Ramatu Yakubu, a 300-level student from the Faculty of Agriculture at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has won a brand-new car valued at ₦35 million as the grand prize during the MTN Pulse Campus Invasion. The three-day event, part of MTN Nigeria’s GoMAD on Campus youth engagement initiative, featured a mix of entertainment, digital experiences, and entrepreneurial support for Nigerian students.The MTN Pulse Campus Invasion is a nationwide tour designed to blend entertainment with skill development and empowerment. The initiative aims to support, empower, and connect Nigerian youth. We are not just here to talk to them, but to walk with them, support them, and empower them to be their best selves – Femi Adesina, MTN Nigeria’s Youth Segment Manager The BUK event featured a wide range of activities, including live celebrity performances, a gaming village, cinema nights, and 5G demonstrations. MTN provided free exhibition space for 10 student entrepreneurs, selling goods from fashion to food to showcase their small businesses, reinforcing the commitment of the company to tangible support rather than just rhetoric.In addition to the car, other prizes included laptops (worth ₦4 million total), tablets (worth ₦3 million total), smartphones, and cash prizes ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦150,000.
Nathaniel Bassey becomes first Nigerian gospel artist to surpass 400M Spotify streams
Popular Nigerian gospel minister Nathaniel Bassey becomes the first Nigerian gospel artist to surpass 400 million streams across all credits on Spotify.According to The Debut Hub, this feat makes him the 43rd Nigerian artist overall to reach that streaming volume. The achievement closely follows the conclusion of the 2025 edition of his globally acclaimed online worship movement, the “Hallelujah Challenge” (held from October 7th to October 31st).Bassey is recognized as the leading gospel artist in Nigeria to achieve this level of streaming success, making him one of Africa’s most influential gospel figures.His popularity is driven by widely streamed worship songs like”Onise Iyanu,” “Adonai,” “Imela,” and various “Hallelujah Challenge” medleys, which have inspired millions of listeners globally. Nathaniel Bassey is equally famous for pioneering the Hallelujah Challenge, an annual, global online worship and prayer movement. It began unexpectedly as an Instagram Live session from his living room in 2017 but quickly grew into an inter-denominational movement uniting believers worldwide. The challenge typically runs for one hour daily, from 11:59 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. (Nigerian time), across social media platforms. The event is strictly a spiritual exercise and is not for commercial purposes. Bassey reportedly rejected an estimated ₦1.4 billion in potential YouTube revenue by choosing not to monetize his channel specifically for the Hallelujah Challenge.The spiritual exercise centers around the theme “Olowogbogboro”,a Yoruba term meaning “The One whose arms are broad or outstretched”, or “The outstretched arm of God”.
Nigerian creators dominate 2025 TikTok SSA Awards nominations
Nigerian digital creators have demonstrated their continental influence by securing the highest number of nominations for the 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).The nominations span nearly every major category, recognizing Nigerian talent from music and comedy to social commentary and education. The annual awards ceremony, which celebrates creators who have engaged, inspired, and connected communities, is scheduled to take place on December 6, in Johannesburg, South Africa.Nigerian content creators, artists, and commentators are prominent across the entire nominee list, placing Nigeria as a digital powerhouse in the SSA region.Public voting for the 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa is currently open.The voting window closes at midnight (CAT) on Friday, November 14, 2025, which is tomorrow.Fans are permitted to cast one vote per category per person per day via the official TikTok voting page. The public is encouraged to follow the official TikTok pages and use the hashtag #TikTokAwardsSSA in their posts to boost their favorite nominees.
FG unveils AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot for youth employment and mentorship
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, has unveiled an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot designed to serve as a digital lifeline for young Nigerians. This innovation, developed in partnership with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Digital Innovation, aims to provide real-time support, guidance, and access to essential resources, including information on employment, entrepreneurship, mental health, and mentorship programs. The initiative is projected to reach one million young Nigerians annually and aligns with the government’s goal of using technology to restore hope, trust, and inclusion among youth.The AI chatbot, which is a phase of the Youth Help Desk, is championed by the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande Wisdom. The chatbot will offer instant access to verified information, eliminating the need for youths to navigate complex government websites or visit multiple physical offices.The curated knowledge base is specifically trained on government data, policies, and program details to ensure accuracy and relevance across key areas like employment opportunities and civic engagement. Our goal is to restore hope among young people by showing that the government can deliver support, opportunities and credible information through technology-driven systems – Minister Olawande By utilizing WhatsApp, one of the most widely used platforms in Nigeria, the government aims to digitally include youths and promote greater participation in public institutions.The operational framework will be formally unveiled at an upcoming Stakeholders’ Engagement and Demonstration Forum. This event will include a live demonstration of the chatbot interface, a presentation of the Help Desk’s vision, and collection of stakeholder feedback for nationwide deployment.
FG partners with the US, and others to tax remote workers earning in foreign currency
Nigeria has stepped up its plans to tax income earned abroad by remote workers and online professionals. The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed that Nigeria has signed agreements with over 100 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and the UAE (Dubai), to automatically exchange financial information. This framework, primarily based on the Common Reporting Standards (CRS), allows Nigerian authorities to track foreign deposits and properties of its tax residents. Under the new law, all Nigerians receiving income from international companies or online platforms must self-declare their foreign earnings, as the system will now monitor the money once it enters their bank accounts.The government’s new strategy blends self-reporting by taxpayers with enhanced global intelligence gathering. Nigeria is a signatory to the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) on the CRS, which facilitates the automatic, annual exchange of financial account information (like bank balances and account owner details) with over 100 partner jurisdictions.Oyedele emphasized that the system provides authorities with data about Nigerians who have money and properties abroad, ensuring transparency.Remote workers, freelancers, and digital earners are mandated to self-declare their foreign income in Naira for Personal Income Tax (PIT) purposes. Failure to do so may lead to the issuance of presumptive assessments with added penalties and interest.For individuals, the new tax laws taking effect in January 2026 will apply the tax based on progressive personal income tax rates (ranging from 0% to 25% for high earners), replacing the flat rate approach.
Kenya Police arrest 3 Nigerians over alleged cyber fraud and illegal stay
Three Nigerians were arrested in Kenya by a joint operation team of police and immigration officers on Wednesday, November 12, over allegations of cyber fraud and illegal residency. The suspects, identified as Peter Chukwujekwu, Alazor Chukulute Sunday, and Nnalue Chiagozie Samwel, were apprehended at their hideout in Mwihoko village, Mwea East sub-county, following a tip-off from residents. Authorities recovered a cache of items linking them to a suspected cybercrime network, including 21 mobile phones, 79 SIM cards, 37 credit cards, and a Dell laptop.The operation was described by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as a well-coordinated multi-agency operation focused on dismantling a suspected cyber fraud ring.According to Kirinyaga County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) Justus Imana, the recovered items suggest the trio was involved in a sophisticated fraud network. Authorities also recovered seven foreign currencies and items suspected to be used for witchcraft. Investigations revealed that the suspects had overstayed their visas and were in the country illegally, with their entry passes having expired. One individual reportedly arrived as early as 2021.The arrests were made after residents raised concerns over suspicious movements and late-night activities at the rented apartment where the Nigerians were operating.The three suspects are currently in police custody and are scheduled to be arraigned in court today, Thursday, November 13. Investigators are continuing to trace possible connections between the suspects and cross-border cybercrime syndicates.The arrests come a year after Kenya deported seven other Nigerians over allegations including drug trafficking, money laundering, and online fraud. Kenyan authorities have urged any potential victims of the suspects’ fraud activities to come forward for identification.