Telecom
Technext Rallies Blockchain Stakeholders on the Future of Digital Currencies @ Africa’s Largest Cryptocurrency Gathering in Lagos

Technology news platform, Technext, held the maiden edition of its Technext coinference on Thursday, December 9th at the Pistis Conference Center in Lekki, Lagos.

During a Panel session themed ” Blockchain: Opportunities for Africa” at the event on Thursday, in Lagos.
The event, with the general theme “Reimagining crypto as the future of finance,” gathers brilliant minds in the Nigerian blockchain sector to have essential discussions about the future.
David Afolayan, Content chief at Technext, in his opening address reiterates that it is important to have such a conversation around digital currencies as it is the new approach to trade and central to our survival.
“We need instruments to achieve conveniences, and trade is that instrument. Trade has taken different forms, and now we are lucky to be at the foothold of that change where digital currencies are replacing fiat money and we can transact without borders. ” – Content chief at Technext, David Afolayan,
He also noted that the rules guiding trade many years ago are no longer applicable and many people are not finding that convenient. To address these concerns, innovators, enthusiasts, and regulators need to have a conversation, one that the event provides.
The hybrid event brought together individuals and institutions from across Nigeria and beyond. Stakeholders and individuals from regulatory bodies were also present at the event.
Giving a keynote address at the event, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, minister of state budget and national planning, stated that the event captures the mutual desire of the government and its citizens to explore innovative methods towards economic recovery, growth, and development.
According to the minister, the government remains enthusiastic about the numerous possibilities the crypto industry provides despite the seemingly growing restrictions.
“So far, I hope I’ve demonstrated that both citizens and governments see the benefits of cryptocurrencies and share a mutual belief in them.
“I believe it is crucial for all stakeholders to view each player as a key teammate in forging a path toward a healthy crypto space in Nigeria. ”
He noted that cryptocurrencies could be the biggest disruptor in finance and governance the world has ever witnessed. However, the government needs to regulate the industry.
Regulations of the industry don’t mean “a giant hammer slamming down on the activities going on in an industry,” but rather to optimize conditions for growth, tailored towards the industry.
The event also had insightful takes from enthusiasts and innovators in the blockchain industry who addressed lingering questions and myths around the sector.
The first panel discussions involved Uzoma Dozie, CEO of Sparkle; Buchi Okoro, CEO of Quidax; Dickson Nsofor, CEO of Korapay; Austin Okere, CEO of CWG; Nkemdili Uwaje, CEO of Future Software; and Chimezie Chuta, Founder of the Blockchain Nigeria User Group.
The session was focused on untying the regulatory knots in the space, and a key idea that was mentioned by all speakers was the pace at which cryptocurrency is changing the financial system.
A panelist, Uzoma Dozie, spoke about the difficulties of scaling crypto because it is currently one of the fastest payment systems in the world.
He reiterated that the Nigerian CBDC, enaira, is not going to compete with card payments. It will only be one of the many available payment systems.
Buchi Okoro, CEO of Quidax, elaborated that the central bank’s development of eNaira is a step towards meeting stakeholders halfway and will encourage digital liquidity.
He explained that in the same way that WhatsApp can’t replace hugs and physical interactions, cryptos can’t replace fiat cash. Both currencies can only collaborate to bring better lives to the people.
Patricia’s CEO, Hanu Fejiro Agbodje, giving the keynote speech on Blockchain for Africa: The endless possibilities illustrate how Michael Faraday did not envisage that one day, Elon Musk would use his creation, electricity, to power his electric vehicles.
According to him, the world is still in its very early days of blockchain technology. It is one that people will constantly try to understand and use in various ways into the unknown future.
“We have been succeeding in this industry with zero support. Imagine if we got support from the government. He concluded by saying, “We can win and we will win as long as we continue to strive,”
The second panel comprised experts like Emmanuel Babalola, Africa Director at Binance and Interim CEO of Bundle; Modibe Matsepena, Senior Associate of Growth in Africa at Paxful; Founder of Aza Pay, Jacqueline Madu, and Bitmama CEO, Ruth Iselema.
Owing to the popular belief that crypto transactions are not traceable, users wanted to know the veracity behind that claim.
Buchi Okoro replied that Bitcoin is not anonymous. Bitcoin is pseudonymous.
“When you track patterns on ether scan and blockchain explorer, you can actually see every transaction that’s happened on the blockchain up until the very first production of that bitcoin,” he says.
Further highlights from the event were the brand moments, where institutions in the crypto scene gave insights into their various innovative products aimed at making the Nigerian blockchain industry a success.
Most of the conversations from the event centred around regulations and what the future holds for the crypto space in Nigeria.
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.
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