General News
The Need to Harmonize VAS Operations in Telecom
The traditional service that telecommunications operators are meant to provide is voice communications. However, there has been increased demand for value added service which is secondary focus of operators that has turned to be a strong source of revenue.
A value-added service (vas) is term for non-core services or, in short, all services beyond standard voice calls and fax transmissions but, it can be used in any service industry for the services providers provide at no cost to promote their main service business. In telecommunication industry on a conceptual level, value-added services add value to the standard service offering, spurring the subscriber to use their phone more and allowing the operator to drive up their average revenue per user (ARPU). For mobile phones, while technologies like SMS, MMS and GPRS are usually considered value-added services, a distinction may also be made between standard (peer-to-peer) content and premium-charged content.
There are about 10 billion mobile subscribers worldwide, out of which 95 million mobile subscribers are Nigerian. Over 350 billion text messages are exchanged across the world every month.
Value-added services are supplied either in-house by the mobile network operator themselves or by a third-party value-added service provider (VASP), also known as a content provider (CP). VASPs typically connect to the operator using protocols like Short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP), connecting either directly to the short message service centre (SMSC) or, increasingly, to a messaging gateway that allows the operator to control and charge for the content better.
In the mobile phone market, new models are being rolled out with features targeted at specific user groups.
Encouraging VAS
In Nigeria the list of content providers and platforms are growing by the day, some of the major providers include, MTech, Cellcast, TaviaTxt, SaveMyContacts, Textnigeria, Entegration Solutions, Cellulant, CellTrust, 3G Reality Centre and A3&O among others, which generate mobile content to deliver value-added services via the GSM network operators. The mobile operators share the revenues equally with these private VAS companies.
The main players in the Mobile value added service chain in Nigeria apart from the National mobile operators are the content aggregators. They provide content to mobile operators; perform in-house content development and aggregating contents from other small players. They own the short codes and they have a tie up with multiple operators to ensure subscribers of all operators can access same short codes. Revenue sharing in percentage will either encourage more independent developers or discourage them from rolling out innovative services that will promote the service.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations revealed that sharing formula has changed from 60% for the mobile operator and 40% for VAS operators to present 70% for mobile network operators while VAS providers take 30%. Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (Waspan), the umbrella body of VAS providers has argued that the present sharing formula and none payment of money that accrue to providers is adversely affecting their effort to develop the market.
Growth is stifled in the vas market in Nigeria because National mobile operators are playing safe and concentrating only on mass services for which content is readily available and chances of failure less. For instance, entertainment value added service despite the fact that its practical value is minimal, is popular because of its mass appeal especially to youth segment and it is promoted over mobile commerce and infotainment which has the capacity to create real value for subscribers.
According to Simon Aderinlola, coordinator, Waspan, said, they have made effort to formalize the operation of VAS in the country by seeking license from Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which was granted last year. They also seek intervention of NCC to harmonize their relationship with mobile network operators.
Against this backdrop thatDr. Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice-Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, pledged to address complaints by companies that provide value added service using mobile networks over unfair treatment by network operators.
Juwah noted that VAS is a licensable set of services that run on mobile networks but added that NCC was yet to develop requisite regulation for such services. He noted that given that complaints about their relationship was now in the public, NCC could then convey a VAS stakeholder conference.
Wireless Application Service Providers ofNigeria, recently rejected a proposal an operator for a change of VAS revenue sharing formula from 70:30 to 75:25 between operators and VAS companies respectively.
According to Waspan, the proposal seeking a change of the current revenue sharing formula was not in the best interest of VAS companies.
According to Eunice Benjamin-Ade Head, Business Development, Waspan, companies that are affected by the proposal have already contacted their lawyers to seek possible legal redress of the matter if other steps taken to redress the matter fail.
Benjamin- Ade said Wireless Application Service Providers are legally-registered businesses in Nigeria that operate based on laid down business laws and have helped develop various offerings in the telecommunications sector since inception until now.
She added that VAS providers have consistently allowed a change of revenue share over the years in favour of operators and will not agree to any further shift that will reduce revenue that accrue to VAS companies.
“We believe that the recent moves by various operators to continue to change the revenue sharing ratio in their favour will not only set the stage to run down businesses of many wireless providers, but one that could eventually destroy the entire industry,” she said.
The new development represents yet another twist in the battle between mobile network operators and Value Added service providers over the sharing of revenue generated in wireless application services.
The move by NCC to call stakeholders forum to address issues arising from relationship between mobile operators and vas providers is a welcome development that will harmonize the market for development in that segment.
General News
NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians to disregard a viral online flyer claiming that a free portal has been opened for the correction of National Identification Number (NIN) data.

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the commission described the flyer as fake and cautioned the public against using any links associated with it.
“The public is hereby advised not to use the above for modifying their NIN data. All modifications should only be done via the official channel,” NIMC stated, directing users to its authorised self-service portal.
The misleading flyer, which has circulated widely on social media, carries the logos of NIMC and the federal government, falsely claiming that authorities had launched a special correction portal in response to a “high level of complain.”
It lists services such as name, gender, and date of birth corrections, and provides links redirecting users to a suspicious “gvly.xyz” domain—an address the commission says is not affiliated with any government platform.
NIMC noted that the flyer has since been marked “FAKE” in red, indicating it is being recirculated as part of efforts to debunk the misinformation.
The Commission reiterated that all NIN data modifications can only be carried out through its official self-service platform, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to online scams.
General News
Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa’s $50Bn Restaurant Sector

Moniepoint Inc. (“Moniepoint” or the “Company”), Africa’s all-in-one financial ecosystem platform for individuals, businesses and their customers, today announced the acquisition of Orda Africa (“Orda”), a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria.

Moniepoint
Under the terms of this acquisition, Orda will become part of the Moniebook platform, Moniepoint’s all-in-one Point-of-Sale (POS) and business management platform. Since launching its business management tools product in 2025, Moniebook has rapidly become the go-to platform for thousands of African businesses seeking integrated financial and operational tools, seamlessly unifying payments and bookkeeping in one platform.
With Orda, restaurant owners can now gain access to this proven ecosystem that creates unprecedented opportunities to scale operations, optimize performance, and access credit, as well as the extensive reach of Moniepoint which has powered growth for millions of African businesses.
The acquisition comes as Africa’s food service industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the sector valued at $50 billion and Nigeria’s market alone projected to reach $19.31 billion by 2030, growing at 11.73% annually. With Orda’s restaurant-focused capabilities now part of the Moniepoint ecosystem, the platform is well-positioned to capture this opportunity.
Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, today Moniepoint has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading distributors of financial services as well as a trusted platform for many of the country’s MSMEs especially in the informal sector.
The company has considerably expanded its offerings to include digital payments, business and personal banking, credit, cross-border payments, and business management tools with a customer base exceeding 20 million active businesses and personal banking customers and processes over US$250 billion in digital payments transaction value annually.
Tosin Eniolorunda, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Moniepoint Inc., said: “The food industry isn’t just about feeding people, it’s a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans. It highlights how vital the informal sector is, not just for the economy, but for everyday life across the continent.
Data has shown us that Africa’s restaurant sector is one of the continent’s most dynamic economic engines, yet the majority of food businesses still operate with manual processes and fragmented tools. By bringing Orda into Moniepoint, we are giving restaurant owners what they deserve: one simple platform that handles everything from managing their kitchen to growing their business. Our goal remains to create financial happiness for Africans, giving them the tools to reach their full potential and that’s exactly what we’ve built here.”
Founded in 2020, Orda was built to give Africa’s small and independent restaurants the tools they need to run more efficiently, providing a purpose-built software to businesses that had long operated without it.
Guy Futi, CEO of Orda, reassured existing customers: “Orda has found the perfect home in Moniepoint. We have spent years building deep expertise in restaurant operations, but we have always known that to truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure.
“That’s exactly what this integration delivers. For our customers, we are assuring a smooth transition with no disruption to the platform and retained access to the support you are used to. What changes is your access to opportunities.
“Over the coming weeks, being part of Moniepoint means you’ll have more tools, more reach, and more ways to grow your business than ever before”
Combining their respective strengths, Moniepoint and Orda deliver a purpose-built solution that empowers food businesses at every scale to manage orders, track inventory, pay suppliers, and access working capital, all in one seamless experience.
This move represents a demonstrated commitment to building a dedicated financial infrastructure designed around the unique complexity of Africa’s food economy.
For the millions of food entrepreneurs across the continent, from the everyday buka owner to the high-end restaurateur, this acquisition means less time managing multiple tools or carrying out arduous manual work and more time doing what they do best – feeding Africa.
General News
Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

More than 45,000 jobs have been cut across the global technology sector in the first few months of 2026, according to data from RationalFX, signalling that the industry is still adjusting after a period of aggressive hiring rather than returning to a full growth phase.

“In 2025, automation, artificial intelligence, and sustained cost-discipline measures drove much of the downsizing, with entire departments restructured or eliminated in favour of leaner, AI-assisted workflows. This trend has continued full steam into 2026,” said Alan Cohen, analyst at RationalFX.
According to the report, if the current rate of redundancies is sustained, total layoffs in 2026 could surpass the 245,000 recorded in 2025.
The majority of these layoffs have been concentrated in the United States, with major companies continuing to trim their workforce despite stable core operations.
Amazon has announced approximately 16,000 job cuts this year, while Block has also reduced thousands of roles as it tightens operations and shifts focus towards artificial intelligence.
There are indications that further reductions may follow.
Meta is reportedly considering additional layoffs as it increases investment in AI infrastructure, while PayPal and Klarna are reassessing spending and hiring strategies amid ongoing uncertainty.
Established technology firms are also undergoing restructuring. Dell has reduced its workforce by around 11,000 over the past year as part of a broader reorganisation, while Salesforce has cut approximately 1,000 roles in 2026 while aligning its teams more closely with AI-driven products.
Outside the United States, layoffs have been smaller in scale but more geographically dispersed.
Australia has reported around 2,650 job cuts so far this year, followed by Sweden with roughly 1,923 and Netherlands with about 1,700.
Other markets have also been affected. Israel and India have recorded approximately 1,539 and 1,520 layoffs respectively, with Israel’s startup ecosystem particularly sensitive to tighter funding conditions, while in India, both startups and larger IT firms have reduced headcount as global client spending slows.
In Singapore, around 1,016 layoffs have been reported, reflecting a softer hiring environment across Asia’s major technology hubs, where companies are adopting a more cautious approach amid uneven demand.
Across Europe, job cuts have been comparatively limited but still noticeable.
The United Kingdom has recorded around 1,000 layoffs, while Czech Republic and Germany have seen smaller reductions.
The broader trend suggests that technology companies are shifting towards leaner operations and more defined priorities following years of expansion. Increasing investment in automation and artificial intelligence is also reshaping the types of roles in demand.
For employees, the impact is becoming increasingly visible, with hiring slowing and becoming more selective. While opportunities remain, companies are taking a more measured approach to recruitment compared to the rapid expansion seen in previous years.
Further credit… .storyboard18.com
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