📲 Bulk SMS companies must now get a ₦10 million, 5-year license

Today’s Menu ☕️

🧑🏽‍💻 Kuda processes N14.3 trillion in transactions in Q1 2025
💵 OPay’s Rise: Adapting to Nigeria’s Economic and Regulatory Landscape
📲 Bulk SMS Companies must now obtain a five-year license for ₦10 million
📲 Jack Dorsey Unveils “Bitchat”: A No‑Internet, Bluetooth Messaging App Built for Privacy and Resilience
🧑🏽‍💻 Redmi Pad 2 and Redmi Pad 2 4G Officially Launched in Nigeria

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🧑🏽‍💻 BUSINESS

Kuda processes N14.3 trillion in transactions in Q1 2025

Kuda Technologies has reported a record-breaking ₦14.3 trillion in transactions across over 300 million operations in the first half of 2025. Retail users accounted for ₦8.5 trillion, while business banking contributed the rest—including over ₦1.5 trillion in business transfers.

This marks the first time Kuda has publicly shared financial transaction data, signaling confidence and transparency. The report also highlights ₦16.4 billion in overdrafts and ₦130 million in user interest payments, reflecting increasing adoption of advanced banking features.

Kuda is expanding strategically beyond Nigeria with a new multicurrency wallet supporting GBP and EUR, soon to include USD and CAD—targeting diaspora users. The bank is also embracing AI, with plans for chatbots and fraud detection tools to enhance service delivery.

Despite intense competition from players like PalmPay and OPay, Kuda’s app-first, digital-only model continues to gain traction. Its focus on credit, cross-border functionality, and intelligent banking positions it as a long-term financial infrastructure player in Africa.....…...…continue reading

💵 FINANCIAL SERVICES

OPay’s Rise: Adapting to Nigeria’s Economic and Regulatory Landscape

Since launching in Nigeria in 2018, OPay has evolved into a fintech powerhouse by adapting to the country’s dynamic economic and regulatory environment. Initially offering wallet and payment services, OPay expanded into a super-app before pivoting in 2020 to focus on core financial services, including payments, POS, lending, and a vast agent banking network.

Backed by over $600 million in funding and serving more than 40 million users, OPay processes over $12 billion monthly and supports over 1 million merchants. It has navigated regulatory shifts by strengthening compliance and governance. Beyond business, OPay is committed to social impact through its ₦1.2 billion, 10-year scholarship initiative benefiting 400 university students annually, and grassroots education support for over 4,500 children.

These efforts earned it recognition such as the CBN Financial Inclusion Award. OPay’s blend of strategy, capital, technology, and CSR has cemented its place as a leading force in Nigeria’s digital economy........…continue reading

📲 REGULATION

Bulk SMS Companies must now obtain a five-year license for ₦10 million

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework for Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging services in a bid to streamline operations, enhance consumer protection, and reduce revenue leakage within the telecoms sector. This move is seen as a strategic effort to sanitize the automated messaging space, which has become essential for sectors ranging from banking and healthcare to e-commerce and political campaigns.

Under the new guidelines, any business, telecom operator, or aggregator delivering bulk SMS—such as bank transaction alerts, promotional messages, or notifications via applications—must obtain a five-year license from the NCC at a fee of ₦10 million. This mandatory licensing regime aims to bring structure to an industry previously plagued by spam, fraud, and unregulated international traffic flows........…continue reading

📲 MESSAGING

Jack Dorsey Unveils “Bitchat”: A No‑Internet, Bluetooth Messaging App Built for Privacy and Resilience

Jack Dorsey’s latest venture, Bitchat, is a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app built on Bluetooth mesh networks, allowing iPhones within 100 meters to create encrypted chat rooms or exchange private messages—without servers, internet, or user registration. Released via TestFlight in early July, the beta filled its 10,000 tester slots within hours, reflecting strong interest in offline, censorship-resistant communication.

Bitchat emphasizes privacy by design, using end-to-end encryption (Curve25519 and AES-GCM), dummy traffic, and no metadata or logs. It’s ideal for scenarios with poor internet access—like disaster zones or political protests. Though still in beta and limited to iOS, Dorsey plans Wi-Fi Direct integration to extend range and features.

Inspired by tools like FireChat during the Hong Kong protests, Bitchat aims to provide secure, anonymous messaging in vulnerable environments. While not a replacement for WhatsApp, it offers critical functionality where centralization and surveillance are risks—making it a powerful tool for activists, journalists, and privacy-conscious users.......…continue reading

🧑🏽‍💻 DEVICES

Redmi Pad 2 and Redmi Pad 2 4G Officially Launched in Nigeria: Performance Meets Elegance

Xiaomi’s new Redmi Pad 2 offers impressive mid-range features at a budget-friendly price, aiming to disrupt Nigeria’s tablet market. With a 60Hz refresh rate, quad Dolby Atmos speakers, a Helio G100Ultra chipset, and a 9,000mAh battery, it’s ideal for online learners, gamers, and families seeking quality entertainment. The tablet supports up to 17 hours of video playback and includes a stylus, metal unibody design, and HyperOS 2 for smoother performance, low blue light, and device syncing.

Priced between ₦225,000 and ₦296,000 depending on model and connectivity, the Pad 2 competes well with mid-range devices while offering value for money. Its 4G upgrade capability and efficient power usage make it suitable for Nigeria’s power-constrained environments. However, success depends on Xiaomi's ability to build a strong after-sales support system, offer regular updates, and engage local communities. If executed well, the Redmi Pad 2 could redefine expectations for affordable tablets in Nigeria........…continue reading

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