WhatsApp is set to introduce a new username feature that will allow users to connect with others without having to share their phone numbers, marking a significant step toward improving privacy on the messaging platform.

The Meta-owned app announced on Monday that the upcoming feature is designed to protect users’ personal information by enabling them to create unique usernames that can be shared instead of their mobile numbers.

According to the company, the change will prevent phone numbers from being automatically revealed in situations such as joining large group chats or messaging a person or business for the first time.

SEE ALSO: WhatsApp Introduces New Feature For Users

Meta explained that the new system is built with privacy in mind, noting that there will be no public directory or username suggestions.

This means users will only be able to contact someone if they know the person’s exact username.

With more than three billion users worldwide, WhatsApp acknowledged that not everyone may be able to secure their preferred username due to the platform’s vast user base.

The company said the rollout of username reservations will begin gradually over the coming months, with users in different countries being notified when the feature becomes available to them.

In addition, creators, small businesses and organisations will have the opportunity to reserve usernames already associated with their Facebook or Instagram accounts, allowing them to maintain a consistent identity across Meta’s platforms.

The introduction of usernames is expected to enhance user privacy while making it easier for individuals and businesses to communicate without exposing personal phone numbers.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has come to the defence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over growing criticism of the country’s security situation, saying the President has discharged his responsibility by directing the nation’s security agencies to tackle insecurity.

Adeboye made the remarks during the US-Nigeria Faith Heroes Award Gala organised by the Save Nigeria Group in Washington, United States, on June 23.

According to the respected cleric, many Nigerians are wrong to blame Tinubu for the persistent wave of terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes, arguing that the Commander-in-Chief is expected to issue orders while military commanders carry them out.

SEE MORE: Tell God To Kill Me If I’m Using Demonic Power – Pastor Adeboye (Video)

“I don’t support those who are accusing the president of not doing enough. When the commander-in-chief has given instructions to his subordinates, he has done his bit. You don’t expect him to go and put on khaki and fight,” Adeboye said.

To further explain his position, he compared Tinubu’s role with that of United States President Donald Trump, noting that American presidents also issue military directives without personally participating in combat operations.

“When my friend Trump gives instructions to go and bomb anywhere, he doesn’t leave the White House. He has done his bit. The rest is left to those carrying out the assignment,” he said.

While defending the President, Adeboye admitted that Nigeria’s security challenges have worsened significantly, lamenting that terrorism and kidnapping, once largely concentrated in the North, have now spread to parts of the South.

He described the situation as alarming, saying it had become so severe that some people now question where God is because of the growing violence.

The cleric also referred to the United States’ bombing of Islamist terrorists last December, stating that despite such actions, the security situation has deteriorated even further.

According to him, he discussed the country’s security concerns with President Tinubu and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during which he advised the President to issue a strict 90-day deadline to the military to eliminate terrorism or step aside.

“I told him to tell the army, navy and air force that they have 90 days to wipe out this rubbish or resign.”

Adeboye maintained that defeating terrorism requires more than confronting armed groups on the battlefield, stressing that authorities must identify and prosecute those financing and equipping the criminals.

He alleged that many of the sponsors are influential politicians and wealthy businessmen who continue to move freely despite being known.

“You know them. Some of them are businessmen. Some of them are politicians. Go after them. If you don’t deal with those supplying them with arms and ammunition, the problem will continue.”

He also observed that many of the attackers travel on motorcycles, making it easier for them to carry out operations and evade security forces.

Adeboye concluded by urging the United States and other members of the international community to strengthen cooperation with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, expressing hope that greater collaboration would help restore lasting peace and security across the country.

The Federal Government has directed petroleum marketers across Nigeria to immediately reduce the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, following the recent decline in global crude oil prices.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, gave the directive on Monday during the 2026 Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) General Counsel and Legal Advisers Forum in Abuja.

Lokpobiri said the easing of geopolitical tensions between Iran and the United States has contributed to a drop in global oil prices, adding that the reduction should be reflected in the retail prices of petrol and other petroleum products across the country.

SEE MORE: FCCPC Decries Domestic Fuel Prices Remaining at Variance with Global Crude Rates

He, however, expressed concern that many marketers have yet to adjust their pump prices despite the favourable global market conditions.

While acknowledging that Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector is now fully deregulated, the minister warned marketers against exploiting consumers through excessive profit-making.

“The sector is now fully deregulated, a bold reform that President Bola Tinubu had the courage to implement. That decision paved the way for the operationalisation of the Dangote Refinery and other refinery projects currently underway,” Lokpobiri said.

According to him, deregulation has also helped eliminate the era of persistent fuel scarcity, ensuring that petroleum products remain available nationwide despite recent global supply disruptions.

The minister stressed that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has a statutory responsibility under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to ensure deregulation does not become an avenue for profiteering.

He also urged regulators to protect consumers by ensuring fuel stations dispense the correct quantity of products.

“When someone pays for 10 litres of PMS, they should receive exactly 10 litres, not less,” he warned.

Lokpobiri further called on regulators and legal advisers to promote transparency, consistency and certainty in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory framework, noting that such measures are essential to attracting long-term investments into the country’s oil and gas sector.

He expressed confidence that recommendations from the forum would strengthen governance, improve regulatory certainty and boost investor confidence as Nigeria expands its domestic refining capacity and private sector participation in the petroleum industry.