Telecom
MTN Nigeria Kicks off MoMo Agent Service in Major Nigerian Cities
MTN Nigeria’s Y’ello Digital Financial Services (YDFS) officials over the weekend stormed various market locations across the country including Igando, Ikotun and Iyana Ipaja markets in Lagos as well as the popular Mile One Market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the regional launch and sensitisation event following the introduction of the MoMo Agent Network financial service.
It would be recalled, that MTN MoMo Agent service was officially launched in Abuja on August 29, 2019, which aims to support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s drive for financial inclusion, by providing safe and accessible money transfer to the millions of Nigeria’s underbanked and unbanked.
The first phase of the regional launch which took place in Lagos and Port Harcourt between September 26 and 28, 2019, will continue in the coming weeks in Kano, Ibadan and Owerri.
Speaking at a live demo session on how the MoMo Agent works at the Igando market, Cyril Ilok, chief risk and compliance officer, MTN Nigeria, while recounting the difficulty it took people in the not too distant past to deliver money to their loved ones via interstate transport, said the key advantage of the MoMo Agent is to prevent revenue leakage.
“You no longer need to spend time that is supposed to be for your business chasing financial transactions because the MoMo Agent is quick and instant regardless of the city in Nigeria where the recipient is located,” Cyril enthused.
There was a surprise appearance by Nollywood sensation, Sanyeri Afonja, at the Igando market, which left the crowd ecstatic; and music performances at the Ikotun and Iyana Ipaja markets to spice up the launch.
Also, customers carried out on-the-spot transactions and were rewarded with gifts such as home appliances, branded stationery, among others.
In Port Harcourt, at the Mile One market, Usoro Usoro, director, YDFS, said the MoMo Agent Network opens up a host of opportunities, one that creates employment and facilitates business in rural and urban areas across Nigeria.
According to him, the idea is to leverage MTN’s extensive distribution network and capabilities to provide financial services to the unbanked Nigerians living in communities spread across the country.
“The people we are very passionate about are those who don’t have a bank account, and we are saying that with MoMo Agent, you can send money to any part of the country. This is why we chose to visit the Mile One Market to demonstrate our service,” Usoro said.
At the launch, interested traders in Mile One market were signed up as MoMo Agents; one such person being Ms. Obilor Ogechi, a trader in kitchen utensils.
Asked why she was signing up, Ms. Ogechi said that she was excited with the offering from the YDFS, saying that being a very busy businesswoman, she was certain it would make life easier for her.
“Ideally, my bank is very far from the market, and so it’s usually difficult for me leaving my shop to go send money to someone.
“Also, look at right now, it is raining and would have been extra difficult if I wanted to go to the bank to send money,” Ogechi said.
The idea behind the regional launch and sensitisation event is part of the YDFS’s mission to put financial services within easy reach of every bankable Nigerian.
With the MoMo Agent service complementing existing banking services via extending access to simple money transfer services and other financial services nationwide, the subsidiary plans on rolling out about 500,000 Agents across Nigeria, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the @Twitter account, replacing its profile with a standard notice citing violation of platform rules.
Musk
The action, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, left users encountering the handle greeted by a bold “Account Suspended” message on a black screen, with no details provided on the specific rules broken or the duration of the suspension.
The development has sparked widespread confusion and nostalgia among users, given that Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, approximately six months after acquiring the platform for $44 billion in late 2022.
The @Twitter handle had remained dormant since before Musk’s takeover, serving as a legacy remnant of the platform’s original branding, and its suspension appears to mark the final erasure of the Twitter name amid X’s ongoing efforts to combat spam, impersonation, and rule violations.
X’s official statement on the suspended page simply reads: “X suspends accounts that violate our rules,” without offering an appeal process or further explanation, unlike standard user suspensions.
Public reactions on social media ranged from humorous laments of “RIP Twitter” to speculation that the move resulted from automated moderation or a deliberate cleanup of legacy trademarks.
xAI’s Grok AI described it as a purposeful retirement of outdated elements rather than a genuine infraction, while neither Elon Musk nor X spokespeople issued any comment as of Monday morning.
This incident underscores the evolving identity of the platform under Musk’s ownership, which also saw a domain shift to x.com in 2024, further distancing it from its Twitter roots.
Industry observers note that while the suspension aligns with X’s stricter enforcement policies, the lack of transparency has fueled debates on consistency in applying rules to high-profile legacy accounts.
Ecobank Joins Trillion-naira Club for the First Time in 20 Years
PalmPay, Premier Cool to Reward 10,000 Nigerians with ₦100m in “10k for 10k Campaign”
Nigerian Terra Industries Secures $11.8m for Expansion
Kaspersky Warns Telecom Threats from 2025 will Carry into 2026 as New Technology Adds New Risk
SHELT Named in Prestigious 2025 MSSP 250 List for Cybersecurity Excellence
Banks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
FIRS says NIN, CAC Numbers to Serve as Tax IDs from 2026
Nigeria Takes the Lead in the Global WSIS+20 Digital Agenda
Nigeria Police Arrest Okitipi, Nigerian Allegedly Linked to Microsoft 365 Hack
PalmPay Launches N400 Million World Travel Carnival, Rewarding Users with Free Global Trips
News3 days agoSERAP Sues INEC Over Alleged ₦55.9Bn Election Funds Diversion
General News3 days agoMinistry of Finance Leads FG-Backed Deal to Deliver Quality Homes and Boost Agriculture in Niger State
E-Financial3 days agoNDIC Declares Second Liquidation Dividend for Heritage Bank Depositors
Telecom3 days agoFG Plans to Invest $460m World Bank Loan in Fibre Infrastructure
News3 days agoAI Founders and Developers to Converge in Lagos for AI in Action 2026 conference
News3 days agoFG Inaugurates N40Bn CCTV Control Centre for Third Mainland Bridge
E-Financial2 days agoWema Bank Upgrades ALAT Banking App
General News2 days agoFirm Launches AI-powered Platform to Simplify New Tax Laws