Telecom
Infobip and MoEngage Partner to Create Conversational Experience with AI-powered Omnichannel Capabilities
Infobip, global cloud communications platform has announced its strategic partnership with MoEngage.
This collaboration aims to co-create a seamless conversational experience, boost customer engagement, and develop a robust brand presence through unified and AI-powered omnichannel communication. Through this partnership Infobip will now be part of the MoEngage Catalyst Partner Program that aims at helping brands scale at speed.
Infobip’s extensive global reach, spanning 75+ offices across six continents, connecting 7 billion mobile devices through 800+ telecom networks, and 42 Data Centers will empower MoEngage to facilitate easy cross-border interactions among customers and partners.
Furthermore, MoEngage gains the capability to seamlessly integrate direct customer access across multiple channels, thereby reducing operational loads and enhancing overall communication experience significantly.
By combining the proficiencies, Infobip and MoEngage will enable brands to offer customer engagement on popular messaging channels like RCS, SMS, and WhatsApp. Also, businesses can utilise the combined domain expertise and technological prowess of Infobip and MoEngage to create communication solutions tailored to industry-specific needs.
“At MoEngage, we pride ourselves on empowering consumer brands to drive truly omnichannel experiences tailored to end-user preferences. By onboarding Infobip to our growing partner ecosystem, we hope to provide our customers with a seamless and unified offering that cuts across channels like WhatsApp, SMS, and RCS, among others.
“Infobip’s expertise in building connected experiences combined with MoEngage’s advanced analytics, AI-powered campaign optimization, and hyper-personalization abilities will enable brands to provide seamless, conversational experiences that drive ROI impact.
“We are really excited about this partnership and the potential it has in creating memorable brand experiences that keep consumers coming back for more.” said Raviteja Dodda, Founder & CEO at MoEngage® Inc.
Veselin Vuković, VP of Strategic Alliances & Partnerships at Infobip, said: “Our vision is to be one communication platform that will be in the center of interactions between enterprises and their clients.
“Our partnership with MoEngage is a perfect combination of tools that help enterprises today to understand their customers, and as a result, engage them in a personalized way. This leads to customer satisfaction, and as an outcome, to loyalty.”
Veselin added: “By combining our cutting-edge CPaaS offerings with MoEngage’ s insights-led customer engagement platform, we are set to deliver a comprehensive solution that unifies communications across diverse channels, seamlessly integrating SMS, WhatsApp, RCS and other communication channels, to provide a personalized omnichannel experience.
“This partnership underscores our commitment to providing businesses with innovative tools to create stronger connections, drive hyper-personalized and meaningful engagement with their customers, apart from reinforcing how Infobip is paving its path of becoming one communications platform for all platforms.”
Telecom
FG Gives Banks, Telcos Six-Month Deadline to Resolve N250Bn USSD Debt
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators to settle the long-standing N250bn USSD debt dispute before January 2, 2025.
The CBN and NCC also directed banks to pay the pre-Application Programming Interfaces (API) debt before July 2, 2025.
They also ordered that post-API debts be settled before December 31, 2024.
The directive was issued in a joint cirular titled, “2nd Joint Circular of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission on the Resolution of the USSD Debt Issue Between Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators.”
The circular dated December 20, 2024, was signed by Oladimeji Taiwo, acting director of the Payments System Management Department, CBN, and Chizua Whyte, head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC.
The regulators said, “In view of the foregoing, the CBN and the NCC hereby direct DMBs and MNOs as follows: 1. That 60 per cent of all pre-API invoices must be paid as full and final settlement.
“Payment plans (lump sum or installments) must be agreed upon between a concerned DMB and MNO by January 2, 2025. Installments must be based on equal monthly payments, with full payment due by July 2, 2025.
“DMBs must pay 85 per cent of all outstanding invoices issued after the implementation of APIs (i.e., February 2022) by December 31, 2024.
“Similarly, 85 per cent of future invoices must be liquidated within one month of service.”
According to the regulators, the transition to end-user billing will be activated only for DMBs and MNOs that comply with the payment conditions cobtained in the circular.
CBN and the NCC said they would provide further guidance on public enlightenment initiatives related to the transition.
The regulators also directed MNOs to implement the “10-seconds rule” for USSD invoicing.
This implies that any session lasting less than ten seconds will not be billable.
The regulators added, “Failure to comply with the terms outlined in this directive will attract necessary sanctions, ensuring that both DMBs and MNOs uphold their obligations.”
Telecom
NCC Launches Initiative to Combat Fraud, Spam Messaging
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft regulatory framework aimed at addressing fraud, spam, and other challenges in the Application-to-Person messaging sector.
The telecom regulator made this announcement in a statement.
The proposed framework, which was introduced during a virtual Stakeholders’ Forum, is said to be a key step towards enhancing the sector’s integrity and ensuring a fair, transparent environment for all parties involved.
The draft framework, presented by Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Chizua Whyte, NCC’s acting head of legal and regulatory services, seeks to regulate the A2P messaging space.
The A2P messaging, used for notifications such as bank alerts, promotional campaigns, and government updates, has become a vital communication tool in Nigeria.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, including consumer protection concerns, fraud, and data privacy issues, as well as an unequal distribution of value within the ecosystem.
“The international A2P messaging space in Nigeria faces gaps that have led to issues such as fraud, spam, and data privacy concerns. These challenges threaten the sustainable growth of this communication tool,” the NCC said.
The proposed framework aims to address these challenges by protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, and holding service providers accountable.
“This forum marks a pivotal step towards addressing these challenges. We are here to engage with all stakeholders—operators, aggregators, businesses, service providers, and consumers—to refine the framework and ensure it meets the needs of the entire ecosystem.”
The NCC stressed the importance of inclusivity and collaboration in creating an effective regulatory environment.
Telecom
Airtel Africa to Return $100m to Shareholders via Share Buyback
Airtel Africa, a provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, has announced the commencement of a second share buyback programme that will return up to $100m to shareholders.
The share buyback reflects the Board’s confidence in the Company’s continued growth potential, the strength of its balance sheet, and the consistent cash accretion at the holding company level.
Furthermore, the buyback remains in line with the Company’s existing capital allocation policy.
According to the company, the programme will be executed in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
The share buy-back programme is expected to be phased over two tranches, with the first tranche commencing today and anticipated to end on or before 24 April 2025.
The first tranche will amount to a maximum of $50m.
The Company has entered into an agreement with Barclays Capital Securities Limited (Barclays) to conduct the first tranche of the buy-back and carry out on-market purchases of its ordinary shares with the Company subsequently purchasing its ordinary shares from Barclays.
Under this agreement, Barclays will act as riskless principal and will make decisions independently of the Company.
The sole purpose of the buy-back programme is to reduce the capital of the Company.
It noted that as such, all shares purchased under the buy-back programme will be cancelled.
In a statement signed by Simon O’Hara, group company secretary, the company noted that the share repurchase process will adhere to pre-set parameters agreed upon with Barclays Capital Securities Limited (Barclays), the executing partner for the first tranche of the buyback programme.
This partnership ensures that purchases are conducted transparently and in compliance with all regulatory requirements.
The buyback will be executed under the authority granted by shareholders during the Annual General Meeting held on July 3, 2024, which permits the repurchase of up to 374,141,187 ordinary shares.
Following the completion of a prior buyback programme, the remaining authority allows for the acquisition of up to 328,842,995 shares.
Additionally, Airtel Africa confirmed its commitment to adhering to the Financial Conduct Authority’s UK Listing Rules 9.6 and the provisions of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, as incorporated into UK domestic law.
The company also clarified that share purchases may occur during closed periods, consistent with these regulations and the agreed parameters.
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