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🏦 CBN Grants National Licenses to Fintechs

🏦 CBN Grants National Licenses to Fintechs

Plus: 💵 Uganda Telcos lose $7m in Shutdown

Innovation Village
January 27, 2026

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Good Morning Valued Subscribers👋

Telecom disruptions aren’t just inconvenient—they can hit the bottom line hard, as MTN and Airtel are learning in Uganda. A recent government-mandated shutdown cost the two companies an estimated $7 million, highlighting how regulatory and political decisions can ripple through even the largest networks.

For everyday users, the impact is obvious: no calls, no internet, and interrupted digital services. For businesses, fintechs, and mobile-dependent operators, the stakes are even higher—lost connectivity translates directly into lost revenue, stalled transactions, and disrupted operations. Beyond the immediate losses, incidents like this underscore the fragile balance between infrastructure, regulation, and service delivery in markets where mobile networks are the backbone of communication and commerce.

Let’s dive in👇

Today’s Menu ☕️

🏦 CBN Grants National Licenses to Opay, Moniepoint, Kuda
📶 NCC Sets ₦250k Fee for Telecom Service Trials
💵 MTN, Airtel Lose $7m in Uganda Shutdown
💵 Kuapa Kokoo Gets $2.4m Cocoa Funding
📲 Egypt Moves to Limit Teen Social Media Use

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🏦BANKING

CBN Grants National Licenses to Opay, Moniepoint, Kuda

The Central Bank of Nigeria has upgraded the licenses of major fintechs and microfinance banks—including Opay, Moniepoint, Kuda, and PalmPay—to full national status, formally recognizing their nationwide operations. The move aligns regulation with the scale at which these digital banks already serve customers across Nigeria through mobile platforms and agent networks.

With national licenses, the institutions face stricter regulatory oversight, higher capital requirements, and stronger compliance obligations, particularly around KYC and anti-money laundering. The CBN says the upgrade will improve accountability, clarify consumer complaint channels, and support financial inclusion, especially in rural and underserved communities.........….continue reading

📶 TELECOMS

NCC Sets ₦250k Fee for Telecom Service Trials

The Nigerian Communications Commission has introduced a ₦250,000 administrative fee for Interim Service Authorization (ISA) under its new General Authorization Framework, allowing startups and telecom innovators to test new services before full commercial launch. The ISA enables operators to run limited, closely supervised trials—typically for up to 10,000 users and within approved locations—for an initial three months, renewable once.

The framework is designed to lower entry barriers while maintaining consumer protection and regulatory oversight. Applicants may also pay additional spectrum or numbering fees, submit monthly reports, and meet strict data privacy and consumer safeguards. The NCC stressed that ISA approval does not guarantee a full licence, but serves as a pathway to support innovation as Nigeria modernizes its telecom regulation..........….continue reading

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💵DIVESTMENTS

MTN, Airtel Lose $7m in Uganda Shutdown

MTN and Airtel lost an estimated $7 million in data revenue after Uganda imposed a four-day nationwide internet shutdown around its January 15 elections. The blackout, which restricted social media and some internet services, disrupted businesses, digital payments, and everyday online activity. Authorities have since fully restored access to social media platforms, ending nearly two weeks of restrictions. The episode highlights the growing economic cost of internet shutdowns for telecom operators and Africa’s wider digital economy..........….continue reading

💵FUNDING

Kuapa Kokoo Gets $2.4m Cocoa Funding

Sahel Capital has provided a $2.4 million working capital facility to Ghana’s Kuapa Kokoo Limited through its SEFAA fund, renewing and expanding earlier financing. The funding will support Kuapa Kokoo’s cocoa purchasing activities during the peak season, ensuring timely payments to over 100,000 smallholder farmers under the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union. The deal reinforces Kuapa Kokoo’s role in Ghana’s cocoa value chain and Sahel Capital’s backing of farmer-owned agribusinesses............….continue reading

📲 SOCIAL MEDIA

Egypt Moves to Limit Teen Social Media Use

Egypt has started the legislative process to restrict social media access for young teenagers, citing online safety concerns, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful content. Supported by President El-Sissi, lawmakers are consulting child-protection experts and studying international models, including Australia and the UK. If passed, Egypt would become the first African country to formally limit social media for minors, reflecting a global trend toward stricter online protections for children.........….continue reading