In the first quarter of 2020, Nigerians were treated to the news that Opera was launching its own branded smartphone line, called Olla, in the country. The news was exciting because it offered exciting prospects of the upcoming Olla phones being pocket-friendly and designed to meet the needs of mobile consumers in the country.
The new smartphone brand was launched with the announcement of six (6) models, namely: OLLA M1 Lite, OLLA M6. OLLA M8, OLLA M8 Plus, OLLA V9 Pro, and OLLA Note 3. Olla phones had arrived with a bang, or so it seemed. For the first time, here was a brand that looked set to give itel Mobile a run for its money in the entry-level market. However, since the launch of the six Olla phones, it has been tough going for individuals interested in buying the smartphones. As a matter of fact, finding an Olla phone to buy has been harder than finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
The initial buzz has fizzled out and now in mid-2020, almost no-one talks about Olla phones any more. Meanwhile, other smartphone brands in the country have been launching new devices that are widely available to buy. Is the Olla phone brand dead already so soon? Time will tell. A few models are available in the market for purchase, if you are interested. We bring you details of the annouced Olla phones, including their key specifications, prices, and where to buy them.
List Of First Generation Olla Phones
Let’s look at the various Olla phone models that were announced this year.
Olla M6
Olla M6 is the entry-level model of the Olla phone range and is also the ugly duckling of the family. It skips on fancy things like a waterdrop display and opts for the good old plain Jane appearance of years gone by. It runs Android 8 Go Edition, lacks 4G LTE, and has a 5MP rear camera, 5MP selfie camera, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage memory, and a 2500mAh battery.
Olla M1 Lite
The M1 Lite features a 5.7-inch waterdrop display, runs Android 9 Pie operating system, has an 8MP rear camera, an 8MP selfie camera, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage memory (ROM), and a 3000mAh battery.
Olla M8
The Olla M8 has a 5.77-inch waterdrop display, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage memory, 13MP+2MP rear dual camera, 5MP selfie camera, Android 9 Pie operating system, and a 3000mAh Battery.
Olla M8 Plus
The M8 Plus ha s a slightly larger 6.0″ display, 2GB RAM, 16GB memory, 8MP+0.3MP rear dual camera, 5MP selfie camera, Android 9 Pie operating system, and a 2800mAh battery.
Olla V9 Pro
The V9 Pro sports a 6.35-inch HD+ 2.5D display, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, 13MP+0.3MP+0.3MP rear triple camera, 5MP selfie camera, Android 9 Pie operating system, and a 3900mAh Battery.
Olla Note 3
The Note 3 is the flagship of the Olla brand. In plain English, that means it is the top model of the brand. Here, we have a 6.53-inch display, a 16MP motorized pop-up selfie camera, 16MP dual rear camera, 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM, and 3300 mAh battery. There is also 10W fast charging to improve quick top-up speeds.
OLLA Phones Prices In Nigeria
Olla M6 price in Nigeria: 20,000
Olla M1 Lite price in Nigeria: 25,000
Olla M8 price in Nigeria: 26,000
Olla M8 Plus price in Nigeria: 30,000
Olla V9 Pro price in Nigeria: 45,000
Olla Note 3 price in Nigeria: 62,000
Note that the above prices are calculated average prices of each of these phones, as specific prices tend to vary greatly.
Which are the offline stores that sell Olla phones in Nigeria?
At the time of this writing, we do not have details of any offline stores selling Olla phones in the country. You can buy Olla phones from online stores and platforms like Jumia Nigeria and Jiji Nigeria.
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Where can you buy cheap Vivo phones in Nigeria? Vivo made a quiet entrance into Nigeria’s smartphone market in 2019 without any launch events. We just began to see Vivo phones on sale at various retailers. In recent times, we have been asked about where and how to get cheap Vivo phones In Nigeria. That suggests that there is some interest in this brand.
That is good. The question is not surprising to us here at Mobility Nigeria, because the Nigerian market is largely price sensitive. Consumers are ever on the lookout for the best possible value at the lowest possible price. Which is why budget brands tend to thrive in the country.
Are There Any Cheap Vivo Phones In Nigeria?
This is a tough one. The most affordable Vivo smartphone we know that is on sale in Nigeria is the Vivo Y91C. It sports a 6.2-inch display, 32GB storage, 3GB RAM, Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 chipset, 13-megapixel rear camera with single LED flash, 5-megapixel selfie camera, and a 4030mAh battery. It costs a whopping ₦49,900.
That is the cheapest Vivo phone available in stores around the country.
If you are more adventurous, you can jump on to the Jumia Nigeria website to pick from a selection of cheap Vivo phones that you can pay for and have imported for you from outside the country. They include:
ViVi A40 – ₦30,000
Vivo Y66 – ₦30,000
Vivo Y55 – ₦27,000
The very cheapest Vivo smartphone on this list is the Y55. Costing just ₦27,000, it puts a smallish 5.2-inch display, 2G RAM, 16GB storage memory, an 8-megapixel main camera, and a smallish 2730mAh battery. What of software? It runs…wait for it…Android 6 Marshmallow. You see, the Y55 is a 2017 smartphone. It is not exactly up-to-date.
Vivo Y66 runs that same dated version of Android. Vivo A40 runs even older software – Android 5.1. If you are weilling to put up with dated hardware and software, you can get cheap Vivo phones to use in Nigeria If you prefer more up-to-date smartphones, then you must look away from these cheap Vivo phones.
If your budget is ₦30,000 and below, you will find smartphones from brands like itel, Gionee, and Nokia. The Gionee M6 Mini, for example, is available in the market. Nokia C1 and C2 are available. And from itel, you have A16+, P33 Plus, and S15. These phones have more robust abtteries than their Vivo competitors.
The summary is that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for you to find cheap Vivo phones in Nigeria in 2020. You need at least ₦49,900 in order to enjoy the cheapest Vivo smartphone.
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TECNO Mobile has added two new smartphones to the range of phones with 6000mAh battery. Say hello to TECNO Pouvoir 4 and Pouvoir 4 Pro. They are successors of the Pouvoir 3 that was released last year. The other BIG news is that both of these Pouvoir 4 smartphones not only have a large battery, but they also have fast charging.
In addition to the common 6000mAh battery, other common features include a 7-inch waterdrop display, HiOS 6 based on Android 10, fingerprint scanner, and Face Unlock. Their dimensions are also the same: 174.9 x 79.6 x 9.2 mm
Blogs and social media accounts all over Nigeria are carrying news of an upcoming Nokia Maze Pro Lite, a glossy smartphone with specifications out of fantasy land. It has a 6.2-inch display and is powered by a Snapdragon processor coupled with 12 GB of RAM. Perhaps the most mindboggling specs is the 8500mAh battery.
You may have been excited to hear about the Nokia Maze Pro Lite. A lot of people are. We first came across the news on Nairaland, and it has generated quite some buzz there too. The bad news that we are compelled to bring to you is that this phone is clearly a fake. The design is a bad photoshop job and those specs are cooked up as well. Nokia Maze Pro Lite will never be sold in Nigeria or anywhere else.
If you have followed HMD Global and Nokia Mobile for years, the name Nokia Maze Pro Lite will immediately strike you as odd. It does not fit into how the company names their smartphones. If it had a name like Nokia 9.5 or Nokia 9.9, this might have been an easier sell even to trained eyes and minds. But the name, Maze Pro Lite, is dead on arrival.
Plus, there is no way an 8500mAh battery will fit into that slim body seen in pictures of the Nokia Maze Pro Lite that are going round. That image is suspect too: it looks like someone took the iPhone 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max and photoshopped the Nokia logo on it, along with some nice paint jobs.
What About Nokia Maze Pro?
A Maze Pro Lite suggests that there is another phone without the “Lite”, with even more fantastic specifications and features. There is neither a Nokia Maze Pro nor a Maze Pro Lite on the way from HMD Global. Both of these are imaginary phones with names, specs and images cooked up in a random individual’s private studio.
Do not hold your breath for them. If you want a Nokia smartphone flagship with premium specs to wait for, that’s the upcoming Nokia 9.3 PureView. That is a real Nokia smartphone from HMD Global.
Remember the Zzapo Mobile scam? Don’t be scammed again. If you want authetic information about upcoming smartphones and mobile devices, follow authoritiative, time-tested websites like Mobility Nigeria and Mobility Arena.
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This week, after a long time, I decided to subscribe to an Ntel data plan to see what the experience on the network is like now. For someone who was a big fan, Ntel had become a stranger to me, and I to them.
For how long had I been away from Ntel Nigeria (NatCom)? My long leave away had lasted about 2 years. That will surprise anyone who was aware of how I sang the 4G network operator’s praise in the early days. Our honeymoon was superb and I didn’t want to have anything to do with any other Internet service provider but Ntel. But then, a number of isues cropped up, including: constant disappearing acts of the network and difficulties with payment and activation of data plans.
I even attempted to subscribe again sometime last year and I ended up giving up out of frustration. But this is 2020, the year of the COVID-19 and a near-global lockdown. Internet access is now more important than ever before. Everybody is at home. As students, the children are running online classes, and we adults are conducting most of the business we are able to over the Internet as well. Those costs pile up after a while, if each member of the family has to subscribe toa separate data plan.
So, I began to look around for an ISP offering a voluminous enough data plan. Smile Communications has “unlimited” data plans that looked attractive some months ago, but they now come with a number of clauses that instantly makes them not so appealing as before.
I have tried Spectranet earlier this year and was disappointed by the quality of service I got. I have also used all of MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile. Of course, all data plans from the Big 4 networks are capped, though MTN currently has a juicy double data offer that gives you 20GB data for ₦3,500 only.
Testing The Water With A 1GB Ntel Data Plan
I wasn’t ready to commit any significant amount of money yet, as all I wanted to do was see what the experience on the network was like now in 2020. So, I set out to find myself a small data plan – one that I could spend less than ₦1,000 on and not feel bad if I were to get burnt. Well, it turned out there was a perfect plan for my experiment – a 1GB data plan that cost just ₦500 and had a 30-day validity.
Perfect. If the service was shitty and often unusable, I’d have 30 days to finish the data. Surely, no Internet service in 2020 would be so bad that one couldn’t exhaust 1GB in 30 days.
Are The Payment Issues From 2017 Gone?
Not really. The Ntel self-service online platform that was initially available years ago, and that disappeared 2 to 3 years ago, is still not available again. It was the same platform for buying Ntel airtime and data. Ntel says that subscribers can buy data from inside Guaranty Trust Bank’s GTWorld app and from Quickteller. I chose the latter option, and it worked fine. I was able to pay for and subscribe to the 1GB Ntel data plan via Quickteller, and my Ntel line was credited with the data.
The problem now at this point was from me – I couldn’t find my Ntel SIM card. Anyway, I hightailed it to the nearest Ntel outlet for a SIM card replacement, and I experienced the most pleasant surprise from any Nigerian wireless network ever. I was not asked for the last 5 people IO called, how much data I last subscribed to, an ID card, a untility bill, my left kidney, and one half of my heart.
The Ntel representative scanned my fingerprint and their system verified me pronto. He processed the new SIM card and handed it to me. I doub that the whole process took more than 2 minutes. I was done and out of there like a bolf of lightning.
If you know me, I have advocated for this simplified process for years. What is the point of collecting all of that subscriber information along with biometrics, yet demand documentation from subscribers every single time? It doesn’t make sense. Ntel pulled it off. It was a refreshing experience.
Anyway, once I was back in the safety of my house, away from COVID-19 viruses roaming the streets, I inserted my new Ntel SIM card into a 4G mifi and it connected and provisioned in a few moments and I was browsing away.
What Kind Of Speeds Did I Get Using This Ntel Data Plan?
Here are screenshots from the speed tests that I ran while subscribed to the 1GB Ntel data plan.
The results are fair in general, but they could be a whole lot better. It wouldn’t be too much to expect 30Mbps download speeds on a 4G network; would it? Note that wireless speed tests are almost always location dependent, so it is possible that other Ntel users reister better speeds at their locations.
Anyway, I wasn’t getting much better Internet speeds on the alternative networks. Smile 4G and 9mobile speeds were decideldy worse, while the 4G networks of MTN, Glo, Spectranet, and Airtel wavered between similar and better speeds. But quality of service was okay in the short period I used the 1GB Ntel data plan and I exhausted it in less than 18 hours.
So far, so good. Once I exhaust my current MTN data subscription, I shall be trying out a Ntel Unlimited Weekly plan next. It has a validity of 7 days and costs ₦5,200. It has a Fair Use Policy (FUP) of 40GB, so it isn’t exactly really unlimited. Ntel does not specify what speed your connection is throttled to after you cross the fair usage threshold. I don’t like ambiguous terms of this sort. It would be nice to know exactly what I will get if I exceed 40GB data on this particular Ntel data plan.
Anyway, I shall give it a spin shortly and be sure to exceed 40GB so as to see how badly the browsing experience degrades. It has to be said that 40GB for N5,200 is a generous deal anyway, even if the browsing experience is horrible after crossing the threshold. I do hope that the throttling isn’t as bad as what Smile offers. With Smile, your connection pretty much becomes unusable (at least as at the last time I gave it a spin).
Did You Know That There Is A MyNtel Mobile App?
Did you? I didn’t until yesterday. For some reason, I decided to search Google Play Store for “Ntel” and there I found an official app. It is described there as a self-service platform that enables you to conveniently manage your ntel account via a mobile or web interface. The Web interface points to myntel.com.ng, but at this time, there is nothing loading there. Thankfully, the app works – mostly.
The app requires you to login with a combination of your Ntel number and your PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN, you can use the “Forgot your details?” link below the Sign in form to retrieve or reset it.
The myntel mobile app showing balance of the 1GB Ntel data plan
Using the app, you can keep tabs on your airtime balance, voice balance, data balance, and SMS balance. They all work fine. There are sections for buying airtime and data plans. I attempted to buy a data plan and all went well till I got to the ploint where I was asked to confirm what plan I wanted, after which I got a spinning wheel, followed by a blank WebPay page, and then the app closing.
I re-tried the subscription/order process multiple times. Same result. So, that part of the app does not work. Same payment issues as before. But since Quickteller works, I am good.
There is a Promo section that displays all eligible promotions. If you have a voucher, you can take advantage of any available ones. So far, I’ve had no such luck. Maybe tomorrow.
Tere is a section for Usage History. It provides a breakdown of how you have used your voice, data, SMS and other subscriptions. There is also a section for updating your profile details. All my details, apart from my nickname, were correctly stated. So, I changed my nickname to “Mister Mobility” and hit the Update button. Voila! It worked. Nice.
There is a Trouble Ticket section that lists the user’s Complaint History. All my complaints about loss of network signal and inability to use self service, among others, show up there. Nice. So, I wasn’t making up those things I said about what led to me abandoning Ntel two years ago. There is also a feature that lets you log a fresh complaint. Impressive. I like.
Lastly, there is a coverage section and a support section. These provide Ntel coverage maps and support documentation respectively.
Using an Ntel data plan in 2020 has been a generally good experience. Speeds have not been super great at my location, but they have been good and reliable. Ntel’s self-service and payment issues need to be resolved ASAP though. The easier subscribers are able to pay and manage their subscriptions, the better. The MyNtel mobile app is a good move. Every other 4G mobile network has one now – Spectranet, Smile, MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile all have one.
Expect my hands-on review of Ntel’s Unlimited Weekly data plan by the end of the week, when I would have run through it. Hopefully, it is as good as it sounds on paper. If you have questions, please ask by posting a comment below. I will try my best to answer your questions.
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OPPO Nigeria has announced the availability of OPPO A31 in Nigeria. The announcement was made via the official Twitter handle of the company on July 9, 2020.
The A31 is a mid-range Android smartphone powered by Mediatek’s Helio P35 chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM for app launching and switching. It has two storage variants on sale in the country – 64 GB memory and 128 GB memory for storing your files. The display is 6.5 inches in size and the battery has a 4230mAh capacity.
There are two variants of Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro in production. There is an international version with a 64-megapixel main sensor at the back, and then there is the Indian version which has a 48-megapixel AI quad camera at the back. The Redmi Note 9 Pro in Nigeria is the 64-megapixel version.
This smartphone has two variants. The first one has 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM (storage memory), while the second has 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM. The rest of the features and specifications are the same, and we share the key ones below.
Redmi Note 9 Pro in Nigeria is the 64-megapixel camera version
Redmi Note 9 Pro Specifications
Display: 6.67-inch DotDisplay. This is a display with a punch hole camera. 6.67 inches is on the big side for a smartphone display in 2020, so if you love large screens, you will likely love Redmi Note 9 Pro. In addition, you can expect detailed images and text when viewing the screen, thanks to the 2400 x 1080 picels resolution.
Battery: The 5020mAh battery is massive by 2020 standards, so you can expect battery life that covers a full day and leaves you with some power for the next day.
Charging: 30W fast charge means that if you plug in the phone to charge with an empty battery, you will have 80% power within 30 minutes. That is much faster than what regular charging does.
USB type: This phone uses USB Type-C. That is the one with a reversible connector, not the old school USB port.
Processor: This is the equivalent of the engine of the phone. It determines how powerful a smartphone is. Redmi Note 9 Pro uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset. In plain English, that means that you have a very powerful smartphone here, and the “G” means it is capable of handling serious gaming. Smartphone gamers will be interested in the Redmi Note 9 Pro.
RAM: 4GB RAM is good for fairly smooth app launching and switching. If you go for the 6GB RAM variant, you will get an even smoother experience when you launch or switch between apps.
Storage Memory (ROM): It means what it says: memory that you use for storing your files e.g.photos, vidoes, documents, etc. Ther lower variant has 64GB, while the higher variant has 128GB.
Selfie Camera: 16-megapixel snapper hidden in a punch hole in the display.
Rear Camera: There are four camera sensors at the back, and the main one has 64-megapixel resolution. Expect good pictures. The other 3 sensors include: 8MP ultra wide-angle sensor, 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth camera. There is a dual LED flash to assist with low-light photography.
Fingerprint Scanner: The fingerprint sensor is built into the Power button on the side of the phone.
Face Unlock: Yes.
Up next, we have answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about Redmi Note 9 Pro.
What colours is Redmi Note 9 Pro available in?
The Note 9 Pro is available in 3 colours, namely: Tropical Green, Glacier White, Interstellar Gray.
Does Redmi Note 9 Pro have Gorilla Glass protection?
Yes; the Redmi Note 9 Pro has Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 protecting its large 6.67: display.
Is Redmi Note 9 Pro waterproof?
There is no mention of an official IP water or dustproof rating for the Note 9 Pro.
Does Redmi Note 9 Pro in Nigeria have NFC?
The Note 9 Pro has NFC.
How much is Redmi Note 9 Pro in Nigeria? What is the price?
The 4GB RAM + 64 GB storage version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro has a recommended retail price (RRP) of ₦104,000, while the 6GB RAM + 128 GB storage variant has a RRP of ₦111,000.
Is Redmi Note 9 Pro worth buying?
For the price, the Note 9 Pro looks like good value for money.
Where can you find the Redmi Note 9 Pro to buy in Nigeria? Check ecommerce sites like Jumia, Konga, and others. If, for some reason, you cannot find it to buy at any local retailer, you can head off to international ecommerce stires like Amazon and AliExpress to see if you can’t order and have it shipped to you here in Nigeria.
PS: if you want a more pocket-friendly device that matches most of the specs, check out Redmi Note 9s.
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Global smartphone brand, OPPO, recently introduced two new budget smartphones – OPPO A12 and OPPO A31. Both smartphone options were designed to be smart answers to the most important needs of the average Nigerian. They are both built with Long-lasting batteries, Big/clear screens, Big RAM/ROM, Fast Processors, Good Cameras and most importantly, they both have the glamour of the responsive fingerprint unlock sensors.
Both the OPPO A12 and A31 were designed to offer highly immersive entertainment experiences. Whether you are watching videos or playing games, the blue light system filters, prevent eye strain and protect your eyesight at all times. They also support AI Beautification, which automatically detects skin quality, age, gender, and skin tone, and create tailored solutions for different groups to amplify the beautiful elements of each person. For short video lovers, OPPO A12 and A31 comes with Soloop Smart Video Editor that can help you create professional-quality videos with cinematic filters through very easy steps.
In terms of quality, the OPPO A12 & A31 have gone through 100,000 Volume Button Tests, 200,000 Power Button Tests, 28,000 10cm Drop Tests. And if you need any help, OPPO Nigeria has a robust After-Sales Service Centre with qualified engineers to handle all repairs, issues or phone part requirements.
MTN Nigeria is stepping up to the plate with compelling mobile data bundles that offer huge volumes of data. One of those is the MTN 30GB for 5000 naira offer. It isn’t a standard data bundle but actually a double data promo under MTN’s Data Offers 4ME Mega Deal Zone.
How it works is that MTN doubles the data you get on their standard 15GB for 5000 naira data plan, so you get 30GB instead. Validity on the total data volume is 30 days.This makes it great value for money.
How to activate MTN 30GB for 5000 naira double data
There are two ways you can activate the MTN 30GB for 5000 naira offer – one by using the MyMTN mobile app, and the other by dialling a USSD code.
Activate MTN 30GB for 5000 naira via MyMTN mobile app
Download MyMTN mobile app from the Play Store by clicking HERE.
Sign in to the app.
Make sure you have ₦5,000 on your line.
In the app’s Homepage, tap the “Mega Deal Zone” box
You will find yourself on a page that says, “Crack The Egg“
Tap the egg labelled “Bundle” to display a DOUBLE DATA offer
If you get a Double Data offer to buy 15GB at ₦5,000, tap the “Accept” button. If you don’t, tap “Crack Another Egg“
Once you get the 15GB DOUBLE DATA offer, tap the “Accept” button.
PS: Note that there are times this offer is not available at all and you are presented with say a 20GB for ₦3,500 deal, 9GB for ₦2,000 mega zone deal, or 4GB for ₦1200 deal, instead.
Activate MTN 30GB for 5000 naira via USSD code
Make sure you have ₦5,000 on your line,
Dial *121# on your line.
On the next menu, select the option labelled “Data Offers 4ME“.
On the next menu, select the option that says “Get 30GB for N5,000“
Once subscribed, you will get a text message from MTN Nigeria confirming activation of your plan, as well as your data volume. You can use the package on your smartphone, feature phone, USB modem or MiFi. The MTN 30GB for 5000 naira subscription works on 2G, 3G, and 4G coverage.
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If you are in search of unlimited Internet In Nigeria, you do not have a lot of options to pick from. Here are the available providers, along with the different unlimited plans they offer.
MTN Nigeria has a Welcome Back Offer that gives subscribers 4GB data for 1000 naira. Find out if you are eligible and how to subscribe to this data bundle.
OPPO Nigeria is teasing two new products to be launched in the country next week. What to expect? OPPO A92, an upper mid-range smartphone and Enco W31, a set of wireless earphones.
Being able to share your data bundle with family and friends is something you will find useful at some point in time. If you are wondering if you can share MTN data, here is how to do it.
Niigerians can now conveniently download and print their national ID card using the new NIMC Mobile ID app. Here is everything you need to know about the app and how to use the app.
This article is a guide for those looking for affordable smartphones with good camera to buy in Nigeria, Africa's largest mobile market. Enjoy our editors's selection.
Tech blogging in Nigeria has a come a long way since its humble beginnings in the early 2000s. Today, there are scores of technology blogs in the country. Here are the top tech blogs in Nigeria.
One of the new Airtel unlimited data plans is the How to activate Airtel Unlimited Ultra Standard plan that costs N20,000. Here is what you get when you subscribe, and how to activate it.
