Telecom
Med-Direct, Konga Kares to Commence Free Delivery of Subsidised Quality Medicines to Nigerians

Nigerians can now enjoy free delivery of highly subsidised quality medicines to their preferred locations nationwide effective from Monday, August 15, 2022, courtesy of Konga Kares – a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project spearheaded by Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce giant in partnership with Med-Direct Community Pharmacy, a tech-driven online retail pharmacy.
Discounts of up to 12% are on offer for patients on managed health conditions and reliant on routine prescription drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma and arthritis, among others, while a 10% discount is available for regular medicines, nutraceuticals or high-performing supplements for people who wish to enhance their health, lifestyle and beauty goals.
The project, which will be executed via Konga Kares, the CSR arm of the Konga Group, is set to run for an initial 18 months with a pilot phase commencing in Lagos from Monday.
Also, retired and serving civil servants, military and paramilitary service men/women and their families, lecturers in institutions of higher learning, teachers and those who are above 60 years of age can enjoy an additional incentive of 2% discount off their supply of prescription drugs once they sign up for periodic refills of their prescription medicines.
The subsidised medicines are available for purchase on Konga.com with same day delivery at no cost in Lagos.
Other locations are expected to follow suit after the pilot phase in Lagos, with Konga Kares subsidising the cost of free deliveries to the last mile for all orders/prescriptions received.
Also, interested shoppers are encouraged to open wallets on KongaPay for ease of payment and confirmation.
The initiative is aimed at mitigating the harsh effects of the global economic crunch, while also improving access and reducing the cost of quality medicare for Nigerians.
In addition, the project has been identified by Med-Direct and Konga Kares as part of efforts to contribute their own little quota to the achievement of one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations, specifically Goal 3.4.1 which is aimed at cutting premature death due to chronic (non-communicable) diseases by one third come 2030 in all countries.
‘‘We are confident of improving the health and well-being of millions of Nigerians through this partnership with Konga Kares, while also delivering good value for money and reducing the prevalence of fake medicines,’’ disclosed Pharm. Ifeanyi Ogbolu, Head of Retail Operations, Med-Direct Africa.
‘‘Interested shoppers can reach out to us via WhatsApp on +234 907 729 9649 for enquiries or to upload their prescriptions and interact with our team of experienced pharmacists for verification before supplies are made. We are also ready to take orders for supplements, lifestyle products and other medications for swift and free delivery to customers nationwide.’’
Furthermore, he disclosed that the initiative equally presents a fitting opportunity for interested and public-spirited Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to purchase quality drugs and have same delivered at no cost to friends, families, the less privileged and communities of their choice across Nigeria.
Also, he emphasized that local and international donor agencies can leverage the partnership to deliver drugs and other medical supplies in bulk to needy or beneficiary communities or to target groups across Nigeria free of charge.
Konga Kares has regularly identified with and empowered critical segments of the population in need of a helping hand and other identified target beneficiaries in Nigeria.
In addition to delivering exceptional value during the COVID-19 regime by supplying quality food and drugs to thousands of Nigerian families free of charge, Konga Kares is also known to discount prices for essential products to families during the Christian and Moslem fasting and festive periods.
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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