Telecom
Xiaomi Mi4 Built With Incredible Power, Fast Software

The Xiaomi Mi4 is one of the biggest handset releases in Nigeria in 2015 and deserves testing one out.
Here is the experience you are going to get upon using the smartphone:
Up: Xiaomi Mi4 proves to be amazingly built with quality, fast software, excellent hardware and pocket-friendly.
Down: It is unbelievable that Xiaomi Mi4 has no Micro SD card slot; showing that the design is a clear imitation of the iPhone.
Design & Display (DD)
The Mi4 come with a metal chassis fronted by a Gorilla Glass screen and backed with a plastic rear panel. Along the bottom you’ll find a single speaker and again looking like the one seen on the iPhone 5.
The device uses MicroUSB-B, a clear departure from what “regular” smartphones use which is MicroUSB-A.
The USB-B connection will still fit, however, but there’s the added danger of inserting it upside down here.
Sleek phones loving Nigerians will definitely find a “companion” in Xiaomi Mi4, especially for it semblance with iPhone.
The hardware (body) build quality is fantastic, and the use of metal equates the smartphone to a standard not usually associated with Android arena.
The 5in IPS display is also striking and very impressive, sporting a full HD 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution and rock-solid viewing angles.
Interestingly, the display is easily seen in direct sunlight, and boasts the kind of colour replication you’d expect from a top of the line handset.
Hardware and Performance (HP)
While the Xiaomi Mi4’s price may be well below what you’d pay for an iPhone 6 or Galaxy S5 –– in Nigeria, of course, it retails for less than N50,000.
Mi4 has some elegant specifications, including a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chipset clocked at 2.5GHz. That’s backed by 3GB of RAM, all of which provides a silky-smooth user experience and amazing performance when playing 3D games.
The 3G unit we reviewed comes with 16GB of storage while the 4G unit has 64 gigabytes .
It’s worthy of note that there is no way to add in more storage using Micro SD cards, so you’ll have to choose wisely if you like downloading lots of content.
Also, NFC is also missing, which iis not pleasant when you consider that the tech is likely to take off in a big way now that Apple is officially supporting it with its new iPhone models.
Software (MIUI)
Xiaomi’s MIUI (pronounced, “Me-You-Eye”) is snap on Android.
In the case of MIUI 5, which ships with the Mi4, it’s built on Android 4.3.
However, unlike other manufacturers Xiaomi has been quite aggressive with its UI skin.
Unlike to a Western user who may not enjoy not Google apps, largely because Android phones sold in China rarely come with such software pre-installed, Nigerians can (though a Google Installer application) load up everything you need, from Gmail to Google Play.
While MIUI 5 was the OS that shipped with the device reviewed, it is upgradable to MIUI 6 (based on Android 4.4), which isn’t officially available as yet but can easily be flashed to the phone using a dedicated application.
Another feature of MIUI that makes it feel like iOS is the lack of an app drawers. Of course, all time Android fans may find it hard to get adapt. But, you can still use widgets as normal.
There is minor change on the MIUI based as the notification bar at the top of the screen no longer displays any icons, and instead you have to slide down the notification panel to see what messages you have.
The challenge is the possible of one often missing notifications or ignored them purely because they didn’t flash up in the bar.
But, designers at Mi are smart enough to compensate. Thus, notifications now pop up at the top of the screen no matter what activity you’re involved in –– just like they do in iOS.
MIUI 6 are very cool; coming with “Do Not Disturb” option built into the OS itself, and there are little customizations to play around with, including a menu which allows you to control the colour temperature of the screen.
Most of all though, MIUI is fast; perhaps not as swift as stock Android on a Nexus 5, but certainly meets the fancy.
Battery and Camera (BC)
The Mi4 has a large 3080mAh battery, and edges of the in the Galaxy S5 in terms of size. It seems there is behind the scenes operations that ensure the Mi4 lasts longer than most of its big-screen rivals.
This is because, it lasts almost three entire days out of the pphone. This has not been the case with an Android phone for some time now.
It’s actually possible to select from different battery profiles, but most interesting to us is the “Balanced” mode that left most features running and intact, presumably dialing down the Snapdragon 801 chipset in order to save on the juice. Regardless of what tactics Xiaomi is adopting to preserve battery life, the Mi4’s stamina supercede others of same status.
Xiaomi Mi4 brandished its Sony-made 13MP camera and that is equally impressive.
It offers excellent picture quality and fast focus times. The Mi4 is capable of producing some spectacular images, even if it does occasionally struggle with high-contrast areas.
Verdict
Xiaomi understands that iPhone hasn’t made significant inroads to Nigeria, which might have spurred it to through up the “iPhone of China” into the market late last year.
However, and with its incredible power and a gorgeous design; making it one of the best phones of 2015 (in Nigeria) , as long as you can put up with snatches of Chinese text, there are drawbacks also. Without Micro SD card slot being possibly the most obvious and the lack of 4G in this launch model is also an issue.
Not including NFC seems very shortsighted by Xiaomi.
Nonetheless, it is worth putting up with due to the speed and the design being the most aesthetically pleasing Android handsets in the market now.
Telecom
Anambra Cracks Down on Illegal ISPs, Cites Security, Service Concerns

Anambra State Government has begun a crackdown on illegal Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operating across the state, citing concerns over data breaches, poor service quality, and environmental defacement.
The enforcement, led by the Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB) and the Anambra State ICT Agency, follows numerous complaints about unauthorized road excavations and the indiscriminate erection of poles, which deface infrastructure.
Investigations revealed that several ISPs were operating without approval or submitting deployment plans, a violation of regulations governing telecommunications infrastructure.
Authorities stress that the objective is not exclusion but compliance, ensuring only registered ISPs approved by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) operate in the state.
Residents are urged to report unlicensed ISP activities via the dedicated hotline 02014143039.
Speaking on the development, Barr. Chike Maduekwe, Executive Chairman of ANSPPB, said: “This isn’t about shutting anyone out but about ensuring everyone follows the right process. If you want to offer internet services in Anambra, go through the proper channels. We will support those who comply, but we will not tolerate shortcuts.”
Similarly, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA), Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, emphasized: “The internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Governor Soludo has implemented a zero right of way policy to encourage players, but the first step for any ISP must be regulatory approval. The people of Anambra deserve services from providers they can trust.”
The Anambra State Government remains committed to fostering a safe, fair, and well-regulated digital landscape where residents can enjoy secure, high-quality internet services without fear of exploitation.
The enforcement drive signals a new era of accountability in the state’s fast-growing digital space.
Telecom
Instagram Unveils Teen Safety Features in Nigeria

In a significant step towards enhancing online safety for teenagers, Meta is proud to announce the launch of Teen Accounts on Instagram in Nigeria. This initiative is part of Meta’s broader commitment to ensuring safe, private, and positive online experiences for teens across Africa.
As more Nigerian teens join Instagram, it is crucial to prioritise their safety and privacy. Parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with their friends and explore their interests, without having to worry about unsafe or inappropriate experiences.
Teen Accounts were designed to better support parents and give them peace of mind that their teens have the right protections in place. Teen Accounts have built-in protections that limit who can contact them and the content they see, and we’ll automatically place teens in Nigeria into Teen Accounts, and teens under 16 will need a parent’s permission to change any of these settings to be less strict.
Key protections offered with Teen Accounts include:
Private Accounts: Teen accounts are set to private by default and teens under 16 can only change this setting with parental guidance.
Messaging Restrictions: Teens can only receive messages from people they are already connected to.
Sensitive Content Control: Teen Accounts are automatically set to see less sensitive content in search results and recommended content in Explore, Feed and Reels.
Limited Interactions: Teens can only be tagged or mentioned by people they follow, and the strictest anti-bullying feature, Hidden Words, is enabled by default.
Time Limit Reminders: Notifications prompt teens to exit the app after 60 minutes of daily usage.
Sleep Mode: Enabled from 10 PM to 7 AM, this feature mutes notifications and sends automatic replies to DMs overnight.
“We’re excited to bring these features to Nigeria and help families navigate online spaces safely. Teen Accounts are designed to give parents peace of mind, allowing teens to connect with friends and explore interests without worrying about unsafe experiences,” said Sylvia Musalagani, Safety Policy Manager, Africa, Middle East & Turkey (AMET) at Meta.
Since Meta started reimagining its apps for teens with Teen Accounts globally in September 2024, Meta has enrolled 54 million teens into Teen Accounts on Instagram, with 97% of those aged 13–15 remaining within the strict default protective settings.
While Teen Accounts come with built‑in safety protections, Meta understands many parents want to take a more active role in their teens’ online experiences. With the enhanced supervision tools, parents can:
See who their teen has interacted with: While message content remains private, parents can now view a list of people their teen has messaged over the past seven days.
Set daily time limits on Instagram: Parents can decide how long their teen can spend on the app each day. Once the limit is reached, Instagram will be inaccessible for the rest of the day.
Schedule downtime from Instagram: Parents can block access to Instagram during specific hours, like bedtime, with just a tap.
View the topics their teen is exploring: Parents can see which age-appropriate interest areas their teen is choosing to follow and engage with.
“Meta’s new policy aligns with several core priorities outlined in NITDA’s strategic roadmap, particularly concerning data privacy and protection for minors, now under the purview of the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, and child online protection and digital well-being, which we have collaboratively addressed with our sister agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission.
“NITDA has been a strong advocate for child online protection through various initiatives, including national strategies and proposed legislation, such as the Online Harms Protection Bill, which addresses age verification and parental controls.
“This policy reinforces the need for age-appropriate online experiences and promotes digital well-being.” commented, Barr. Emmanuel Edet – Director Regulations and Compliance Department, NITDA
To mark the launch, Meta hosted an exclusive event where parents, content creators, policy stakeholders, media and teens could engage on the available safety features and tools.
Meta remains committed to developing tools, resources and partnerships that protect teens and foster safer online experiences for families in Nigeria.
For more information about Teen Accounts and updates to parental supervision tools, visit here
Telecom
Telcos Threaten to Disconnect Banks over Misinformation on New USSD Charges

Telecommunication companies have threatened to withdraw their Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD), services from banks over what they called misinformation.
MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile- the telcos disclosed that the banks’ notice to their customers on the new billing system and airtime deductions for USSD services was misleading.
Also, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) also denied that the directive was from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
USSD is done via shortcodes on mobile phones and allows bank customers to make transactions in places with limited or no internet service.
Recall that banks earlier this week claimed that NCC has directed them to begin charging them from their airtime rather than from customers’ accounts.
The notice from the banks read in part: “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.
“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.
“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ?6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.
“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
Reacting, ALTON, umbrella body of telecom operators in Nigeria, said the banks’ notice is a gross misinformation deliberately hatched to suit their selfish interests.
Hence they threatened to withdraw network support to the banks’ USSD services.
Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON told Vanguard: ” I don’t understand why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting information just to favour their selfish interests. In the first place, the information wasn’t a directive from the NCC but a joint regulatory agreement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN witnessed by the telcos and the banks. The agreement was that if the banks finally cleared all USSD debts owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they are free to migrate to the end-user billing method, so long as the model of migration is transparent and agreed upon by the telcos.
“The reason for that clause was because the telcos insisted that the process of migration is such that will not allow a customer to be billed twice; in other words, that a subscriber would not have his airtime deducted and also have his or her money deducted for same services from his or her bank account.
” As we speak, some of the banks have cleared their debts, but the majority are yet to do so. So, even if all the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been perfectly carried out, the implementation cannot even begin because the banks are yet to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.
“Our position now is that if that is the way the banks want to treat the agreement, we may withdraw support for their USSD services. It is not a must-have. They can do without it. But, they should clear the debts as agreed,” he added.
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