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Scammers Turn to SMSes, Dupe Nigerians

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Unsolicited text  messages are threatening the cellphone, which
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Taking undue advantage of Nigeria’s profile as the largest mobile market in Africa, scam artists have turned to SMS technologies to bait phone users leaving tales of woes and losses in their wake, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
Like the infamous 419-scams, unsolicited short text messages (SMSes) are arriving in torrents in millions of mobile phones held by Nigerians with promises of non-existing rewards.
The sheer numbers of SMSes sent every day threaten to negate the marketing purposes of this increasingly popular advertising medium.
It is so bad that it is now difficult to spot a legitimate SMSes from scam and Nigerians unwillingness to come forward after falling victims’ serve to fuel the illegal business.
Increasingly, reckless communication practices by phone users play into the hands of fraudsters who request personal details like bank account PIN with which they use to wipe victims’ accounts in minutes.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that most of the scam SMSes assumes corporate identities of high street banks, telecom companies or any blue chip company to cheat an individual out of their money.
According to Dr Pieter Streicher, managing director, BulkSMS, as a show of good faith, the sender (scammer) asks for a deposit of a certain value to be made into another account.  The scammers typically get several payments out of victims, who never receive the funds.
“The more the victims give, the more they’ve already committed, and the more they keep giving.” He added.
Unsolicited short text message is not illegal yet in Nigeria and it is very easy to send.
All the scam artist need to do is to select a network number prefix and use a software programme to calculate all the permutations.
Lists of phone numbers are also available for sale by some unscrupulous employees of telecom companies.
John Owubokiri, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek in-house legal analyst, however said that a mobile phone user can invoke some legal protection in case of repeated text messages.
“Luckily, the recent landmark judgment in the country said that computer evidence is now admissible in court but the problem would be proving the origin of the SMS” he also said.
Unsolicited text messages can be very annoying and could pose a great privacy risk to the recipient.  With advancements in technology that supports sending SMS messages over Internet to any user across the globe poses a higher risk to the mobile users.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that SMS remains the most viable method for an attacker or spammer to get their message into some unsuspecting user’s inbox.
Detecting scam SMS is however easy by simply checking the message centre number where the SMS was sent from.
Most scam text messages come from +447….but if it is genuine it will start with Nigeria’s country code followed by telecom operator’s message centre.
For instance, any text message from any operator in Nigeria will have to start with +234 then followed by the operator message centre.
Emmanuel Okoegwale, mobile money and applications experts advised Nigerians to simply ignore any suspicious SMS.
Also, businesses and IT professionals should install anti-phishing tools alongside anti-virus protection.
Okoegwale urged the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to mandate network providers to implement solutions that would block fraudulent SMSes and empower its Consumer Affairs Bureau to open contact centres to take report of abuse.

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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See Verified 20 Countries Nigerian Passport Holders Can Travel Visa-Free

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A recently released  Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.

See Verified 20 Countries Nigerian Passport Holders Can Travel Visa-Free

This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.

Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.

Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:

Barbados

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Cambodia – Visa on arrival

Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival

Cook Islands

Dominica

Fiji

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Haiti

Iran – Visa on arrival

Kiribati

Lebanon

Maldives – Visa on arrival

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Micronesia

Montserrat

Niue – Visa on arrival

Palau Islands – Visa on arrival

Samoa – Visa on arrival

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St. Kitts and Nevis

Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival

Tuvalu

Vanuatuul

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Nigeria, Israel Strengthen Research, Technology Collaboration

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Nigeria and Israel yesterday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in research, technology and innovation as both countries pledged to expand partnerships that will drive entrepreneurship, commercialise research and accelerate economic development.

The commitment was made at the closing ceremony and innovation showcase of the I-FAIR Cohort of the Israel-Nigeria Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (I-FAIR) in Abuja, where the Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, announced that funding had been secured for the fifth edition of the programme, scheduled to begin in October 2026.

Freeman described I-FAIR as a practical demonstration of the growing partnership between both countries, saying it had enabled Nigerian innovators to develop local solutions to national challenges through Israeli mentorship and expertise.

He said, “This programme has never been about bringing Israeli solutions to Nigeria. It’s been about helping brilliant Nigerian innovators develop Nigerian solutions to Nigerian challenges supported by Israeli experience, mentorship and innovation.”

The envoy noted that the initiative had brought together government, academia, investors, engineers and entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into businesses capable of creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.

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Announcing the continuation of the programme, he said, “I am so proud to stand here today and announce that we have secured with our partners funding for I-FAIR 5 and I-FAIR 5 will be launching in October 2026.”

Freeman said the relationship between Nigeria and Israel had grown significantly over the past four and a half years through cooperation in innovation, agriculture, healthcare, education, water management and technology.

He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between both countries would unlock greater opportunities for startups, research institutions and businesses.

According to him, “Israel brings experience and innovation, technology, agriculture, healthcare, cyber security, security and water management. Nigeria brings extraordinary talent, creativity, entrepreneurship and one of the most dynamic young populations anywhere in the world.”

He added, “I have no doubt that the best chapters of the relationship between Israel and Nigeria are still ahead of us.”

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The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Architect Sonny Echono, also reaffirmed TETFund’s commitment to strengthening research and innovation through strategic partnerships with Israel and other stakeholders.

He said the I-FAIR programme aligned with Nigeria’s priorities in food security, agriculture, medicine, technology, clean energy and the circular economy, adding that TETFund would continue supporting initiatives that promote research commercialisation.

Echono stressed that collaboration between government, academia and industry remained critical to translating research findings into products and services.

He said, “It is this critical linkage, especially between science, engineering, technology and innovation, and the productive sector that is critical for translating R&D results and inventions into finished products for socio-economic benefits of our people.”

He disclosed that TETFund was working with partners to establish innovation facilities in about 60 tertiary institutions and had created a student innovation fund that would provide up to ₦50 million to students with commercially viable ideas.

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The TETFund boss also announced plans for a National Research Fair later this year, where innovators would showcase products before policymakers, financial institutions and investors to attract funding and commercial partnerships.

Paying tribute to the outgoing Israeli ambassador, Echono described Freeman as a strong bridge between Nigeria and Israel.

He said, “Nigeria is grateful for your service. You have been a strong bridge between our two countries.”

Earlier, Head of Programmes at Innov8 Hub, Tolulope Aina, said sustainable economic development depended on building an innovation ecosystem that transforms ideas into successful businesses.

She noted that Innov8 Hub had supported more than 3,000 innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs, helping them convert research into products, startups and investment-ready ventures.

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Aina said, “Nigeria does not suffer from a shortage of brilliant minds, what we need are stronger pathways that help those ideas become products, businesses, and opportunities that improve life.”

She thanked the Embassy of Israel and TETFund for their continued support in strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

According to her, “Building an innovation-driven economy requires collaboration, long-term commitment and shared purpose.”

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African Judges Pledge Support for AfCFTA’s Success

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Chief Judges drawn from countries across the African continent have resolved to collaborate and support measures aimed at ensuring the success of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through an efficient, reliable and predictable dispute resolution system.

They agreed to explore ways to harmonize disputes resolution mechanisms in the continent with a view to making it easier and faster to resolve commercial disputes.

The resolutions formed part of the decisions taken at the third Africa Chief Justices’ Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya between June 18 and 19.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Mr. Tobi Soniyi, the African judicial leaders were of the view that commercial confidence depends largely on legal certainty.

They emphasised how structured Alternative Disputes Resolution could enhance commercial justice, protect the business environment and support the AfCFTA.

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In her contribution, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun urged called on African judiciaries to proactively prepare for emerging challenges to disputes resolution in the continent.

Justice Kekere-Ekun, who served as Co-Chair of the session on “Financial sector disputes, tax certainty and ADR: Building commercial confidence in Africa, noted that AfCFTA represents one of the most ambitious economic integration projects in modern history.

The CJN, who stressed the importance of a proactive Judiciary to the success of AfCFTA, warned that its success would depend, not only on trade protocols, tariff reductions and economic policies, but also on the strength and reliability of the institutions that support commerce.

Justice Kekere-Ekun urged her colleagues to examine how judiciaries in the continent, central banks, tax administrations and ADR institutions could work together to reduce uncertainty, prevent disputes, strengthen investor confidence and support the realization of AfCFTA’s objectives.

She envisaged the growth of intra-African trade to inevitably generate cross-border tax disputes; foreign exchange disputes; banking and payment system disputes; digital commerce disputes; enforcement of arbitral awards; recognition of foreign judgments; and disputes arising from regional supply chains.

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The CJN, who said “African Judiciaries must proactively prepare for these emerging realities,” challenged African judicial leaders on the importance of disputes prevention mechanism.

She stated that modern commercial justice must move beyond the traditional focus on disputes resolution after conflicts arise.

“The most successful commercial systems are not those that generate the highest volumes of litigation but those that reduce the need for litigation,” she added.

Justice Kekere-Ekun, who stressed the importance of ADR, cautioned against seeing ADR as merely an alternative procedure.

She said ADR should rather be considered as a strategic tool for reducing transaction costs, preserving commercial relationships, enhancing investor confidence, reducing court congestion, improving ease of doing business and strengthening commercial certainty.

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Sharing the Nigerian experiences, Justice Kekere-Ekun cited the recent decision by the Nigerian Supreme Court in the case of EMTS v. AFDIN Ventures Ltd. & Ors. (2026), which reaffirmed important principles of commercial certainty, including respect for arbitration agreements; recognition that consent may be inferred from conduct; judicial restraint from re-litigating arbitral disputes on the merits; and the importance of finality in arbitral awards.

According to her, the decision reinforced Nigeria’s position as an arbitration-supportive jurisdiction.

She identified timely resolution of tax disputes as an important factor in ensuring certainty and recommended Nigerian tax disputes resolution mechanism which she said “offers useful example of institutional reforms that support commercial certainty.”

Justice Kekere-Ekun recommended the Nigeria’s Tax Appeal Tribunal model, which she described as one of Nigeria’s most significant innovations.

According to Mr. Soniyi, Justice Kekere-Ekun’s message to his brother justices is clear: building an African commercial environment in which investors, businesses, regulators and citizens can transact across borders with confidence, secure in the knowledge that their rights will be protected and their obligations fairly enforced.

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The summit advanced the goals of the African Chief Justices Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum (ACJADRF) to harmonize jurisprudence and establish common enforcement standards across the continent.

The CJN was, on the last day of the summit, nominated by the Chief Justice of Kenya as the Vice Chairperson of the Africa Chief Justice ADR Forum with effect from August 1, 2026. The nomination was ratified by the forum.

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