Telecom
Ministry of Education Backs MTN Foundation’s Call for Application
Nigerian Ministry of Education has thrown its weight behind the MTN Foundation’s Scholarship initiative. The call for application by eligible students runs till June 19th and will see 360 students receive scholarships worth 300,000 naira each.
In 2010, the MTN Nigeria Foundation established the MTN Scholarships Program, an annual award designed to recognize and reward eligible high-performing students in Nigerian public tertiary institutions.
The program comprises three categories: the MTN Science and Technology Scholarship (MTN STS), the MTN Scholarship for Blind Students (MTN SBS), and the Top 10 UTME Scholarship. Each year, 300 students are awarded scholarships, which they receive until graduation, provided they meet the grade requirements. This year, the annual award amount has been increased from N200,000 to N300,000, and the number of beneficiaries increased from 300 to 360.
Over the past 12 years, the program has positively impacted the lives of 4,949 students. By providing financial assistance and recognizing academic excellence, the scholarship program has supported thousands of students in pursuing higher education, thus contributing to their personal and professional growth.
The MTN Foundation recently commenced another edition of the Scholarship, receiving strong support from the Federal Ministry of Education, which has called on all Nigerian students, including undergraduates and UTME candidates, to apply for the program.
In an announcement made on Monday, June 10th, the ministry encouraged all interested and qualified students to take advantage of this opportunity for their academic benefit.
The Federal Ministry of Education, through its Federal Scholarship Board, has consistently demonstrated its commitment to aiding Nigerian students’ academic success by keeping them informed about scholarship opportunities both domestically and internationally.
Commenting on the impact of the annual scholarship, the Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring quality education in Nigeria.
“Education is pivotal for national progress, and the MTN Foundation is unwavering in its commitment to empowering every Nigerian student to achieve academic excellence.
“By expanding scholarship opportunities, particularly for blind students, the foundation is making a strategic investment not just in individuals, but in cultivating a more inclusive and diverse generation of leaders and innovators who will shape a better future for Nigeria,” she said.
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.
It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.
The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.
“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.
“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”
Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.
This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.
“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.
The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.
Layer3, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.
Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.
“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.
“They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”
Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.
These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.
NDPC Probes Suspected Data Breach in Examination Centres
Airtel’s AI Spam Alert Flags 9.6m Spam Attempts
Vitel Wireless Completes Interconnectivity with all Major Telcos in Nigeria
Nigeria Approves $500m for AfDB’s Trust Fund Replenishment over Next 15 Years
Nigeria Among Hotspots as Kaspersky Warns of Rising Ransomware Threat in Africa
E-Business2 days agoNigeria Launches Cybercrime Team with Commonwealth, UK Support
Telecom2 days agoTelecom Subscribers Decline By 43m in One Year
Telecom2 days agoNCC Orders Telcos to Compensate Subscribers for Outages More than 24 Hours
E-Financial2 days agoSERAP Drags CBN to Court over Alleged Failure to Disclose LG Allocations
General News2 days agoHEDA Sues FG, Oil Giants over Alleged Unlawful Oil Licence Transfer
Telecom2 days agoIHS Nigeria, NSCDC Partner to Protect Telecoms Infrastructure
Telecom1 day agoEngr. Ikechukwu Nnamani Receives Two Prestigious @ABoICT Awards
E-Financial1 day agoEFCC Recovers over N20Bn Stolen by Hackers from 6 Banks in Nigeria