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Twitter Suspends B/Haram Account as Followers Hit 4,000 in Hours

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Twitter has suspended an account purportedly set up by Boko Haram, the Nigerian terrorist group causing havoc in the country’s north, which it had used to post pictures of child soldiers in training.

Telegraph, UK based newspaper reported that some of the children look as young as ten years old

The account, @Alurwa_Alwuthqa, was set up on January 18 as part of what is believed to be a bid to mimic the successful PR and recruitment campaigns of groups like al-Shabaab in Somalia and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Within days, it had gained 4,000 followers and on January 25, announced in Arabic the capture of Monguno, a strategic town close to Maiduguri, the state capital of Borno province and Boko Haram’s birthplace.

Pictures have also been posted on the account to suggest Boko Haram, which means “Western Education is Sinful”, was actively training child soldiers, a tactic borrowed from conflicts in other parts of Africa.

They showed children as young as ten dressed in dark robes, training in military formation and holding AK-47 assault rifles.

“Photo of Cubs nation,” the caption reads. “Generation of conquest and victory, God willing.”

The profile also posted a link to a video interview with Abu Mus’ab Al barnawi, who is said to be the group’s spokesman, in which he discussed the capture of Baga, the village where an estimated 2,000 civilians were killed.

A second video showed an interview with a group of Boko Haram fighters, explaining their motivation.

There has been intense speculation online about whether the account was genuine, since others set up previously have proved to be fake. However, the suspension of the account by Twitter boosted claims that it was.

The US State Department also lent credibility to the claims by tweeting a photo of the purported child soldiers, writing: “Amid its massacres of innocents, Boko Haram running training camps for child soldiers.”

The videos posted to the account, if genuine, reflect a growing sophistication in Boko Haram’s publicity machine, which previously was limited to disseminating shaky clips showing the group’s leader Abubakabar Shekau flanked by arms-laden pick-up trucks and ranting in rudimentary Arabic.

Across the continent, al-Shabaab in Somalia has some prolific tweeters in its ranks, with several British-born jihadis thoughts to be among them, and live-tweeted the attack on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall before its account was shut down by Twitter.

Isil already has proved similarly fluent in social media, posting videos, pictures and messages on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, using hashtags to tap into popular searches. Social media monitors suggest that its PR campaign is gaining results, with hundreds of thousands of online accounts discussing the group.

In response, the head of GCHQ has accused social media websites of helping terror groups and called for closer ties with intelligence agencies.

Ryan Cummings, chief Africa analyst for Red 24, a crisis management firm, said the Twitter account appeared to be just one outlet in a “media network” launched by Boko Haram in mid-January through trusted jihadi channels also used by Isil.

He said the interviews reflected a desire to dispel the notion that Boko Haram was killing indiscriminately, and emphasised the group’s Islamic credentials.

“It does seem very legitimate and until it was shut down, offered some very interesting insights into the operations and methodology of the organisation,” he said.

“The fact that there was no mention of Abubakabar Shekau, for example, suggests a new degree of factionalism, and the strengthening of links with groups like Isil which is something he never supported.”

 


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Cellulant Taps Freddie Oduro to Lead Enterprise Payments Expansion in Ghana

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Mr. Freddie Oduro, New Country Manager for Ghana.
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Cellulant, a leading Pan-African payments company enabling seamless digital transactions across Africa, has appointed Mr. Freddie Oduro as its new Country Manager for Ghana.

Cellulant Taps Freddie Oduro to Lead Enterprise Payments Expansion in Ghana

Mr. Freddie Oduro, New Country Manager for Ghana.

Freddie’s appointment is a key step in Cellulant’s broader strategy to deepen its presence in priority markets by accelerating the acquisition of in-country enterprise businesses and strengthening its position as the payments partner of choice in Africa.

Freddie brings over a decade of commercial and strategic leadership experience in the telecommunications and financial services sectors, with expertise in  sales, business operations, and market expansion.

In his new role, he will drive merchant acquisition, strengthening partnerships, oversee collections and payout operations, while ensuring strong internal controls and regulatory compliance.

He joins Cellulant from Payaza and previously served as Sales Director at Cellulant, where he helped significantly expand the company’s footprint in Ghana.

Cellulant has been powering payments in Ghana for leading brands in sectors like e-commerce, utilities, oil and gas and retail, helping them offer their customers a wide range of secure digital payment options.

“We are happy to welcome Freddie back to the Cellulant family,” says Richard Gesimba, Chief Revenue Officer at Cellulant. “Ghana remains a critical market for us, with immense potential driven by rising digital payments adoption.

“As we sharpen our focus on in-country enterprise customers, Freddie’s leadership and industry insight make him the ideal person to steer our Ghana operations.”

The appointment comes at a transformative time for the company. Following a strategic shift between late 2023 and early 2024, focused on streamlining operations, doubling down on enterprise payments, and strengthening customer intimacy, Cellulant achieved profitability in 2024 and continues to build on this momentum.

The company now processes close to 4.5 million transactions daily for businesses across Africa, reinforcing its position as a fintech leader.

“I am honoured to return to Cellulant and lead the Ghana team at such a defining moment,” says Freddie, Country Manager for Cellulant Ghana. “Ghana presents a tremendous opportunity.

“We will ramp up our efforts to sign on more local merchants, strengthen our compliance and control frameworks, and introduce innovative solutions like Tingg Edupay, our automated school fee management solution that eliminates reconciliation delays by validating payments in real time and instantly updating student accounts.

“We will build on Cellulant’s strong foundation to deliver real value, reliability, and economic impact.”

Ghana’s digital payments sector continues to grow steadily, supported by increased mobile money usage and a progressive regulatory environment. Between January and October 2025, the value of mobile money transactions hit about GH¢ 3.6 trillion, up sharply from GH¢ 2.37 trillion in the same period of 2024.

Registered mobile money accounts now exceed 79 million, demonstrating strong consumer and business confidence in digital financial services and in turn creating many opportunities for payment innovation.

This leadership appointment underscores Cellulant’s commitment to building a resilient, high-performance organisation geared towards playing a pivotal role in the next era of Africa’s digital economy.

Looking ahead to 2026, Cellulant plans to further enhance the user experience on its payment platform, Tingg, and expand its  footprint across Ghana.


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Top Nigerian Startups Secure Funding Boost @ iHatch Demo Day Awards

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Nigeria’s startup ecosystem received a fresh injection of momentum as top emerging ventures secured funding and investor attention at the iHatch National Demo Day, where Interface Africa clinched the highest prize of $15,000.

The 4th cohort of the NITDA–JICA-backed accelerator brought together founders, policymakers, and venture stakeholders in Abuja, showcasing innovations ranging from clean-energy financing and digital food marketplaces to next-gen fintech tools.

The startups went rounds of running through state-level selections and regional competition. iHatch was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership to create an enabling environment for young Nigerians to develop and scale their innovative solutions.

The iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort), is an initiative by NITDA and JICA which provides a clear pathway for homegrown talent to contribute significantly to economic diversification and digital transformation.

After rigorous selection processes, the top founders converged to pitch their innovations, recognised the standout performers, which are:

Interface Africa with $15,000, the firm is driving Nigeria’s clean energy transition by enabling structured and affordable solar financing.

Ahioma with $12,000, the firm enhances food accessibility with a digital marketplace connecting consumers directly to trusted vendors.

Linia Finance with $10,000, the firm is helping Nigerians take control of their finances with tools for budgeting, tracking, and smart money planning.

Chapta got a laptop reward. They delivering an offline-capable school application ensuring consistent, accessible learning for students everywhere.

Softdrop also got a laptop reward, they solve logistics challenges through a modern delivery platform designed for speed, convenience, and efficiency.

 


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Fidelity Bank to Host Virtual Masterclass on New Tax Law

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Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, will host a free virtual training on the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (NTA) as part of its commitment to helping small businesses prepare for the upcoming legislation.

Fidelity Bank to Host Virtual Masterclass on New Tax Law

Fidelity Bank

The masterclass is scheduled for 10:00 AM (Nigerian time) on Friday, 12 December 2025. It will provide participants with clear insights into changes in the tax framework, the impact on income and business operations, and practical steps to avoid penalties in 2026.

Attendees will also learn strategies to stay ahead in an evolving regulatory environment.

The Nigerian government enacted major tax reforms on 26 June 2025 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed four tax bills into law.

These Acts will take effect on 1 January 2026 and represent a significant overhaul of the country’s tax system.

The reforms aim to modernize and harmonize Nigeria’s tax framework, improve revenue generation, broaden the tax base, and create clearer rules for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.

“Our decision to host this masterclass reflects our commitment to empowering businesses with the right information ahead of the commencement of the new tax regime.

“Information is money and a well-informed business owner is already steps ahead in the race to success.

“This is why we are bringing experts to provide accurate details and demystify the tax act,” said Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc.

Interested participants can register via https://bit.ly/2026TaxLawMasterclass .


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