Telecom
WGI and GE Unveil New Education Platform, Aimed to Bring Literacy to Millions of People
The WGI Worldwide Company and GE have launched Lyra, a new app-based education platform that uses innovative advanced speech recognition and touch screen analysis to teach reading and writing.
The app was co-developed by WGI and GE as part of their ongoing partnership; that seeks to expand literacy in many underserved communities around the world.
The app represents the start of WGI’s transition to a digital provider of literacy learning and makes learning literacy skills more accessible for both adults and children.
Lyra will initially teach users how to read and write in English, and will be offered for free to people in need of literacy skills the most.
Its 26 modules are based on the evidence-based synthetic phonics approach to literacy and build on the foundation of WGI’s six years of in-person education.
Chance Wilson, founder and ceo, WGI, said “We realized that while there will never be enough teachers, there are enough mobile devices, and they are already in the hands of people who can benefit from literacy training.
“We worked quickly to bring on new teachers and set up programs in new communities, we wanted to do more given the urgent need.”
Wilson, who set up WGI six years ago as a fourteen-year-old middle school student, is passionate about bringing literacy to as many people as possible.
At first, he set up in-person classes in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Once established there, he set about developing plans for national and global impact, which eventually saw a partnership with GE blossom through GE’s global network of volunteers and software developers.
Now, Wilson and GE are aligned that moving into the digital world could not be more important.
Nabil Habayeb, president & ceo of GE Global, who is championing the partnership said, “Looking at the impact this app has the potential to make around the world, GE is fully supportive of this effort.
“With so many people isolated and in need of developing new skills, Lyra can help meet a critical demand in underserved communities that have little or no access to literacy resources – a situation made even more dire in the wake of COVID-19.”
Globally, more than 700 million people cannot read or write. This limits their ability to gain employment, improve their career prospects, or pursue higher education.
It also can have a far-reaching impact on mental health. Lyra now offers a solution for all of them.
The Lyra app features an engaging space-themed interface and user experience. The theme reflects the name of the app – Lyra, which is the brightest constellation in the night sky.
The app teaches letters and words by presenting them on the screen, pronouncing them, and then inviting users to say the letters and words out loud.
Powerful voice recognition technology then analyzes the response. The app also uses the phone’s touch screen to prompt learners to write the letters or words they are studying, then analyzes the results to tell them whether or not the writing is correct.
WGI and GE are poised to continue their partnership by working on developing new versions of the app to provide literacy lessons in other languages.
Currently, the app provides more than two years’ worth of English language literacy lessons and is designed for those who speak English, whether as a first language or as a foreign language but can’t read or write it.
It is available for download now on the Apple and Android app stores as Lyra by WGI.
In a strategic move to deepen its presence in emerging economies, global cryptocurrency exchange MEXC has launched peer-to-peer (P2P) trading support for three new fiat currencies — the Nigerian Naira (NGN), Ethiopian Birr (ETB), and Pakistani Rupee (PKR). This expansion reflects the company’s increasing focus on localising crypto access in high-growth, underbanked regions.
The addition of NGN, ETB, and PKR to MEXC’s P2P platform enables users in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Pakistan to trade major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC) directly with their local currencies.
The trades come with zero transaction fees, in line with MEXC’s strategy to lower entry barriers for users and encourage grassroots participation in the digital asset economy.
The update is more than a technical expansion — it underscores MEXC’s recognition of Africa and South Asia as rising crypto frontiers. Nigeria, often cited as one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets, and Ethiopia, where digital finance is beginning to surge amid reforms, represent key territories for crypto adoption. Similarly, Pakistan’s growing youth population and fintech appetite offer strong potential for crypto-enabled financial inclusion.
To support the rollout, MEXC is actively onboarding new merchants to its P2P platform. Merchants benefit from zero transaction fees, dedicated customer support, a special verification badge, and invitations to exclusive community events. The goal is to nurture a local network of verified sellers and buyers who can facilitate seamless and trusted crypto trades.
P2P trading — which allows users to transact directly without third-party intermediaries — is especially relevant in markets where banking infrastructure is either insufficient or heavily regulated. By bypassing traditional systems, P2P provides a lifeline for users seeking stablecoins, alternative stores of value, or more flexible remittance solutions.
This latest expansion signals MEXC’s intent to compete aggressively for market share in underserved territories while enabling more users to access and benefit from Web3 technologies. As global exchanges race to localise their services, MEXC’s early moves into fiat integration may prove pivotal in shaping the next wave of crypto adoption across the Global South.
At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.
Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.
During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”
The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.
They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.
The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.
The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.
The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.
As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.
MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.
According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.
If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.
Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.
Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.
MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.
“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.
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