Author: Insider Editor

Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy has announced it will review MTN Group’s proposed $2.2 billion acquisition of IHS Towers, a deal that would give Africa’s largest mobile operator full control of one of the continent’s most extensive tower networks. In a statement on Tuesday, Minister Bosun Tijani said the ministry would carry out a “thorough assessment” of the transaction alongside relevant regulators, citing the strategic importance of telecoms infrastructure for national security, financial services, and economic growth. “Our objective is clear: to ensure that any market consolidation or structural changes protect consumers, safeguard investments, and preserve the…

On January 23, as Mang’u High School celebrated its 100th anniversary about 50 kilometres from Nairobi, three banking booths drew steady attention from students and parents. Co-operative Bank, Equity Bank, and KCB Group were offering prepaid cards pitched as a safer, modern way to manage pocket money. The cards, costing between KES 350 and KES 600 depending on the bank, allow parents to load money through channels like M-PESA or bank apps, while students can spend only what has been loaded. Lost cards can be blocked, balances monitored, and parents receive transaction alerts, making them a more controlled alternative to…

MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator, is making a bold return to infrastructure ownership. The company has announced plans to acquire full ownership of IHS Towers in a $2.2 billion deal that would bring nearly 29,000 telecom towers across Africa back under its control, marking a significant strategic shift for the continent’s biggest mobile network operator. IHS has accepted an offer of $8.50 per share, a transaction that would raise MTN’s stake from about 24.7% to 100% and result in the tower company being taken private. The proposal, disclosed in a statement shared Tuesday, is subject to shareholder and regulatory…

After years of delivering cooked meals, laundry, and home cleaning to Lagos households, Eden Life is pressing pause on its consumer business. The Nigerian home services startup has suspended its individual subscriptions to concentrate on corporate catering and industrial food operations, a segment it says offers stronger margins and a clearer path to profitability. The company described the move as a strategic reset aimed at reaching profitability by 2026. In a statement released on Wednesday, Eden Life said it is consolidating resources and doubling down on its business-to-business (B2B) operations. “For Eden Life, ‘pausing’ is a strategic transition,” the company…

A Nigerian cross-border payments company Reanest, provides multicurrency accounts for freelancers and businesses, has launched its services in India and the Philippines, marking its expansion into South and Southeast Asia. The move targets freelancers and digital professionals earning income across borders. The expansion follows Raenest’s entry into the US market in October 2025, where it introduced four new products, including faster freelance payouts, stock investing, and stablecoin conversion. While not all these products are yet available in Asia, users in India and the Philippines now have access to Raenest’s core payment tools, excluding local currency wallets and US stock investments.…

South Africa’s Nedbank Group has committed to retaining all current NCBA employees after completing its proposed acquisition of the Kenyan lender, seeking to ease typical concerns that accompany large cross-border bank deals in East Africa. NCBA confirmed the assurances in a Monday notice, stating that its staff would play a central role in Nedbank’s regional expansion strategy. The pledge was a key factor behind NCBA’s board recommending the transaction to shareholders. “The offeror has confirmed that following completion of the proposed transaction, the existing contractual and statutory employment rights of NCBA management and employees will remain in full force,” the…

Wimbart, a public relations agency focused on business and technology sectors across Africa and emerging markets, has launched Wimbart Lite, a dedicated service for pre-seed and early-stage startups. The service is aimed at African companies that have raised under $1 million and need targeted, fast-turnaround communications support. Its launch comes as Africa’s tech ecosystem matures and competition for media attention intensifies, putting early-stage startups under pressure to showcase traction to investors, partners, and customers. PR costs have long been a barrier for small companies. In some African markets, small businesses spend up to $1,500 monthly on basic PR retainers, while…

When the Meta-backed 2Africa submarine cable landed at Qua Iboe Beach in Akwa Ibom State on February 20, 2024, it quietly changed the shape of Nigeria’s internet infrastructure. For the first time, an international subsea cable landed on Nigerian soil outside Lagos, breaking a decades-long pattern that had funnelled almost all of the country’s global internet traffic through a single coastal city. For Equinix, which facilitated the landing through MainOne Solutions by Equinix, the move marked the beginning of a broader plan to build a second digital anchor for Nigeria in the South-South region. The goal is to reduce the…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) unveiled the proposal on Monday in a joint exposure draft aimed at fixing one of the most common frustrations for mobile users: losing money to airtime and data mistakes with no clear path to a refund. Under the proposed rules, mobile network operators, licensed service providers, and banks will now share responsibility for resolving consumer errors, something that has largely been ignored in the past. If a subscriber accidentally buys more airtime or data than intended, the excess value must be reversed within 24 hours after a complaint…

Amazon’s plan to deliver satellite Internet in Nigeria is closer to reality, but it is not yet ready for takeoff. While the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted regulatory approval for Amazon’s low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite project now branded Amazon LEO (formerly Project Kuiper) the company still needs two additional licences: an Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence and an International Access Gateway licence. Without these, Amazon cannot legally sell internet services or scale nationwide. Currently, Amazon holds a satellite landing permit, which allows it to beam coverage over Nigerian territory but does not authorise the company to provide last-mile internet to…