💼 Microsoft Joins $4 Trillion Club

Today’s Menu ☕️

💼 Microsoft Joins $4 Trillion Club as Second Company After Nvidia
🏍️ Nigerian EV Startup MAX Launches First Solar-Powered Battery Swap Station
📱 MTN Nigeria Explores AI Technology to Combat Cable Vandalism
🫆 NIMC Confirms Telcos Will Now Handle SIM Registration Problems and NIN Verification Issues After NINAuth Migration
📱 Vodacom and Kenneth Makate head back to court over “Please Call Me” dispute

If you haven't subscribed, join over 7,000 people curious about Innovation, New Products, New Technologies in Africa.

💼 BUSINESS

Microsoft Joins $4 Trillion Club as Second Company After Nvidia

Microsoft has become the second publicly traded company to hit a $4 trillion market valuation, joining AI leader Nvidia in a historic milestone. The achievement followed a strong earnings report highlighting rapid growth in cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Microsoft’s shares rose 4.5% after surging as much as 8% in early trading, fueled by its multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI and the success of its AI-powered Copilot tools, which now serve over 100 million monthly users.

Its Azure cloud business generated $75 billion in the past year, and the company forecast a record $30 billion in capital spending to meet surging AI demand. Nvidia, the AI hardware leader, recently hit $4.4 trillion, while Apple trails at $3.12 trillion.

The milestone comes amid workforce reductions of 9,000 employees, reflecting ongoing restructuring. For investors, Microsoft’s rise underscores AI’s transformative impact and Big Tech’s dominance. By pairing enterprise AI with cloud infrastructure, Microsoft is cementing its role as a driving force in the next era of digital transformation......…..continue reading

 ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Nigerian EV Startup MAX Launches First Solar-Powered Battery Swap Station

With the introduction of what it claims is the first solar-powered battery swap station in West Africa, Nigerian electric mobility firm MAX has made a daring step toward environmentally friendly transportation. Operating in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, MAX provides electric vehicles, battery-swapping, and financing options to businesses and commercial drivers.

The new station in Nigeria is powered entirely by renewable energy through a 20 kWp solar PV array, 24 kW inverter, and 30 kWh battery bank, ensuring 24/7 clean energy for quick battery swaps. This eliminates reliance on grid power or fuel generators, improving both environmental impact and operational reliability.

MAX co-founder Chinedu Azodoh said the project demonstrates that Africa’s mobility future can be built on clean, robust infrastructure. The swap model significantly reduces driver downtime, boosting productivity and revenue for its “Champions.”

By integrating green energy and tech-enabled mobility, MAX aims to accelerate EV adoption in African cities, expand its solar-powered network across Nigeria, and drive a future of emission-free, resilient urban transport........…continue reading

📱 TELECOMS

MTN Nigeria Explores AI Technology to Combat Cable Vandalism

MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecom operator, plans to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to protect its fibre optic network amid rising vandalism. In collaboration with Huawei Technologies, the AI-powered system will detect vibrations, identify threats, and alert teams for rapid response.

The move follows 13,700 fibre cuts in 18 months, including 4,700 in the first half of 2025, causing an average of 15 hours of downtime monthly. Vandalism and road construction account for 69% of incidents, leading to billions of Naira in annual losses and widespread service disruptions, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The Nigerian government has classified telecom assets as critical national infrastructure, with culprits facing up to 10 years in prison, and established a task force for real-time monitoring.

AI adoption will reduce downtime, mitigate financial losses, and enhance network reliability, supporting a more stable digital ecosystem. Industry body ALTON has urged a collective effort as vandalism impacts other operators like Airtel......…continue reading

🫆IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

NIMC Confirms Telcos Will Now Handle SIM Registration Problems and NIN Verification Issues After NINAuth Migration

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has confirmed that all Nigerian telecom operators have successfully migrated to its upgraded National Identification Number (NIN) verification platform, NINAuth, marking a major step in strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem.

The new platform enhances data security, service delivery, and user control over personal information. Developed in-house, NINAuth replaces the old system and enables real-time NIN verification for SIM registration, swaps, number porting, and replacements.

The migration, which began on June 26, 2025, caused three weeks of service disruptions, leaving millions unable to register SIMs or perform swaps due to integration challenges. NIMC confirmed the system was fully operational by July 30, 2025.

With this upgrade, telecom operators like MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile will now handle all SIM registration and NIN verification issues directly, streamlining the process for subscribers.

This milestone supports Nigeria’s broader digital identity strategy, promising more secure, efficient services as over 125 million SIMs remain linked to NINs.......…continue reading

 📱TELECOMS

Vodacom and Kenneth Makate head back to court over “Please Call Me” dispute

The long-running legal battle between Vodacom and Kenneth Makate, creator of the “Please Call Me” service, continues after South Africa’s Constitutional Court referred the case back to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) for reconsideration. The apex court set aside the SCA’s earlier ruling—which had awarded Makate a multi-billion-rand compensation—citing legal errors and a failure to ensure a fair trial. A new panel of SCA judges will now rehear the case.

Makate conceived the service in 2001 while working at Vodacom, enabling users without airtime to request call backs. He sued in 2008 after the company failed to compensate him, eventually winning a 2016 Constitutional Court ruling mandating “reasonable compensation.”

Makate rejected Vodacom’s offers of R10 million and R47 million, seeking R9.7 billion. The SCA later awarded 5%–7.5% of 18 years of revenue, estimated at R29–R55 billion, prompting Vodacom’s appeal.

The fresh SCA hearing extends one of South Africa’s most prominent disputes over employee innovation and intellectual property rights.........…continue reading

 OTHER STORIES

• How AI Is Changing SEO in 2025—And What You Need to Know...…continue reading

• NCC, NiRA shut down piracy site MovieBox.ng in crackdown on illegal streaming in Nigeria…..continue reading

Do you know you can join and follow us on our WhatsApp Channel?