Nigeria’s plan to shake up its telecom industry with dozens of new operators is facing a reality check. According to TechCabal, although the Nigerian Communications Commission licensed 46 Mobile Virtual Network Operators to challenge MTN, Airtel, Glo and 9mobile, only a handful have made meaningful progress.

The biggest hurdle? Money, infrastructure and customer trust. MVNOs lease network capacity from existing operators rather than owning towers, but experts say building billing systems, customer support platforms and distribution networks still costs billions of naira.

Industry leaders told TechCabal that many entrants underestimated the investment required, while consumers remain reluctant to switch providers. With MTN and Airtel controlling over 86 per cent of subscribers, breaking into the market remains a tough task for new challengers.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has pushed back against claims that its recent nationwide prayer programme was organised by Pastor Enoch Adeboye or the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

As The PUNCH reports, PFN described the allegations as false and misleading, insisting the initiative was conceived, directed and executed entirely by the fellowship.

PFN National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, said RCCG merely participated as a member church and had no role in planning or directing the exercise. He also clarified that gatherings held on the final day coincided with Pentecost Sunday, a global Christian observance celebrated across denominations.

The fellowship said it shelved plans for public processions on security grounds and declared the programme a success, urging Nigerians to reject misinformation and support peace, unity and national progress.

A retired Major General, Abubakar Rabe, and his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, have pleaded for urgent rescue after spending one week in captivity in Katsina State.

According to Daily Post, the couple made the appeal in a four-minute video released by their abductors and circulated on social media on Saturday.

In the clip, the captors demanded the release of three detained persons — Sani, Aminu and Nasiru — as well as the return of seized livestock. No cash ransom was mentioned.

Rabe, his wife and their driver were abducted last Saturday near Zakin Baure village on the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road.

Security agencies and the Katsina State Government had yet to react as of press time.

MTN Nigeria has pushed back against claims that it unfairly deducts customers’ data, insisting that rapid data depletion is largely driven by how subscribers use their devices and online services.

According to TheCable, MTN engineers explained that activities such as streaming high-definition videos, scrolling through TikTok, Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts, hotspot sharing, cloud backups and automatic software updates can quickly consume data.

The telecom giant said faster 4G and 5G networks also encourage higher usage because they deliver richer content at greater speeds. MTN noted that many social media apps preload videos in the background, meaning data may be consumed even before users actively watch content.

The company urged subscribers to monitor usage through the MyMTN app and adjust device settings to better manage consumption.

VIA THE CABLE ON X:

The Anambra State Government has dragged eight pastors before a high court in Awka over allegations that they staged fake miracles using hired actors to deceive worshippers.

The pastors were arraigned on Friday for alleged violations of the state’s Homeland Security Law 2025. Prosecutors accused them of wielding fake supernatural powers, using worship centres for criminal activities, and obtaining money by false pretence.

The court ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility, while the case was adjourned to June 15 for hearing of their bail applications.

The case is part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s broader crackdown on alleged religious fraud and public exploitation in Anambra.

Nearly 500 Ebola cases have been confirmed across DR Congo and Uganda as WHO declares an emergency and warns the outbreak could reach historic levels.

The Ebola outbreak in central Africa is accelerating, with nearly 500 confirmed cases now recorded across the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, according to a World Health Organization update. Acccording to Vanguard, the WHO says 471 cases and 84 deaths have been reported so far, with infections rising sharply in just 24 hours as concerns mount over wider regional spread.

The WHO has declared the situation an international public health emergency, warning the outbreak could become the largest on record if unchecked. In DR Congo, 452 cases and 82 deaths have been confirmed, while Uganda reports 19 cases and two deaths. The US CDC has also cautioned that projections show the crisis could rival the devastating 2014 West Africa epidemic.

“That scale is possible,” said Jason Asher, director of CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, during a press briefing.