Telecom
Elon Musk, Finally Acquires Twitter @$44bn

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has finally take over the ownership of social media service, Twitter, by closing a $44 billion (£38.1bn) deal.
Mr Musk had tweeted: “The bird is freed”, an apparent reference to the deal.
Also, the U.S. media and an investor in the firm confirmed the development on Friday.
A number of top executives, including the boss, Parag Agrawal, have reportedly been fired.
Mr Agrawal and two other executives were escorted out of Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters on Thursday evening
The completion of the deal brings to an end months of legal wrangling, but the deal has prompted questions over the platform’s future direction.
Chief financial officer Ned Segal, and the firm’s top legal and policy executive, Vijaya Gadde, are leaving alongside Mr Agrawal, according to US media reports.
Mr Musk, a self-styled “free speech absolutist”, has been critical of Twitter’s management and its moderation policies.
They clashed over the terms of the takeover, with Mr Musk accusing Twitter of providing misleading information about the firm’s user numbers.
He has also said he would reverse bans on suspended users, which could include former US President Donald Trump, who was excluded following the Capitol riot in January 2021.
Twitter said there was a risk Mr Trump would incite further violence. But Mr Musk has described the ban as “foolish”.
It is not clear yet whether the clear out of senior management is the forerunner to company-wide job cuts.
Earlier reports suggested 75% of staff at the social media company were set to lose their jobs, but those reports were “inaccurate”, Ross Gerber, president and chief executive of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, and a shareholder in both Twitter and Mr Musk’s other company Tesla, told the BBC.
Hotspot
“There are a lot of talented people at Twitter, especially on the engineering side and they want to retain as much of that talent as possible,” Mr Gerber said.
“Really what they’re looking at from the trimming side is management [and] they’ve already started with upper management,” said Mr Gerber. He said cuts are then likely to extend to product managers “and products they’ve been working on that aren’t going anywhere”.
The social media platform’s shares will be suspended from trading on Friday, according to the New York Stock Exchange’s website.
Mr Musk said he bought the social media platform to help humanity and he wanted “civilisation to have a common digital town square”.
Earlier this week, Mr Musk tweeted a video of himself walking into Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco carrying a kitchen sink with the caption: “let that sink in!”
He also changed his Twitter profile to read “Chief Twit”.
On a recent earnings call, the Tesla owner said Twitter was “an asset that has just sort of languished for a long time, but has incredible potential, although obviously myself and the other investors are overpaying for Twitter right now”
Mr Musk’s early investments in Twitter initially escaped public attention. In January, he began making regular purchases of shares, so that by the middle of March he had accumulated a 5% stake in the firm.
In April, he was revealed as Twitter’s largest shareholder, and by the end of the month, a deal was finally reached to buy the company for $44bn.
He said he planned to clean up spam accounts and preserve the platform as a venue for free speech.
But by mid-May Mr Musk, a prolific Twitter user, had begun to change his mind about the purchase, citing concerns that the number of fake accounts on the platform was higher than Twitter claimed.
In July, he said he no longer wished to acquire the company. Twitter, however, argued the billionaire was legally committed to the acquisition and eventually filed a lawsuit to hold him to the deal.
In early October, Mr Musk revived his takeover plans for the company on condition that legal proceedings were paused.
Telecom
Enugu to Host The Gathering on 100 as MTN-Backed Youth Movement Expands Across Nigeria

Nigeria’s fast-rising youth culture and innovation community, The Gathering on 100, is heading to Enugu, with registration now open for gamers, performers, DJs, creatives, and culture enthusiasts.

MTN
The Enugu edition will take place on June 19, 2026, at ICC Hall, Okpara Square, and will bring together a new audience for the platform’s signature blend of music, gaming, live performance, community engagement, and youth-driven entertainment.
The Gathering on 100 first gained national attention in Lagos, where it transformed the National Stadium, Surulere, into a continuous 100-hour ecosystem of activity from April 22–26, 2026.
The event combined culture, commerce, entrepreneurship, gaming, fashion, and live entertainment, attracting thousands of young participants and creating opportunities for emerging talent and businesses.
The movement most recently arrived in Aba, where thousands of young people gathered for a weekend of culture, commerce and entrepreneurship, reinforcing the platform’s growing appeal across different communities and audiences.
The move to Enugu is being framed by organisers as a deliberate expansion into one of Nigeria’s largest student and youth populations. Home to major institutions including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Godfrey Okoye University and Coal City University, Enugu attracts thousands of young people from across the country each year, creating a vibrant community shaped by education, creativity, entertainment and entrepreneurship.
This concentration of young talent has helped fuel a growing ecosystem of creators, performers, gamers, digital entrepreneurs and small business owners.
In recent years, the city has hosted an increasing number of technology, entertainment and youth-focused events, reflecting the growing demand for platforms that bring together creativity, opportunity and community.
These dynamics make Enugu a natural next stop for The Gathering on 100, a platform built around showcasing talent, fostering connections and creating opportunities for young Nigerians.
Registration for the Enugu edition is now open through The Gathering’s official website, with participation available across multiple categories including gaming, rap battles, DJ competitions, dance, live performances and entrepreneurship.
A key highlight of the event will be the Pitchathon, where emerging founders and business owners will have the opportunity to present their ideas before a panel of judges for a chance to secure grant funding and support for business growth.
The gaming segment will feature competitive tournaments and interactive experiences designed for both casual and serious players, while rap battles and DJ showdowns will spotlight rising talent from Enugu and neighbouring states.
Attendees can also expect a large scale rave experience, live entertainment and community driven activities designed to bring together different corners of the region’s youth culture under one roof.
Beyond the entertainment, organisers say The Gathering on 100 is designed to create real opportunities for young people to connect, collaborate and gain visibility for their talents, ideas and businesses.
As the movement continues its expansion across Nigeria, the Enugu edition is expected to showcase the city’s unique blend of creativity, ambition and cultural influence while providing a platform for the next generation of innovators, performers and entrepreneurs.
Telecom
Prof. Dzidonu Urges Universities to Produce Deep Thinkers for AI Age

Professor Clement K. Dzidonu, President of Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), has said that the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation demands graduates who are capable of independent thinking, continuous learning, innovation, and responsible leadership.

Professor Clement K. Dzidonu, President of Accra Institute of Technology (AIT).
Professor Dzidonu noted that universities exist not merely to award degrees but to develop capable human beings who can think critically, solve problems creatively, adapt to changing circumstances, and contribute meaningfully to society.
He reiterated AIT’s commitment to producing graduates who are technically competent, ethically grounded, intellectually curious, and globally competitive.
The Accra Institute of Technology (AIT) has officially welcomed newly admitted students into its academic community at a colourful matriculation ceremony held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the university’s Knowledge City Campus-Kokomlemle in Accra.
Speaking on the theme, “Preparing the Sovereign Learner for a World of Opportunity, Possibility and Difference,” the President encouraged students to adopt the Opportunity–Possibility–Difference (OPD) Perspective by recognizing opportunities, exploring possibilities, and creating meaningful differences in their lives and communities. He urged them to see beyond examinations and certificates and focus on building capability, character, and courage.
The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the lives of the new students as they formally became members of the AIT scholarly community, joining a university renowned for excellence in technology-driven education, innovation, research, and professional development.
The matriculating class comprises students pursuing programmes in Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, Occupational Health and Safety Management, Project Management, and doctoral studies.
Addressing the matriculating class, the President of AIT, Professor Clement K. Dzidonu, congratulated the students on their admission and challenged them to embrace what he termed “The Age of the Sovereign Learner.” He emphasized that the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation demands graduates who are capable of independent thinking, continuous learning, innovation, and responsible leadership.
Professor Dzidonu further challenged the students to make the most of the opportunities available to them at AIT by attending lectures consistently, acting ethically, managing their time wisely, and committing themselves to lifelong learning.
He reminded them that success at the university would depend not only on the resources and support systems provided by AIT but also on their personal commitment to excellence and self-development.
On behalf of the newly admitted students, Mr. Samuel Peace Kamara delivered the matriculants’ acceptance speech, expressing gratitude to the university’s leadership, faculty, and staff for the warm reception extended to the new students.
He pledged, on behalf of his colleagues, that they would uphold the values of the university, work diligently in their studies, and strive to become responsible professionals capable of making meaningful contributions to society.
The ceremony concluded with a formal declaration admitting the students into membership of the university community and a call on them to embrace the opportunities before them, pursue excellence, and contribute positively to national and global development.
Telecom
FG Debunks Claims of Plans to Introduce Telecoms, Fuel Taxes

Federal government has dismissed reports suggesting it plans to introduce new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products, describing the claims as false and misleading.

The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Federal Ministry of Finance and signed by Mrs Maryann Duke, Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press Secretary to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
According to the ministry, reports linking the alleged taxes to recommendations contained in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation on Nigeria do not reflect the position of the government.
It explained that recommendations contained in IMF consultation reports are advisory in nature and do not constitute policy decisions or binding obligations on the Federal Government.
“The Federal Government is not considering the introduction of any new taxes on telecommunications services or petroleum products,” the statement said.
The ministry also clarified that existing tax arrangements relating to petroleum products remain unchanged.
It stated that the Value Added Tax (VAT) waiver on fuel remains in force and has not been removed.
According to the statement, any fuel surcharge can only be introduced through a ministerial order published in the Official Gazette, noting that no such action is currently under consideration.
The ministry added that the current policy framework has helped cushion the impact of fluctuations in global fuel prices on households and businesses across the country.
On telecommunications services, the government said the excise duty introduced before 2023 had already been repealed under the country’s new tax laws.
It stressed that the duty is no longer in effect.
The ministry urged Nigerians, businesses and media organisations to disregard reports suggesting that new taxes would be imposed on telecommunications services and petroleum products.
It reiterated that Nigeria’s tax reform agenda remains focused on improving revenue administration, promoting economic growth and attracting investments rather than increasing the tax burden on citizens.
The ministry further assured that any future tax policy changes would be communicated through official channels and implemented in accordance with due process and existing legal provisions.
It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and responsible economic management aimed at supporting sustainable growth and protecting the welfare of Nigerians.
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