General News
Nigeria Should Take Advantage of Convergence- Oguntonade
Deji Oguntonade is the managing director of 3Line Card Management Company Ltd, a company set up to bridge the gap in service delivery. Oguntonade reputed for his strength in innovation, human capital development and a never say die attitude has nearly 20 years work experience in the ICT sector. He spoke to hilary okeke.
3line Card Management and e-Payment
3Line Card Management Company is coming to the Nigeria e-payment scene at the right time. We believe what this economy needs now is a company that focuses on delivering more value to the existing payment card users in the country. 3line is poised to deliver specialized value adding business solutions that make electronic payment easy, simple and affordable by the vast retail market especially the unbanked and underbanked. We have identified needs and gaps and we have positioned to remedy such. We are not just another technology company but strictly a payment solutions company. We have also acquired installed capacity to support these solutions and manage the entire life cycle of cards right from design to production, personalization, etc.
Deadline on Issuance of Chip and Pin Card
There are lots of factors to be considered for a successful migration from magnetic stripe cards to the so called chip and pin cards. Chief among this is the upgrade of the current infrastructure, especially channels such as ATMs and PoS to make them compatible for this new card technology. This is a capital intensive investment for banks and other technology service providers in e-payment. Also, the cost of the cards themselves far surpass that of the cards currently in use, hence replacing these cards will also generate issues like who ought to bear the cost – customer or bank? Another question to ask is if chip and pin is really needed in all and every situation. By and large, the greater security offered on the chip and pin platform will eventually drive the market in the direction of compliance. What we envisage is a gradual, rather than sudden compliance.
EMV Chip and Pin Card and Fraudsters
Because of the additional security requirements implemented on the EMV compliant cards, the nefarious activities of fraudsters will be reduced to a very great extent. Also, the cost involved in attempting to break the security is prohibitive enough to make such activities no longer unprofitable as against the case as we know it today. Yes, EMV will reduce card-based frauds.
Interoperability among Switching Companies
I think the absence of proper regulatory framework for this sector is responsible for this phenomenon. Unless something is done to reverse this trend, the growth of the Nigerian e-payment sector will remain rudimentary and at best stunted. We cannot compete in a global world and major global players in electronic payments will not be able to participate adequately in an economy of several disjointed switches. There is a need to streamline and regulate where necessary. The onus still lies very much with government agencies to chart the direction for compliance in the switching business. 3Line has positioned to take advantage of existing technology without necessarily acting as another technology provider. Nigerian users need more values for their card usage and that is what we are willing to deliver.
Freedom Card
The Freedom Card brand is at the core of 3line value proposition and offering. It is the flagship for 3line products. Freedom Card brand’s essence is borne out of a strong philosophy that for every human being, choice is the most desirable form of Freedom – choice of location, achievement, lifestyle, convenience, security, etc. People are simply desirous to live truly free.
The brand has therefore, positioned itself as an enabler for achieving this aspiration of the innate desire for Freedom. Freedom Card brand’s posture therefore resonates this attribute inside out; from our work culture to our various product offerings. We see ourselves as Freedom ‘fighters’ whose ambition is to bring exciting lifestyle experience to Nigerians through innovative and cutting-edge products that truly enable them achieve more, do more, believe more in themselves, especially those excluded from access to financial services and products. Freedom Card believes that there are limitless possibilities and that by being non-conformist, we can question the status quo and discover hitherto unconceivable solutions to make everyday life more fun-filled, colourful, exciting and vibrant. It is in line with the above brand essence that our products and services seek to address every aspect of daily lives of Nigerians with a view to enabling them live truly free using the e-payment platform, while forging deep connection with the Nigerian culture.
Freedom Card is our flagship brand. It is the umbrella name for a bouquet of card based products such as the prepaid card products and the chip and pin cards. An example of application of the prepaid card is in the Freedom Gift Card, which was launched into the Nigerian market last December. This was received with a lot of enthusiasm as it offers the public an alternative and more convenient means of sharing gifts. There are several other products in the Freedom Card suite that will be released over time.
High Downtime at ATMs
It is no longer news that the state of infrastructure in Nigeria is very deplorable. It needs to be understood that for ATMs to work, several infrastructure providers are involved in the value chain right from telecoms to power, IT and even physical security. Once there is a breakdown at one of these points, the chain is broken. You will agree with me that it is not an easy task to control this entire infrastructure without occasional hitches given the state of the entire Nigerian society and other socio-economic factors. For instance, alternative power is supplied per ATM location; separate telecoms is deployed to ensure that ATMs are up and running. To reduce these breakdowns, efforts must be made in appropriate quarters to improve each of the ancillary infrastructures.
e-Commerce Solution
It is something that we would love to do, although it has not fully taken off. The learning curve may be very steep but we are willing to take it in strides and believe that it will catch on with time. The developed economies that we refer to as examples today also took a while to get where they are today. The cultural and social transformation needed to bring about similar change in Nigeria may take some time but the change is inevitable. Much improvement has been seen in the last decade and the trend is still continuing. We would embark on necessary consumer enlightenment programmes; create enough values to give the consumer a need to adopt eCommerce as against other traditional means of conducting transactions. We plan to develop our solutions around the lifestyle of consumers as against forcing them to adopt a standard. So, we are still building up capacity and most likely by the end of the year, we would start having some inputs into eCommerce.
e-Data and e-Identity
Aside from ePayment, the next logical thing that Nigeria will latch on to is convergence of many activities and services that are available in silos today. For instance, health data, vehicle data, insurance details, even bio-data can very well be carried on cards. The adoption of the chip and pin era will further make this possible and achievable. We intend to make carrying such sensitive personal data very portable, secure and presentable in a uniform format to facilitate verification. 3Line is in a position to deliver this as part of its value proposition.
Auto-Reg Scheme
Well, the major achievement is having vehicle details registered electronically and accessible from a central location. Data have been recorded, saved, made available to those that should have access to these data – LASTMA officials, Federal Road Safety agents, Police or Vehicle Insurance company. Now, those records can be accessed easily since they have been compiled and kept in a databank.
General News
Indigenous Firm Deploys 400,000 Smart Electricity Meters in 2025

MOJEC International Limited has revealed that it deployed over 400,000 smart meters nationwide in 2025, representing a significant year-on-year growth for the indigenous smart meter manufacturer.

This performance reflected a 33.3 percent increase over the 300,000 meters deployed in 2024, highlighting the scale and acceleration of MOJEC’s metering operations.
Chantelle Abdul, group managing director, attributed the sustained impact to deliberate investments in infrastructure, people, and technology.
“MOJEC operates two state-of-the-art meter production facilities with a combined installed capacity of up to five million meters annually. This scale enables us not just to meet current demand, but to support Nigeria’s long-term metering and energy efficiency goals,” she said.
She further noted that MOJEC’s expansive installer ecosystem, comprising over 5,000 trained professionals nationwide, remains a critical enabler of its delivery advantage, ensuring speed, quality, and compliance across diverse terrains and markets.
The company stated that the deployment surge reflected growing confidence by Distribution Companies (DisCos) and sector stakeholders in MOJEC’s technical capacity, delivery speed, and end-to-end metering solutions.
According to Monday Ubogu, MOJEC’s head of installation, the scale and consistency of delivery set the company apart.
“Within the first three quarters of the year, MOJEC completed about 300,000 installations, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total installations nationwide during that period.
“The momentum continued into the final quarter with an additional 150,000 meters deployed, highlighting our operational depth and nationwide reach,” he said.
Ubogu added that MOJEC’s performance builds on decades of sector engagement, spanning key national metering initiatives including CAPMI, MAF, Vendor Financing, MAP Phases I & II, and NMMP 0, with the company having deployed nearly four million meters since the privatisation of NESI.
According to the company, a substantial portion of the deployment was driven by MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company (M3AC), the Group’s asset management subsidiary, which accounted for about 350,000 installations.
General News
Globacom Donates ₦1Bn to Lagos State Security Trust Fund

In its bid to contribute its quota to the consolidation of security in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, telecommunications giant, Globacom, has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) with a donation of ₦1 billion.

The generous donation was announced at a Private Sector Breakfast Meeting with CEOs, convened at the instance of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, January 30, 2026 and shows the company’s commitment to fostering public safety which would in turn, culminate in enhanced prosperity and social re-engineering in the state.
The donation, which is the biggest private-sector intervention from the telecommunications sector to the Fund in recent years, again shows that Globacom is a responsible, responsive and people-oriented corporate citizen.
Globacom disclosed that the intervention emphasized deeper collaboration between government and the state’s business community especially in relation to security, innovation and economic resilience—an agenda which the digital solutions company has unabashedly supported through sustained social investments.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Fund, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, in his display of appreciation described Globacom’s largesse as “a powerful demonstration of corporate citizenship and a strategic investment in the stability of Lagos State,” saying since LSSTF was established to bridge funding gaps in security infrastructure, it desired voluntary contributions from corporate bodies and well-meaning collaborators.
Dr. Ogunsan promised that the ₦1 billion donation will significantly enhance the Fund’s capacity to address critical priorities for 2026, including multipurpose security helicopters and drones, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, digital communication equipment and Smart CCTV systems. These assets, he added, were germane to proactive policing, rapid response and intelligence-led operations across the state.
He therefore encouraged Lagosians to support businesses that invest in the safety and development of the state, saying, “When companies step forward to secure our environment, residents should reciprocate by patronizing them. Their support directly impacts the protection of lives, property and economic activity.”
A statement from Globacom explained that the donation was an expression of the company’s staunch belief in Nigeria’s future. “At Globacom, we see security not as a government burden alone, but as a shared responsibility. When people feel safe, enterprise grows, creativity flourishes and hope becomes practical. Our support for the LSSTF is about protecting the everyday dreams of millions of Lagosians,” he noted.
With this donation to the LSSTF, Globacom has furthered its tradition of investing directly in the conditions like safety, confidence and stability which help commerce to thrive. Consequent on the support, LSSTF is gingered to raise the bar of security thereby concretizing Lagos State’s position as Nigeria’s safest and most vibrant commercial hub.
This recent financial intervention from Globacom is in tandem with its avowed commitment to social responsibility that is practical, timely, scalable and aligned with national priorities.
The company’s interventions in the past decades have spanned relief efforts for flood-affected communities, support for displaced persons, advanced youth skills through structured training programmes, and investments in education, culture and digital inclusion.
General News
WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

World International Economic Group (WIEG) Nigeria has announced plans to host its inaugural International Investment Summit on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WIEG
The summit, themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier: Unlocking Sustainable Investments for Economic Transformation,” is aimed at connecting investment-ready Nigerian enterprises with global capital while addressing long-standing challenges facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and women-led businesses.
Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Friday at Compact Communications Ltd., GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Mr. Bassey Essien, WIEG’s Project & Event Consultant said the summit would serve as a structured platform linking policy, finance and enterprise growth.
Essien identified limited access to structured funding, poor investment readiness and weak documentation as major barriers confronting Nigerian businesses, despite the availability of domestic and international capital.
“Enterprises that succeed understand the importance of preparation. Some invest as much as N200 million in professional feasibility studies to meet the standards of banks and institutions such as the African Development Bank. That level of preparation enables access to collateral-free funding,” he said.
According to him, weak policy continuity, inadequate post-intervention monitoring and fragmented regulatory frameworks have continued to undermine business growth in the country.
“Policies often change with governments, and there is little tracking after interventions. More importantly, many businesses are not prepared in ways financiers require,” Essien noted.
He explained that the summit would convene policymakers, investors, development finance institutions and pre-screened MSMEs and SMEs operating in priority sectors, including the creative industry, agriculture, energy transition, finance and aviation.
Essien described the creative sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, but said weak financing structures, piracy and poor intellectual property (IP) protection had limited its growth.
Highlighting the summit programme, he said Day One would feature conferences on macroeconomic issues, policy reforms and enterprise growth, while Day Two would focus on sector-specific deal-making roundtables.
“These deal rooms will be organised by sector — from aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to renewable energy — with lawyers, financiers and policymakers present to fast-track transactions,” he said.
Essien added that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) would be present to ensure post-event monitoring and tracking of investment deals concluded during the summit.
He disclosed that the creative economy segment would be supported through partnerships with the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and financial institutions to fund viable projects in Nollywood, music and fashion.
“Intellectual property regularisation is critical. Once ideas are properly documented and protected, investors gain confidence,” he said.
On energy and aviation, Essien said the summit would spotlight renewable energy solutions to reduce dependence on generators and promote the establishment of commercial MRO facilities to curb the high cost of aircraft maintenance abroad.
He also announced the participation of B Lab Africa, a U.S.-certified organisation focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG), diversity, equity and inclusivity standards, noting that the initiative would help small businesses improve governance and access global funding.
Essien revealed that investment commitments estimated at about 500 million dollars were expected to emerge from the summit.
“This is a private-sector-led, non-partisan initiative that places no financial burden on government. It is focused on job creation, empowering women-owned enterprises and improving investor confidence through transparent and secure processes,” he said.
He urged Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to prioritise proper documentation, professional advisory services and IP protection to position themselves for sustainable growth.
“We are creating a structured pathway from policy to capital to enterprise growth,” Essien added.
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