Technology
Nokia Launches Three New Nokia C-Series Smartphones
By Adedapo Adesanya
Hot on the heels of the recent launch of the G11 and G21, HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced three new Nokia C-series smartphones –the C21, C21 Plus and C2 2nd edition.
According to the company, this is in response to success for Nokia smartphones within the affordable smartphone market, which saw a 41 per cent smartphone revenue growth for HMD increase from 2020 to 2021 and the company reached its first full year of operational profitability in 2021.
Forecasting one million subscriptions to its Services Suite in the first half of this year, HMD is also announcing a new services-focused division to further continue this period of growth. This will allow the company to foster further growth, attract talent, and better support existing clients by streamlining processes internally.
Speaking on this, Mr Florian Seiche, Chief Executive Officer, HMD Global said, “2021 was a transformational year, resulting in solid revenue growth across the business and today, we are celebrating a profitable new chapter for HMD Global with the release of three new affordable Nokia devices which are not only safe, reliable and durable but ensure as many people as possible can access the latest innovative technology for less.
“I am excited to announce that our services portfolio includes a secure device financing solution for smartphones and other devices. At HMD, we are bringing together these two ingredients, a high-quality smartphone experience and a financing solution that builds upon our mission to make modern mobile technology accessible to everyone.
“Combined with the success of our enterprise services offering to scale to 1 million subscriptions in H1 and delivering the exceptional level of services clients expect from us, we are delivering an accessible and seamlessly connected experience for people and enterprises worldwide.”
Adding his input, Mr Janne Lehtosalo said, “Our range of enterprise IoT offerings has already made a significant impact on multiple industries including logistics, healthcare, and financial technology around the globe.
“Following the creation of the new division, we believe we will be better organised to further grow our offering to more industries, better serve our existing clients, and bring new services to the market. We’re excited to have hit a projection of over one million subscriptions in H1 and are proud that we are able to consistently offer them unparalleled services regardless of where they are on the globe.”
Review of Nokia C-Series
The three new devices epitomise the durability and long-lasting battery life qualities Nokia phones became famous all those years ago. This, combined with the best of Android™ software, and security updates cements HMD’s vision for 2022 and beyond – building Nokia phones that last for longer whilst maintaining excellent build quality.
Nokia phones have incorporated a beautiful Finnish aesthetic that is also functional. The company are bolstering their successful Nokia C-series range, which was introduced in 2020 and already makes up 16 per cent of total company smartphone sales in the last five years.
Nokia C21 Plus
The hero of the C-series family – Nokia C21 Plus – is the smartphone that keeps on giving. It’s designed for durability and is rigorously tested to achieve sleek style and strength, while also delivering on battery life and most importantly, remaining affordable. The device comes with two different battery sizes, 4000 mAh and 5050 mA which deliver up to two- and three-day battery lif] respectively – allowing people to stay connected for longer and recharge less.
Built around a robust inner metal chassis with an IP52 rating protecting against elements, with dirt, dust, and water droplet resistance thanks to a toughened cover glass that protects the dazzling 6.5” HD+ display – ensuring Nokia Hope can stand up to all of life’s hustle-and-bustle.
A 13MP dual camera with panorama and portrait modes allows you to capture life’s best bits in stunning detail. A clean OS with minimal preloads gives you more space for the apps and content you choose. Plus, 2 years of quarterly security updates, and fingerprint and AI face unlock technology ensures the Nokia C21 Plus stays secure, inside and out.
Nokia C21
The Nokia C21 maintains the excellent build quality, security promises and the all-day battery life signature to the popular C-series. The device brings an improved 8MP camera with autofocus technology that seamlessly reads QR codes – so whether people are scanning menus, making payments or simply looking up information – the Nokia C21 ensures scanning QR codes is a breeze.
Enhanced memory capabilities, thanks to a multi-core processor, bring efficiencies without sacrificing the all-day battery life, while AI-powered face unlock is now supported by a fingerprint sensor for extra security and convenience. Two years of regular security updates also come as standard for C-series devices so people can rest assured that the Nokia C21 works hard in the background to keep their smartphone phone safe.
Nokia C2 2nd edition
The Nokia C2 2nd edition comes with super-tough and reliable Nokia build-quality with even more ways to connect. Designed to withstand life’s knocks, thanks to a tough inner metal chassis, and premium Nordic craftsmanship, this C-Series device has been rigorously tested to ensure it meets high durability standards and delivers a thoughtful and purposeful design at an affordable price point.
Giving you greater freedom to connect, and a reliable, super-smooth smartphone experience, the all-day battery life from a single charge enables hours of talk time and days of standby. The generous 5.7” display lets people easily stream, share and scroll through their favourite content and apps in brilliant definition – and capture the best bits of life, day or night, thanks to front and rear flash cameras. 2 years of quarterly security updates also ensure that the Nokia C2 2nd edition stays secure on the inside. The up-to-date OS with minimal preloads helps data go further, freeing up more space for the content and apps you love.
Other C-Series Accessories
HMD’s growth story continues with their accessories range, doubling the accessories business in 2021 with ambitious plans for future growth. Nokia C21, C21 Plus and C2 2nd edition come with a range of accessories including over-ear wired and wireless headphones and truly wireless earbuds offering an easy, hands-free calling experience.
Nokia Go Earbuds 2 + A truly wireless, clear sound and comfortable fit at ultra-high value, whilst environmental noise cancellation (ENC), sweat and splash resistance, up to 24-hour playtime will see users through even the rainiest of days
Nokia Headphones (Available in Wired and Wireless) – a super lightweight design with soft over-ear cushioning and a foldable arm for extra comfort and convenience, make for a seamless experience whether working or listening to music.
HMD Enterprise division
The one million subscriptions are split between the three core products (Connect Pro, Enable Pro, and Softlock) currently sitting under HMD Global Services, and are made up of IoT connections, EMM licences, and device lock licences. The global growth of the existing HMD Global Services lines led to the subdivision, which will further enable the team to focus on improving existing product lines, as well as innovating and creating new product offerings to clients.
Pricing and availability
Local pricing, variants and availability will be shared in-market at a later stage.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Redtech Limited, a Nigerian financial-technology company backed by Nigerian businessman, Mr Tony Elumelu, is considering to raise about $100 million in the next two years to expand its footprints across Africa.
This comes as it announced processing N30 trillion ($20.6 billion) in total transactions over the 2025 financial year, over 100 per cent more than the N12 trillion achieved in 2024, placing the company among the highest-volume processors in Nigeria.
The milestone was driven by strong growth across its payment platform, RedPay – including POS network, merchant collections, and digital payment channels.
According to the firm’s chief executive, Mr Emmanuel Ojo, the milestone marks a decisive shift from capability building to operating at national scale, reflecting sustained trust in Redtech’s infrastructure under high-volume conditions, alongside consistent adoption across sectors.
“This milestone reflects trust from businesses that rely on us to collect and move money at scale, and from partners who expect reliability every single day. We have built Redtech around durability, strong governance, and regularity alignment, so SMEs, enterprises, and regulated clients can grow on our rails without worrying about downtime or friction. With that foundation in place, we are ready to take this approach into more African markets,” he said.
According to a statement, the firm’s transaction volumes have been driven by a mix of SMEs, enterprise customers, and financial institutions across retail, hospitality, insurance, energy, public-sector-linked services, and banking. This highlights Redtech’s ability to support complex transaction flows, including batch processing, reconciliations, and always-on uptime across different sectors.
Redtech plans to expand beyond Nigeria into 29 African countries by January 2027, building towards an Africa-wide payments capability that can support businesses operating across borders, sectors, and payment types.
The company will then consider the Series A funding round, Mr Ojo told Bloomberg.
The startup has so far deployed more than 30,000 point of sale devices and started a payment gateway which helps businesses move money at scale through secure, reliable, and scalable systems that reduce payment failures, downtime, and reconciliation failures while meeting the compliance needs of enterprises and regulated sectors.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
From Wednesday, January 28 to Friday, January 30, 2026, several experienced and budding innovators were at the inaugural Innovation Product Demo Day put together by one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, Interswitch.
The event was organized as a celebration of ingenuity and a catalyst for collaboration, as well as the company’s renewed commitment to building scalable digital solutions and infrastructure that power Africa’s evolving digital economy.
The programme brought together product managers, software engineers, and developers from across the Interswitch ecosystem, alongside student innovators from select tertiary institutions, to spotlight ideas, experiments, and early-stage solutions shaping the company’s next frontier of growth.
They all converged on the Interswitch Innovation Lab Co-Working Space in Lagos. The firm used the occasion to showcase how innovation is built at Interswitch, through structured experimentation, rapid iteration, and cross-functional collaboration.
Over the course of three days, teams unveiled a wide range of working prototypes, new product features, and emerging concepts, engaging in open dialogue that encouraged idea exchange, integration opportunities, and customer-centric problem solving.
The event also featured student innovators from Landmark University and Redeemer’s University, who presented solutions developed through the Interswitch Discovery Series, an initiative designed to nurture future-ready technical talent and strengthen Africa’s innovation pipeline. The students showcased products built from the skills and insights gained through the programme, underscoring Interswitch’s long-term investment in talent development and ecosystem sustainability.
Each presentation opened the floor for robust discussion, with participants offering feedback, asking critical questions, and sharing perspectives on how solutions could be refined, strengthened, and scaled. This collaborative environment reinforced Interswitch’s approach to innovation as a continuous learning process, grounded in execution, accountability, and real-world impact.
“The Interswitch Product Demo Day is more than a showcase. It’s a space where our teams can test ideas, learn from one another, and see the real-world impact of their work. It strengthens collaboration, builds technical capability, and inspires both our people and the wider tech community to keep shaping the future of technology,” the Chief Innovation Officer, Interswitch, Ms Adaobi Igwe-Okerekeocha, said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A leading telecommunications firm, Airtel Nigeria, has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and data access to bridge gaps in connectivity and unlock new opportunities in the country.
The company gave this reassurance during a recent inspection tour of its ongoing Nxtra Data Centre at Eko Atlantic, Lagos.
The data centre is being established to deliver hyperscale and edge facilities across key African markets. With a load of 38 Megawatts, the Lagos facility is expected to serve as a major hub for data hosting, cloud services, content distribution, artificial intelligence, and enterprise solutions in West Africa.
“This Nxtra Data Centre in Lagos represents a critical part of our long-term vision for Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. Today’s visit allows us to review progress, engage our stakeholders, and ensure that our infrastructure investments continue to meet global standards and local needs.
“This data centre will deliver critical high multi megawatt capacity in line with hyperscale customers and enable high density environment. We are putting the infra to bring the cloud to Nigeria,” the chief executive of Airtel Africa Plc, Mr Yashnath Issur, said.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, said, “Since the announcement of this project, our focus has been on building a world-class facility that supports Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
“We are encouraged by the progress recorded so far and remain committed to delivering a secure, energy-efficient, and future-ready data centre for Nigeria,” reiterating that the data centre is progressing steadily towards the previously announced 2028 go live date.
On his part, the chairman of Eko Atlantic, Mr Gabbi Massoud, disclosed that, “Eko Atlantic as a city with high quality infrastructure will contribute positively to boost the economy of Nigeria and is a perfect place for the development of the digital infrastructure of Nigeria.
“The Nxtra data centre reflects the calibre of projects we seek to attract — long-term, technology-driven investments built to the highest global standards.
“Today’s visit affirms the rigour of the planning and execution process by Nxtra, and the commitment of Eko Atlantic to facilitate and promote the Nigeria’s evolving digital ecosystem.”
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