PayPal Goes Live In Nigeria Through Paga, Enabling Global Payments And Local Withdrawals

Paga, Nigeria’s pioneering fintech company, and PayPal, the global payments and commerce platform, today announced the availability of live account linking for customers in Nigeria. The integration enables users to access PayPal-supported cross-border payments directly through Paga’s digital wallet, allowing them to receive international payments and withdraw funds locally in Naira.

With this integration, users in Nigeria can link their PayPal accounts directly to their Paga wallets to receive cross-border payments from PayPal supported markets, shop with global PayPal merchants, and access their funds locally. The service also enables Nigerian merchants and entrepreneurs to reach PayPal’s global network of over 400 million users worldwide, and grow their businesses internationally.

Through Paga, users can easily access their PayPal balances and withdraw funds across everyday financial needs, including spending via card, transferring to local bank accounts, or paying bills and merchants within the Paga ecosystem, providing a seamless bridge between global earnings and local use. The collaboration strengthens Nigeria’s financial services ecosystem by promoting cross-border commerce, empowering merchants and small business growth, and supporting the country’s digital economic infrastructure.

“We are proud to make this integration live and available to users across Nigeria,” said Tayo Oviosu, Founder and Group CEO of Paga. “Whether you’re a freelancer receiving international payments, a business selling online, or a consumer shopping globally, this collaboration makes it easier to access and use global funds locally, in a way that’s simple, secure, and built for our markets.”

“We’ve been intentional about partnering with local innovators like Paga and developing solutions that help Nigerians earn, spend, and grow,” said Otto Williams, Senior Vice President, Regional Head and General Manager of PayPal Middle East and Africa. “This collaboration helps strengthen the broader payments ecosystem by supporting local innovation, expanding financial inclusion, and enabling more consumers and businesses to participate confidently in the digital economy.”

Nigeria’s digital payments market continues to expand rapidly, with transaction values reaching ₦657.8 trillion in 2023 and more than 30 million active mobile wallet users (Novatia Consulting, 2024). With over 21 million users and a fast-growing API infrastructure, Paga is uniquely positioned to scale PayPal’s services to both consumers and businesses across the country, leveraging its local settlement network, digital wallet, and Visa card integrations positioning it as a secure and trusted local partner for cross-border digital payments.

To access PayPal services through Paga, users can log in to the Paga app or www.paga.com, link their PayPal account, and start receiving international payments into their Paga wallet and use those funds to pay bills, transfer to bank accounts, or shop online.

By Grace Ashiru, Tech In Africa

Google report: Nigeria leading in global AI adoption for learning, entrepreneurship

A new report by Google and Ipsos has revealed that Nigeria is leading in global adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in learning, work and entrepreneurship.

This is contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday by Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for West Africa.

Kola-Ogunlade said the report titled: ”Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the Hands of More People”, showed that Nigerians are embracing AI tools at an exceptional rate and are highly optimistic about the technology’s future.

According to the report, 88 per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, representing an 18 point increase from 2024 and significantly higher than the global average of 62 per cent.

“It is inspiring to see how Nigerians are creatively and purposefully using AI to unlock opportunities for learning, growth and economic empowerment.

“This report goes beyond high adoption rates; it tells the story of a nation actively shaping its future with technology,” he said.

Kola-Ogunlade added that the report findings showed that AI had become a major tool for learning and professional development in Nigeria.

He said that 93 per cent of users rely on it to understand complex topics, compared to 74 per cent globally, and 91 per cent of Nigerians used AI to assist with their work.

Kola-Ogunlade said that the report also indicated that 80 per cent of Nigerians applied it to explore new business ideas or career changes almost double the global average of 42 per cent.

“The report highlighted strong optimism about AI’s role in education, with 91 per cent of Nigerians believing it has a positive impact on learning and access to information, compared to 65 per cent globally.”

According to Kola-Ogunlade, the report shows that 95 per cent of respondents believe university students and educators will benefit from AI tools.

He said Nigerians are significantly more optimistic about AI than their global counterparts, with 80 per cent expressing excitement about its possibilities, against 20 per cent who are concerned.

“This excitement rises to 90 per cent among Nigerians who use AI frequently in their daily lives,” he said.

Business Day

Nigeria's drive to build a digital economy faces major setbacks

Nigeria’s ambition to build a digital economy is facing a major hurdle as the country grapples with cuts, vandalism, and access disputes. This has triggered thousands of network outages, slowing broadband growth, disrupting businesses, raising concerns over the country's digital future.

CGTN Africa

Amazon Wins Nigeria Satellite Internet License, Challenging Starlink’s Dominance

Nigeria has opened its satellite broadband market to a new global player. Amazon secured a seven-year landing permit from the Nigerian Communications Commission, allowing Project Kuiper to launch internet services in the country from February 2026. The decision supports Nigeria’s strategy to diversify connectivity infrastructure and attract next-generation technology investment.

“The approval aligns with global best practices and reflects Nigeria’s commitment to opening its satellite communications market to next-generation broadband service providers,” the NCC said, highlighting the strategic importance of the authorization amid rising demand for connectivity.

The license allows Amazon Kuiper to operate its space segment in Nigeria as part of a global low-Earth-orbit constellation of up to 3,236 satellites. The authorization covers fixed satellite services, mobile satellite services, and earth stations in motion. These services target households, businesses, mobility use cases, logistics, aviation, maritime transport, and critical infrastructure.

Amazon’s entry ends Starlink’s quasi-exclusive dominance of Nigeria’s LEO satellite internet market. Starlink benefited from a first-mover advantage and built an estimated base of more than 66,000 subscribers. Kuiper’s arrival introduces direct competition between two global players with large financial, technological, and industrial resources. That rivalry could reshape pricing, service quality, and coverage.

From a technical standpoint, the authorization covers operations in the Ka frequency band, which supports high data transmission capacity. Amazon plans to use 100-MHz channels and deliver speeds of up to 400 Mbps while keeping terminal costs compatible with mass adoption. These features strengthen satellite broadband as a credible alternative to terrestrial networks, including in urban and semi-urban areas.

Nigeria represents a strategic market for Amazon. The country still faces major connectivity gaps despite its large population. According to the NCC, more than 23 million Nigerians live in unserved or underserved areas, while mobile broadband penetration reached 50.58% in November 2025. In that context, LEO satellites, which offer low latency, support advanced digital uses ranging from cloud computing to digital financial services.

Beyond households, Kuiper’s services could meet demand from businesses in oil and gas, mining, ports, and logistics corridors, where fiber deployment remains costly or technically complex. Amazon, which renamed Project Kuiper as Amazon LEO in November 2025, plans to leverage integration with Amazon Web Services to bundle connectivity with cloud services.

With this authorization, Nigeria strengthens its position as one of Africa’s most dynamic satellite broadband markets. Increased competition among LEO operators should gradually improve internet speed, affordability, and resilience, benefiting consumers, businesses, and Nigeria’s digital economy.

By Samira Njoya, wearetech.africa

Related story: Starlink hits capacity in Nigeria’s largest cities, raising questions about Musk’s Africa ambitions

Nigeria set to pass AI law, among first in Africa to regulate sector

Nigeria is moving to become one of the first African countries to formally regulate artificial intelligence (AI), as lawmakers prepare to pass legislation that would tighten oversight of a fast-growing digital sector long dominated by global technology firms.

The proposed National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill would give regulators broad powers over data use, algorithms and digital platforms, filling a regulatory gap that has persisted since Nigeria released a draft national AI strategy in 2024.

Lawmakers expect to approve the bill by the end of March.

Under the proposal, higher-risk AI systems — including those deployed in finance, public administration, surveillance and automated decision-making — would face stricter scrutiny. Developers would be required to submit annual impact assessments detailing risks, mitigation measures and system performance.

The bill would also allow regulators to impose fines of up to 10 million naira ($7,000) or as much as 2% of an AI provider’s annual revenue generated in Nigeria, although it does not specify how penalties would be calculated or enforced.

The legislation is designed to regulate AI early rather than retroactively, as adoption accelerates across Nigeria’s financial sector, public services and private industry, according to Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

“If passed, Nigeria would be among the first African countries to adopt an economy-wide regulatory framework for artificial intelligence,” Abdullahi said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Several African countries, including Mauritius, Egypt and Benin, have published AI strategies, but few have enacted comprehensive legislation governing the technology.

The proposed law sets ethical standards around transparency, fairness and accountability, and adopts a risk-based approach similar to regulatory frameworks emerging in Europe and parts of Asia. That could reshape how multinational technology companies — from US-based firms such as Google to Chinese cloud providers — operate in Africa’s most populous country.

“In governance, we need safeguards and guardrails to ensure the AI we build operates within acceptable boundaries,” Abdullahi said. “That way, bad actors can be detected and contained.”

The bill would empower regulators to demand information from AI providers, issue enforcement directives and suspend or restrict systems deemed unsafe or non-compliant. It also provides for regulatory “sandboxes”, allowing startups and institutions to test AI systems under supervision in an effort to balance oversight with innovation.

“Regulation is not just about giving commands,” Abdullahi said. “It’s about shaping market and societal behaviour so people can build AI for good.”

By Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe, Bussiness Day

Nigeria to expand digital reach with 4,000 telecom towers

The Nigerian government has approved the construction of around 4,000 telecom towers nationwide to improve digital access in underserved communities across Africa's most populous country, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

The Federal Executive Council, led by President Bola Tinubu, gave the green light as part of efforts to enhance basic digital connectivity and promote economic inclusion, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said on Wednesday.

“About 23 million Nigerians are currently underserved,” Idris noted, referencing a presentation by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy during the cabinet meeting.

Limited digital access has hindered economic participation and basic communication in remote areas, Idris added.

The new initiative is also expected to boost national security and stimulate commercial activity in rural communities.

News.Az

Nigeria records over $50bn cryptocurrency transactions in 1 year

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says over $50 billion worth of cryptocurrency transactions flowed through Nigeria between July 2023 and June 2024.

The Director-General of SEC, Emomotimi Agama, said in a notice on Sunday that the situation raised concern over the low participation of citizens in the traditional capital market.

Agama said no fewer than four per cent of the country’s adult population were active investors.

The director-general described the low participation rate as a major impediment to economic growth and capital formation.

He noted that, while fewer than three million citizens invested in the capital market, more than 60 million engaged daily in gambling activities, spending an estimated $5.5 million every day.

"This reveals a paradox, an appetite for risk clearly exists, but not the trust or access to channel that energy into productive investment," he said.

Agama also lamented that Nigeria’s market capitalisation to Gross Domestic Product ratio stood at about 30 per cent, far below South Africa’s 320 per cent, Malaysia’s 123 per cent, and India’s 92 per cent.

He said the disparity highlighted the urgent need to deepen financial inclusion and rebuild investors’ confidence.

Nigeria’s $150 billion annual infrastructure deficit far exceeds the market’s contribution, with only N1.5 trillion approved in Public Private Partnership bonds.

"This shows a misalignment between financial innovation and national priorities," he said.

The director-general called for a ‘reimagined SEC’ that served as both regulator and enabler of private-sector-driven growth.

Business Day

MTN Nigeria Unveils Plan to Connect 8 Million Homes with Fibre Network by 2028

The initiative supports the federal government’s National Broadband Plan and Digital Economy Policy, aiming to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to households, businesses, and SMEs across the country.

MTN Nigeria has announced plans to expand its fibre network to reach over eight million homes nationwide by 2028, reinforcing its commitment to broadband growth and digital inclusion.

The initiative supports the federal government’s National Broadband Plan and Digital Economy Policy, aiming to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to households, businesses, and SMEs across the country. MTN said the expansion is driven by Nigeria’s growing population, urbanisation, and increasing demand for low-latency connectivity to support data-heavy services and remote work.

To achieve this, the company is partnering with infrastructure providers, state governments, and local contractors to ensure sustainable fibre rollout. MTN also plans to integrate fibre into new housing projects while addressing challenges such as vandalism, right-of-way constraints, and network damages from road construction.

The telecom operator commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for designating telecom infrastructure as national assets and facilitating supportive policies. MTN reaffirmed its goal to deliver affordable, reliable broadband access and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.

Tech Africa News

Nigeria’s first national microchip design framework to drive digital sovereignty

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with U.S.-based ChipMango, unveiled Nigeria’s first national microchip design framework, a move seen by many in the industry as a defining step toward digital sovereignty.

For a nation that has long depended on imported technology, the announcement during the GITEX Nigeria 2025 in Lagos marked a bold pivot.

“We are building a future where Nigerian talent leads in semiconductor design,” said Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, NITDA’s director general, during the launch. “This framework embodies our vision for digital sovereignty and inclusion, creating jobs, exports, and innovation for generations to come.”

The framework rests on three pillars: capacity building, outsourcing, and policy alignment. Central to this plan is ChipMango’s AI-powered e-learning platform, which will provide Nigerian students with hands-on training, simulation tools, and globally recognised certifications. Already in use in U.S. universities, the platform is designed to turn learners into industry-ready chip designers.

Beyond education, the framework positions Nigeria as a global hub for microchip design outsourcing, linking local talent to international projects worth billions of dollars. Policy integration with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) ensures the initiative is tied to national economic goals.

A distinctive feature is inclusion. Women, often underrepresented in STEM, are placed at the centre of the effort through outreach, mentorship, and scholarship programmes to ensure a diverse and innovative talent pool.

The unveiling also launched the NITDA–ChipMango Innovation Challenge 2025, a nationwide competition inviting students across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to design chip-based solutions for healthcare, agriculture, robotics, and AI. Winning teams will gain recognition, mentorship, and industry certification.

For ChipMango’s Nigerian-born CEO, Ola Fadiran, the mission is clear. “This is more than a framework; it is a national strategy,” he said. “Together with NITDA, we are nurturing experts, innovators, and leaders who will power Nigeria’s microchip design economy.

Momentum will continue at Digital Nigeria 2025, where discussions will focus on building a national outsourcing ecosystem around the framework.

For many students in the audience, the launch was more than policy; it was a glimpse into a future where Nigeria’s chips could power the world. As one whispered to a friend, eyes wide with possibility, Maybe the next iPhone chip could come from Nigeria.

By Chinwe Michael, Business Day

Video - Drive to solar power gathers pace across Nigeria

With rising costs, and unreliable electricity supply from the national grid, many in Nigeria are turning to alternatives like solar energy. Despite the country having regular sunlight, solar power makes up less than 0.5 percent of its generation capacity in 2022. And now households and businesses are tapping into the power of the sun, to fill the energy gap.

CGTN Africa

Related story: Solar power producer Sun King targets triple growth in Nigeria

Starlink hits capacity in Nigeria’s largest cities, raising questions about Musk’s Africa ambitions

 

Elon Musk’s Starlink has stopped accepting new orders in some of Nigeria’s busiest urban hubs after its satellite internet network hit capacity, putting a spotlight on the challenges of scaling in Africa’s largest market.

In some locations in Nigeria's commercial nerve center such as Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ikeja and Surulere, as well as the nation's capital Abuja, Starlink’s website now displays “Sold Out” notices.

Prospective customers are pushed onto a waitlist and asked to pay a deposit before they can be notified when slots reopen.

A subscription attempt at a popular estate in Lagos’s Maryland area returned the message: “Starlink service is currently at capacity in your area. The good news is you can place a deposit now to reserve a spot on the waitlist and will be notified once service becomes available again.”

"Please note that we cannot provide an estimated timeframe for service availability, but our teams are working as quickly as possible to add more capacity to the constellation so we can continue to expand coverage for more customers around the world."


A network under strain?

A Starlink engineer told TechCabal that the company occasionally halts new activations to safeguard service quality for existing users.

Adding capacity typically requires either fresh satellite launches or regulatory approval to expand coverage.

However, this isn’t the first disruption. Starlink froze all new orders across Nigeria in late 2024, citing bandwidth shortages and pending approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially over pricing changes. Service only resumed mid-2025 after upgrades and regulatory clearance.

The company’s rising costs haven’t helped. Starlink’s monthly fee has climbed from about ₦38,000 ($25) at launch to ₦56,000 ($37) this year, a jump the company attributes to naira devaluation and compliance costs.

The hikes triggered customer backlash and slowed growth.

NCC data shows Starlink lost more than 6,000 active users in Q1 2025, dropping from 65,564 in Q4 2024 to 59,509. It was the first quarterly decline since launch, as some Nigerians abandoned the service for cheaper alternatives or dropped internet subscriptions altogether.

Musk’s Africa expansion faces real-world challenges

The network crunch in Nigeria raises questions about Elon Musk’s broader ambition to expand Starlink into every African market.

While the billionaire entrepreneur has pitched Starlink as a solution to poor connectivity across the continent, Nigeria’s experience highlights the logistical and regulatory hurdles of scaling in fast-growing but economically strained markets.

If capacity is already overstretched in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and one of Starlink’s early adopters, analysts say rolling out service continent-wide will require not only more satellites and ground stations but also stronger engagement with regulators to manage pricing, infrastructure demands, and bandwidth allocation.

In July, Starlink expanded into Chad, becoming its 24th African market. Still, Musk’s goal of blanket coverage across the continent remains distant, with Nigeria emerging as both a key testing ground and a cautionary tale


Global strains visible too

Starlink’s challenges are not confined to Africa. On Monday, the satellite network experienced a brief outage in the United States, with more than 43,000 users reporting problems at its peak, according to tracking site Downdetector.com.

The disruption, later resolved, highlighted the pressures facing the service even in mature markets.

Reuters reports that Starlink’s website initially displayed a notice confirming the outage, saying its team was investigating, before removing the message once connectivity was restored.

The episode underscores a growing reality for Musk’s satellite internet venture: from Nigeria’s congested urban hubs to American suburbs, scaling a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites to meet surging demand is proving more difficult than the company’s global ambitions might suggest.

By Soloman Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Video - Nigeria’s youth race to bridge the digital skills gap

Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, faces a critical turning point: a growing youth population racing against a widening digital skills gap. Young Nigerians, like music producer Daniel Daniel, are investing in digital training to stay relevant in an evolving job market.

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Video - Nigerian students build electric car amid fuel hikes

Fifteen secondary school students in Nigeria’s Sokoto State have built a fully functional electric vehicle, tackling rising fuel costs and environmental concerns head-on.

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Video - How AI is saving Nigeria’s endangered languages

Nigeria is home to over 500 indigenous languages — but many are at risk of extinction. A new AI-powered platform, Indigenius Mobile, is working to change that. Created to help people speak, learn, and connect in their native tongues, this tech is bringing endangered languages back into everyday life.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria Seeks Technical Advisor for Massive 90,000km Fiber Optic Network Project

The Federal Government of Nigeria, with financing from the World Bank, is initiating a major project to deploy a 90,000km fiber optic network across the country. The project, named ‘Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth – BRIDGE’, will be structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and managed through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company. The government is now seeking a Technical Advisor to provide expert consulting services for the planning, design, and implementation of this extensive digital infrastructure.

The selected consulting firm will be responsible for ensuring the efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable deployment of the network. This includes collaborating with legal and financial advisors to align all technical aspects with Nigerian laws and international best practices. The Technical Advisor’s key role will be to review and validate technical designs and specifications, ensuring the project’s long-term commercial viability and adherence to global market standards. The contract is for a duration of 12 months.

To be considered for the role, consulting firms must demonstrate a minimum of 10 years of experience in providing technical advisory services for large-scale digital infrastructure projects, with a specific focus on fiber optic networks. The government also requires proven expertise in conducting technical feasibility studies, due diligence, and network gap assessments, as well as a strong background in geospatial analysis and GIS-based assessments for broadband infrastructure in emerging markets. These qualifications must be demonstrated through experience on at least three similar projects. The selection will be made using the Quality and Cost Based Selection method, in line with World Bank procurement regulations.

By Kay-Lyne Wolfenden, Tech Africa News

Nigerian profitable food delivery Chowdeck lands $9M from Novastar, Y Combinator

Chowdeck, a Lagos-based food delivery startup that has stayed profitable in a notoriously tough and low-margin market, has raised $9 million in Series A funding to launch a quick commerce strategy and expand into more cities in Nigeria and Ghana.

The equity round was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, HoaQ, and others. The investors are betting on the team’s ability to pair local market expertise with execution and turn a notoriously difficult sector into a profitable super app for food, groceries and essentials.

“We’re thrilled about this round as it brings us closer to our vision of becoming Africa’s number one super app,” CEO and co-founder Femi Aluko said. “This funding will supercharge our growth plans, enabling us to expand into more cities, reduce delivery times, scale our grocery footprint, and attract the best talent to drive innovation and customer satisfaction.”

Founded in October 2021 by Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck now operates in 11 cities across Nigeria and Ghana, serving 1.5 million customers with a network of more than 20,000 riders. Its logistics system averages 30 minutes per order, and in dense areas, more than half of deliveries arrive by bicycle.

While prominent players have exited or scaled back their African operations, Chowdeck has leaned into the complexity of local markets—delivering local meals, an operationally harder challenge—to build trust with customers.

In 2024, the value of meals delivered through Chowdeck grew more than sixfold from the previous year. This year, the company says it passed its 2024 total before July.

The new funding will help Chowdeck roll out quick commerce, ultra-fast delivery backed by a network of dark stores and hyperlocal logistics hubs. The company plans to open 40 dark stores by the end of this year and 500 by the end of 2026, with two to three new stores launching each week. Chowdeck raised a $2.5 million seed round last year.

Food delivery is a crowded business globally, but when done well, it has led to some other big companies like DoorDash.

Quick commerce, on the other hand, has been a capital-intensive gamble in most markets. In Europe, Gorillas and Getir burned through hundreds of millions of dollars before retreating or consolidating. In India, platforms like Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy have had varying levels of success with the model when it comes to profitability.

Chowdeck has been profitable since before this raise and Aluko says the company doesn’t enter cities or verticals without planning to break even within a couple of weeks.

For instance, the food delivery platform entered neighbouring Ghana this May. Within three months, it was handling 1,000 daily orders without paid advertising, which, according to Aluko, came from pent-up demand for a service that delivers local favorites alongside international cuisines. The company aims to quintuple that volume to 5,000 daily orders by the end of September 2025.

Aluko says Chowdeck plans to apply the same playbook to dark stores, which will complement its restaurant and grocery delivery operations.

Another vertical complementing these operations will be software. This June, the YC-backed startup acquired Mira, a point-of-sale provider for African food and hospitality businesses. Mira’s tools manage inventory and orders in real time; now, it will help Chowdeck optimize its operations, positioning the company as a vertical SaaS-plus-logistics provider for restaurants.

Chowdeck’s raise is a win for local players in the sector, after Jumia’s exit left market share to foreign brands such as Glovo, Bolt Food, and Yango. Yet, some of these companies have also withdrawn from certain markets, including Nigeria and Ghana, which Chowdeck is now targeting aggressively.

Super apps such as Gozem, YC-backed Yassir, and MNT-Halan are other local companies offering food delivery services in other African markets.

“The market is still very early,” Aluko said. “Customer behavior is shifting online for the first time. A whole generation is growing up ordering food without ever having walked into some of the restaurants or markets on our platform.”

For lead investor Novastar Ventures, the bet is on execution and local insight. “Chowdeck is building the future of logistics for African cities,” said partner Brian Waswani Odhiambo. “With deep local insight, a sustainability-first approach, and impressive execution, it is redefining last-mile delivery on the continent.”

TechCrunch

Nigeria launches free mobile game that rewards players with cash, airtime and crypto

 

Designed for Nigeria’s mobile-first gamers, Rise & Hustle offers real rewards with no hidden fees.

Nigeria.-In a major shift for Nigeria’s mobile gaming landscape, a new game is set to make waves with a bold promise: play for free and earn for real. Rise & Hustle is designed specifically for Nigeria’s mobile-first population.

Designed for entry-level smartphones, the game uses very little data and skips the usual in-app purchases or pay-to-win features. That makes it a smart choice in a country where mobile gaming dominates and data costs still count.

Mobile gaming makes up 83 per cent of all gameplay in Nigeria, and with 92 per cent of people owning smartphones, Rise & Hustle is launching at just the right time.

More than just a game, it is packed with local slang, street-style art and stories that connect directly with young Nigerians. The colourful design and gameplay show off the humour, grit and spirit of a generation that’s quickly taking over the gaming world in the country.

Now players have the chance to earn in-game cash called Bucks by completing daily “Missions” which include mini-games and street-style challenges. Bucks can be spent on mobile airtime, data bundles, cashback at local stores and on merchandise.


The platform also allows Bucks to be exchanged for Rise Tokens, which run on the Binance Smart Chain, a well-known blockchain made by Binance that handles digital transactions quickly and cheaply. They follow BEP-20, which is a set of rules that helps the tokens work safely and seamlessly with different apps, wallets and services.

Real rewards and squad feature boost experience

Rise & Hustle Co-founder and CEO, Josh Tromans-Jones, said players can now enjoy a profitable gaming experience. “We’re excited to bring Rise & Hustle to Nigeria, where every tap, grind and level-up earns you Bucks that you can turn into airtime, Rise crypto and real rewards from our partners,” he said, according to the Guardian.

At the heart of Rise & Hustle is the Squad feature. It lets players team up, work together and share rewards. When one player earns Bucks, the whole squad benefits, encouraging teamwork while keeping the fun going.

Tromans-Jones said the game zeroes in on what Nigerian gamers really want and delivers. “Gamers in Lagos, Abuja and across Nigeria are done with games that only take their data and give nothing back. Rise & Hustle changes the game by delivering entertainment and real-world tangible rewards.

“Our proprietary rewards engine is built to benefit players at every level of the game from Missions (daily challenges and tasks) through to Squads, and we’re proud to launch the game here in Nigeria.”

Rise & Hustle has launched at a time when Nigerian gamers are eager for real value and aims to give players a genuine chance to earn rewards for their time spent playing. With no hidden fees and multiple ways to cash in, the platform shows that gaming can be both entertaining and rewarding.

Focus Africa

Related stories: Nigeria opens doors to stablecoin firms under regulatory oversight

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Video - Nigeria-based tech firm, Intron, brings an African voice to AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing communication, productivity, and innovation, but most of these models are not tailored for an African audience. Flawed voice recognition systems often fail to understand African names, languages, and accents. The Africa-centric voice technology platform, Intron, is addressing this with its AI model, Sahara.

CGTN

Related story: After creating 2 million GPT tokens, this UNILAG student has built an AI text-to-speech model with Nigerian accent

Starlink Fully Resumes New Activations in Nigeria, Expands Access to Major Cities

Starlink, the satellite internet service from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has officially resumed new customer activations in Nigeria after more than seven months of suspension.

The company had halted new residential kit orders in November 2024, with prospective users receiving a notice that activations were temporarily on hold pending regulatory clearance from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Since then, Nigerians were unable to place new orders, particularly in major cities such as Abuja and Lagos.

Over the past month, users in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe began reporting renewed access to Starlink’s sign-up portal, suggesting a phased return of services. At that time, however, Abuja was still listed as unavailable. Recent checks now indicate that Starlink is once again accepting new orders in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other urban areas.

Neither SpaceX nor the NCC has issued an official statement on the development, but the resumed access to residential kits signals that earlier restrictions may have been eased or lifted.

This quiet return marks a notable shift in Nigeria’s broadband landscape, where demand for reliable, high-speed internet—especially in underserved and congested areas—continues to grow.

By Joyce Onyeagoro, Tech News Africa

China’s BYD aims for foothold in Nigeria’s auto market

Chinese auto giant BYD is aiming for a foothold in Nigeria’s auto market with a large customer engagement centre along Akin Adesola in Victoria Island in Lagos.

BYD which first made name with its reliable inverter batteries has now become China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer with presence across the globe.

It is unclear if BYD is entering Nigeria directly or through a franchise given tha Mandilas has been working to be BYD’s partner in Nigeria.

China’s ability to make electric vehicles (evs) cheaply has caused angst in countries with big carmakers, prompting governments to investigate China’s subsidies for the sector and to erect trade barriers.

On May 23rd China’s byd, caused shockwaves when it slashed the cost of 22 electric and hybrid models. Now the starting price of its cheapest model, the Seagull, has fallen to a mere 55,800 yuan ($7,700). The move came just two years after byd had originally unveiled the electric hatchback, at a then astonishingly low cost of 73,800 yuan.

In Nigeria the Seagull ev is priced at a range starting at N31m by Mandillas.

Business Day