⚖️ CBN Faces Test Over New Fintech Regulator Bill

TGIF☀️

Just when we thought the week couldn’t get any wilder, OPay decided to step into the spotlight, not for a new feature or funding round, but for a prophecy. Yes, a viral prophecy predicting the company’s collapse. The internet, of course, ran with it, and OPay wasn’t having any of it. A firm “we’re here to stay” and a not-so-subtle threat of a lawsuit was their response.

It’s one of those moments that perfectly sums up the digital age: rumors go viral faster than product updates, and companies now have to manage not just competition, but clairvoyants with Wi-Fi. But behind the headlines, it’s a reminder of how quickly trust and perception can shift in tech — especially when your business runs on public confidence.

So as we slide into the weekend, maybe take this as a note from OPay’s playbook: stay focused, stay grounded, and don’t let the noise dictate your story. The internet moves fast but clarity moves faster.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

⚖️ CBN Faces Power Challenge as House Debates New Fintech Regulator Bill
💸 Flutterwave Partners Polygon Labs to Enable Instant Stablecoin Payments Across Africa
📶 NCC Partners Swedfund in Landmark 5G Security Deal
📬 NIPOST Partners Paystack and Sendbox to Eliminate Customs ‘Surprise Fees’
💵 OPay Reacts to Viral Prophecy, Threatens Lawsuit Over Collapse Prediction
📶 Vitel Wireless Officially Launches as Nigeria’s Newest MVNO
💳 MTN and Mastercard Boost MoMo with Card Payments, Security

⚖️ GOVERNANCE

CBN Faces Power Challenge as House Debates New Fintech Regulator Bill

Nigeria’s fintech space, one of the most exciting in Africa, has been stuck in a messy web of overlapping regulators for years. But now, there’s a new bill in the House of Representatives that’s trying to fix that. It’s called the Nigerian Fintech Regulatory Commission Bill (HB.2389), and it’s basically saying: “Enough. Let’s have one body in charge of all things fintech.”

The bill, sponsored by Lagos lawmaker Hon. Fuad Laguda, just passed its second reading — which means lawmakers agree that the idea makes sense, even if the details still need work. If it becomes law, it’ll create a Nigerian Fintech Regulatory Commission (NFRC) — a single, independent agency to handle everything from licensing and supervision to consumer protection and national fintech policy........…..…continue reading

💸 PAYMENTS

Flutterwave Partners Polygon Labs to Enable Instant Stablecoin Payments Across Africa

Flutterwave has announced a partnership with Polygon Labs to power instant, low-cost cross-border payments using stablecoins such as USDC and USDT. The company says the new infrastructure will allow businesses, money transfer operators, and consumers to send and receive funds in real time, cutting settlement timelines from days to near-instant.

For large enterprises and IMTOs, this could improve liquidity and reduce expansion friction in African markets. For SMEs, it aims to remove delays caused by SWIFT and correspondent banks when paying international suppliers. For the diaspora, it targets Africa’s high-fee remittance corridors by reducing cost and wait times. Flutterwave, which positions itself as one of the most licensed non-bank payment providers in Africa, plans to pilot the service in 2025 and roll it out more broadly in 2026 through its business platform and Send App.......…continue reading

 📶 TELECOMS

NCC Partners Swedfund in Landmark 5G Security Deal

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) just teamed up with Swedfund, Sweden’s Development Finance Institution, to make sure Nigeria’s fast-growing 5G network is not just fast, but secure. Think of it as building the “cyber seatbelts” for the country’s digital highway.

The deal — sealed through a new grant agreement — is all about creating a risk-based cybersecurity framework for Nigeria’s 5G rollout. In plain English, that means designing the network from the ground up to be tough against hackers, data breaches, and all the messy risks that come with next-gen connectivity.

Now, here’s why this matters: 5G is going to power everything from smart cities and self-driving cars to remote surgeries and IoT devices. But unlike 4G, 5G networks are more open and software-driven — which means more speed, yes, but also more entry points for cyber threats......…continue reading

📬 POSTING SERVICES

NIPOST Partners Paystack and Sendbox to Eliminate Customs ‘Surprise Fees’

The new Postmaster General, Engr. Tola Odeyemi, clearly heard all the rants on social media about surprise customs fees, cash-only counters, and those painfully long post office queues. Her response? She’s launching a brand-new Digital Payment Solution for Inbound Postal Items — and this time, it’s not some clunky government tech experiment.

Instead, NIPOST teamed up with some of Nigeria’s biggest tech names:
💳 Paystack for online payments,
📦 Sendbox for e-commerce and logistics, and
🚚 Messenger for last-mile delivery.

It’s a smart move — NIPOST isn’t trying to do everything by itself anymore. It’s plugging into the private sector to fix real customer pain points........…..…continue reading

💵 FINTECH

OPay Reacts to Viral Prophecy, Threatens Lawsuit Over Collapse Prediction

So, here’s the gist — a Benue-based pastor, Prophet Aliyu Barnabas, recently went viral after claiming that OPay would collapse by January 2026, calling the fintech “demonic” and warning users to pull out.

OPay didn’t waste time clapping back. In a firm response on X (formerly Twitter), the company dismissed the prophecy as “false and misleading,” reassured users that it’s fully licensed by NDIC, and revealed that its legal team is already taking action.

Still, the video stirred some panic online — especially after Nigerians lost huge sums to failed crypto platforms like CBEX. Some even began wondering if OPay might be another Ponzi. But the fintech reminded everyone that it’s not an investment scheme, just a regulated payment platform with billions in valuation and millions of users.

This isn’t even OPay’s first rodeo with doomsday predictions — similar rumours popped up last year. Through it all, the company keeps growing, rolling out new products, and staying on top of the game.......…..…continue reading

📶 TELECOMS

Vitel Wireless Officially Launches as Nigeria’s Newest MVNO

The company just launched its mobile services under the MVNO model (that’s “Mobile Virtual Network Operator” for short) — meaning it won’t build its own towers or infrastructure. Instead, Vitel will rent network access from existing telecom giants and run its own affordable voice, SMS, and data services.

Vitel’s entry is shaking things up in a market long dominated by the same few big players — MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile. With its fresh approach and customer-first focus, we might finally see more competition, better prices, and flexible plans that actually fit users’ needs.

The NCC has been pushing for this kind of innovation for a while, and Vitel’s launch feels like a big step forward. If they can pull it off and keep their service reliable, they could totally redefine what it means to be “connected” in Nigeria........…continue reading

OTHER STORIES

• Tanzania Restricts Internet as Citizens Vote in Tense General Election……continue reading

• Dis-Chem expands national footprint and reinvents loyalty to drive healthcare innovation……continue reading

• Walmart touches down in Johannesburg…….continue reading

• Green Climate Fund invests $40M to Novastar’s $200M Africa Climate-Tech Fund…....continue reading

• MTN and Mastercard Boost MoMo with Card Payments, Security…….continue reading

• New Economic Report Says Naira’s Cash System Is Broken, Pushes for N10,000 Bills…….continue reading

• Appian and IFC launch $1 billion fund to accelerate responsible mining in emerging markets…….continue reading

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