General News
MTN Graduates 20 Fellows, Expands Media Innovation Programme

MTN Nigeria, in partnership with Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), marked a significant milestone in advancing Africa’s media landscape with the graduation of 20 Fellows from the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) Cohort 4 held at the Lagos Business School.

MTN
The ceremony celebrated excellence, resilience and forward-thinking storytelling, while also announcing the programme’s expansion into a Pan-African edition beginning next year.
The six-month programme, known for its rigorous coursework, demanding schedule and strong emphasis on critical thinking, included an international study visit to South Africa that broadened participants’ understanding of media innovation across the continent.
The graduation event acknowledged the Fellows’ commitment to completing the intensive journey while strengthening their capacity to influence the future of African media.
Dr. Ikechukwu Obiaya, Dean of the School of Media and Communications, PAU, commended the Fellows for their persistence throughout the programme. “In some moments, it was pretty grueling for some of you, but you made it. You are here, and I congratulate you,” he said.
“He encouraged them to see the graduation as a new beginning, adding, “We have so much to do, and each one of us is best positioned now to make that transformation.”
Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria, congratulated the cohort on successfully completing the six-month programme and reaffirmed MTN’s long-term vision for the initiative.
He said, “Congratulations on completing this journey. You are joining a network of professionals who are committed to elevating the media landscape in Nigeria and beyond.
“The future of this programme depends on your impact. This cohort represents the outcome we envisioned when the journey began. Today, the programme is not only thriving but also expanding.”
He further announced that the Pan-African edition of the programme will be launched in 2026, providing media professionals across the continent with the same level of immersive training and unique exposure experienced by the Fellows.
A key highlight of the event was MTN Nigeria’s presentation of ₦2.5 million in cash prizes to Fellows whose projects demonstrated exceptional innovation, depth of research and alignment with the programme’s ethos of impactful storytelling. The awards were presented by Chineze Gbenga-Oluwatoye, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, MTN Nigeria, and Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director, MTN Foundation.
Vanessa Ukamaka Richard Bassey, Head of Programmes, Sparkling 92.3 FM, Calabar, emerged as the top winner, receiving ₦1 million for the MTN Foundation Chairman Award for Innovative Reportage and another ₦1 million for the MTN Chairman’s Prize for Innovation. Sharing her experience, she said, “It’s been a training ground. It has opened me up to new things and made me more confident. There’s something about knowledge and information and exposure to your mind and to your esteem. After today, I know there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Abolaji Adebayo received ₦500,000 for the MIP Cohort 4 Best Report, recognised for its clarity, depth and relevance to national discourse.
Several Fellows shared how the programme has reshaped their careers. Adekeye Ayobami of Abamimigo FM described the programme as arriving at the perfect moment, aligning with his recent career elevation.
Ubani Amarachi of Channels TV highlighted the value of the South Africa trip, noting that it transformed her approach to telling African stories and reinforced her belief that graduation marks the beginning of greater responsibility and impact.
The graduation of the MIP Cohort 4 Fellows, coupled with the announcement of the Pan-African edition, reinforces MTN Nigeria’s long-standing commitment to strengthening the media ecosystem through education, exposure and innovation.
The partnership between MTN Nigeria and Pan-Atlantic University continues to serve as a catalyst for developing media professionals equipped to shape narratives, advance societal progress and drive meaningful change across Africa.
General News
NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians to disregard a viral online flyer claiming that a free portal has been opened for the correction of National Identification Number (NIN) data.

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the commission described the flyer as fake and cautioned the public against using any links associated with it.
“The public is hereby advised not to use the above for modifying their NIN data. All modifications should only be done via the official channel,” NIMC stated, directing users to its authorised self-service portal.
The misleading flyer, which has circulated widely on social media, carries the logos of NIMC and the federal government, falsely claiming that authorities had launched a special correction portal in response to a “high level of complain.”
It lists services such as name, gender, and date of birth corrections, and provides links redirecting users to a suspicious “gvly.xyz” domain—an address the commission says is not affiliated with any government platform.
NIMC noted that the flyer has since been marked “FAKE” in red, indicating it is being recirculated as part of efforts to debunk the misinformation.
The Commission reiterated that all NIN data modifications can only be carried out through its official self-service platform, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to online scams.
General News
Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa’s $50Bn Restaurant Sector

Moniepoint Inc. (“Moniepoint” or the “Company”), Africa’s all-in-one financial ecosystem platform for individuals, businesses and their customers, today announced the acquisition of Orda Africa (“Orda”), a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria.

Moniepoint
Under the terms of this acquisition, Orda will become part of the Moniebook platform, Moniepoint’s all-in-one Point-of-Sale (POS) and business management platform. Since launching its business management tools product in 2025, Moniebook has rapidly become the go-to platform for thousands of African businesses seeking integrated financial and operational tools, seamlessly unifying payments and bookkeeping in one platform.
With Orda, restaurant owners can now gain access to this proven ecosystem that creates unprecedented opportunities to scale operations, optimize performance, and access credit, as well as the extensive reach of Moniepoint which has powered growth for millions of African businesses.
The acquisition comes as Africa’s food service industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the sector valued at $50 billion and Nigeria’s market alone projected to reach $19.31 billion by 2030, growing at 11.73% annually. With Orda’s restaurant-focused capabilities now part of the Moniepoint ecosystem, the platform is well-positioned to capture this opportunity.
Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, today Moniepoint has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading distributors of financial services as well as a trusted platform for many of the country’s MSMEs especially in the informal sector.
The company has considerably expanded its offerings to include digital payments, business and personal banking, credit, cross-border payments, and business management tools with a customer base exceeding 20 million active businesses and personal banking customers and processes over US$250 billion in digital payments transaction value annually.
Tosin Eniolorunda, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Moniepoint Inc., said: “The food industry isn’t just about feeding people, it’s a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans. It highlights how vital the informal sector is, not just for the economy, but for everyday life across the continent.
Data has shown us that Africa’s restaurant sector is one of the continent’s most dynamic economic engines, yet the majority of food businesses still operate with manual processes and fragmented tools. By bringing Orda into Moniepoint, we are giving restaurant owners what they deserve: one simple platform that handles everything from managing their kitchen to growing their business. Our goal remains to create financial happiness for Africans, giving them the tools to reach their full potential and that’s exactly what we’ve built here.”
Founded in 2020, Orda was built to give Africa’s small and independent restaurants the tools they need to run more efficiently, providing a purpose-built software to businesses that had long operated without it.
Guy Futi, CEO of Orda, reassured existing customers: “Orda has found the perfect home in Moniepoint. We have spent years building deep expertise in restaurant operations, but we have always known that to truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure.
“That’s exactly what this integration delivers. For our customers, we are assuring a smooth transition with no disruption to the platform and retained access to the support you are used to. What changes is your access to opportunities.
“Over the coming weeks, being part of Moniepoint means you’ll have more tools, more reach, and more ways to grow your business than ever before”
Combining their respective strengths, Moniepoint and Orda deliver a purpose-built solution that empowers food businesses at every scale to manage orders, track inventory, pay suppliers, and access working capital, all in one seamless experience.
This move represents a demonstrated commitment to building a dedicated financial infrastructure designed around the unique complexity of Africa’s food economy.
For the millions of food entrepreneurs across the continent, from the everyday buka owner to the high-end restaurateur, this acquisition means less time managing multiple tools or carrying out arduous manual work and more time doing what they do best – feeding Africa.
General News
Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

More than 45,000 jobs have been cut across the global technology sector in the first few months of 2026, according to data from RationalFX, signalling that the industry is still adjusting after a period of aggressive hiring rather than returning to a full growth phase.

“In 2025, automation, artificial intelligence, and sustained cost-discipline measures drove much of the downsizing, with entire departments restructured or eliminated in favour of leaner, AI-assisted workflows. This trend has continued full steam into 2026,” said Alan Cohen, analyst at RationalFX.
According to the report, if the current rate of redundancies is sustained, total layoffs in 2026 could surpass the 245,000 recorded in 2025.
The majority of these layoffs have been concentrated in the United States, with major companies continuing to trim their workforce despite stable core operations.
Amazon has announced approximately 16,000 job cuts this year, while Block has also reduced thousands of roles as it tightens operations and shifts focus towards artificial intelligence.
There are indications that further reductions may follow.
Meta is reportedly considering additional layoffs as it increases investment in AI infrastructure, while PayPal and Klarna are reassessing spending and hiring strategies amid ongoing uncertainty.
Established technology firms are also undergoing restructuring. Dell has reduced its workforce by around 11,000 over the past year as part of a broader reorganisation, while Salesforce has cut approximately 1,000 roles in 2026 while aligning its teams more closely with AI-driven products.
Outside the United States, layoffs have been smaller in scale but more geographically dispersed.
Australia has reported around 2,650 job cuts so far this year, followed by Sweden with roughly 1,923 and Netherlands with about 1,700.
Other markets have also been affected. Israel and India have recorded approximately 1,539 and 1,520 layoffs respectively, with Israel’s startup ecosystem particularly sensitive to tighter funding conditions, while in India, both startups and larger IT firms have reduced headcount as global client spending slows.
In Singapore, around 1,016 layoffs have been reported, reflecting a softer hiring environment across Asia’s major technology hubs, where companies are adopting a more cautious approach amid uneven demand.
Across Europe, job cuts have been comparatively limited but still noticeable.
The United Kingdom has recorded around 1,000 layoffs, while Czech Republic and Germany have seen smaller reductions.
The broader trend suggests that technology companies are shifting towards leaner operations and more defined priorities following years of expansion. Increasing investment in automation and artificial intelligence is also reshaping the types of roles in demand.
For employees, the impact is becoming increasingly visible, with hiring slowing and becoming more selective. While opportunities remain, companies are taking a more measured approach to recruitment compared to the rapid expansion seen in previous years.
Further credit… .storyboard18.com
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