Telecom
Airtel Employees Donate N20m to Lagos State in Fight Against COVID-19
Employees of leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, have donated the sum of N20m to the Lagos State Government in support of the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic currently ravaging communities and nations the world over, making them the first employee group in the country to make such a donation.
The donated sum is specifically meant to support the Lagos State Government in the provision of relief materials to indigent residents and citizens as well as families who are badly affected by the on-going COVID-19 crisis.
Commenting on the donation in a letter to the Lagos State Governor, Segun Ogunsanya, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, noted that the donation by his colleagues was to show their support to Lagos State in the battle against the COVID-19 plague.
“I am pleased to inform you that employees of Airtel Nigeria have donated the sum of N20 million (Twenty million naira) to the Lagos State COVID-19 account for the provision of relief materials to indigent families during this crisis.
“The donation comes under the Airtel Nigeria Employee Volunteer Scheme (EVS), an initiative launched nine years ago, as part of our corporate philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, which offers employees a platform to volunteer their time, a fraction of their monthly earnings and their skills to support relevant charitable causes that positively impact our communities and country at large.
“Once again, we commend you and your team for the excellent work you have done to ensure residents and Indigenes of Lagos are well protected and safe at this extremely challenging period. Please be assured of our commitment to exploring further collaborations with the Lagos State Government to flatten the COVID-19 curve and ultimately defeat the deadly virus,” he said.
Acknowledging the donation, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed appreciation to the staff of Airtel Nigeria for standing to be counted when the support of every kind-hearted Lagosian was needed. He thanked them for the support and reiterated his administration’s commitment to fighting the pandemic as well as mitigating the impact on the good people of Lagos State.
Recently, Airtel Nigeria also announced a commitment of N1.97Bn towards the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria.
Providing a breakdown of the pledged sum, Airtel said it is offering free Short Message Services (SMS) to customers across all networks worth over N1.2Bn as well as complimentary data for customers to access educational sites worth over N494m.
The telco has also zero-rated traffic to select sites including Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) worth over N30m just as it has commenced a multi-million-naira educational awareness campaign to sensitize Nigerians on steps to take to prevent the Coronavirus.
Airtel added that it is committing N160m to support the NCDC, Port Health Services and the 36 States, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to Airtel, it is offering toll-free lines to each of the 36 States including the FCT to help in the fight against COVID-19 and is also connecting the NCDC’s offices nationwide with Broadband services.
Airtel also announced that it has offered devices and toll-free lines to the NCDC and also provided the Port Health Services with devices and Closed User Group (CUG) lines.
In addition, Airtel said it will donate 100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand) face masks to health workers across the country while also exploring opportunities for an isolation centre outside of Lagos.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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