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MDaaS Global Closes on Seed Funding of $1 Million

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Healthtech company, MDaaS Global, which is building a network of tech-enabled diagnostic facilities in Nigeria, has closed on seed funding totaling US$1 million. Led by Consonance

Investment Managers, with participation from Techstars, FINCA Ventures, an investment initiative of FINCA International, and others, the round will see MDaaS scale and replicate its innovative diagnostic center business model, as the company seeks to open 100 additional centers in Nigeria and West Africa over the next five years.

MDaaS was created to address the lack of high-quality, affordable diagnostic services available for low- and middle-income sub-Saharan Africans, starting with Nigeria’s 130 million low- and middle-income patients. Where available and up-to-date, health services are unaffordable for most of Nigeria’s population, and expensive out-of-pocket costs discourage patients. MDaaS leverages its vertically-integrated supply chain, technology platform, and patient-centered design to provide modern, convenient services at a price point patients can afford.

“It offers a wide array of high-impact diagnostic procedures from simple malaria tests to echocardiograms and pap smears. And MDaaS’ affordability is helping change the healthcare narrative, with basic procedures, like obstetric ultrasounds, starting at just US$4.

Founded in 2016 by Oluwasoga Oni, Opeyemi Ologun, Genevieve Barnard Oni, and Joseph McCord, MDaaS was incubated at MIT’s Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship and was part of the inaugural Techstars Impact class of 2018.

The company launched its flagship diagnostic center in Ibadan, Nigeria’s 3rd most populous city, in November 2017 under its patient- and physician-facing brand BeaconHealth.

To date, the company has served over 9,000 low- and middle-income patients, speedily identifying health issues and connecting them with a variety of medical specialists and affordable treatment options.

Having partnered with over 60 referring health facilities, MDaaS serves as the centralized diagnostic department for surrounding hospitals and clinics within Ibadan. MDaaS also partners globally with corporates, Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), and developmental organizations seeking top-tier diagnostics for their employees and beneficiaries.

Speaking on the funding, MDaaS Global’s CEO and Co-Founder Oluwasoga Oni said, “This funding round fuels our next phase of growth, allowing us to continue providing modern, connected healthcare for Africa’s next billion.

“With diagnostics as the bedrock of modern medicine and key to the treatment of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes – which are on the rise within the continent – unbridled access to quality healthcare is crucial. We are immensely proud of our brick-and-mortar presence; merging physical patient care with state-of-the-art technology enables us to reach morepatients with the care that they deserve.”

It is estimated that 40% of the medical equipment in sub-Saharan Africa is currently obsolete or out of service. On a continent where public healthcare is chronically underfunded – receiving less than 5% of GDP, MDaaS presents the opportunity to bolster poorly-equipped hospitals and clinics in what is evaluated to be a $1.6 billion market in Nigeria alone.

Mobolaji Adeoye, Managing Partner at Consonance Investment Managers, stated, “Africa significantly trails global metrics in affordable and quality healthcare. MDaaS’ mission to build the physical and technological infrastructure required to provide affordable diagnostic services across Africa fits our investment theme: access to essential services. We are very excited to partner with Soga and his team on this journey.”

Zoe Schlag, Managing Director of Techstars Impact, stated, “More than half of global population growth between now and 2050 is expected to occur in Africa, and yet the continent’s healthcare infrastructure is not designed to manage the lifestyle diseases this population will face. Under the leadership of Soga and his team, we’re excited to support MDaaS Global to lead the way delivering on solutions to one of the highest leverage opportunities we see in global health.”

Ami Dalal, Vice President and Managing Director of FINCA Ventures, added, “Through more accurate, affordable, and available diagnostics, MDaaS will help shift the Nigerian health system to more evidence-based medicine, driving improved health and economic outcomes for lower income populations outside of the largest cities. We are proud to be a part of MDaaS’ efforts to connect patients throughout sub-Saharan Africa with critical health infrastructure.”


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General News

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

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Delta State Police Command has revealed how a 17-year-old boy allegedly hacked into celebrities’ WhatsApp accounts and sold explicit adult content to classmates.

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

This was disclosed in a viral video shared by comedian Otaghware Onodjayeke, popularly known as I Go Save, during a security awareness programme where he spoke with Temi Agbede-Zuokumor, divisional police officer (DPO) of Ugborikoko Division, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

The DPO explained that the case came to light after a routine check of a student’s phone, which first raised suspicion.

Agbede-Zuokumor disclosed that the student’s mother had initially claimed the phone belonged to his sister, but further inspection revealed otherwise.

“The woman looked very modest, so I asked her if she was from Deeper Life. She said no. I then asked why her son took a phone to school, and she claimed it belonged to his sister,” she narrated.

The DPO expressed that the development triggered her suspicion, prompting officers to examine the phone’s contents.

“Something told me to check the phone. When we did, we discovered that everything on the device belonged to the boy,” she said.

She added that the phone contained over 80 foreign numbers, including Australian contacts, alongside numerous explicit materials.

“We saw several foreign numbers, over 80 Australian lines, and the phone was filled with pornographic content,” she said.

The police officer further disclosed that the suspect allegedly sold explicit materials to his classmates, who referred to him as “boss.”

“We also saw chats with his classmates asking if he had explicit content to sell. They were calling him ‘boss’ in school,” she added.

According to her, investigations also revealed that the teenager had hacked into WhatsApp accounts belonging to prominent individuals and used them to solicit money.

“We discovered he had access to WhatsApp accounts of some celebrities, which he used to demand money from unsuspecting victims,” she said.

Speaking during the session, comedian I Go Save recounted a similar experience, describing how he was once contacted by a suspected fraudster impersonating Elon Musk, Forbes world richest man.

“That was how someone impersonating Elon Musk messaged me, saying he was stranded and needed a recharge card,” he said.

“I was surprised and asked which network he used. The person later sent an Opay account,” he added.

The police warned parents and school authorities to be more vigilant, stressing the growing concern of cyber-related crimes among young people.

 


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SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged N2.9Bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,  as well as the management of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), to account for and explain the whereabouts of an alleged ₦2.9 billion in missing or diverted public funds.

SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged ₦2.9bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

SERAP also called on Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), attorney general of the federation and minister of justice,  and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the alleged diversion of funds, including those documented in previous Auditor-General reports.

In a letter dated April 11, 2026, and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director SERAP, said: “These allegations, involving critical public institutions, represent a grave violation of the public trust and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws and international obligations.”

The group further urged the Federal Government to direct NIGCOMSAT to disclose the shareholders and beneficial owners of a company that allegedly received ₦465 million in “unauthorised investment” from the agency.

SERAP said, “Anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing or diverted public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

The organisation gave the government seven days to comply, warning that it may initiate legal action if its demands are not met.

It also stated that accountability in both agencies is critical, given their strategic roles, saying: “Accountability in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA is critical given their strategic roles in Nigeria’s digital economy and national safety systems. Mismanagement in these agencies not only wastes scarce public resources but also threatens national development, technological progress, and public safety.”

SERAP added: “Ensuring accountability is therefore essential to protecting both Nigeria’s present and its future.”

It warned that failure to address the allegations would continue to erode public trust, stating: “These allegations, if left unaddressed, will continue to undermine public confidence in government institutions, weaken Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, and deprive citizens of resources needed for development.”

The allegations were drawn from the Auditor-General’s report published on September 9, 2025, which examined financial activities in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA and raised concerns over possible mismanagement of public funds.

According to the report, NIGCOMSAT failed to account for over ₦465 million used for an “unauthorised investment” in Gicell Wireless Ltd, made without approvals from the Minister of Science and Technology and the Accountant-General of the Federation.

It also noted that “there was also no evidence that a competent Investment Analyst performed investment appraisal,” while the investment agreement raised concerns over valuation and exchange rate assumptions.

The Auditor-General further stated that “NIGCOMSAT made ineligible, irregular and wrong payments of over ₦3 million to staff,” and that “the payment was made without due process and any documents on what the payments were meant for.”

It also flagged an irregular rent payment of over ₦4.3 million, noting that although a refund was requested, “there was no evidence that the consultant refunded the money.”

It added that NIGCOMSAT “failed to remit over ₦507 million of its internally generated revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” while also failing to account for over ₦6 million for undelivered store items.

The report further stated that “there was also no evidence of how the transferred funds were spent or utilised,” referring to an irregular ₦84.78 million transfer from a Remita account to a special project account.

On NNRA, the report alleged that ₦4.35 million was spent on training without evidence that it took place, while ₦16.7 million was paid for ICT equipment without approval.

It also stated that ₦33.4 million was spent on items that were never supplied, and that “there were no documents to support” several payments for operational activities.

The Auditor-General further noted that NNRA “failed to retire over ₦6.5 million of cash advances granted to staff,” and that ₦2.05 million paid for foreign training had no evidence of participation.

It also stated that ₦1.95 million collected through Remita was not recorded in the agency’s cashbook, leading to concerns of revenue understatement.

SERAP said the findings point to “a systemic pattern of financial mismanagement, opacity, and corruption within an agency entrusted with advancing Nigeria’s digital and communications infrastructure,” adding that NNRA’s lapses also raise serious concerns about compliance with safety and financial regulations.

 


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IHS Nigeria Renovates, Upgrade Facilities at the National Museum Lagos

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L-r Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria Limited, Dapo Otunla; Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Olugbile Holloway; during the commissioning of the newly renovated National Museum Gallery, sponsored by IHS Nigeria, on Saturday, 11th April 2026, at the National Museum Lagos, Nigeria.
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IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has partnered with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to renovate and upgrade facilities at the National Museum, Lagos.

Commissioned by the Honorable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the project is a significant step towards restoring and improving critical facilities at the museum complex, while supporting the long-term preservation of Nigeria’s cultural assets and heritage.

The project has improved the overall aesthetic appeal of the museum site and featured extensive restoration of the museum’s main gallery. The restored gallery incorporates the installation of modern display and lighting systems, air‑conditioning units, a solar inverter system to enhance energy efficiency, and surveillance cameras to aid safety, security and operational performance across the facility. These renovations and upgrades follow on from IHS Nigeria’s sponsorship of the museum’s efforts to digitize Nigeria’s cultural heritage and launch Nigeria’s first digital museum of antiquities at www.museum.ng.

Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, Having seen the rich historical and cultural heritage housed in this national museum complex, we believed it was important to go a step further after supporting the development of the digital museum, to also improve the aesthetics, security and structural integrity of the main physical complex. This aligns with our broader commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and the preservation of Nigeria’s history.

“I am proud of these renovations and that visitors, including tourists, researchers and art enthusiasts, can visit the museum to be immersed in Nigeria’s rich history in an environment that is safe, beautiful and welcoming.

“The artifacts can also now be better preserved, protected and presented in a way that celebrates the history they represent. I thank the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for this ongoing partnership which continues to exemplify the power of a collaborative effort in driving innovation, fostering national pride, and enhancing the creative economy.”

Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “On behalf of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, I wish to express our deepest gratitude to IHS Nigeria for their generous support of the restoration of the National Museum, Lagos. This landmark gesture goes far beyond bricks and mortar — it is a profound commitment to preserving the soul of our nation.

“The National Museum Lagos is home to some of Nigeria’s most treasured antiquities, from the ancient terracotta of the Nok civilization to the magnificent bronzes of the Benin Kingdom and the classical works of Ife.

“To restore this institution is to restore our collective memory. We thank IHS Nigeria for choosing to renew not just infrastructure, but the heritage, identity, and the hope of our people. Their support ensures that generations of Nigerians yet unborn will walk through these halls and encounter the full greatness of who we are and where we come from.”


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