Telecom
Oluwapelumi Yusuf Emerges Winner of First MTN MoMo Hackathon

The first edition of the MTN MoMo Hackathon in Nigeria has come to an end with Oluwapelumi Yusuf emerging as the winner. Yusuf won the grand prize of USD 5,000 for inventing Rova Pay which incorporates MoMo APIs with features that transcend payment processing.

Rova Pay offers customers the convenience of making transactions anytime and anywhere using automated USSD, which eliminates the need for internet services and manual code dialling.
The event which was held on Friday, October 27, 2023, at Four Points by Sheraton, Oniru Chieftaincy Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, attracted tech developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators from various sectors, focused on developing solutions to accelerate financial inclusion and digitization of payments in Africa.
Speaking on the importance of the MoMo Hackathon in the Nigerian fintech industry, Chief Commercial Officer, MoMo PSB, Elsa Muzzolini, commented, “At MoMo, we stand firm in our belief that innovation thrives not just within our brand, but within the collective of stakeholders.
“That is why we are equipping developers with the tools and resources necessary to expedite reaching individuals who are excluded from financial access or believe that financial services are not tailored to their needs.
“Our commitment to fostering financial inclusion is a collaborative effort. By making MoMo accessible to innovators across Nigeria, we enable them to leverage its full potential in developing applications that hold the power to transform lives.”
Oluwapelumi Yusuf, upon receiving his prize, expressed his excitement, saying, “I am thrilled and honoured to have won the MoMo Hackathon 2023.
“My motivation for conceiving this solution was born during my visits to rural communities in Nigeria, where I witnessed the limitations imposed by the need for internet connectivity to access basic applications, particularly for payment purposes. I recognised the need to bridge this gap and support financial inclusion.”
Oluwapelumi Yusuf was not the only standout participant at the MoMo Hackathon. Marvis Igbokwe partnered with Favour Ajie Divine to develop MoMo Cash, coming in second place with a cash prize of USD 3,000 while Isaac Odinaka Franklin’s solution, Clique Plus Pay, won third place with a cash prize of USD 2,000.
In addition, the top 12 participants received gifts and an invitation to the Pan African grand finale to represent Nigeria in the MoMo Hackathon.
The hackathon provided a unique opportunity for developers across 14 African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Rwanda, Eswatini, Congo Brazzaville, Guinea Conakry, Zambia, Benin, Liberia, South Africa, and South Sudan to further shape the future of digital finance and empower millions of people with access to comprehensive and life-changing financial services.
MoMo Hackathon continues to be a driving force in the advancement of financial technology, creating opportunities for talented individuals to make a meaningful impact on the industry.
Telecom
SHELT Named in Prestigious 2025 MSSP 250 List for Cybersecurity Excellence

SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.

SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Telecom
Meta Names Ex-Trump Adviser Dina Powell McCormick as President

Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.

Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
Telecom
X Suspends Twitter Account for Rules Violation

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the @Twitter account, replacing its profile with a standard notice citing violation of platform rules.

Musk
The action, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, left users encountering the handle greeted by a bold “Account Suspended” message on a black screen, with no details provided on the specific rules broken or the duration of the suspension.
The development has sparked widespread confusion and nostalgia among users, given that Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, approximately six months after acquiring the platform for $44 billion in late 2022.
The @Twitter handle had remained dormant since before Musk’s takeover, serving as a legacy remnant of the platform’s original branding, and its suspension appears to mark the final erasure of the Twitter name amid X’s ongoing efforts to combat spam, impersonation, and rule violations.
X’s official statement on the suspended page simply reads: “X suspends accounts that violate our rules,” without offering an appeal process or further explanation, unlike standard user suspensions.
Public reactions on social media ranged from humorous laments of “RIP Twitter” to speculation that the move resulted from automated moderation or a deliberate cleanup of legacy trademarks.
xAI’s Grok AI described it as a purposeful retirement of outdated elements rather than a genuine infraction, while neither Elon Musk nor X spokespeople issued any comment as of Monday morning.
This incident underscores the evolving identity of the platform under Musk’s ownership, which also saw a domain shift to x.com in 2024, further distancing it from its Twitter roots.
Industry observers note that while the suspension aligns with X’s stricter enforcement policies, the lack of transparency has fueled debates on consistency in applying rules to high-profile legacy accounts.
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