Telecom
Smile Boosts Internet Penetration with Entry-level Device

Ever reinforcing its pacesetting streak with innovative products and enhanced service offerings, Smile Nigeria, who introduced the first Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) on its network in 2016 providing SuperClear voice calls, today introduces another first to Nigerians.
Never resting on its oars, the company introduces the first entry-level, dual-SIM, Voice Over 4G LTE-enable smartphone, to increase access to the best quality 4G LTE network at a more affordable rate.
The SmileVoLTE dual SIM smartphone, which is Google approved and manufactured in partnership with Mediatek , comes pre-loaded with applications including the SmileVoice App, WhatsApp, twitter, skype, Instagram, YouTube, music and FM radio and includes innovative features like fingerprint and face recognition for smartphone private access and security.
The SmileVoLTE dual –SIM smartphone, with the same chipset used in other leading smartphone brands, comes equipped with 1.3 Ghz Dual core, VoLTE-enabled, 5MP front camera, 8MP back camera, 2950mAH battery, 5.45” HD touchscreen, 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM. Features of the SmileVoLTE smartphone also offers HD voice quality, WiFi hot spot, touchscreen and Android 9OS, and comes with a complimentary phone case in the box.
For only N35,000 consumers will enjoy the new SmileVoLTE Dual SIM smartphone offering high definition voice calls and is bundled, for the first time, with an AlwaysOn internet access which offers customers hassle free SuperFast internet for the next 30 days with a daily FUP of 1GB and data speed of up to 1.5Mbps.
Ingrained in this novel product is the SmileVoice offer that avails customers 100 local off-net minutes, 50 local off-net SMSs and unlimited on-net voice and on-net SMSs. All these services, including the SmileVoLTE smartphone, are available for only N35,000 and customers who prefer to own just the device can get it for only N30,000.
Modern and portable, the new dual-SIM SmileVoLTE smartphone is said to be a must-have for the discerning customer especially those desirous of a utilitarian contemporary device.
Speaking on the new product, Abdul Hafeez, Chief Marketing Officer of Smile Nigeria, noted that Smile is keen at making another impressive mark in the rapidly growing Nigerian market.
“We are making available to customers one of the best VoLTE Smartphones in the market with 4G LTE capabilities and an AlwaysOn internet access for non-stop 30-day internet connection. The market is moving much faster in the broadband direction and we want Nigerians to enjoy the best that broadband can offer hence the introduction of this new SmileVoLTE smartphone”.
Hafeez enthused that “with the launch of the SmileVoLTE smartphone our customers are assured of a quality product that will beat the existing benchmark in the Nigerian market”. To him, offering customers’ quality and innovative products are upper-most in the company’s strategic plans. He assured that the new SmileVoLTE smartphone would be very beneficial to the user in more ways than one.
Smile launched the first 4G LTE network in West Africa in Nigeria in 2014 revolutionising the way people access the internet. The new SmileVoLTE smartphone can easily be bought from Smile shops in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Benin City, Kaduna, Onitsha and Asaba.
Telecom
Telecoms Services Resume in Kogi State as Telcos, Govt Resolve Dispute

Telecommunications services disrupted in Kogi State have resumed following a resolution of the dispute between MTN Nigeria and the state government, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has said.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, told TVC News that the issues that led to the shutdown of telecom masts in the state, primarily affecting MTN, had been addressed, paving the way for service restoration.
TVC News earlier reported that businessmen and women were counting their losses as they suffered the impact of a shut down of telecommunication service in Kogi State
Over the past two weeks, telecoms connectivity had been erratic, with competing brands experiencing glitches, particularly in the Lokoja metropolis.
The State government suspended the operations of some telecom services citing unpaid taxes and fibre-related dues.
The shutdown stemmed from a compliance dispute between MTN and the Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, which accused the telecom giant of violating operational rules and under-declaring the extent of its optic fibre network coverage in the state.
Telecom
Banks Settle ₦160Bn USSD Debt to Telcos, Ending Five-Year Dispute

The protracted Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt misunderstanding between the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and telecommunications operators appears to have been resolved.
This was confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, Thursday, March 1, when he appeared on Arise TV to speak on the firm’s first-quarter 2025 result, where the telecommunications company reported over N1 trillion in revenue earnings.
Recall that the USSD debt had been a major issue between the DMBs and telcos and had lasted for about five years.
In the third quarter of 2024, the telcos had threatened to withdraw their service over the lingering debt, which was around N200 billion at the time. This led to the swift intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and an agreement was reached on payment.
As of November 2024, the NCC put the debt at N160 billion. However, earlier this year, when it appeared the banks were not forthcoming with payments, the NCC directed the telcos to withdraw the USSD services from debt-owning DMBs, where about 18 banks were listed.
This directive prompted the banks to look inward and start to comply with an earlier circular signed by the CBN and NCC, which articulated the payment patterns for the debt.
Speaking, on Arise TV this morning, May 1, Toriola confirmed that the matter has been fully resolved and that banks have made payments.
“I can confirm that the matter has been fully resolved. We have received payments in full. Special thanks to the CBN, NCC, the banks, and other stakeholders that intervened in the matter,” the MTN CEO stated.
Telecom
Sterling Bank Introduces AlwaysOn, Offering Nigerians Up to ₦1 Million Monthly

Sterling Bank, Leading commercial bank and Africa’s most agile company has announced the introduction of AlwaysOn by Sterling, a bold new feature on its OneBank platform that will give eligible customers up to ₦1 million extra every month -even when their account balances are running low.
Launched on Workers’ Day 2025, the initiative is part of an ongoing movement to remove structural barriers to financial freedom and empower everyday Nigerians to move boldly, even in uncertain times.
AlwaysOn is a specialised, invitation-only feature for customers who maintain an active OneBank account for a while. It provides an advance to settle bills or make payments without delays, or any of the friction associated with traditional credit systems.
“This is not just about funds,” said Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank. “It’s about freedom and dignity. It’s about backing our customers with the trust and tools to act boldly when life demands it.”
Suleiman emphasised that the new feature is not a product, it’s a logical shift in how the bank supports its customers.
“We’re building a financial ecosystem designed for momentum -for people with grit, urgency, and dreams too big to wait. If you’ve banked with us, you’ve earned our confidence. Now you’ll have our backing to match,” added Suleiman.
The introduction of AlwaysOn marks the next chapter in Sterling’s growing movement to create a fairer and more responsive financial system. It follows the Zero Transfer Fees initiative in April, which returned an estimated ₦13 billion to Nigerians by eliminating transfer charges across the OneBank platform. It also builds on Sterling’s Free Bus Ride initiative, which helped commuters get home from work for free during a time of intense economic pressure.
Together, these efforts reflect the bank’s bold, people-first approach to customer impact, now made possible by its adoption of SeaBaas, Nigeria’s first indigenous core banking platform.
“We’re not the kind of bank that stands on the sidelines while Nigerians hustle,” said Obinna Ukachukwu, Growth Executive for Retail and Consumer Banking. “We removed the fees that slowed them down. Now we’re giving Nigerians the financial freedom to seize opportunity when it shows up. We’re on the pitch with them.”
Sterling’s actions have sparked widespread public support and national recognition as they have continued to push the boundaries of what corporate citizenship can mean to everyday Nigerians.
Notable icons from various fields have canvassed their support and praised the bank’s stance in redefining financial services, inspiring other institutions to follow suit.
Nigerians are encouraged to apply to join the waitlist for the scheme when it goes live in later this month and ultimately, eligibility for up to N1M extra in relief advances.
- E-Financial2 days ago
CBN Slams ₦250m Fine on Paystack Over Zap Wallet Operations
- E-Business3 days ago
CAC to Prosecute Business Owners Operating Without Registration
- General News2 days ago
NITDA Inaugurates Start-up Consultative Forum
- Telecom3 days ago
Emerging Technologies, Cybersecurity, Others Form Key Focus of NCA 2003 Review
- E-Financial3 days ago
Panic as Hackers Allegedly Steal N9.3Bn Customers’ Fund from Union Bank
- General News3 days ago
UK’s Manufacturing Africa and TLG Capital Join Forces to Boost Nigerian Manufacturing
- Telecom3 days ago
MTN Nigeria Reports N1 Trillion Revenue
- Telecom2 days ago
GBB Reaffirms Commitment to Driving Public Sector Innovation @ the 5th Public Service Innovation Competition Awards