Category: Business Day

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammed Bello Shehu, has disclosed that the Commission has completed a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s Revenue Allocation Formula and concluded work on the review of remuneration for political, public and judicial office holders, with both processes now at advanced stages of consideration by the appropriate authorities.

Shehu made the disclosure during an interactive session with members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Lagos, where he presented an overview of the Commission’s achievements and institutional progress from 2023 to date.

He said the period under review had been marked by significant fiscal reforms, with the Commission strengthening its constitutional mandate of revenue monitoring, derivation verification, fiscal coordination, and advisory functions on remuneration and revenue allocation.

According to him, RMAFC has focused on improving data integrity, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring equitable distribution of national revenue across the three tiers of government.

Shehu explained that the Commission had intensified monitoring of oil and gas production data to ensure accurate application of the 13 percent derivation principle. He noted that through verification exercises, geospatial mapping and inter-agency collaboration, the Commission resolved several long-standing oil well attribution issues, including the reallocation of 17 oil wells from Imo State to Rivers State in line with a Supreme Court judgment.

He added that similar interventions had been undertaken in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Imo and Anambra States, while improved gas production reporting had enabled Enugu and Kogi States to benefit from derivation revenues.

The Chairman further said that RMAFC had strengthened collaboration with key institutions including NUPRC, NNPCL, NMDPRA, the National Boundary Commission, and the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to improve revenue monitoring and compliance.

He also disclosed ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Defence to address crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and production losses, describing them as major threats to national revenue.

Beyond the petroleum sector, Shehu said the Commission was exploring new revenue opportunities through partnerships with FAAN and NASRDA, including the use of satellite and geospatial technologies to identify additional revenue sources.

Hed confirmed that the Commission had completed the review of remuneration for judicial office holders, culminating in the enactment of the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 2025.

He added that the review of remuneration for executive and legislative office holders was also at an advanced stage, with an executive bill on the Political and Public Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 2026 expected to be transmitted to the National Assembly.

He stressed that remuneration reforms must be matched with accountability and performance, noting that improved pay should translate into improved service delivery.

On the subject of the review of the Revenue Allocation Formula, Shehu described it as one of the Commission’s most significant assignments, noting that it was undertaken through extensive consultations with all tiers of government, technical stakeholders, and nationwide engagements.

He said the exercise involved analysis of fiscal responsibilities, revenue trends, and comparative federal systems, resulting in a harmonised report and legislative proposals now ready for transmission to the appropriate authorities.

According to him, the objective is to establish a more equitable and sustainable revenue-sharing framework that reflects current economic and governance realities.

He also highlighted improvements in the Commission’s infrastructure, including rehabilitation of critical facilities, enhanced security systems, and ongoing renovation of its headquarters.

He said staff welfare had been prioritised through improved healthcare services, training programmes, and capacity development initiatives aimed at strengthening technical expertise within the Commission.

The Chairman said the engagement with the Nigerian Guild of Editors was part of efforts to deepen transparency and improve public understanding of RMAFC’s mandate.

He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to proactive communication, data-driven reforms, and stronger collaboration with the media in promoting accountability in public finance.

In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of the Public Affairs and Communication Committee (PACC) and Federal Commissioner representing Kwara State in the Commission, Ismail Muhammed Agaka commended the media for its role in strengthening democratic accountability and reaffirmed RMAFC’s commitment to sustained engagement with stakeholders.

Other members of the PACC present at the occasion were: Peter Opara, Federal Commissioner representing Imo State, Ekene Enefe, Federal Commissioner representing Anambra State, Hon. Hadizatu Uwani Mustapha, Federal Commissioner representing Borno State; Ahmed Waziri Hassan, Federal Commissioner representing Adamawa State, Bob-Helen Inafa, Federal Commissioner representing Bayelsa State, Oti Nkechi Linda Federal Commissioner representing Abia State. Professor Olusegun Adekunle Wright, Federal Commissioner representing Lagos State and Victor Eboigbe Federal Commissioner representing Edo State.

Barcelona have reportedly reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign Spain captain Rodri for a fee worth £65 million, with the midfielder set to move to Camp Nou on a four-year contract.

The 30-year-old, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is expected to complete his transfer to the Spanish champions in the coming days after Barcelona beat off competition from Real Madrid for his signature.

Rodri emerged as a key target for Barcelona following Frenkie de Jong’s injury, with the Dutch midfielder expected to spend several months on the sidelines.

The Spanish international has been one of Manchester City’s most influential players since joining the club from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8 million.

Rodri leaves City after trophy-laden spell

Rodri made 298 appearances for City during seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium, helping Pep Guardiola’s side win 12 major trophies.

His honours include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League, which City won in the 2022/23 season.

The midfielder’s time in Manchester was disrupted by injuries during the past two seasons. He missed much of the 2024/25 campaign after suffering a serious knee injury before later dealing with a hamstring problem.

However, Rodri returned to his best form at the World Cup, where he captained Spain to their second title and was named the tournament’s best player.

Barcelona strengthen midfield

Barcelona had reportedly seen two bids for Rodri rejected before reaching an agreement with City on Sunday.

The midfielder is expected to become one of several major additions at Camp Nou this summer as Barcelona look to strengthen their squad for the new campaign.

The Catalan club are also expected to complete a deal for Joao Cancelo after his loan spell at Barcelona last season from Al Hilal.

Rodri’s arrival would mark the latest chapter in a decorated career that has seen him establish himself as one of the world’s leading defensive midfielders and a central figure in Spain’s success.

Babafemi Ojudu, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain has outlined 15 critical factors and individuals responsible for the party’s defeat in the Osun State governorship election.

In a detailed analysis following the poll, Babafemi Ojudu identified economic hardship, strategic errors, internal discord, and the widespread popularity of Governor Ademola Adeleke as key elements that undermined APC’s performance.

Ojudu specifically highlighted prevailing economic pressures, noting that those responsible for the widespread hunger in the land directly hurt the party’s chances at the polls.

He also pointed to external political interference, citing controversial outbursts by the Edo State Governor against Adeleke. According to Ojudu, these statements alienated local voters and strengthened support for the incumbent.

Internal management and controversial administrative decisions further eroded voter trust. Ojudu criticized the decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s accounts, stating that the move severely damaged the APC’s standing among the electorate.

He also listed controversial public statements made by party figures, including Senator Fadahunsi regarding Accord Party members, and repeated political boasting by Wole Oke. Additionally, Ojudu targeted Ero Arike for engaging in persistent public rants that harmed the party’s image.

Gboyega Oyetola, Former Osun State Governor drew significant criticism in Ojudu’s assessment. Ojudu accused Oyetola of imposing an unpopular candidate and denying APC members the opportunity to freely choose their preferred flag-bearer.

Furthermore, Ojudu argued that visiting APC governors and national leaders adopted an overbearing approach that made them appear as though they had come to conquer the state.

Beyond internal party failures, Ojudu acknowledged the opposition’s campaign strengths. He noted that Governor Adeleke’s personal charm and irrepressible dancing ability resonated strongly with the electorate.

The campaign was further bolstered by Nigerian music star Davido, whose widespread influence provided a crowd-pulling magic that mobilized massive voter support.

As counting continues in the Osun governorship election, Governor Ademola Adeleke has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene over an alleged directive to withdraw security personnel from polling units and collation centres across the state.

Adeleke, in a statement posted on his X handle, said the alleged withdrawal could expose voters, INEC officials and other personnel to danger.

He said, ‘I have just been reliably informed that some unscrupulous persons have given a directive to withdraw security agents from polling units and collation centers across Osun State. This will expose innocent voters, INEC officials and personnel to grave danger from rampaging APC thugs.

‘The IGP, DG DSS should not allow desperate politicians truncate Osun election. Mr. President @officialABAT should intervene now!

‘It is imperative that you use your good office to issue a clear warning to the heads of security agencies deployed to protect the good people of Osun State and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

‘Reports of attempts to hijack or disrupt collation centres by desperate and rejected politicians across the state are deeply concerning and unacceptable, particularly given the large number of security personnel deployed to ensure a peaceful and credible election.

‘I therefore implore you to reiterate the commitment made to the people of Osun State that their votes will count and that the outcome of this election will reflect their genuine choice. The Nigeria @PoliceNG, @OfficialDSSNG @HQNigerianArmy @official_NSCDC and other security agencies must strictly adhere to this directive, while @inecnigeria must be given every necessary support to conclude the process and deliver a credible and transparent outcome.

‘The people of Osun State have spoken with one voice, and their voices must be heard. Their votes must be protected, and their mandate must be respected.’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has uploaded 1,578 polling unit results from the ongoing Osun State governorship election to its election result viewing portal, I-REV.

The update represents 41.93 per cent of the total expected returns from the 3,763 polling units spread across the 30 local government areas of the state.

Checks on the portal at 5:45 pm confirmed the latest batch of uploads, with the most recent entry recorded at 5:39 pm. INEC stated that the I-REV platform will receive continuous, progressive updates as electoral officers verify and transmit additional results directly from polling stations across Osun State

For many young Nigerians, the challenge is not the absence of opportunities. It is finding them, knowing which ones are credible, understanding how to access them and having the guidance to turn them into meaningful outcomes.

It is this gap Alabi Opeyemi, senior special assistant on Youth Mobilisation to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, seeks to address with YouthDesk.ai, an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to connect young people with opportunities, skills, mentorship, guidance, resources and institutional support.

The platform will be formally unveiled on September 3, 2026, at Worksphere by Eridan, Oluwalogbon House, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

Opeyemi said the initiative was inspired by Governor Sanwo-Olu’s sustained focus on youth development, empowerment and innovation, but is designed to extend the reach of such interventions through technology.

‘YouthDesk.ai goes beyond being just another digital application; it is conceived as an opportunity infrastructure and ecosystem that brings young people, opportunities and institutions together on a single platform,’ he said.

At its core, YouthDesk.ai seeks to solve an information and access problem. Young people often encounter opportunities in fragmented spaces, while many lack the networks or institutional connections required to navigate education, employment, entrepreneurship and skills development. The platform brings these pathways together through a suite of technology-enabled services.

One of its central features is AI Padi, an artificial intelligence-powered assistant designed to provide personalised guidance and help users navigate relevant resources and opportunities. The platform also provides access to learning and skills-development resources aimed at helping young people build competencies relevant to education, employment and entrepreneurship.

Its Opportunity Hub is designed to bring scholarships, jobs, internships, grants, fellowships, training programmes and other youth-focused opportunities into a single digital environment.

The ambition extends beyond individual users. YouthDesk.ai is being positioned as an ecosystem connecting young people with grassroots youth leaders, private-sector organisations, government agencies, NGOs, development partners and other institutions.

This partnership model is central to the initiative’s reach. Grassroots youth leaders are expected to provide community-level insight and access, while businesses, government institutions and development organisations bring opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship, training, mentorship, scholarships and capacity development.

Bode Olabisi, director, media and publicity, YouthDesk.ai, said the September unveiling will provide stakeholders with an opportunity to understand the platform, explore its capabilities and identify areas for collaboration.

The platform’s grassroots focus is particularly significant. Opeyemi’s proposition is that access to opportunity should not depend on geography, background or proximity to influential networks. Technology, in this model, becomes the distribution mechanism for information and access. The next question is whether the platform can turn discovery into outcomes.

For YouthDesk.ai, success will depend not only on the number of young people who use the platform but on how effectively it connects them to credible opportunities, relevant skills, mentors and institutions-and ultimately whether those connections translate into jobs, businesses, education, skills and other measurable forms of advancement.

‘With artificial intelligence increasingly transforming education, employment and entrepreneurship globally, YouthDesk.ai seeks to ensure that young Nigerians are not left behind but are equipped with the information, skills, connections and opportunities needed to participate meaningfully in the emerging digital economy,’ Opeyemi said.

The September 3 unveiling will therefore be more than a product launch. It will be the first public test of an ambition to build digital infrastructure around one of Nigeria’s most important assets: its young population.

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has linked more than 200 young people in the Niger Delta with employers, mentors, training providers and enterprise-support organisations as part of activities marking International Youth Day 2026.

The forum, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, under the theme, ‘Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Future,’ focused on empowering young people through career pathways for economic development and sustainable peace in the region.

Participants from Bayelsa, Abia, Delta, Edo and Rivers states explored career opportunities spanning information and communication technology, agriculture and agribusiness, renewable energy, construction and technical trades, hospitality and the digital economy.

They were also introduced to jobs, internships, apprenticeships, mentorship, training and enterprise-support opportunities through a Career Opportunities and Support Fair.

Sam Ogbemi Daibo, executive director of PIND, said youth empowerment must go beyond training to creating systems that connect skills with economic opportunities.

‘Young people do not need training that ends with a certificate. They need pathways that connect learning to jobs, markets, mentorship and enterprise opportunities,’ Daibo said.

‘When young people can build sustainable livelihoods, they contribute to stronger local economies and more peaceful communities.’

The forum featured a ‘Voices of Impact’ session, where beneficiaries of PIND’s Youth Employment Pathways programme shared experiences of moving from skills acquisition into employment and entrepreneurship.

Patrick Ekpe, PIND’s Youth Employment Pathways manager, said the success of the initiative would be measured by the opportunities participants secure after the event rather than attendance.

‘The measure of success is not simply the number of young people who attended. It is the number who leave with useful contacts, apply for opportunities, enter mentorships, secure internships or take concrete steps towards employment and entrepreneurship,’ Ekpe said.

A panel session, ‘From Learning to Earning: Connecting Youth to Real Economic Opportunities,’ examined employer expectations, workplace readiness, alternative career pathways and the role of youth employment in promoting sustainable peace.

The event also highlighted opportunities in the cassava value chain through PIND’s Women and Youth Economic Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihoods project, alongside employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Nigeria’s renewable-energy sector.

Participants were further introduced to PIND’s NDLink platform, which provides continued access to jobs and career-development opportunities.

Otobotekere Cephas, a participant from Bayelsa State, said the forum provided practical direction and connections that are often lacking in conventional empowerment programmes.

‘I came looking for clearer direction and left with people and organisations I can follow up with immediately. I now understand the skills employers require and the opportunities available in my area of interest,’ Cephas said.

PIND said it would track commitments made by employers, mentors, training institutions and development organisations, with follow-up assessments to determine how the connections made at the forum translate into internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, jobs and enterprise-support opportunities.

Last week in Abuja, NGX Group’s Board and Management sat down with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa and walked him through an impressive set of numbers: market capitalisation up from roughly ?30 trillion in 2023 to ?160 trillion today, the All-Share Index up from 52,000 points to over 244,000, and a fresh commitment to bring NNPC to market. The President was pleased, and he should be. But I want to sit with a harder question than the one that the scorecard answers.

Nigeria keeps talking about becoming a $1 trillion economy – industrialisation, infrastructure, housing, manufacturing, and companies built to compete globally. What almost never comes up in the same breath is who’s actually going to pay for it. Not the government alone. Not the banks alone. Not foreign capital alone. It has to run, in large part, through a deep, sophisticated, ambitious Nigerian capital market. Which means the Abuja meeting wasn’t just a good-news briefing – it was an opening bid on a much bigger conversation.

Give NGX its due

None of what follows is an argument that NGX is underperforming. The opposite, actually. What was presented to the President was earned: equity turnover more than doubled in 2025, the All-Share Index gained over 50%, and NGX Group posted ?22.98 billion in revenue. Settlement is tighter, and retail participation is turning into a real trend, not a talking point in strategy decks.

That’s momentum, and momentum should force the next question: what is all this progress supposed to make possible? Nigeria’s nominal GDP sat around $291 billion in 2025, per the World Bank, with the IMF projecting roughly $377 billion for 2026. ‘$200 billion economy’ is already a stale frame. If Nigeria is genuinely heading toward $1 trillion, what does its capital market need to look like to carry that weight?

We’re still treating the exchange as a marketplace.

Here’s where the framing needs to shift. An exchange isn’t simply a venue where shares trade hands. It has financial infrastructure, in the same category as the roads that move goods or the grid that powers a factory floor. A capital market moves money from people who have it toward businesses and projects that need it, and the depth of that market sets the ceiling on how fast a country can develop. New factories, housing stock, African tech companies reaching global scale without relocating, infrastructure that doesn’t keep stacking onto government debt – all of it needs financing. Capital formation isn’t a side conversation to industrial policy; it’s the mechanism industrial policy runs through. NGX sits directly inside that mechanism, which is precisely why last week’s meeting deserves more scrutiny than a courtesy call gets. To its credit, NGX framed its presentation less as a victory lap on index points and more as a pitch for a national capital formation programme. Right instinct, worth pushing further.

Increasing listings, turnover, retail participation, and settlement speed – all worthwhile. But the more interesting question isn’t how NGX gets bigger. It’s how much bigger the Nigerian economy gets because NGX exists. That reframes what should be measured: how much capital was raised for productive businesses, not just traded among existing shareholders; how many companies scaled because public capital became available; how much pension capital moved into productive assets instead of sitting idle; how many Nigerian companies reached global scale without ever leaving Nigeria to get there. Harder numbers to produce. Also the ones that actually matter for a $1 trillion ambition.

Two models worth studying

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq became powerful by growing into global pools of capital, not just marketplaces – companies listed there for liquidity, institutional coverage, and compounding credibility, not just American investors. Closer to home, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange built a comparable ecosystem – pension funds, asset managers, investment banks, debt markets, research – that gives South Africa’s capital market influence well beyond its domestic economy’s size. Nigeria already has most of the raw material: entrepreneurs, banks, pension assets, private equity, venture capital, an engaged diaspora, and companies with continental ambitions. What’s missing is the financial architecture connecting all of it at scale – exactly why Lagos should be asking, deliberately and now, whether it can become Africa’s financial centre.

The exit problem nobody wants to name

This part is personal, given how much time I spend around private capital and entrepreneurship. Nigeria has gotten considerably better at financing startups – angels, VCs, and private equity all step in as companies mature. Then what? When a company grows into a $500 million or $1 billion business, where does it go to raise public capital? Too often the answer is somewhere outside Nigeria, and when that happens, the country does not just lose a listing. It loses the investors, the research coverage, the liquidity, and the chance for ordinary Nigerians and their pension funds to own a piece of something built at home. The pathway ought to run: Founder ? Angel ? VC ? Growth Capital ? Private Equity ? NGX ? Global Capital. Getting that pipeline to actually work would be transformational, not incremental.

A government problem too, and a continental one

NGX cannot fix this alone. A government cannot announce a $1 trillion ambition and leave capital formation to chance. Governments, regulators, pension managers, banks, private capital, and NGX need to operate as one connected system rather than as institutions, each protecting their own mandate – close to the language NGX itself used inside the Villa last week.

The same problem exists at a continental scale. We talk about AfCFTA and African integration, but rarely ask the obvious follow-up: where is the African capital market? Dozens of exchanges, multiple currencies, multiple regulators, all fragmented, while African companies keep looking outside the continent for the deepest pools of capital. Trade, industrialisation, and entrepreneurship all need financing, and eventually investors need real exits. Nigeria, given its size, has a legitimate shot at leading that build-out.

The actual challenge for NGX leadership

Don’t build the next incremental version of the Nigerian Exchange. Build the institution Nigeria will need at $1 trillion, then build past that. Make Lagos the place African companies raise capital, a credible exit for venture-backed African companies, and a gateway into Africa for global investors rather than a frontier-market curiosity. Make it realistic for a company in Nairobi, Kigali, Accra, or Johannesburg to seriously weigh Lagos for its next major raise or listing – a materially bigger ambition than trading volume, and much closer to the economic role NGX is actually positioned to play.

This is bigger than NGX specifically. It’s about how the country designs institutions around its own ambition. We celebrate entrepreneurs when they build billion-dollar companies, then hand them financial infrastructure that struggles to finance the next ten billion. Nigeria doesn’t need another institution merely adequate for where it stands today. It needs institutions built for where it’s trying to go.

So the question for NGX leadership is simple: if Nigeria is serious about a $1 trillion economy, what does NGX need to become to help finance it? Not next year. Not in the next strategic plan. Now. Because when Nigeria eventually crosses that line, the story shouldn’t be that the economy grew enormous while the capital market wasn’t ready for it. NGX helped build it.

Airtel Africa has commercially launched Starlink’s satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of Congo, becoming the first mobile operator in Africa to put the technology into commercial use and opening a new route to connectivity in areas beyond the reach of conventional cell towers.

The launch, announced on August 14, moves Airtel’s partnership with SpaceX from testing to a customer service and gives compatible Airtel subscribers access to basic mobile connectivity directly through Starlink satellites when terrestrial network coverage is unavailable.

The service is initially designed for light-data applications such as WhatsApp messaging and SMS. Customers do not need a satellite dish, router or other specialised equipment. Instead, a compatible LTE Android smartphone can connect to the satellite network where there is a clear view of the sky. Apple devices are expected to be supported later.

The development could change the economics of connecting remote parts of Africa, where building towers, fibre links and supporting power infrastructure can be expensive because of difficult terrain, sparse populations and long distances.

For Airtel, the move is less about replacing its terrestrial network than extending its reach without having to build a tower in every hard-to-cover location.

‘This is a significant milestone,’ said Sunil Taldar, Airtel Africa chief executive officer, describing the service as a combination of Airtel’s terrestrial network and Starlink’s satellite technology.

The experience in DRC, will help guide expansion into other Airtel markets, subject to regulatory approval, he added.

Airtel Africa operates in 14 African countries and said it serves more than 183.5 million customers. Its agreement with SpaceX, announced in December 2025, was designed to bring Starlink Direct-to-Cell connectivity to customers outside terrestrial coverage.

The DRC launch follows successful testing in Kenya in March. During those tests, compatible 4G smartphones connected in areas with no terrestrial signal and supported services including WhatsApp, maps, Facebook Messenger and financial transactions through the MyAirtel app.

The commercial launch therefore represents a shift from proving that the technology works to testing whether satellite connectivity can become part of an operator’s everyday network offering.

DRC as a testing ground

The choice of the DRC is significant. The country’s size and geography make nationwide terrestrial coverage difficult. Large distances, forests, remote communities and areas with limited infrastructure increase the cost of extending traditional mobile networks.

That makes satellite connectivity potentially more valuable than in densely populated markets where towers and fibre can be deployed more easily.

Thierry Diasnoma, Airtel DRC managing director said the service would provide an additional layer of connectivity for people who live, work or travel outside the reach of conventional mobile infrastructure.

The potential users extend beyond ordinary consumers. Airtel expects the service to support transport and logistics companies, humanitarian organisations, health workers, farmers and mining operations, as well as communities in remote areas.

It could also serve as a backup when terrestrial networks are damaged by natural disasters or other disruptions.

That emergency function may become one of the most important applications of direct-to-mobile satellite technology. A conventional mobile network depends on physical infrastructure on the ground. Satellite connectivity offers another route when that infrastructure is unavailable.

The bigger African opportunity

The DRC launch is also an early test of whether satellite-to-phone services can become a practical complement to Africa’s terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure.

Airtel’s December agreement with SpaceX was built around Starlink’s 650-satellite direct-to-cell constellation and covered all 14 of Airtel Africa’s markets, subject to local regulatory approvals. The companies also plan to introduce more advanced capabilities as the technology develops.

For now, however, the service is deliberately limited. Users need compatible devices, an Airtel connection and access to the sky. The initial service focuses on messaging and light data rather than replacing conventional 4G or 5G broadband.

That distinction matters. Satellite-to-mobile technology is not yet a substitute for the capacity and speed of a dense terrestrial network. Instead, it fills the gaps between existing networks.

Airtel’s strategy effectively creates a hybrid network: towers and fibre serve areas where terrestrial infrastructure makes economic sense, while satellites provide a connectivity layer for places where extending the ground network is difficult.

Eligible DRC customers can register through the MyAirtel App for a 30-day introductory trial. After the trial, access will be provided through eligible Airtel data bundles.

The commercial rollout also gives Airtel an early position in a technology that could become increasingly important as African operators look for ways to connect people beyond the limits of traditional infrastructure.

For Starlink, the partnership provides access to an established mobile customer base and local telecommunications infrastructure. For Airtel, it offers a way to expand network availability without bearing the full cost of building physical infrastructure in every remote location.

The next challenge will be regulatory approval and commercial expansion across Airtel’s other markets.

If the DRC deployment proves reliable and commercially viable, Airtel will have a blueprint for extending mobile coverage into some of Africa’s hardest-to-reach areas, turning satellite connectivity from a technology demonstration into another layer of the continent’s mobile network.

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has alleged that soldiers are attempting to prevent him from entering Osun State as voters head to the polls for the state’s governorship election on Saturday.

Davido raised the alarm in a post on his verified X account early Saturday, saying he had been ‘reliably informed’ that soldiers were trying to stop him from entering the state.

The singer insisted that he would not be deterred, arguing that Nigerian citizens have a constitutional right to freedom of movement.

His claim comes amid heightened security measures across Osun ahead of the election.

The Nigeria Police Force announced a restriction of movement throughout the state from midnight on Friday, August 14, until 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, as part of arrangements to secure the poll.

The movement restriction is expected to affect vehicular and other forms of movement across the state during the voting period, with security agencies deployed to maintain order and prevent disruptions.

Davido, who is a nephew of incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, has been an active supporter of his uncle’s re-election campaign under the Accord Party. Adeleke is seeking a second term against candidates including the All Progressives Congress flagbearer, Bola Oyebamiji, and other contenders.

The singer’s allegation has generated reactions online, with some commentators linking the reported attempt to stop him to the general movement restrictions announced for election day, while others questioned whether he was being specifically targeted.

Former presidential media aide Bashir Ahmad dismissed Davido’s complaint as ‘dramatic,’ arguing that the restrictions had been publicly announced by security authorities and were part of standard election security measures.

Ahmad maintained that the right to freedom of movement does not exempt individuals from complying with lawful security measures introduced to protect the electoral process.

As of the latest reports, there has been no independent confirmation that soldiers were specifically ordered to prevent Davido from entering Osun State.

The allegation comes against the backdrop of a tense political atmosphere surrounding the election, with security, voter safety and the conduct of political actors remaining major concerns ahead of the outcome.

Thirteen candidates are contesting the governorship election, although the race has largely centred on incumbent Governor Adeleke, APC candidate Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam.

Davido had earlier called on Nigerian authorities and the international community to pay close attention to the Osun election, citing concerns over possible violence and intimidation.

With voting underway, attention is now focused on whether the election will proceed peacefully and whether the singer’s reported movement difficulties will develop into a wider political or security controversy.