World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday, said that Ebola outbreak is “very high” but added that the global risk remains “low”.

So far, 82 cases and seven deaths have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but WHO, said, the real scale of the outbreak is likely far larger, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths reported

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief, WHO, said the situation was “deeply worrisome”.

He said there were now nearly 750 suspected cases in the DR Congo and 177 suspected deaths, as health workers scramble to track down contacts of everyone thought to be infected with the virus.

“The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading rapidly,” he told a press conference.

“So far, 82 cases have been confirmed in DRC, with seven confirmed deaths.

“But we know in people who travelled from DRC and one death.

Measures to address the epidemic in DRC are much larger.

There are now almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths.”

He said the situation in Uganda was “stable”, with two cases confirmed in Uganda, including “intense contact tracing” and calling off the Martyrs’ Day commemorations, “appear to have been effective in preventing the further spread of the virus”, Tedros added.

While a US national who was working in the DRC has tested positive and been transferred to Germany for care, Tedros said another US national deemed to be a high-risk contact had been transferred to the Czech Republic.

Besides national staff already in the DRC, he said 22 international staff had been deployed to the field, “including some of our most experienced people”.

Tedros said that violence and insecurity were impeding the response to the outbreak in the DRC.

“We are now revising our risk assessment to very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level.

“So far, 82 cases have been confirmed in DRC, with seven confirmed deaths.

“But we know the epidemic in DRC is much larger. There are now almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths.

“The situation in Uganda is stable, with two cases confirmed in people who travelled from DRC, with one death.”

Tedros said that violence and insecurity were impeding the response to the outbreak.

Airtel Africa Plc has announced a strategic initiative in partnership with Barclays Capital Securities Limited to execute on-market share purchases totaling up to $110 million.

This initiative will be divided into non-discretionary and discretionary segments, marking a proactive step in optimizing the company’s capital structure and enhancing shareholder value.

In a statement released on the Nigerian Exchange and signed by Simon O’Hara, group company secretary, Airtel Africa described this share buyback program as a key component of its broader strategy to return cash to shareholders.

It noted that the program aims to repurchase up to one percent of the company’s issued share capital as of the date of this announcement.

“This decision by the Board reflects the organization’s strong financial position and its commitment to maintaining flexibility while continuing to invest for growth across its markets.

“The initial phase of the program will see Airtel Africa collaborating with Barclays Capital Securities to facilitate the purchase of its ordinary shares,” the statement noted.

According to Airtel Africa, the agreement features two key components operating concurrently: a non-discretionary segment allowing Barclays to purchase up to $60 million of ordinary shares independently of the company, and a discretionary segment where Airtel Africa can guide Barclays in purchasing an additional $50 million, adhering to the regulations set forth by the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014.

“The program is set to commence today and is expected to conclude by November 27, 2026, unless terminated earlier under the agreement’s terms. Airtel Africa has signaled that as the initiative progresses, further tranches may be announced to achieve its objective of repurchasing up to one percent of its issued share capital.

“The primary aim of this buyback program is to streamline the company’s capital. Accordingly, all shares purchased will be cancelled, contributing to a more efficient capital structure. Any transactions will be performed in alignment with pre-defined parameters outlined in the agreement with Barclays and comply with the authority granted by shareholders for share repurchases.”

At the annual general meeting on July 9, 2025, shareholders authorized the company to buy back a maximum of 366.073 million ordinary shares.

Following the previous buyback program, the remaining authority now stands at a maximum of 357.042 million ordinary shares, demonstrating ongoing support from shareholders for these initiatives.

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria’s telecom regulator has released draft rules for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) as authorities seek to organize a market that is still at an early stage.

The NCC published the proposed “Business Rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operations in Nigeria” and opened a consultation process for industry stakeholders.

Comments can be submitted until June 29, while a public consultation is scheduled for July 9.

According to the NCC, the proposed rules define the obligations and responsibilities of both MVNOs and host network operators (HNOs).

The framework also sets conditions for licensing, compliance, interconnection, numbering resources, SIM and eSIM management, and network hosting agreements.

Regulators also seek to guarantee fair access to telecom infrastructure and reduce delays tied to the integration of MVNOs into existing mobile networks.

The text further includes provisions related to service quality, customer protection, network reliability, and data security.

Violations could lead to administrative sanctions or corrective measures under existing telecom laws.

Nigeria officially opened the MVNO market in 2023. That year, the NCC awarded licenses to 25 operators for a combined 5.9 billion naira, or about $4.3 million. Since then, around 40 licenses have been issued, with operators such as Vitel and Visafone already launching services.

Authorities see MVNOs as a way to improve competition in the telecom sector while helping extend services to underserved and unserved populations.

As of March 2026, Nigeria counted 185.7 million mobile subscribers and 153.8 million internet subscribers, according to NCC data.

Despite the size of the market, digital access remains uneven across the country.

Government estimates show that nearly 20 million Nigerians still remain outside the digital ecosystem.

The GSMA estimated that about 120 million Nigerians did not use mobile internet in 2023.

High service costs and inconsistent service quality also remain major concerns in the telecom sector.