Telecom
MTN Empowers over 1,000 MoMo Agents in the Kano Emirate Council
As part of the activities marking the coronation of His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, as the 15th Emir of Kano, Y’ello Digital Financial Services (YDFS), the fintech subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, announced the empowerment of 1,004 youths as MoMo Agents within the Kano Emirate.
His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, 15th Emir of Kano (center), with Y’ello Digital Financial Services staffers and other Kano Emirate council members during the inauguration and empowerment of 1,004 youths in Kano recently.
This is to strengthen the socio-economic development of the emirate, while also aligning with the empowerment objectives of the Kano State Government.
At the ceremony, which was held at the Emir’s Palace in Kano, the newly crowned Emir, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero inaugurated the empowered 1,004 youths, charging them to be worthy ambassadors of the Kano Emirate Council.
In 2019, YDFS rolled out MoMo Agent Services across Nigeria, to provide safe and accessible money transfer services to financially underserved communities, and to deepen financial inclusion, particularly in the northern region of Nigeria.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero said, “I especially want to appreciate YDFS for always collaborating with the Kano Emirate Council to create value-adding opportunities capable of enhancing the economy, while also empowering the youths through their product and service offerings.
“We appreciate this collaboration, which is the first of its kind in the country because it will guarantee economic stability and good living conditions for the beneficiaries of this initiative.
“We believe this is a step in the right direction as we are confident of the economic growth we are going to witness in our villages and districts.”
Usoro Usoro, Chief Executive Officer, YDFS, expressed appreciation to the Emir for the opportunity, noting that the essence of the initiative is to close the financial exclusion gap in the country.
“We recognise the economic importance of having access to financial services across the country. This is because of the massive direct impact it has on the quality of life of the people.
“Having understood the non-availability of bank branches across the entire country, we have secured a partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and our principal bank, Access Bank, to roll out agent networks across the entire district of the Kano Emirate.
“We rest assured that this will boost the economic viability of the region, while also contributing positively to the generality of youth development,” he said.
Y’ello Digital Financial Services is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian can seamlessly access financial services for their personal and business needs.
This they do through continuous partnerships, to support the 2024 financial inclusion strategy of the federal government.
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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