General News
Giving Makes You Happy
By Erhumu Bayagbon
To be a great person, you must first be a good person; likewise, to be a great Company, you must first be a good Company – Segun Ogunsanya, CEO, Airtel Africa.
While it is possible to procure and renew an operating licence, you can only earn a social licence. A social licence is the love, loyalty, friendship, and affection that you get from the communities where you operate, as well as from your key stakeholders.
Airtel as a telecommunications service provider is committed to its purpose of empowering and uplifting people and making a positive and lasting impact in the lives of its stakeholders. This is how Airtel hopes to earn its social licence.
A special purpose vehicle that is helping Airtel to connect with communities and its key stakeholders in Nigeria is the Airtel Touching Lives programme.
Birthed about eight years ago, its mandate is to offer relief and hope to the underprivileged and downtrodden while also inspiring the strong and privileged to support the vulnerable and the disadvantaged in the society.
This year, Airtel premiered the sixth season of the Airtel Touching Lives initiative at the Ebony Place in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital cit. The event, a VVIP occasion, was attended by several dignitaries, community stakeholders, corporate Nigeria, and key government functionaries.
Surendran Chemmenkotil, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, while speaking on the track record of the initiative, said Airtel Touching Lives has not only recorded milestones but has offered real help to individuals, communities, groups, and institutions since it was launched.
“In Season 6, Airtel Nigeria has helped to rebuild a dream, a life, a hospital. We helped children regain their confidence, get an education; and we provided free COVID testing for millions. We turned tears of sadness into tears of Joy,” he said.
Airtel Touching Lives, Chemmenkotil also noted, is premised on the philosophy that society will excel and triumph at a quicker pace as long as privileged people continue to support the needy.
This is why Airtel Nigeria, through the platform, has taken a step to institute and sustain a programme that will help uplift the underprivileged, the sick, the poor and the needy.
“At Airtel Nigeria, we are inspired to promote corporate philanthropy and sustainability and our Touching Lives platform affords us an opportunity to showcase our efforts and encourage other corporate entities as well as well-spirited individuals to join hands in improving our society.
“So, the philosophy is twofold: One, we are passionate about supporting the underprivileged and promoting Corporate Philanthropy, but we realize that we cannot do it on our own just as we understand that the Government cannot also not do it alone.
“Then, the second leg of our two-pronged approach is to rally important stakeholders across different sectors and geographies to support the needy and underprivileged persons across society.
“Airtel believes that if we are committed to giving and we also collaborate to solve some of society’s problems, we can make a huge difference,” Surendran said.
Airtel Touching Lives takes the format of a reality television show, allowing the public to nominate causes, communities, and underprivileged persons with special needs.
Airtel thereafter evaluates the nominations received from the public and selects the causes to support.
The process of delivering on each cause is then filmed and broadcast on terrestrial and satellite television stations with the aim of inspiring other corporate organisations as well as well-meaning individuals to join in supporting the vulnerable across society.
Through the programme, Airtel has refurbished an ICT centre for a large community, built modern water borehole systems for a number of towns, refurbished cancer centres, restored a library for blind people, rehabilitated a clinic facility at a camp for internally displaced people (IDP), set up small scale businesses for underprivileged individuals, paid the hospital bills of indigent children and women, and flown many Nigerians abroad for complex medical procedures.
With season 6 of the Airtel Touching Lives programme coming to an end only last week, Airtel has demonstrated that it will not rest on its laurels and will continue to inspire others to also embrace the ideals of corporate philanthropy.
And, judging by the Airtel’s pledge, we can be sure that the company will return with Touching Lives Season 7 sooner rather than later.
Erhumu Bayagbon is Public Relations Manager, Airtel Nigeria
Nigeria’s startup ecosystem received a fresh injection of momentum as top emerging ventures secured funding and investor attention at the iHatch National Demo Day, where Interface Africa clinched the highest prize of $15,000.
The 4th cohort of the NITDA–JICA-backed accelerator brought together founders, policymakers, and venture stakeholders in Abuja, showcasing innovations ranging from clean-energy financing and digital food marketplaces to next-gen fintech tools.
The startups went rounds of running through state-level selections and regional competition. iHatch was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership to create an enabling environment for young Nigerians to develop and scale their innovative solutions.
The iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort), is an initiative by NITDA and JICA which provides a clear pathway for homegrown talent to contribute significantly to economic diversification and digital transformation.
After rigorous selection processes, the top founders converged to pitch their innovations, recognised the standout performers, which are:
Interface Africa with $15,000, the firm is driving Nigeria’s clean energy transition by enabling structured and affordable solar financing.
Ahioma with $12,000, the firm enhances food accessibility with a digital marketplace connecting consumers directly to trusted vendors.
Linia Finance with $10,000, the firm is helping Nigerians take control of their finances with tools for budgeting, tracking, and smart money planning.
Chapta got a laptop reward. They delivering an offline-capable school application ensuring consistent, accessible learning for students everywhere.
Softdrop also got a laptop reward, they solve logistics challenges through a modern delivery platform designed for speed, convenience, and efficiency.
Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, will host a free virtual training on the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (NTA) as part of its commitment to helping small businesses prepare for the upcoming legislation.
Fidelity Bank
The masterclass is scheduled for 10:00 AM (Nigerian time) on Friday, 12 December 2025. It will provide participants with clear insights into changes in the tax framework, the impact on income and business operations, and practical steps to avoid penalties in 2026.
Attendees will also learn strategies to stay ahead in an evolving regulatory environment.
The Nigerian government enacted major tax reforms on 26 June 2025 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed four tax bills into law.
These Acts will take effect on 1 January 2026 and represent a significant overhaul of the country’s tax system.
The reforms aim to modernize and harmonize Nigeria’s tax framework, improve revenue generation, broaden the tax base, and create clearer rules for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
“Our decision to host this masterclass reflects our commitment to empowering businesses with the right information ahead of the commencement of the new tax regime.
“Information is money and a well-informed business owner is already steps ahead in the race to success.
“This is why we are bringing experts to provide accurate details and demystify the tax act,” said Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc.
Interested participants can register via https://bit.ly/2026TaxLawMasterclass .
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, has renewed its commitment to deepening financial inclusion across the country. At the CeBIH Annual Conference 2025, themed “Reimagining Financial Inclusion through Cultural Shifts in Consumer Credit,” PalmPay’s Managing Director, Chika Nwosu, urged industry players to deepen financial inclusion by embracing community-aligned solutions and customer-centric innovations that can better serve Nigeria’s underserved and unbanked populations.
Speaking during a panel session titled “Social Inclusion, A Veritable Tool for Financial Inclusion,” Chika Nwosu joined other industry leaders to share insights on strengthening participation among women, rural dwellers, low-income earners, and other financially excluded groups.
Chika Nwosu highlighted PalmPay’s commitment to inclusive finance through its 500,000-strong agent network, which enables seamless cash-in/cash-out services for unbanked users across Nigeria. He also emphasised the importance of PalmPay’s USSD platform, 861#, which allows users with basic phones or limited internet access to perform essential financial transactions.
“Financial inclusion goes beyond access; it must be equitable and tailored to real-life needs,” Chika Nwosu said. He shared how PalmPay leverages behavioural insights to design impactful services, including affordable health insurance, reliable bill payments, merchant solutions, and automated savings features that support financial discipline among users.
The session further examined the role of grassroots agents and community touchpoints in driving last-mile adoption. Chika Nwosu noted that PalmPay’s widespread community presence continues to build trust and encourage excluded populations to embrace digital financial tools.
The session was moderated by Ronke Kuye of the CeBIH Advisory Council and featured representatives from E-Doc Online, SmartCash Payment Service Bank, SANEF, and EFINA.
PalmPay reaffirmed its commitment to driving accessible, secure, and inclusive financial services for all Nigerians. PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.
PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh.
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