Telecom
Monieworx Enables 3 SMEs Raise N100M in 10 days through Regulation Crowdfunding, Nigeria’s First

Alternative Finance Limited (Obelix), Nigeria’s SEC-regulated Crowdfunding Intermediary, on Wednesday announced that it has fundraised N100 million from 9,324 registered small-ticket retail investors for 3 promising small and medium enterprises in just 10 days, thus successfully pioneering an alternative way of raising badly-needed cash for SMEs operating in Nigeria.

The investors were wholly from its waitlist of 42,545 early adopters. The average investment in the Private Notes was N10,725 with the smallest and biggest tickets being N1,200 and N20,000 respectively. The longest duration of the new asset class for individual investors is 90 days, with a fixed rate of 12% p.a.
Formal SMEs number 40 million in Nigeria, contribute 84% of total employment, 45% of GDP but just 8% of exports and tax collections by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) according to a recent joint report by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
A total of 15 eligible applications to raise funds were considered by the company’s Screening Committee but only 3 of the SMEs were accepted by Obelix to utilise monieworx®, its registered Funding Portal, to embark on their crowdfunding campaigns. All the fundraisers have a good corporate governance record and are SMEDAN-registered. The 3 most promising small and medium enterprises that have their securities offerings hosted are, namely: Imose Technologies Limited, Alatiron Nigeria Limited and Q21 Solutions Limited.
According to a Formal MSME Finance Gap in Developing Countries report by the World Bank, the unmet financing needs of Nigeria’s formal SMEs is estimated at US$22 billion yearly. For context, total banking loans was US$66 billion as of December 31, 2022, giving SME loans an 8% share of the loan book.
The risk in this sub-sector is priced in the range of 28% to 35% p.a. Gaining access to finance is by far the biggest constraint to SME growth. Over 70% of the 40 million SMEs cited a lack of finance and access to financing as the main constraint to their business growth. Access to advisory services and access to markets weighed in at a distant second and third.
According to the Credit Bureau Association of Nigeria (CBAN), only four percent of the 40 million SMEs have access to credit from Nigerian banks. 80% of new SMEs in Nigeria thus die before their fifth year.
Obelix was able to onboard 42,545 users on monieworx®, over a 12-month period, through a combination of extensive community engagements to build a suitable “banking replacement”, and the first-of-its-kind early access programme (EAP) that nudges users to join a community or a group.
A surprising insight from its target audience poll of 100,000 people is that they are willing to invest in the absence of outsized financial returns. Specifically, when asked what they value most, regulated products (15%), small ticket sizes (13%), money-on-demand without a withdrawal penalty (12%), short-term securities (11%), weekly coupon payment (10%), Web3-first approach (10%) and Community Subscription Offer Plans (9%) had a combined response rate of 80%. Outsized returns (8%) ranked a distant eighth. On aggregate, individual investors are most interested in near-term liquidity (stacked up to 43% of the response rates).
According to McKinsey’s Global Private Markets Annual Review 2022, “private debt is an asset class for all seasons as evidenced by continued fundraising growth, making it the only private asset class to grow fundraising every year since 2011, including through the pandemic”.
“monieworx® has broadened participation in a very significant way”, said Lanre Showunmi, Director and Co-founder of Obelix. “Debt is the safety part in a portfolio, and we are on course to become the dominant portal through which small-ticket investors enter the debt capital market in keeping with our commitment to make investing fair, accessible, and inclusive”, he stated.
“SME financing is at an inflection point. We have been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win customer primacy and we intend to seize it with both hands”. Thus, Ali Yakubu-Concern, the Managing Director and CEO said, “owning alternative investments will become increasingly valuable”.
“It is said that regulation is how you cap risk”, said Titus Akintola, the Chief Compliance Officer. “This forms the building block in our plan to build a global layer of services for small and medium enterprises”, he continued. We aspire to adopt a safety-first approach in delivering on our “Better – Faster – Cheaper” service charter.
“This is a critical first step in our aspiration to build technology that can create a single Capital Market”, said Salvation Arinze, the Chief Technology Officer. “We are an innovative provider of online retail and SME financial and lifestyle services”.
“There is 100% custody of funds and investment contracts through an arrangement with First Bank, Nigeria’s oldest bank that is registered with Nigeria’s SEC to be a Custodian Bank”, said Abubakar Maibe, Director at Alatiron Nigeria. “This reinforces our confidence and lessens the administrative burden imposed on fundraisers by the Investment Crowdfunding Rules, 2021”.
“Debt crowdfunding presents us with a unique opportunity to access growth capital during this acute funding crunch leveraging alternate financing options that are non-dilutive and founder-friendly by design, on the one part and provides an incentive for the communities in which we operate to get involved through co-creation of value, on the other part”, said Osaretin Sule, the Chief Operating Officer at Imose Technologies Limited. “This way, the local economies become more resilient”.
“We went to Obelix first over our traditional banks”, said Eunice Adeyemi, the Creative Director at Q21 Solutions, “and this was a no-brainer because monieworx® hosted our debt-based securities with more favorable terms, lower interest rates, quicker approval times, and a simpler application process”.
Obelix is widely recognized as the poster child of regulation crowdfunding (Reg CF) and the SME-focused financier of first choice in Nigeria. Crowdfunding is proving itself as a financial solution that speaks to the largest numbers through its simplicity, its transparency, and the service it provides to the local economy and to projects that are meaningful for retail investors.
Telecom
Bharti Airtel Crosses 650m Users

Sunil Mittal led Bharti Airtel has crossed the 650-million customer mark globally, fortifying its position as the world’s second-largest telecom operator by mobile subscriber base, as per a regulatory filing by the telecom operator.

“According to GSMA Intelligence, Bharti Airtel is ranked second globally by mobile customer base, with operations spread across India and Africa,” the filing said.
Commenting on this milestone, Gopal Vittal, executive vice chairman, Bharti Airtel, said: “Achieving the milestone of 650 million customers to be the second largest operator globally is a great responsibility for us to serve our customers better every day,”
He added that the telco strives to raise the bar on innovation, reliability, and experience so that every customer interaction is an opportunity to earn trust and deliver value connection.
Currently, Airtel India serves around 368 million mobile customers, meanwhile over 179 million users have been plugged into its subsidiary Airtel Africa spread across 14 countries.
Its mobile money platform, Airtel Money reached more than 52 million customers.
Additionally, the telco serves around 13 million homes with high-speed internet services and over 15 million through its Digital TV offering.
With operations spanning 15 countries and network coverage reaching over two billion people, analysts say that the latest milestone is a testimony to the natural curve of evolving from a telecom operator into a broader digital services provider.
Telecom
NCC Insists Telcos Must Compensate Subscribers for Poor Quality of Service

Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has insisted that telecommunications operators must compensate subscriber for poor quality of service after a facility tour of major telecommunications operators in Lagos yesterday.

The team comprises of Chief Idris Olorunnimbe the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), EVC, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and other stakeholders visited MTN Nigeria, Globacom and Airtel Nigeria.
Earlier this week, the commission directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to provide compensation to subscribers whose network quality of service experience is below specified targets within certain locations.
In a statement signed by Nnenna Ukoha, head, Public Affairs Department, NCC, the commission noted that its position is that subscribers should not be made to bear the full burden of service disruptions where operators fail to meet prescribed standards of service delivery.
Speaking after the facility tour the EVC, said: “We are in a situation where Nigerians are yearning for better service, but better service requires infrastructure. We are not where we want to be or where we need to be, but from what I’ve seen today, I am reassured that the operators are continuing to invest. I urge Nigerians to be a little bit patient while these investments are made, so that we can address the infrastructure deficit that is required to improve service for Nigerians.
“I wasn’t expecting that a tour like this would change that directive. We looked at it and we said the fairest thing to do was for subscribers to be compensated. This is not to say that the operators have not tried. Service has improved. The data shows that our demand is also increasing at a rate faster than the infrastructure is being built. So Nigerians have to be a little bit patient. From what I’ve seen today and all the work that has been done, I’m confident that gap will be close shortly”.
Chief Idris Olorunnimbe, chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), added: “From what we have seen, and what has been done. We have been told in detail what is to come. And I mean, just like the EVC said, all we need is a bit more patience, better service, deeper penetration is assured based on everything that we’ve seen, and everything we have heard.
“It’s also important to commend our operators. The infrastructure that we’ve seen is comparable with any infrastructure from any telecom operator anywhere in the world, and Nigeria is not behind, and based on what we’ve also seen in terms of their plans for expansion, Nigeria will always be able to compete with any other country in the world.
” More so, drop calls are not deliberate. They are caused by a few things. One of it is fiber cut and attacks or vandalization of towers and other infrastructure. But now, it has reduced. We have seen they’ve shown us data today that shows a significant reduction. It will continue to reduce. As the critical national infrastructure program deepens and we’re also about to introduce an accountability framework of “when fiber is damaged, you must fix it”. That way we think that people will be more responsible with their constructions that breach telecom infrastructure. Then we can keep those incidents to the barest minimum, drop calls would also reduce.
“However, when calls drop, the networks also lose so it’s not in their interest for your calls to drop or for you to experience frustration when you use the service, because the more reliable it is, the longer you spend on it, the longer you spend on it, the more money they’re able to make. So, they are also doing their best in terms of ensuring that these incidents are reduced to the barest minimum”.
Telecom
NITDA Urges Joint Action to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Innovation

Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has underscored the importance of collaboration between government institutions and emerging startups as a catalyst for Nigeria’s digital transformation and national development.

Speaking at the Nigerian Satellite Week 2026 in Abuja, themed “Harnessing Space Technology for an Extraordinary Nigeria,” Inuwa urged stakeholders to embrace partnerships as a pathway to innovation and impact.
“Take a good step, and you can make a difference,” he said, emphasizing the need to translate ideas into tangible outcomes through collective effort.
The NITDA boss, represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Aristotle Onumo, during his presentation on “Enhancing collaboration between government agencies and emerging start-ups”, outlined four guiding principles for driving transformation: enabling the ecosystem rather than controlling it; prioritising networks over institutions; developing talent while supporting innovation and adopting practical solutions; and focusing on platforms rather than isolated projects.
To illustrate the power of digital innovation, Inuwa shared the story of a rural farmer whose productivity challenges ranging from unstable rents to failed loans were overcome through access to digital tools and networks. He explained that such incremental interventions can scale into broader economic gains, ultimately contributing to national infrastructure like satellite systems.
“This is the power of space technology, and it shows why events like this are so important,” he noted.
Highlighting the evolving role of space technology, Inuwa observed that startups are increasingly driving innovation across telecommunications, navigation, security, and cloud services. Once dominated by global superpowers, the sector is now emerging as a key economic driver, with Nigeria’s “Sunrise Packet” projected to contribute over $1.5 billion to the economy by 2030.
“Innovation without adoption is wasted,” he added, stressing the critical role of government in enabling start-ups to scale through supportive policies, infrastructure, and incentives.
According to him, developmental regulation should focus on creating markets, orchestrating ecosystems, and delivering public value rather than stifling innovation. He pointed to several initiatives supporting the growth of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, including the Digital Start-Up Act, Idea Hatch, and the National Digital Leadership Programme, all designed to empower young innovators and connect them to global opportunities.
He further highlighted platforms such as GITEX Africa, GITEX Nigeria, and Digital Nigeria, which provide visibility for start-ups and attract investment, partnerships, and mentorship.
Inuwa concluded with a strong call for collaboration among government, start-ups, non-governmental organisations, and investors, describing Nigeria’s youth as the country’s greatest asset.
“If we are going to create a digital Nigeria, we must collaborate,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Tijani, described Nigeria’s satellite infrastructure as central to the nation’s digital future.
“Nigeria is the only West African country with its own satellite. NigComSat provides critical connectivity and resilience, benefiting not just Nigeria but the entire region,” he said.
Tijani disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the acquisition of NigComSat-2A and NigComSat-2B, a move expected to significantly enhance the country’s space capabilities.
He stressed, however, that infrastructure alone is not sufficient.
“What truly matters is how we leverage this technology to improve agriculture, education, security, and business operations,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted key government investments, including a ₦12 billion digital economy research cluster fund under Project Bridge, which will support academics and researchers nationwide. He added that Nigeria is expanding its digital backbone through 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables, nearly 4,000 telecom towers in underserved communities, and new satellite deployments to strengthen regional connectivity across countries such as Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of Benin.
“The talent, ideas, and energy are all here in Nigeria. It is up to us to turn them into real outcomes for our people and the economy,” Tijani added.
The Nigerian Satellite Week continues to provide a strategic platform for collaboration among government, start-ups, academia, and the private sector, fostering innovation and reinforcing Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s digital and space economy.
Welcoming participants, the Managing Director of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Jane Nkechi Egerton-Ideyen, said Nigeria’s space programme is entering a new phase marked by deliberate and focused growth.
She pointed to strengthened institutional capacity, expanding partnerships, and clear economic gains, noting that the agency’s revenue grew from less than $650 million in 2023 to over $2 billion in 2025. She attributed this surge to key reforms, new commercial deals, and increasing demand for satellite broadband services across the African continent.
Egerton-Ideyen also disclosed that Nigeria has launched seven space assets in just over two decades, adding that the country is shifting its focus from prestige-driven initiatives to practical outcomes—enhancing connectivity, improving livelihoods, and promoting inclusive development.
She further revealed that more than 500 young Nigerians received training in satellite technology within the past year, while over 50 startups have benefited from NIGCOMSAT’s accelerator programme.
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