Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has alerted its customers to a fraudulent message circulating on social media, falsely claiming that electricity consumers can receive an additional 20 per cent bonus units when recharging their prepaid meters through unofficial channels.

In a statement issued by the company’s management on Monday, YEDC described the claim as false and urged customers to disregard the misleading information, stressing that it did not originate from the company.

According to the statement, YEDC does not offer bonus electricity units through individuals, agents, personal bank accounts, phone numbers, or social media contacts.

The company advised customers to purchase electricity tokens only through approved cashless payment platforms, including the YEDC Pay App, OPay, Interswitch, and other authorised vending channels, or to visit the nearest YEDC office for assistance.

YEDC also cautioned customers against sharing their meter details or personal information, or making payments to unauthorised persons claiming to represent the company.

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The company further urged customers to rely exclusively on information disseminated through its official communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.

The management thanked customers for their continued cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to serving them.

Federal government has launched a N482.4 million investment fund to support 12 tech-enabled Nigerian startups.

The initiative under the federal government of Nigeria’s Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme was implemented by the Bank of Industry (BoI).

The initiative in a statement said applications have been opened for Growth Lab, a 12-week acceleration programme that will select the 12 tech-enabled Nigerian startups, from the six geopolitical zones, for intensive growth support, investment readiness training, and access to up to $350,000 in funding.

According to Ife Adebayo, national coordinator of the Programme,  growth lab was designed to support startups that have achieved early traction and are seeking the expertise, networks, and investment required to scale following the implementation of Founders Lab.

“Growth Lab is the Startup Bridge accelerator programme, designed for startups that have developed an MVP and require structured support to scale. The programme focuses on strengthening venture fundamentals and preparing companies for external investment.

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“The programme targets startup founders who are seeking the support, networks, expertise, and investment readiness required to accelerate growth and strengthen their position within the Nigerian innovation ecosystem,” he said.

He added that selected founders will gain access to structured growth support, investment readiness preparation, access to industry experts, market expansion pathways, a $100,000 cash investment (or Naira equivalent) for 7.5% equity upon entering the programme (terms and conditions apply), and up to $250,000 in potential follow-on investment should certain growth conditions be met.

“Eligible startups must be at the post-MVP stage, demonstrate evidence of market validation through users, customers, pilots, partnerships, waitlists or any other demand signals, and be willing to participate fully in the hybrid programme,” he said.

The programme will run as an intensive 12-week hybrid experience, including virtual engagements and two physical weeks in Lagos focused on collaboration, learning, and business growth.

The statement said applications opened on July 15, 2026, and will close on August 19, 2026.

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According to him, female founders are strongly encouraged to apply. Selection will be conducted through a clearly defined, merit-based evaluation process aligned with published criteria.

iDICE is a $618 million federal government initiative backed by international lenders to boost the technology and creative sectors.

It provides young entrepreneurs with business skills training, mentorship, and access to capital through funds and accelerator programs like the iDICE Startup Bridge.

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are set to introduce a joint broadcast monitoring framework ahead of the 2027 general elections as part of efforts to curb unethical broadcasting and promote responsible election coverage.

Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed the plan recently, said the collaboration would strengthen election monitoring through the deployment of advanced technology and closer coordination between regulatory agencies.

According to him, the increasing influence of digital and online platforms has made it imperative for regulators to work together rather than operate independently.

“We have written to INEC, and we are going to have a joint monitoring outlook over the elections. Gone are the days when agencies work in silos. When we coordinate, we’re able to monitor more effectively,” Ebuebu said.

He explained that the partnership would enable both agencies to jointly identify and address violations of broadcasting regulations during the election period instead of handling such issues separately.

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Beyond INEC, Ebuebu said the NBC is also partnering with other key regulators to strengthen oversight of election-related content across digital platforms.

According to him, the commission is finalising agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) ahead of the polls to reinforce its monitoring capabilities.

“We are calling in other stakeholders to reinforce the election monitoring. We are signing agreements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency before the elections,” he said.

Ebuebu also revealed that the NBC is upgrading its monitoring infrastructure with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools to keep pace with the rapidly expanding media landscape.

He noted that the proliferation of online platforms has made traditional monitoring methods inadequate.

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“With online platforms, there are thousands of them. You need more than staff; you need AI monitoring facilities,” he said.

The NBC chief added that the commission has significantly improved its monitoring capacity and can currently track nearly 50 broadcast channels from its monitoring centre in Abuja.

He said additional monitoring facilities would be established across the country in line with evolving broadcasting technologies.As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, Ebuebu announced plans for a sensitisation workshop in Ibadan that will bring together broadcasters, INEC officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.

He said the engagement had become necessary as political discussions surrounding elections continue to grow more heated, including on television, stressing the need for broadcasters to adhere to professional standards.

Ebuebu noted that the commission has had to issue several warnings to broadcast stations for violating the broadcasting code during election periods.

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“We have had to write several of them because they simply forget what the code says,” he said