Telecom
COVID-19 Palliative: Zinox Group to Feed over 7000 Families for 2 Weeks
In a bid to ameliorate the impact of the lockdown occasioned by the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in most states of the Federation, the Zinox Group has committed to feeding over 7000 Nigerian families for two weeks through its staff spread across the various states in Nigeria.
Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh,
The ingenious initiative is also targeted at supporting the efforts of the Federal and State Governments in reaching needy Nigerians across the country.
To this end, the management of the Zinox Group which includes concerns such as Zinox Technologies Ltd., TD Africa, Task Systems Ltd., TD Plus, TDiLife, among others, as well as the Konga Group – with its growing subsidiaries such as Konga Travel, KongaPay and Kxpress, among others – has decided to use its staff across all its network of branches dispersed across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria to reach the under-reached and under-served populations.
The initiative, a brain-child of the Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, group ghairman, was borne out of the hardship and suffering he witnessed during his personal visitations to various rural locations and suburbs around town after donations to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), some churches and states.
Consequently, the Zinox Group has set up a special palliative fund running into millions of Naira from which all employees across the Group will have their accounts credited. Every full time staff in each of the respective companies in the Zinox Group and Konga – starting from the security man at the gate up to members of Executive Management – is expected to use the funds received to adopt a minimum of three families which it will support with essential food items to last them through the next two weeks.
While junior staff in all the companies across Nigeria are expected to nominate and donate the Zinox Group’s special palliatives to at least three needy families around their vicinity, mid-level executives are expected to reach at least five families each while members of Executive Management will be expected to donate to at least seven families.
For this exercise, families and relatives of all staff and employees of the Zinox Group and Konga are not expected to benefit.
The foregoing was confirmed by Group Head, Corporate Communications, Gideon Ayogu.
‘‘All staff and employees will receive dedicated sums from this special palliative fund set up by the Group Chairman, according to their cadre. They are then expected to identify the most needy and poor families within a two-kilometre radius from where they live and supply them with essential food items such as medium bags of rice, tomato paste and gallons of cooking oil to last them for the next two weeks.
‘‘To ensure accountability and to make sure that the intervention reaches the right people, we have also set up an audit team.
“Each staff is expected to provide pictorial evidence and at least two phone numbers from each of the families donated to. These will be verified digitally by the audit team.
“The Chairman is a data-driven person and has highlighted the need to verify the beneficiaries else it becomes a waste of hard-earned resources.
“ It is important to reiterate here that members of staff, their families and relatives are exempted from benefitting from this special intervention,’’ Ayogu disclosed.
‘‘Having personally visited a number of locations and seen first-hand the hardship being borne by Nigerians this period, Mr. Ekeh has decided that this is a more impactful way to reach the needy and support the efforts of governments in bringing succour to them.
“This special intervention is in addition to other undisclosed and unreported outreaches and donations to a number of charitable and religious organizations and a few state governments by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to support their efforts in reaching the masses during these challenging times,’’ he concluded.
MTN Group has committed $2 billion to the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect initiative, bringing the total funds pledged to $73 billion.
The announcement was made during the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025) in Barcelona, Spain.
Partner2Connect, spearheaded by the ITU, is a global initiative aimed at enhancing universal digital access, strengthening infrastructure, and fostering meaningful connectivity.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general, ITU, highlighted the significance of these commitments, stating, “Expansive digital infrastructure highlights how much humanity values and depends on meaningful connectivity. These new pledges bring us closer to delivering sustainable digital transformation to everyone, everywhere.”
According to the ITU, MTN Group has shown a strong commitment to investing in Africa’s digital future, spending approximately $2 billion annually on capital expenditures across its markets over the past five years.
Similar investments are planned over the next five years, focusing on expanding and improving voice and data networks to bolster connectivity and drive digital inclusion.
The ITU also announced a $2 billion pledge from Globalstar to expand its low-Earth orbit satellite network, providing seamless, energy-efficient connectivity solutions for remote regions and underserved areas.
These efforts will include direct-to-device (D2D) and IoT connectivity solutions.
As ITU celebrates its 160th anniversary, the UN agency has emphasised its dedication to bridging the global digital divide.
An estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide remain offline, according to ITU data.
The agency has called for $100 billion in commitments by 2026 to fund projects supporting global digital transformation, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
With over 1,000 pledges spanning 147 countries, Partner2Connect is working toward ITU’s vision of a digitally connected and inclusive future.
Current estimates suggest $1.6 trillion is required for global connectivity hardware alone, with the majority of resources needed in developing nations.
The funds pledged by MTN Group and other partners are set to strengthen digital infrastructure, enhance connectivity in underserved areas, and accelerate digital innovations to support economic and social growth worldwide.
Telegram has rolled out a new feature aimed at enhancing user safety by flagging messages from unknown contacts.
When users receive messages from individuals outside their contact list for the first time, a detailed information page now appears.
This page includes details such as the sender’s country (determined by their phone number), their joining date on Telegram, any shared groups, and whether their account is verified.
The goal is to help users identify potential scams and impersonators more effectively.
In addition, Telegram now provides insight into when the sender last updated their username or profile picture, offering another way to detect compromised or hacked accounts.
The company has emphasised its commitment to transparency, promising “clear indicators” to distinguish official accounts, third-party verified profiles, and regular users.
Telegram Premium subscribers can now charge fees for messages received from users outside their contact list, a feature designed to reduce spam while allowing group administrators to monetise their communities.
Dubbed “Star Messages,” this new option enables users to set customisable fees for unsolicited messages.
The feature also provides flexibility, allowing certain users or members of specific groups to send messages for free.
Telegram’s Star Messages come with convenient options, such as single-tap refunds for payments, ensuring a seamless user experience.
By offering advanced controls and monetisation opportunities, the platform continues to prioritise user safety and satisfaction.
With these updates, Telegram strengthens its position as a platform focused on both user protection and innovative monetisation tools.
MTN Nigeria has strengthened its commitment to grassroots sports development following a visit to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, at the Government House in Benin City on March 5.
The visit coincided with the upcoming launch of Season 3 of MTN Champs, an athletics competition that will commence in Edo State from March 13 to 15.
The initiative highlights MTN’s dedication to nurturing young athletic talent and aligns seamlessly with Edo State’s focus on sports development.
Idowu Adesokan, General Manager of Consumer Marketing at MTN Nigeria, expressed appreciation for Edo State’s contributions to previous editions of MTN Champs and emphasized the importance of collaboration to ensure this season’s success.
Governor Okpebholo reciprocated by pledging full logistical and administrative support to make the event impactful.
Season 3 of MTN Champs is set to engage thousands of secondary school students across Nigeria, kicking off in Edo State before moving to Lagos and Uyo in subsequent weeks.
This initiative reflects MTN Nigeria’s broader vision of fostering youth empowerment and revitalizing athletics at the grassroots level.
MTN Commits $2Bn to ITU’s Partner2Connect Initiative
Telegram Introduces New Features to Address Unsolicited Messages
NIMC Warns against Using Unauthorised Websites for NIN Changes
Kaspersky Uncovers Sophisticated Deception Campaign using DeepSeek AI as Bait
Igniteher BootCamp: A Pathway to Women Empowerment and Economic Growth
Schmidt, Ex Google Chief Says AI Risky in Terrorist Hands
KongaFM Basks in Rave Reviews from Nigerians
GSMA Launches Innovation Fund to Boost AI Solutions in Emerging Markets
FG Order MDAs to Close Commercial Banks’ Accounts, Enforce TSA Policy
OpenAI CEO Rejects $97.4Bn Takeover Bid from Elon Musk
Telecom1 day agoST Team Partner Proxy Coding School to Launch Free Tech Skills Initiative
E-Business1 day agoGBB to Train Over 300 Civil Servants on Govmail
Broadcasting1 day agoNAFDAC’s Fight Against Counterfeit Drugs Reaches New Heights with Ibadan Raid
News7 hours agoIgniteher BootCamp: A Pathway to Women Empowerment and Economic Growth
Telecom7 hours agoForeign Affairs Minister Amb. Tuggar Lauds Moniepoint as a Nigerian Fintech Success Story
Telecom7 hours agoMTN Nigeria Reaffirms Support for Grassroots Sports During Edo State Visit
Telecom7 hours agoTelegram Introduces New Features to Address Unsolicited Messages
E-Business7 hours agoKaspersky Uncovers Sophisticated Deception Campaign using DeepSeek AI as Bait