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MTN Empowers over 1,000 MoMo Agents in the Kano Emirate Council

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As part of the activities marking the coronation of His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, as the 15th Emir of Kano, Y’ello Digital Financial Services (YDFS), the fintech subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, announced the empowerment of 1,004 youths as MoMo Agents within the Kano Emirate.

His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, 15th Emir of Kano (center), with Y’ello Digital Financial Services staffers and other Kano Emirate council members during the inauguration and empowerment of 1,004 youths in Kano recently.

This is to strengthen the socio-economic development of the emirate, while also aligning with the empowerment objectives of the Kano State Government.

At the ceremony, which was held at the Emir’s Palace in Kano, the newly crowned Emir, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero inaugurated the empowered 1,004 youths, charging them to be worthy ambassadors of the Kano Emirate Council.

In 2019, YDFS rolled out MoMo Agent Services across Nigeria, to provide safe and accessible money transfer services to financially underserved communities, and to deepen financial inclusion, particularly in the northern region of Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero said, “I especially want to appreciate YDFS for always collaborating with the Kano Emirate Council to create value-adding opportunities capable of enhancing the economy, while also empowering the youths through their product and service offerings.

“We appreciate this collaboration, which is the first of its kind in the country because it will guarantee economic stability and good living conditions for the beneficiaries of this initiative.

“We believe this is a step in the right direction as we are confident of the economic growth we are going to witness in our villages and districts.”

Usoro Usoro, Chief Executive Officer, YDFS, expressed appreciation to the Emir for the opportunity, noting that the essence of the initiative is to close the financial exclusion gap in the country.

“We recognise the economic importance of having access to financial services across the country. This is because of the massive direct impact it has on the quality of life of the people.

“Having understood the non-availability of bank branches across the entire country, we have secured a partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and our principal bank, Access Bank, to roll out agent networks across the entire district of the Kano Emirate.

“We rest assured that this will boost the economic viability of the region, while also contributing positively to the generality of youth development,” he said.

Y’ello Digital Financial Services is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian can seamlessly access financial services for their personal and business needs.

This they do through continuous partnerships, to support the 2024 financial inclusion strategy of the federal government.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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MTN Says New N6.98 USSD Charge Won’t Affect Airtime Recharge

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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.

MTN Says New N6.98 USSD Charge Won’t Affect Airtime Recharge

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.

 


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Crypto Scam Unmasked: U.S. Recovers Record $225m in Global Fraud Bust

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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.


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Nnaemeka Ani Calls on African Techies to Rewrite the Narrative

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Hon. Nnaemeka Ani
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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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