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Flaim, Messaging app Re-Launches in Nigeria

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Flaim, reward based Messaging app, has  introduced Super Rewards once again in Nigeria last December and in less than a month was again able to generate well over 100k downloads from Nigeria and rewarded all users that downloaded the App or invited their friends with free data across all mobile operators.

Flaim, Messaging app Re-Launches in Nigeria

Flaim is not a newcomer to Nigeria, they had already done an initial launch in May 2019, when they were able to generate well over 200,000 downloads from Nigeria with a data gifting strategy, and quickly rose to the top rankings on Google Play.

Flaim has entered the competitive messaging app market, which includes Whatsapp, Telegram, Wechat and others, but it is doing so by offering flaim users the possibility to win phones on a daily basis, and even a car, through an automated random draw.

The car draw took place on the 4th of January where Juliet Manasseh from Abuja, 26, became the lucky owner of a brand new Kia Rio, which was handed over to her this past Friday, January 10th in the Kia Motors Nigeria Adeola Odeku showroom.

What makes flaim even more unique is its marketing approach which is totally focused on leveraging social media; flaim ran the car award completely online and broadcasted the event live on Social Media including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. This approach has enabled flaim to reach its target audience of millennials and Gen Z, driving significantly high conversion rates.

The flaim app’s relaunch has now become more permanent as was explained by Mr Ernest Akinlola, flaim Nigeria COO at the car award ceremony, “Our original launch in May was a huge success, actually well beyond our expectations; we could have easily reached a million or more downloads in that period, but we decided to slow down and regroup to design a sustainable long-term strategy, for our reward-based messaging solution, which included engaging with local partners, sponsors and content providers”.

Apart from its cool design, which is certainly attractive to its target market, the App’s developers and owners, the company Equiis Technologies AG, based in Zurich Switzerland, have had a history of providing encrypted communication solutions to ensure the privacy and integrity of its customers’ data records and content.

This has enabled them to design solutions to provide high quality calls with lower Data consumption than traditional VOIP apps, with the motto “talk more for less”.

It has also designed an interesting Do Not Disturb feature called DND which enables users to block all incoming messages and calls to save data until they have Wifi connectivity which again saves the flaim users from using their valuable data when receiving unwanted files and videos on their messaging app.

Flaim’s future in Nigeria seems bright, with a very young population, a high penetration of smartphones, and a data-savvy consumer base that has now become aware of the costs associated with their Social Media and communication needs, and are therefore welcoming an app that allows them to save on their Data top-ups.

Flaim is also soon to release MyMoods, which is similar to My Status on other popular social media apps, this allows users to post and share pictures and content to their contacts, but also to the whole flaim community.

This is a distinct advantage to the limitation of a customer’s immediate contact list. (My)Moods can be shared with everyone whether they are in your contacts or not!!

Derek Roga, CEO at flaim, said: “Over the past 2 years we have been analysing the growth of social messaging apps particularly focusing on the requirements of young people in Nigeria and across Africa, by doing this, we learned they want to spend more time on social media for entertainment but also for information and even education; the high cost of data versus income generates a barrier to those needs, which we are addressing now and will continue to do so. We also want to offer low-cost advertising solutions to young entrepreneurs, small businesses, moms who have their home businesses, to share pictures and info of their projects to a wider audience than just their contacts; this will generate more business leads, revenue and opportunities to them. We are also developing a special optimisation of flaim to work over Edge networks, this is ideal for rural communities., We believe there is a huge untapped market in these communities; we simply want to help people be connected and rewarded.”


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NITDA, API Partner Against Harmful Online Content

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National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the Advocacy for Policy and Innovation (API), has convened a one-day workshop in Abuja to advance dialogue on the draft Online Harm Protection (OHP) Bill to confront harmful online content.

NITDA, API Partner Against Harmful Online Content

The bill, a rights-based, locally rooted, and multi-stakeholder initiative, is aimed at addressing the challenges of the digital age.

The event, which held yesterday, brought together government officials, civil society, academics, digital platforms, and legal experts to shape a policy framework designed to combat online ills such as cyberbullying, disinformation, hate speech, digital exploitation, and gender-based violence, while safeguarding democratic freedoms and digital inclusion.

In his keynote remarks, Kashifu Inuwa, director general, NITDA urged a paradigm shift in the way society engages with digital technologies.

“For almost two decades, we have viewed digital technology through a consumer lens. But these technologies are not just products and services. They are transforming how we live, work, and interact. They shape our politics, our society, and our democracy,” he said.

Warning against unaccountable digital power in the hands of private corporations, the DG likened the digital journey to the tale of Alice in Wonderland, where initial fascination with innovation has given way to deeper concerns about privacy, autonomy, and manipulation by big tech platforms.

“We thought we were using Google, but now we realise Google is using us. Social media, once a tool of expression, has become a tool of surveillance and influence,” Inuwa noted.

He, therefore, emphasised the urgency of developing a democratic and accountable framework.  He explained that following the 2021 Twitter ban, NITDA facilitated dialogue between the government and platform operators, leading to a Code of Practice that stressed Nigeria’s sovereignty and legal standards.

According to him, the same process birthed the multi-stakeholder steering committee and the OHP White Paper in December 2024, laying the foundation for the current legislative push.

Earlier in her opening remarks,  Victoria Manya, co-founder, API, observed the moral and civic necessity of the bill.

Her words: “The internet did not break society, it merely revealed its unfiltered version. Every day, Nigerians are exposed to harassment, disinformation, exploitation, and even algorithmic violence. The OHP Bill is not a war on the Internet. It is a peace offering to its users, a social contract for a digital future that is safe, inclusive, and democratic.

“We cannot answer the question of algorithmic power with unchecked state control. We must answer it with shared, rights-based governance. This bill must not be written for the people, but with them.”


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How AI Alert by Airtel is Transforming Mobile Security in Africa

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These days, people rely heavily on their mobile phones for talking, texting, banking, social media, and storing important personal information. Because of this, scammers and spammers often target phone users.

Mobile fraud, like fake SMS messages and scams, is becoming more common and putting millions at risk of losing money or having their private details stolen.

Airtel’s new AI-powered Spam Alert Service offers a smart and timely way to fight back, marking a major step forward in protecting mobile users in Africa.

A brief look at mobile fraud and spam

Mobile fraud and spam are problems around the world, but they hit harder in places where mobile phone use is growing fast, and safety measures haven’t caught up.

A 2024 report from GSMA Mobile Economy shows that more than 20% of mobile users globally have experienced some kind of mobile fraud, with spam texts being one of the most common.

In Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has noted a sharp rise in scam messages and fake calls, leading to yearly losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

These spam texts often include fake links, harmful ads, or tricks to steal personal details. Many people get caught without knowing, which can lead to stolen bank money, identity theft, or damaged devices.

Older spam blockers only work on certain phones or apps, leaving many people, especially those using basic phones, without protection.

Why Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Service stands out

Airtel, a top telecom company in Africa, has launched a new and free service called the AI Spam Alert Service. It’s the first of its kind in Africa and aims to protect mobile users from spam text messages as they come in.

What makes this service different is that it doesn’t read or check the actual message content. Instead, it uses advanced artificial intelligence to quickly study the sender’s behaviour using over 250 signs or patterns, all within a fraction of a second.

Some of those parameters, according to Airtel, includes:

  • How frequently the sender changes SIM cards.
  • The volume and frequency of messages sent by the message initiator to different recipients.
  • The geographical spread of the recipient numbers, whether messages are targeted locally or dispersed nationwide.
  • Whether the sender receives replies or only sends messages.
  • A cross-reference of numbers previously reported for spam activity.

The AI completes this analysis in just 2 milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye, allowing real-time alerts to subscribers as suspected spam messages arrive.

How Airtel’s Spam Alert Service improves mobile safety and trust

Airtel’s new AI-powered spam alert system is set to make a big difference in mobile security across Nigeria and the rest of Africa. Instead of depending on users to block spam themselves, the service works directly through the network to stop suspicious messages before they reach people’s phones.

This kind of technology helps users feel safer and more confident using mobile networks—especially as more people rely on their phones for banking and other money-related services.

A 2025 report by McKinsey Digital shows that many Africans worry about mobile security when using digital financial tools. By reducing the risk of spam and fraud, Airtel is not only protecting its users but also helping to build a safer digital space where more people can take part in the growing mobile economy.

According to Airtel, within two months of its launch, the spam alert service system has identified 9,667,008 messages as potential spam.

Why this is a game changer

By building a service that is first-of-its-kind in Africa, Airtel is leading the way in offering spam alerts, powered by AI directly on its network, for over 150 million subscribers across the continent.

In addition, the service is quick, spotting suspicious sender activity in just milliseconds without reading users’ messages.

Finally, the service is free and requires no app downloads or extra setup. Airtel says the turns on automatically, making it easy for everyone to stay protected, even those using basic phones.

By sending signals to users before problems happen, Airtel boosts trust and encourages more people to safely use mobile money and other digital services.

Scammers are always finding new ways to trick consumers through the ubiquitous mobile phones, so increased demand for security improvements is, understandably, shifting to telecom companies.

Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Service is a strong and timely move toward better, smarter protection for users. As more people start using the service, it should help cut down fraud, keep personal information safe, and make mobile use more enjoyable.

As African economies continue to grow more digital, users of telecom services will need more secure and reliable ways to communicate, and Airtel is leading the way towards that safe future.

 


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Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

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A widespread cyberattack targeting Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) server software used by thousands of government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing was likely orchestrated by a single actor, a cybersecurity researcher said on Monday.

Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

Microsoft issued an alert on Saturday warning of “active attacks” on on-premise SharePoint servers.

The company clarified that SharePoint Online, part of the Microsoft 365 cloud suite, was not affected by the exploit, which is considered a “zero-day” vulnerability due to its previously undiscovered nature.

“Based on the consistency of the tradecraft seen across observed attacks, the campaign launched on Friday appears to be a single actor. However, it’s possible that this will quickly change,” Rafe Pilling, director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm.

That tradecraft included the sending of the same digital payload to multiple targets, Pilling added.

Microsoft said it had “provided security updates and encourages customers to install them,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

It was not clear who was behind the ongoing hack. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.

Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Washington Post said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.

According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps to identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers.

Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities.

“The SharePoint incident appears to have created a broad level of compromise across a range of servers globally,” said Daniel Card of British cybersecurity consultancy, PwnDefend.

“Taking an assumed breach approach is wise, and it’s also important to understand that just applying the patch isn’t all that is required here.”


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