By Second National Operator Globacom and global airtime remittance hub, TransferTo recently announced the launch of Glo Mobile
International Airtime Transfer service. The service enables the transfer of small amounts of money in the form of prepaid
airtime credits from any part of the world to a receiver in Nigeria which makes it the ideal low cost, high value
complement to money remittances. Nigerians abroad that lack a convenient and cost effective solution of transferring small
amount of value to their loved ones, will be able to do that now with the Glo Mobile International Airtime Transfer
Service.
Globacom’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Mohamed Jameel, explained that Nigerian travellers requiring Glo Mobile top-ups
while roaming or Nigerian expatriates wishing to send gift of airtime to their friends and relatives will be able to
perform cross-border top-ups through the service. The service is available real-time from the convenience of a mobile
phone through SMS, via the net by visiting TransferTo’s webstore or through partner mobile operators and retailers offering
airtime transfer services powered by TransferTo in countries such as the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE,
France, Spain, Germany, South Africa, Netherlands and Japan,”.
Also Eric Barbier, Chief Executive Officer of TransferTo, stated that the service will be of great value for Glo Mobile
users. “The partnership with Glo Mobile is a key addition to TransferTo’s global airtime remittance hub that further
improves its offering to Nigerian travellers and expatriates. With Glo Mobile, TransferTo further improves its footprint in
Africa, thus confirming its position as the leading provider of international top-up services.”
Warning to consumers following counterfeit software raid
Following a tip-off from a consumer and a subsequent petition to the local law enforcement authorities by Microsoft
Corporation, the Nigerian Police raided the premises of IPS Plus Solution Limited, a computer reseller who was in
possession of high quality counterfeit software that are packaged like genuine software.
There has been a rising number of what turn out to be ‘accidental pirates’ in Nigeria, people unintentionally purchase
counterfeit software from resellers and only later find out they have been duped, thereby exposing themselves to excess
risk which will in the long-run prove extremely costly for individuals, and often disastrous for businesses. The honest
resellers, who sell only genuine software, are also put at an unfair disadvantage by the unscrupulous resellers who sell
fake software because the counterfeit software is often sold at a much cheaper price, but can end up costing users hundreds
or thousands of dollars. And ultimately affects the economy of the country.
According to Seye Oloruntoba, Anti-Piracy Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, “We are actively working to ensure our customers and
partners in Nigeria are protected from unscrupulous suppliers, this is a responsibility we take extremely serious. When
they come to us for help, we make sure they receive the necessary support and we also alert local law enforcement
authorities like the NCC. There must be severe consequences for those who sell pirated and counterfeit software in
Nigeria.” A recent global study conducted by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) revealed that 82% of Nigerians acquire
software illegally on a regular basis and confirmed that many consumers are unsure of what constitutes software piracy.
