News
Millionaires Emerge in Coca-Cola “Open & Win” Promo

Coca-Cola’s “Open & Win” Promo is delivering on its promise to reward one consumer with a million Naira each day for 70 days. The first 3 lucky winners in the promo, which is creating excitement across the country, were celebrated on Thursday, March 8, 2012 at a grand reception held at the Coca-Cola offices in Ikoyi, Lagos. The event was attended by senior officials of the company and Nigeria’s favourite R&B star, Banky W, the Open & Win promo ambassador. Hundreds of other consumers have continued to receive various amounts of mobile phone airtime daily since the promo opened on February 28. The ecstatic winners are Ifeanyi Onedibia, a 24-year-old male hotel employee from Lagos; Ifeoma Anekwe, a 25-year-old mother in Anambra and Valentine Nwafor, a 28-year-old Businessman, from Ebonyi State. They could not hide their excitement as they received the cheques that marked their first entry into the coveted millionaires club. Speaking at the cheque presentation ceremony, Austin Ufomba, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria, restated the brand’s commitment to refresh consumers and inspire moments of optimism and happiness through its beverages and through initiatives like the promo that connect with the needs and passion points of consumers. He emphasised that consumers have been and will always remain the crux of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited’s business. “For us at Coca-Cola, it is about putting smiles on the faces of our consumers. As our business model depends on daily interaction with consumers, a smile on their faces is priceless to us. That is the motivation for this promo, and it is as real as can be,” Ufomba said. Ifeanyi Onedibia, who was overjoyed at his unexpected good fortune, praised Coca-Cola for the promotion, “I never expected such a gift to land in my laps. I didn’t want to believe it but when they called me and said my cheque was ready, my life changed immediately. Thank you, Coca-Cola! And I want Nigerians to know that this is real because I am a living witness,” Onedibia said. Ifeoma Anekwe said it took just one text message informing her about the promotion for her to send the codes that won the prize. “I feel blessed because I sent codes from only three crowns and forgot about it. But my God didn’t forget and one of them was picked. I’m now a proud winner of a million naira,” she enthused. Valentine Nwafor, who sent 16 codes, said he was determined to win the one million naira because he had been a winner in previous Coca-Cola promos. “I just know that Coca-Cola doesn’t do fake things, so I sent all the codes I had. That phone brought me to Lagos, even though my friends were laughing at me, saying it is not true. I’m here to tell them that it is true because my cheque is now in my hands,” he said. The “Open & Win” Promo is set to produce one millionaire daily and a total of 70 millionaires when it closes on 10th May 2012. Consumers can enter as many times as they wish but each time with a new code found under the special white crowns of 35cl and 50cl bottles of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and the 29cl bottles of Schweppes brands of soft drinks. The SMS costs N10 and is open to subscribers of MTN, Glo, Airtel, Etisalat and Visafone. Winners of the daily airtime will have their phones virtually topped–up by their network providers, while winners of the daily 1 million Naira cash prize will get a phone call from Coca-Cola Nigeria and only have to show their winning SMS and bottle crowns to claim their prizes.
News
WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Worse than Reported

World Health Organisation (WHO) at the weekend declared the Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo virus strain a global public health emergency.

WHO said there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain of Ebola.
At home, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said there is “no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria” but had tightened surveillance against the deadly virus.
The outbreak, linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has already caused dozens of deaths in Congo and spread into Uganda, raising fears of wider transmission across the region.
In response, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that the country remains on alert because of growing movement across African borders.
Jide Idris, director-general said the agency was “closely monitoring the situation” and working with the Port Health Services and other health agencies to strengthen preparedness nationwide.
He added that surveillance has been increased at entry points and within Nigeria’s health system.
According to the WHO, the outbreak has recorded more than 240 suspected cases and about 80 suspected deaths in Congo’s Ituri province, while imported cases have also been confirmed in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
The WHO said the outbreak is “extraordinary” because of uncertainty around the true number of infections and the lack of approved medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain.
Health authorities advised Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, avoid contact with infected persons and report symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting and bleeding to the nearest health facility immediately.
Nigeria was declared Ebola-free in 2014 after successfully containing an outbreak brought into the country by an infected traveler from Liberia.
News
Digital PayExpo 2026 to Convene Africa’s Most Influential Payments Leaders in Lagos

Africa’s digital payments ecosystem will take center stage as Digital PayExpo 2026 returns to Lagos on June 17–18, 2026, at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, under the theme: “Seamless Digital: Fostering Pan-African Market Expansion in the AI Era.”

At a time when artificial intelligence, cross-border commerce, and financial inclusion are redefining Africa’s economic future, the event is set to convene over 3,000 senior executives, policymakers, fintech innovators, and global technology providers.
The speaker lineup reflects a powerful blend of regulatory leadership, private sector innovation, and pan-African expertise.
Among the headline speakers:
- Dr. Rakiya Yusuf, Director, Payment Systems Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria — a key architect in Nigeria’s payment system reforms.
- Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager & Area Business Head (West Africa), Mastercard — a leading voice in digital payments expansion across Africa.
- Clara B. Arthur, Managing Director, GhIPSS (Ghana) — driving Ghana’s interoperable payment ecosystem.
- Wacera Maina, Chief Operations Officer, Kenwitch Kenya — an expert in East Africa’s payment infrastructure evolution.
- Akeem Lawal, CEO, Interswitch Group — a pioneer in Africa’s fintech growth story.
- Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director, NIBSS — shaping Nigeria’s core payment infrastructure.
The conference will explore:
- AI-powered financial services
- Cross-border payment systems and interoperability
- Cybersecurity and trust frameworks
- SME financing and financial inclusion
- Infrastructure for a unified African digital economy
With participation from banks, fintechs, telcos, regulators, and global payment networks, Digital PayExpo 2026 is positioned as a critical marketplace for ideas, partnerships, and investment flows. Register: https://digitalpayexpo.com/register
Sponsorship Enquiries: [email protected]
News
Only 1 in 3 Families Fully Secure their Devices, Kaspersky Study Reveals

On International Day of Families observed on May 15th, a global Kaspersky study* reveals that while 47% of respondents talk about online safety, only 33% secure all their family devices – highlighting the need for proactivity from Family Digital Managers.

As online threats develop and every generation joins the online space, cybersecurity habits have become an essential part of life for every family. Typically, in every family, one or two people become so-called Family Digital Managers, responsible for managing subscriptions, setting up new devices, or thinking about cyber protection. Kaspersky has conducted a survey to find out what measures modern families take to stay safe online.
According to Kaspersky’s data, a significant portion of respondents adopt an educational approach to cybersecurity within their families:
47% regularly coach elderly relatives and children on safe online practices
45% advise family members to adopt password manager solutions
42% encourage the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA)
An equal 42% actively review and adjust privacy settings on both family devices and critical online accounts
Although a growing awareness of the importance of proactive, family-focused digital protection can be observed, when it comes to the implementation of security solutions, the trend is slightly different. 10% of respondents take no measures at all to protect their loved ones online, rising to 21% among those aged 55+.
As for the parental control apps, 67% of families with children under 18 years use this tool to monitor and secure their kids’ online activity. Parental control, such as the Kaspersky Safe Kids solution, can help restrict children’s access to inappropriate content and also gently manage their online habits by limiting access to certain websites and apps, controlling their screen time, and even enhancing their physical security by tracking their geolocation.
The most worrying number is that only 33% of respondents – just 1 in 3 – install security solutions on all family members’ devices. Kaspersky experts highlight that the current threat landscape shows that mobile devices and tablets as well as PCs all require comprehensive cyber protection, as they are often targeted by cybercriminals.
According to the survey, only 30% of respondents set up new devices for their families. Setting up a new device is not often regarded as a step that contributes to cyber safety; however, some actions performed before the device is put into use can significantly enhance its security.
For instance, experts recommend installing a security solution first, to scan the device for hidden threats and make web browsing safe from the first queries. What’s more, reviewing privacy settings on a new device allows you not to share data that you would like to keep private with some applications and services.
The research also shows that the older generation (55+) is generally less included in family security habits. Around 1 in 5 (21%) of this age group globally do not take any measures to protect their family online and only a quarter (24%) install security solutions for family members. The most popular security measure among them turns out to be a password manager, as 40% of this age group recommend their family members to use it.
“We are now using a lot of gadgets and digital services, and with every new device and every additional hour spent online, the potential entry points for cybercriminals continue to grow, exposing us to a wider range of cyber threats. At the same time, not every generation adapts to these rapid changes with the same ease.
“That’s why having someone in the family take on the role of a ‘Family Digital Manager’ can be so valuable, especially when it comes to protecting kids and elder people from digital cyberthreats, give advice and help with the use of trusted security solutions,” comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky.
General News2 days agoWorld Bank Blocks Social Media Comments from Nigerians over Loan Backlash
Telecom2 days agoNITDA, FMCIDE Deepen Collaboration on Nigeria’s Digital Transformation
Telecom2 days agoNigerians Lose N12.5bBn to Telecom-Related Financial Crimes – PwC
E-Business2 days agoJumia Nigeria Records Strong Q1 2026 Growth as Technology-Led Strategy Drives Market Expansion
General News2 days agoLG Electronics Strengthens Household Energy Efficiency in Nigeria with Advanced Inverter Refrigerator Solutions
Telecom2 days agoNITDA Showcases Nigeria’s Startup Framework as Model for Angola
News2 days agoOnly 1 in 3 Families Fully Secure their Devices, Kaspersky Study Reveals
Telecom2 days agoUpperlink, ICANN, Others Rally Global Participation for UA Day 2026



















