
“Our regulator insisted that at the end of every month, we are going to be providing history and statistics on the performance of the service across the board”, she explained.
Saint-Nwafor added that the new billing model has standardized messaging across all operators and ensures consistent communication with customers.
“We will take all the error codes and map them into messages that are standardised across the board. So, if you initiate a transaction, you will know if it is failing. And, when the transaction fails, you will know if it is from your bank or the telco,” she explained.
Telecom
Crypto Scam Unmasked: U.S. Recovers Record $225m in Global Fraud Bust

The U.S. government has recovered $225 million in what is now the largest seizure of funds linked to a cryptocurrency investment scam.
In a statement released Wednesday, June 18, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the recovery followed an extensive investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, using blockchain analysis and other forensic tools. The statement did not confirm whether any arrests had been made.
According to the authorities, the stolen funds originated from fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes that tricked victims into believing they were making legitimate investments. More than 400 individuals around the world, including dozens in the United States, were reportedly affected.
The operation involved a sophisticated money laundering network that carried out hundreds of thousands of blockchain transactions to obscure the source and ownership of the stolen assets.
“These scams prey on trust, often resulting in extreme financial hardship for the victims,” said Shawn Bradstreet, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service office in San Francisco.
Bradstreet added that U.S. officials hope the recovered funds can eventually be returned to the rightful victims.
Cryptocurrency investment fraud accounted for over $5.8 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone, according to the statement.
Telecom
Nnaemeka Ani Calls on African Techies to Rewrite the Narrative

In a rousing declaration that is electrifying minds across the continent, Hon. Nnaemeka Ani, Special Adviser on ICT to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for a homegrown digital revolution under the banner “Africa Will Rise: By Code, By Courage, By Us.”

Hon. Nnaemeka Ani
The message, part challenge, part philosophical—seeks to galvanize African innovators to move beyond buzzwords and build technology with impact and legacy in mind.
“Let’s stop building for hype. Let’s start building for legacy,” Ani urged while speaking to ICT journalists over the weekend. “Let’s stop waiting for someone else. Let’s start creating the future—on our own terms.”
At the heart of Ani’s vision is a shift from tech consumerism to tech authorship. With innovation hubs sprouting across cities like Enugu, Lagos, Kigali, Jo’Burg, and Nairobi, and a growing community of developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs determined to solve Africa’s unique challenges, the movement is already taking shape.
Ani emphasized that Africa’s future lies not in flashy apps or international admiration but in persistent, intentional solutions that uplift communities—solutions that digitize public services, bridge rural-urban divides, empower women and youth, and build resilience in food and climate systems.
“We have the talent,” he said. “Now it’s time to harness it—to stop building for likes and start building for lasting impact.”
With support from leaders like Ani and rising momentum in Africa’s tech corridors, it seems that a new chapter is being written—one line of code at a time.
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