By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The airtime and data credit advance service offered by MTN Nigeria under the product name Xtratime has been temporarily suspended.

In a notice to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Thursday, MTN Nigeria explained that the decision to pause the service was due to regulatory compliance with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

However, it said customers could continue to purchase airtime and data through other alternative digital channels.

The company also disclosed that it does not expect the suspension of Xtratime to affect its topline because of its robust revenue mix.

“MTN Nigeria Communications Plc hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public that the company has temporarily suspended its airtime and data credit advance service (Xtratime).

“This relates to the implementation of processes under the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which introduced a new compliance and licensing framework for entities providing digital or non-traditional consumer credit services.

“In the interim, customers continue to have access to alternative digital channels for airtime and data purchases.

“Given the scale within the revenue mix, we do not expect the temporary suspension to have a material impact.

“We are closely monitoring customer behaviour and usage trends and will provide an update on any quantified impact in our Q1 2026 results,” the notice signed by the company secretary, Ms Uto Ukpanah, read.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A crypto-to-naira payout platform, Breedjr, has embarked on an upgrade designed to deliver faster settlements and improved rate transparency for users.

Since its launch in 2025, it has successfully executed $4 million in total payouts, indicating its growing acceptance in the digital currency landscape.

The milestone and product update signal a strategic shift in Breedjr’s positioning within Nigeria’s crypto-to-naira market. The platform’s growth has been driven largely by high-frequency users generating significant transaction volumes, a trend the company is now leaning into as it sharpens its focus on this segment.

This evolution comes amid rapid changes in Nigeria’s crypto ecosystem. The country ranked among the top globally in crypto transaction volume in early 2026 and continues to lead in peer-to-peer trading activity.

Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC play a central role, serving as both a hedge against naira volatility and a key channel for receiving international payments.

At the same time, the regulatory environment has become more structured following the enactment of the Investments and Securities Act 2025, which places virtual asset service providers under the oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), raising compliance expectations across the ecosystem.

Business Post reports that the company had to carry out the upgrade to satisfy a growing segment of users, including traders, freelancers, and recurring converters, who rely on seamless conversion of digital assets into naira.

With the enhanced experience, users can generate a receiving address within the app, view exchange rates upfront before initiating transactions, send funds from any exchange, and receive naira directly into their Nigerian bank accounts in under 60 seconds.

The latest improvements focus on speed and clarity, particularly for users handling larger transaction volumes.

According to the company, settlement times have been further optimised across supported assets, including USDT, USDC, and BTC, while rate confirmation is now provided before funds are transferred, eliminating uncertainty in the conversion process.

“For many active crypto users, the challenge is not receiving digital assets—it’s being able to convert them into naira quickly and with confidence, especially at higher volumes.

“What we are building goes beyond speed. It’s about creating a payout experience user can trust when transaction size truly matters,” the chief executive of Breedjr,” Mr Ikenna Eneje, said.

By Dipo Olowookere

A well-refined and heart-healthy cooking oil designed to meet the evolving nutritional needs of households has been introduced into the Nigerian edible oil market by Olam Agri.

The product, Mama’s Pride Soya Oil, is a carefully developed innovation tailored for Nigerian kitchens and homes.

It is fortified with Vitamin A and Omega 3 and 6, and has zero cholesterol content, with long-lasting frying performance, ensuring value for money for consumers.

To produce Mama’s Pride Soya Oil, the company had strong engagements with the soy farmer community and the government. Its $50 million state-of-the-art soybean crushing plant and feed mill complex in Ilorin, Kwara State, serves as the largest in sub-Saharan Africa with a processing capacity of 250,000–350,000 metric tonnes annually, supporting local soybean production.

This is supplying Olam Agri’s feed-milling unit and its edible oil unit subsidiary, Ruyat Oil, which specialises in processing and refining various vegetable oils for the Nigerian market.

“Mama’s Pride Soya Oil is proudly produced in Nigeria for Nigerians. It is thoughtfully developed as a product consumers can trust for their everyday cooking.

“With its superior quality, health benefits, and long-lasting performance, we are confident it will redefine standards and emerge as a market leader,” the Africa Head of Edible Oil Processing at Olam Agri, Mr Saurabh Kumar, said at the unveiling of the new product.

“This product reflects our continuous investment in Nigeria and belief in its potential. It builds on our impressive achievements across rice, wheat milling, animal feed, and sesame segments.

“From sourcing soybeans locally to processing them into high-quality oil, our new edible oil product is built on excellence, sustainability, and trust,” he added.

Also speaking, the Head of Marketing, Ms Bola Adeniji, said, “We encourage consumers to choose healthy, non-adulterated edible oils. Mama’s Pride Soya Oil offers not just quality, but safety and nutrition. We call on our trade partners and dealers to champion authentic brands and help eliminate adulterated products from the market for the overall health of Nigerians.”

In his remark, the Managing Director for Wheat Milling Business, Mr Nitin Mehta, said, “This is a historic moment for us. To change the game, we must offer consumers a high-quality product at an affordable price. Mama’s Pride Soya Oil embodies that vision.

“After over a year and a half of rigorous product research and development, we are proud to deliver a product that meets the highest standards.

“We have seen tremendous support from our dealers across our pasta and semolina products, and we are confident that with their continued partnership, Mama’s Pride Soya Oil will achieve even greater success in the market.”