Telecom
Salt & Einstein, MTN Partner on Mobile Health Insurance Scheme
Salt & Einstein MTS, Mobile insurance services aggregator, MTN Nigeria and Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), have announced a strategic partnership to launch a mobile-based universal health insurance service known as Y’ello Health.
This service, according to the trio will provide Nigerians affordable health insurance cover on a pre-paid basis, adding that through the Y’ello Health, mobile subscribers are able to opt into a micro healthcare insurance scheme through Health Management Organizations (HMO’s) using their mobile phones for a range of pre-defined medical treatments for which affordable premium can also be remitted through the subscribers’ mobile phone.
Dr. Femi Thomas, executive secretary and CEO of NHIS, speaking on the rationale behind the new partnership said, “MTN is a large player in the Nigerian economy, having a good number of registered Nigerians on its database. To be able to reach out to Nigerians, we at NHIS decided to partner with Salt & Einstein MTS and MTN on this new initiative to achieve “Universal Health Coverage” for Nigerians nationwide.
According to him, the time has come to extend health insurance to Nigerians from all walks of life.
Thomas said with Nigeria’s population in mind, NHIS in partnership with Salt & Einstein MTS and MTN is bent on providing more efficient health care service to those who indeed cannot afford good healthcare services, stressing that this this will help pull risk and share healthcare costs equitably across the population.
Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, executive chairman of Salt and Einstein MTS, bringing his vast experience in mobile technology and telecommunications in Nigeria to the table, identified the need to leverage the market penetration and unmatched reach of mobile telecoms in Nigeria. Statics reveal that mobile telecoms subscription in Nigeria is over 120 million.
This, Ndukwe noted creates adequate grounds for direct health insurance provision to Nigerians who without this would have no access to the National health Insurance scheme.
According to Lai Labode, managing director and chief executive officer of Salt and Einstein MTS, findings, show that, Nigeria still has less than four per cent of its population covered with basic health care at this time in our nation’s history.
“There is no disputing the fact that, one of the best things to do at this time is to come together, working with NHIS and of course, starting off with Nigeria’s leading telecommunications operator, MTN, to bring this health insurance cover to Nigerians who have been hitherto excluded from access to good health care service”.
“MTN has demonstrated that they are interested in the social good and welfare of Nigerians. We hope to create more products that benefit Nigerians across the country”. He enthused.
According to Omatsola Barrow, Sales & Distributions executive, MTN, “MTN’s motivation to partner on the health insurance initiative with the Salt & Einstein MTSand NHIS, is driven by the firm’s passion to reduce exclusion and social disparities by supporting government’s vision of delivering health care for all as well as to make health care mobile by integrating it into the MTN broader digital strategy”
According to Larry Annetts, chief marketing officer, MTN Nigeria, “the focus market for the Y’ello Health Cover are Nigerians who have no health insurance cover principally because they cannot afford the regular health insurance services in the market. These individuals like everyone else, need medical care.
“However, without access to insurance, they probably would be having occasional challenges paying for medical treatment, because such expenses would usually be without or at short notice. It is to take away this burden of impromptu medical expenses that we are partnering to introduce this product”.
He also asserted the importance of education and sensitization of the populace about healthcare and commended the NHIS for its drive to provide universal healthcare for Nigerians”, he stated.
Annets said the MTN Yello Health Insurance will enable customers visit the hospital twice monthly or up to seven times yearly to a maximum treatment cover of N80, 000.00 yearly.
According to him, this also gives access to over 6000 hospitals across the country currently registered on the NHIS scheme.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
Anti Graft Agencies Raise Alarm over Rising Crypto-Linked Financial Crimes
NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System
NDIC Insures 99 Percent of Bank Customers
FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion – Minister
CBN Bars Chronic Loan Defaulters from Accessing Loans
Spotify’s Loud & Clear Report Reveals Over ₦60Bn Revenue for Nigerian Artists in 2025
Madonna University Taps Tech Guru Adote for Strategic Board Role
China Threatens to Shut Nigeria’s Satellite Over $11.44m Unpaid Debt
MTN Nigeria Posts Record N1.70 Trillion Pre‑Tax Profit, Declares N20 Dividend for 2025
Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology
General News2 days agoNCC to Curb SIM Fraud, Strengthen Digital Security with New Platform
Broadcasting2 days agoNBC Boss Urges Content Ceators to Participate in DSO
General News2 days agoKidnappers Now Use Banks to Collect Ransoms — Expert
E-Financial2 days agoCBN Says Bank Customers Won’t Lose Deposits because of Recapitalisation
E-Business2 days agoJury Finds Meta, Google Liable for Woman’s Social Media Addiction
News2 days agoFrancis Okafor Stuns China, Emerges Second-Place Winner @ Tencent OpenClaw Hackathon
E-Financial1 day agoBreaking…..Kuda Lays Off Many Employees in Broad Restructuring
Telecom2 days agoIFC Invests $45m to Green African Telecom Sites