FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare Lebara Nigeria has commenced nationwide commercial operations, adding another player to Nigeria’s telecommunications market with physical SIM cards, eSIMs and digital self-onboarding services. Geographic Reference The company officially went live on September 14, 2026, allowing customers across Nigeria to access its mobile voice, SMS and data services. Customers can obtain physical SIM cards through participating retail outlets and registered agents, while those with compatible devices can activate an eSIM. Lebara is entering the Nigerian market as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). Rather than building and operating its own nationwide mobile network infrastructure, the company provides services using existing telecommunications infrastructure. The Nigerian operation is managed by VAS2Nets Telecommunications Limited, which holds the relevant Nigerian regulatory approvals and operates the Lebara brand in the country. One of the company’s main features is digital self-onboarding. Prospective subscribers can complete their Know Your Customer (KYC) registration remotely through the My LebaraNG app, without having to visit a physical store. Customers who prefer in-person assistance can also visit authorised retail locations, including Slot stores where Lebara agents are available. The company said it had more than 1,000 registered retail agents in its distribution network at launch. Lebara’s official website also allows customers to order SIM cards online, while eSIM-compatible devices can be activated without requiring a physical SIM card. Lebara’s initial offering includes mobile voice, SMS and data services. The company has also built additional digital services into its offering, including Sabi Cloud, a cloud-storage service that allows customers to back up and share files, photos and videos. It also offers device financing through a Buy Now, Pay Later arrangement for eligible customers. According to Lebara, selected smartphones can be obtained with an initial payment and the remaining amount spread across an agreed period. Subscribers can also access LebaraPlay, the company’s entertainment platform. The company says its bundles are designed around different customer needs and budgets, with usage tracking included to help subscribers monitor their consumption. The operator has introduced the 0724 number series for its Nigerian subscribers. Geographic Reference Lebara had previously begun preparing for its Nigerian launch, including a soft launch in Lagos in February 2026, before moving to nationwide commercial operations in September. The company is also offering international calling services, with its website stating that subscribers can call destinations across more than 230 countries and territories. New Operator Enters Nigeria’s Telecom Market Lebara’s launch places it alongside established operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and 9mobile, while also adding to the country’s developing MVNO segment. As an MVNO, Lebara can focus on customer-facing services, pricing, distribution and digital products while relying on existing network infrastructure for connectivity. The company said its Nigerian operations would focus on making connectivity more accessible while giving customers greater control over onboarding and managing their mobile services. Nigerians interested in becoming Lebara distributors can also register through the company’s website. FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare MSME Africa Unveils Top 50 Remarkable MSME Founders… Ultimate 2026 Guide to the Top Business Enabling… Airtel Nigeria launches eSIM for customers NITDA Warns of Critical eSIM Security Flaw… Overcoming Binding Constraints to Competitive… Telcos Confirm SIM Swap Services Resumption Across… Nigerian Gov’t Begins Six-Week Review of Nigeria’s Tax Reform Ahead of 2027 MultiChoice Nigeria to Refresh DStv and GOtv Packages as New  Channel Added Nigerian Government Targets 200 New Telecom Sites Before December NCC Begins Registration of SIM-Enabled Devices in Nigeria, Targets Illegal Imports 50 Innovators to Receive ₦330 Million Non-Dilutive Grant as iDICE Founders Lab Cohort 1 Reaches Final Stage AFC, Vision Invest Commit $300m to Expand Africa’s Digital Infrastructure MTN Eyes Banking Licences to Expand Lending Across Africa NCC Has Transformed Telecom Industry, Says Adedigba Crop Cura Trains 311 Ogun Farmers on Digital Tools to Improve Farm Productivity, Access Finance FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare Agritech company Crop Cura, in collaboration with Dizengoff and Casava Insurance, has trained 311 smallholder farmers in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State on using digital tools to improve farm management, crop production and access to finance. The training, held at the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Secretariat, exceeded the organisers’ initial target of 200 farmers, highlighting interest in digital solutions among smallholder farmers in the area. The programme brought together agricultural officials, farmer representatives and other stakeholders, including the Director of Agriculture for Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Abolade Omidiji; State Chairman of the Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Lanre Kokumo; and other MAAN, Ogun State Economic Transformation Project and agricultural extension representatives. Geographic Reference The training was conducted mainly in Yoruba to enable farmers, including those with limited formal education, to participate fully and understand how the technologies and agricultural practices discussed could be applied to their operations. Representatives of Dizengoff, identified as Friday, Omolade and Toyin, provided guidance on the appropriate use of agricultural inputs, fertiliser application and crop protection. They also addressed soil-related challenges and the importance of applying farm inputs correctly to improve crop productivity and reduce losses. Representatives of Casava Insurance, led by Jesuloba and Shina, introduced the farmers to agricultural insurance and explained how insurance can help protect farm investments against losses arising from weather and other agricultural risks. The session allowed farmers to ask questions about crop failures, weather-related risks and other challenges affecting their farming operations. During a presentation titled “Use your phone to farm better and get money for your farm,” Crop Cura’s Dr Soetan Olatunbosun demonstrated how farmers can use smartphones and digital tools to support different aspects of farm management. He introduced the farmers to Crop Cura’s artificial intelligence (AI) tool, which allows users to scan crops with a smartphone camera to identify possible crop-health problems and receive advisory information. Olatunbosun also encouraged the farmers to maintain digital records of their farms, including acreage, planting dates, inputs, labour costs, harvests and sales. He explained that consistent record-keeping could help farmers develop verifiable financial profiles that may support their efforts to access credit. The training also highlighted the importance of combining digital technology with conventional agricultural support. Olatunbosun stressed that AI should complement physical farm inspections and professional agricultural advice rather than replace them. Engineering & Technology The programme further featured a practical session on the Crop Cura mobile application, led by Mrs Ebelechukwu Uvietesivwi. During the session, farmers used their Android phones to download and navigate the application, while facilitators and some participants helped others who needed assistance with the process. The organisers said the training was part of efforts to increase the adoption of digital tools among smallholder farmers in Ado-Odo/Ota. For the farmers, the use of digital farm records, crop-health tools and agricultural insurance could provide practical support for managing farm operations, protecting investments and building the information needed to engage with formal financial services. The initiative therefore combines agricultural knowledge with digital tools and risk-management support, giving smallholder farmers resources that can help them manage their farms as productive businesses. For more updates, follow us on Google Discover FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare Nigerian Government ,UNDP, Korea Begin $12m Abuja Entrepreneurship Centre to Help Startups Build Businesses, Create Jobs FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare The Nigerian Government, in partnership with the Republic of Korea and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has commenced construction of the $12 million Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE), a facility designed to help young Nigerians turn innovative ideas into viable businesses and create jobs. The groundbreaking ceremony, held at the headquarters of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in Abuja, marks the transition of the project from planning to physical construction. Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, said the centre would address some of the support gaps that prevent promising business ideas from becoming sustainable enterprises. He said many ideas with the potential to create employment are abandoned because their founders lack access to the support, knowledge and resources required to develop them. “Even an idea capable of employing 1,000 people is abandoned because its originator cannot find support. Every such loss deprives families of income, communities of opportunity, and our country of progress,” he said. According to the Vice President, ACE will provide business education, technical expertise, mentorship, incubation and acceleration support, particularly for entrepreneurs working in areas such as fintech, agri-tech and health-tech. Participants will receive support to test and refine business ideas, understand their customers, determine appropriate pricing, manage cash flows and develop governance and financial systems that can improve their ability to attract investment. Shettima also stressed the importance of digital skills and artificial intelligence in preparing Nigerian entrepreneurs to compete in the global economy. He said Nigeria’s young people should not be limited to consuming technologies developed elsewhere but should be positioned to develop technology, own businesses and access international markets. The government also expects the centre to contribute to the development of high-growth startups, including businesses with the potential to scale into billion-dollar companies. Director-General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, said the project aligns with the agency’s GROW Nigerian Strategy, which focuses on skills development, access to finance and markets, and productive infrastructure for businesses. Geographic Reference He said the centre would provide entrepreneurs with access to workspaces and specialist facilities that many early-stage businesses may struggle to establish independently. “The Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship gives that commitment a physical home,” Odii said. UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, said ACE would help translate Nigeria’s large youth population into sustainable businesses and decent employment opportunities. She noted that more than 75 million Nigerians are between the ages of 15 and 35, while young people and MSMEs continue to face challenges including limited access to finance, digital infrastructure, business support and innovation spaces. The Korean Ambassador, Jeong Yo-an, said the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) had helped translate cooperation between Nigeria and South Korea into practical development projects. Business Formation He said the Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship demonstrated how bilateral cooperation could support skills development, business creation and community development. The centre is expected to support 500 prospective young entrepreneurs and 400 startups operating in fintech, edtech, healthtech and agritech. Beyond the direct beneficiaries, the facility is also expected to provide wider support to MSMEs in Abuja and surrounding areas, creating access to business development resources, innovation infrastructure and specialist expertise. With the project moving into construction, ACE is intended to provide a physical ecosystem where entrepreneurs can develop ideas, strengthen their business models and gain the technical and commercial skills required to move from early-stage concepts to viable enterprises. The initiative brings together government, development and international partners around entrepreneurship infrastructure, with the broader objective of improving the capacity of young Nigerians and MSMEs to build sustainable businesses and participate in the digital and innovation-driven economy. Business Operations For more updates, follow us on Google Discover FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare UNIDO,FBRA Turn Plastic Waste into Business, Jobs as Recycling Facilities Process 85 Tonnes in Lagos, Abuja FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have demonstrated how public-private collaboration can turn plastic waste into an economic resource while creating jobs and supporting recycling businesses in Nigeria. The partnership was highlighted at the closing ceremony of the 54-month UNIDO project, “Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chains through Circular Economy Practices,” held in Lagos. The project supported four pilot plastic collection facilities in Lagos, located at Lakowe in Ibeju-Lekki, Okun Ajah, Igando and Ikorodu. The facilities were jointly co-funded by FBRA and UNIDO to support Extended Producer Responsibility and increase the recovery of plastics for reintegration into production. FBRA Executive Director, Agharese Onaghise, said the facilities would continue operating after the formal completion of the project, providing a platform for sustained plastic collection and recycling activities. At the Okun Ajah facility, operated by Polysmart Packaging Limited through its Switch Recycling operation, about 76 tonnes of plastic were collected between February and August 2026. Polysmart’s Head of Supply Chain, Medinat Bakare, said community roadshows and awareness campaigns helped increase residents’ participation in plastic collection. The facility receives plastics from households, schools and community aggregators, while the Switch App connects households with collection agents. FBRA also provided an 80-tonne baler, while private-sector partners contributed land, personnel, operational management and community collection support. Bakare identified equipment, collector training, recycling education and incentives as key requirements for sustaining and expanding the model. In Abuja, a pilot facility at Jabi, owned by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), is being managed by Chanja Datti under the UNIDO and Government of Japan project. Chanja Datti Chief Financial Officer, Kehinde Olusola, said the facility integrates plastic sourcing, collection, sorting, processing and sales to off-takers, with households, waste pickers and aggregators supplying materials. Between March and August 2026, the facility processed about nine tonnes of plastic, created 11 direct green jobs and supported 35 women waste workers with personal protective equipment and identification. Olusola said Chanja Datti paid about N2.59 million for materials collected at the site, creating a more structured income stream for people participating in the waste collection chain. The company is also expanding into manufacturing household products from recovered plastics, while a partnership with Food Concepts Nigeria Limited, the parent company of Chicken Republic, is expected to increase plastic supply to the Jabi facility. Speaking on the wider project, UNIDO Regional Director and Country Representative, Ambassador Philbert Johnson, said the initiative produced plastic waste management guidelines, strengthened recycling and plastic value chains and demonstrated a circular-economy model based on innovation and technology. Johnson urged young Nigerians to explore recycling as a business opportunity, noting that viable operations do not necessarily require huge machinery or large amounts of capital. UNIDO Project Manager, Nahomi Nishio, said the project, which began in April 2022, strengthened Nigeria’s plastic ecosystem through interventions at national, state and private-sector levels. She said the programme strengthened five organisations through training and pilot interventions, trained informal waste pickers and supported companies adopting circular-economy and resource-efficient practices. Engineering & Technology Representing the Minister of Environment, Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health Department, Omotunde Adeola, said the project had improved collection systems, provided infrastructure and equipment for small and medium-sized enterprises, created jobs and strengthened recycling activities in Lagos and Abuja. He said sustainability would require cooperation between the Federal and state governments, alongside education, awareness, financing and source segregation. On Extended Producer Responsibility, Adeola said the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was working with Producer Responsibility Organisations, including FBRA, and manufacturers to ensure producers assume greater responsibility for plastic waste. Ambassador Hideo Suzuki of the Embassy of Japan said Japan provided about $2.16 million to fund the UNIDO initiative since 2022 and urged stakeholders to sustain the equipment, technologies and partnerships developed under the project.Geographic Reference Stakeholders at the closing session also called for stronger financing mechanisms, including consideration of a circular-economy trust fund, and fiscal incentives to make recycled materials more competitive with virgin materials. Business Formation The project highlights the potential of recycling to create structured markets for waste materials, income opportunities for collectors and new production opportunities for businesses using recycled plastics.. For more updates, follow us on Google Discover FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppCopy LinkLinkedInShare BREAKING: CBN announces New Withdrawal Policies, Pegs ATM Withdrawals Limit at N20,000 daily, N100,000 weekly First Bank Nigeria Joins SME Finance Forum FG Opens Application Portal for N75 Billion MSME Survival Fund 10pm Today, Releases Time-table for Payroll Support Scheme for different sectors Call for Applications: MTN ICT and Business Skills Training (N90 Million Grant for 300 Participants) How to apply and benefit from free CAC Business Name Registration for 250,000 MSMEs Call for Applications: Rural Youth Skill Acquisition Programme for Nigerian Youths (receive N50,000 monthly stipend) How to put your house in order for tax purposes Call for Applications: Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme 2023 for African Entrepreneurs (get $5,000 seed funding)