Telecom
MTN Partners with NIDCOM to Offer 5000 Ukraine Returnees Humanitarian Aid
MTN, in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), has offered 5000 evacuated returnees displaced by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war more humanitarian aid to ease their premature return to the country.
NIDCOM in a Twitter post on March 11, 2022, announced that, “1,199 have been evacuated so far from Ukraine”.
“Returnees are also getting a free SIM card loaded with 5,000 Naira airtime to allow them reach their family members courtesy of a partnership between NiDCOM and MTN, and 100 dollars transport fare from the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the statement continued.
Sources reveal the returnees will be getting free MTN SIMs with an XtraTalk bundle worth N19,500 talk time and 1.5GB of data. This follows the company offering free international calls and SMS to all existing prepaid and post-paid customers on March 2, 2022.
Recall that MTN had announced free international calls and SMS to all existing prepaid and post-paid customers, which was aimed at supporting customers to stay in touch with their loved ones while eliminating associated IDD costs due to high ITR to Ukraine.
Each existing active subscriber on the network would receive 30 mins of free voice calls and 50 free SMS.
The offer would be valid all through the month of March and customers would be able to check minutes/SMS allocated, volume used, balance and expiry date.
Unused complimentary minutes will expire on 31st March or on any earlier date as advised across all phone numbers and will not rollover.
In response to the humanitarian crisis, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the sum of $8.5 million to facilitate the immediate evacuation of at least 5,000 Nigerians fleeing from the Russia-Ukraine war to Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Zubairu Dada, claimed the approval came following a joint memo presented by both ministries at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Meanwhile, the UN states that over 549 civilian deaths, 41 of whom were children, have been confirmed in Ukraine since the invasion began on February 24, with more than two million people fleeing Ukraine since Russia invaded, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
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