General News
MobileMoney and Future of Insurance in Nigeria

With growing incidences of natural disasters, crop failures, investment uncertainty, growing population and dwindling natural resources, Africans are more than ever before exposed to the effects of global recessions, environmental degradations with negative effects on incomes during active duty and beyond.
Africans that are covered by any form of protection in form of insurance are minimal across the entire population of Africa.
Around Africa, mobile networks, governments, independent organizations, micro finance providers are joining forces to provide low cost insurance to millions of people through the ubiquitous mobile phone.
In Most African countries, insurance penetration is low while mobile phone is available to more than half of the adult population across different segments of the economy.
Why mobile money is powered life insurance gaining momentum and appeal across Africa Mobilemoney powered life insurance is a quite easy to use with minimal form filling, cost effective, convenient, with flexibility and the trust in brand of the Mobile network and insurance partner.
Regulations
As mobile network and nontraditional micro insurance providers and innovators begin to see benefits of providing low value insurance services to currently underserved and uninsured low segments of the society, how will the regulators deal with these innovations and players?
How is the insurance regulator positioned to understand the impact of mobile financial services on the industry? What is the wiliness of the insurance regulator to allow innovations influence new radical thoughts while balancing risk and ensuring certainty in the industry.
What level of cross regulation knowledge sharing is available for the insurance regulators across Africa from the primary mobile financial services regulator of Banking services and telecommunications?
Providing low value transaction systems and applications is a technology play for Mobile network operators but the major drawback for them is that they are not primarily providers of insurance services, with limited understanding of the processes of managing premium and investments.
While the traditional insurance providers are hampered with limited understanding and management of technologies and applications necessary for mass market products like micro insurance.
Developing the right partnerships and credibility are the foundation for building a successful mobilemoney based micro insurance product.
Mobile money micro insurance services adequately addresses the shortcomings of traditional channel of deploying insurance services since potential customers can be directly engaged and educated via the mobile phone, instant provisioning of services, payment systems that is efficient and available anywhere and anytime, cost effective methods of premium collections and reduced policy enrollment cost per cover.
South Africa
Over the counter availability like the Old Mutual’s offer though the shoprite stores is one of such initiatives that is bridging the gap between the mass market and the insurance cover.
KENYA – MICRO ENSURE, YuMobile
There is an on- going effort in Kenya where a “private-private-NGO” partnership between Safaricom (the parent company of Kenya’s mobile money transfer service M-Pesa), an insurance company, fertilizer and seed companies and an agricultural foundation has produced an innovative micro-insurance scheme in Kenya.
The crop insurance scheme, called “Kilimo Salama” (safe farming in Kiswahili), collects insurance premiums using M-Pesa when farmers purchase seeds and fertilizers, and in the event of adverse weather, makes payouts directly into the M-Pesa mobile phone accounts of the farmers which then visits any local agent to cash out the amount without visiting a Bank branch.
Last week in Kenya, a micro insurance product called Yucover, launched by yuMobile and underwritten by Jubilee Insurance and powered by MicroEnsure in a country with current insurance penetration rate that stands at 3.02 per cent and projected to double the cover likely within one year of deployment of this innovative product.
Ghana
International insurance group Hollard Insurance, independent mobile financial services enabler MFS Africa and microinsurance intermediary MicroEnsure had also launched the West Africa’s first mobile money insurance service, mi-Life in Ghana.
Mi-Life insurance provides money in the event of death of the subscriber or the next of kin. The Premium payment for insurance is deducted from the Mobile Money wallet once per month.
The subscriber will receive an SMS to inform when the monthly premium is deducted and insurance cover is renewed.
Once the premium is deducted, the insurance cover lasts for one month until the next monthly premium is deducted.
If there are insufficient funds in the wallet, Subscriber will receive an SMS reminder so that he / she can top up wallet and keep life insurance cover active.
Users will also be able to initiate claims, queries and make premium payments using their handsets.
Register and join us on Oct 4th and 5th for Mobile Money Agency risk management and a study tour of Tigo cash and Micro Ensure in Accra – Ghana.
Emmanuel Okoegwale
Principal Asscociate – MobileMoneyAfrica
[email protected]
General News
Lawmakers Ask CBN to Suspend Payment to ZTE for Failed $460m CCTV Project

House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the $460 million Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance project in the Federal Capital Territory has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend further disbursements to ZTE Corporation pending clarification on the execution of the contract.

The resolution was reached on Tuesday following lawmakers’ concerns over inconsistencies, vague responses, and lack of transparency from ZTE officials regarding the project’s scope, deployment locations, and current operational status.
The committee also mandated the company to reappear with comprehensive and verifiable documentation, including a full inventory of all equipment supplied and installed, precise locations of infrastructure nationwide, and details of 456 Nigerians reportedly trained to operate and maintain the system.
The decision followed a motion moved by Ali Shettima representing Bursari/Geidam/Yunusari Federal Constituency and seconded by Kolawale Akinlayo during an investigative hearing at the National Assembly.
Donald Ojogo, chairman of the committee, said the exercise was not a witch-hunt but a fact-finding mission aimed at addressing public concerns over the project.
This is a constructive engagement, not an attempt to witch-hunt anyone. Nigerians deserve clear answers, and we expect ZTE to respond in line with the documents before us,” he stated.
Irene Momoh, representing the company, said ZTE supplied and installed CCTV infrastructure in Abuja and Lagos, noting that the project was completed between 2011 and 2012.
However, under questioning, he admitted uncertainty about the current functionality of the system.
“To the best of our knowledge, the equipment was delivered and installed within the project timeline, but I cannot confirm its present operational status,” Momoh said.
The response sparked strong reactions from lawmakers, who questioned how a project of such magnitude could lack a sustainable maintenance and continuity framework.
Momoh explained that ZTE had an initial three-month maintenance agreement, which it voluntarily extended to six months before handing over the system. He attributed the project’s decline to the government’s inability to sustain funding post-handover.
“There was no continued funding from the government to maintain and run the system after handover,” he added.
Despite this explanation, lawmakers challenged several of the company’s claims, particularly on the geographical spread of the installations.
General News
Guinness Nigeria Surpasses ₦1Trillion Market Capitalisation, Signalling Strong Investor Confidence and Sustained Value Creation

Guinness Nigeria PLC has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing the ₦1 trillion mark in market capitalisation on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), underscoring strong investor confidence and a sustained track record of value creation.

As of April 10, 2026, the company’s market capitalisation stood at approximately ₦1.01 trillion, with an enterprise value of ₦1.05 trillion. This milestone reflects a significant re-rating of the business by the market, driven by improved fundamentals and a renewed growth trajectory.
This achievement caps a remarkable 18-month period during which the company has delivered substantial improvements in shareholder value. As of April 12, 2026, Guinness Nigeria’s share price closed at ₦462.90, reflecting strong upward momentum and sustained investor confidence in the company’s strategic direction and performance outlook.
The company’s latest audited financial results for the 18-month period, ended 31 December 2025, further underscore this transformation. Guinness Nigeria delivered revenue of ₦730.80 billion, while gross profit rose by 152% to ₦230.48 billion, demonstrating strong margin expansion and improved operational efficiency.
In a significant turnaround, the company recorded a net profit after tax of ₦41.16 billion, recovering from a loss position in the prior period. This return to profitability highlights the success of ongoing transformation efforts and reinforces the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable, long-term value for shareholders.
The reporting period reflects a pivotal phase in the company’s evolution, including its transition to a new financial year-end of 31 December and its first full audited reporting cycle under its current ownership structure, laying a stronger foundation for future growth.
Commenting on the milestone, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, Chairman of the Board said: “This is a defining moment for Guinness Nigeria and a strong validation of the strategic direction we are pursuing. Crossing the ₦1 trillion market capitalisation threshold reflects the resilience of our business, the strength of our brands, and the renewed confidence of the investment community in our long-term prospects. We remain committed to disciplined governance, sustainable growth, and long-term value creation for all stakeholders.”
Over the period, the company has driven performance through revenue growth, portfolio optimisation, cost discipline, and expanded route-to-market capabilities. These efforts have been complemented by a sharpened focus on innovation, premiumisation, and consumer-centric strategies, reinforcing its leadership in Nigeria’s beverage alcohol sector.
Guinness Nigeria has also continued to strengthen its balance sheet, embed sustainability into its operations, and uphold strong corporate governance standards, while maintaining its commitment to responsible consumption and positive community impact.
Looking ahead, the company remains focused on accelerating growth through consumer obsession, portfolio expansion, and continued innovation, while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation and shareholder returns.
General News
Nigeria’s Digital Boom Takes Centre Stage as IoT West Africa Returns to Lagos

Nigeria is in the middle of one of the fastest digital infrastructure expansions on the continent. Microsoft, Google, and AWS are committing to African cloud regions. MTN and Airtel are at the forefront of advancing telecom infrastructure.

The Rural Electrification Agency is rewiring the country’s power base. And enterprise AI adoption is accelerating across banking, logistics, and public services.
On 28–30 April 2026, that ecosystem converges at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, as IoT West Africa, Power & Water Nigeria, and Data Centre & Cloud Expo Africa co-locate for their fifth edition.
IoT West Africa holds its place as the longest-running IoT and digital infrastructure event on the continent, and the platform that has tracked, shaped, and accelerated West Africa’s technology story from its earliest chapters.
The three-day platform spans AI, cloud, telecoms, IoT, smart infrastructure, fintech, renewable energy, hyperscale data centres, and power generation. Critical infrastructure sits at the heart of this year’s agenda: from the security and resilience of national power grids, to the fibre networks, subsea cables, and edge computing nodes that underpin Nigeria’s digital economy. This is the event where that conversation happens at the highest level.
It is the only event in West Africa where a hyperscale operator, a rural electrification agency, a 5G network operator, and a sovereign AI policymaker share the same stage, and the same room.
The event announces a strategic partnership with Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA), bringing the continent’s foremost data centre industry body into the programme to shape conversations around investment, connectivity, and cross-border infrastructure development.
Confirmed speakers include Dr. Abba Aliyu, MD/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency; Dr. Emomotimi John Agama, Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria; and Christopher Ezeafulukwe, MD/CEO of Transcorp Energy; Wole Abu, MD, Equinix; Ina Alogwu, Chief Digital & Information Officer, T2 Mobile; alongside dozens of global industry leaders.
The platform brings together 5,000+ decision-makers including CIOs, CTOs, investors, regulators, and hyperscale operators, with exhibitors including Itel Energy, Vertiv, and Jubaili Bros. An exclusive VIP lounge, a startup pitch session, and a live podcast series complete the programme.
Register: Power & Water Nigeria — pnwnigeria.com/visitor-registration
IoT West Africa — iotwestafrica.com/visitor-registration
Telecom3 days agoSpaceX Hints at Home‑Built Chip Module for Starlink Mobile
E-Financial2 days agoFidelity Surges Ahead in Recapitalisation Drive with ₦564bn Capital
General News3 days agoTeenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content in Delta
Telecom3 days agoDigital Realty, IXPN Expand Peering Network with New Internet Exchange Point of Presence in Nigeria
Telecom3 days agoElon Musk Accuses South Africa of Racism over Starlink Licence Block
E-Financial3 days agoLawyers Sue CBN over One-Time BVN Phone Number Change
News3 days agoMeta Files Appeal over $25,000 Damages Awarded to Falana
E-Business3 days agoFG Unveils ePharmacy Platform to Regulate Digital Pharmaceutical Services



















