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Companies’ Snail Speed to IPv6 Migration Worries ATCON

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Olusola Teniola, president, ATCON
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The need to migrate to IPv6 is long overdue and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) is not particularly happy that majority of networks in Nigeria are not Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) compatible.

According to Mr. Olusola Teniola, president of ATCON, networks’ snail-pace to adopting IPv6 poses a threat to Nigerian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development.

Teniola bared his mind at the commencement at a three-day international capacity building and enhancement workshop on IPv6 hosted by ATCON in collaboration with Africa Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), in Lagos, stressing that the Nigerian ICT sector can no longer afford to take the back seat in the global ICT development.

To leapfrog the adoption of IPv6, he said, the Association has taken a further step to involve the two key major stakeholders –the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) “and we are happy that these two important government establishment have bought into the future we are trying to create around the Nigerian ICT space”.

The National Executive Council of ATCON, under the leadership of Mr Teniola intends to enlarge the scope of the workshop to Nigerian IPv6 Conference by next year’s edition.

The Association’s President said that the direct implication of the proposed move by ATCON is to widen the market and accelerate the adoption and implementation of IPv6 for the good of the industry.

“The dividend pervasive broadband may be farfetched if as an industry or a country we are not working towards broadband meeting with technology. As we all know that when Internet of Things (IoTs) take their place in our country an individual may need more than ten IP addresses to enjoy the benefits that comes with IoTs.

 engineers in the implementation and deployment of IPv6 for Nigerian ICT/telecoms development; the need to enhance the performance of our Network Engineers on network management with the ultimate goal of ensuring the sustainable growth of the Nigerian Telecom Industry is second to none globally. “Other reasons why ATCON has invested and is still investing heavily in the adoption of IPv6 are as follows:  to increase the productivity and contribution level of our network

“We also want to provide Nigerian Network Engineers with the required knowledge to compete favourably with their counterparts in the global market; provision of quality training for those engineers that manage our networks which would help in tackling the problem of quality of service in the telecommunication industry; to provide impetus for Nigerian Network operators to migrate fromIPv4 to IPv6 with its attendant advantages.

“We encourage all our members to migrate to IPv6 so that the knowledge acquired in this four-day training could be put to use in their various organizations.

On his part, Mr. Abba Brice, AFRINIC representative said that apart from IPv6 addresses are based on 128 bits whereas IPv4 addresses are based on 32 bits, advantages of adopting IPV6 offers network administrators the visibility of each IP address based on preference.

This allows companies to keep IP addresses public, but still secure when transmitting between private networks.

According to him, AFRINIC understands the migration is capital intensive, but as more and more businesses are supporting VoIP, telework (i.e. videoconferences) and mobile work policies, removing dependency on network address translation (NAT) can dramatically increase network simplicity.

Deploying IPv6 infrastructure can also help businesses improve network performance and assure optimal performance within the network architecture, especially in ensuring secured network.

“IPv6 is the only technology currently available to directly connect large numbers of people and devices, as there are not enough unique addresses to give every mobile device a true end-to-end Internet presence. So, companies in Africa are encouraged to migrate to IPv6 as some devices in the market are already complaint”, Mr. Brice said.

By returning the Internet to an end-to-end model, IPv6 will unleash new opportunities and waves of innovation.

Supporting ATCON’s moves, Dr Isa Pantami, director general of NITDA, said that networks’ migration to IPv6 is another way to unleash knowledge economy in the country.

Dr. Pantami said that advanced countries have moved from a natural resource based economy to a knowledge based economy, and this was achieved through massive capacity development and implementation of IT.

“These countries have not only been able to develop IT, but have also utilized IT in the development of other socio-economic sectors of their country so that these sectors can generate wealth and recognition for the country”, he said.

The DG said, although IP version 4 is still very pervasive in the world today, however its usefulness will soon fade because of its limited address space, limited mobility, limited management, limited security, and the inability to support innovative and complex technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), cloud services, IP telephony, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“The IoT implementation for example will benefit from IPv6 abundance of IP address space of over a quadrillion addresses (3.4 x 1038). This address space can be assigned to every atom on earth and still have trillions of addresses left.

“This capacity for near infinite address space will drive these technologies which will in turn help with the advancement of every sector of the economy of Nigeria. Let me put it to you that the best time to start the implementation of IPv6 is now.

“The international registries like IANA, announced as long ago as 2011 that it had no more blocks of IPv4 left to distribute. Asia-Pacific registry APNIC reached IPv4 exhaustion in 2011, the same fate was experienced by European RIPE-NCC registry in 2012 and South American LACNIC in 2014. Even the North American registry. ARIN reached its final stages of IPv4 in 2014. These statistics show that IPv4 has outlived its usefulness and IPv6 is here to take over,” he said.

He further pledged NITDA’s resolve to collaborate with IPv6 council Nigeria, relevant government organizations and the academia to roll out standards/guidelines and roadmap on the implementation of IPv6 in the country.

 

 
 


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Telcos: How and Why Network Services have Been Poor

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Telecommunications operators (telcos) in Nigeria have explained that the recent poor quality of network services experienced across the country is largely due to the widespread vandalism and theft of critical telecom infrastructure, not a failure on their part.

Telcos: How and Why Network Services have Been Poor

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON

The operators, under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said their efforts to improve services through massive investments and network upgrades are being undermined by unchecked sabotage and the lack of sufficient protection from security agencies.

They warned that unless urgent action is taken, the situation could worsen in the coming days, affecting not just voice and data services but also key sectors like banking, education, healthcare, and national security that rely on stable telecommunications.

A top official from one of the major mobile network providers, who spoke anonymously, said operators had kept their promise to enhance service quality following a recent tariff adjustment approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), but their efforts are being eroded by relentless vandalism.

“At the wake of the marginal price adjustment that the NCC approved for the sector, we promised to optimize our networks to give Nigerians a very robust service,” the official said

“But what we are seeing after making such huge investments is that vandals are carting away our facilities without a challenge and selling them in open markets. That’s why services are a bit poor and that is why if nothing is done urgently, it will get worse.

In a statement jointly signed by Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, and Damian Udeh, publicity secretary, ALTON expressed deep concern over the scale and spread of infrastructure sabotage across the country.

“Since the Federal Government’s decisive interventions earlier this year to support industry sustainability, our members have committed unprecedented levels of investment in network optimization and capacity upgrades,” the statement read.

“New systems are being deployed, transmission equipment modernized, power systems overhauled, and thousands of kilometers of fiber optic networks currently being laid and expanded. Our industry has not seen this scale of investment in recent years. We are working round the clock to improve the quality of service nationwide and we cannot afford these setbacks.”

Between May and July 2025, the association recorded numerous cases of vandalism at telecom sites across Rivers, Ogun, Osun, Imo, Kogi, Ekiti, Lagos, Abuja, and several other states, resulting in widespread outages and degraded service quality for millions of subscribers.

Stolen assets include power cables, rectifiers, fiber optic and feeder cables, diesel generators, batteries, and solar panels, all vital for maintaining consistent network availability.

“These are not mere materials, but the backbone of our digital economy, security systems, and national communications grid,” ALTON said. “We are alarmed at the frequency, intensity, and geographical spread of these incidents.”

Telcos on poor network services also raised alarm over a thriving black market for stolen telecom equipment.

“Batteries are being resold for household and office inverters, solar panels are stripped from sites and traded to unsuspecting buyers, while diesel meant for powering telecom base stations is routinely siphoned and sold.”

In addition to vandalism, ALTON cited damage caused by road construction and civil engineering projects, which frequently destroy underground fiber optic cables, leading to unplanned service disruptions and financial losses.

The group has called on key security stakeholders, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Inspector General of Police, the DSS, and the NSCDC to urgently step in and protect telecom assets nationwide.

 

 

 

 


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Glo Launches Nigeria’s First-of-its-kind Device Protection Plan

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Technology Company, Globacom, is making mobile phone protection accessible and affordable for its subscribers with the launch of its new Device Protection service, a pioneering initiative in Nigeria.

The innovative offering enables both new and existing Glo subscribers to protect their mobile devices against screen and water damage for a small premium.

In partnership with Cubecover, this service allows new and existing Glo customers to protect their mobile devices against common screen and water damage. Mojeed Aluko, Globacom’s Head of Value Added Service (VAS) explained that a minimal daily premium of just ₦50, or ₦300 weekly, and ₦600 monthly ensures that a customer’s device can be covered.

He stated that the micro-protection plan offers up to ₦50,000 for screen repairs or replacement once the device has maintained an active subscription for one month.

“As a responsive and innovative network, we are leveraging this opportunity to provide meaningful protection to our customers, helping them stay connected even in the event of accidental damage”, said Aluko, highlighting Glo’s commitment to innovation and customer support.

Subscribers who wish to enjoy the service should dial *7013*1# to enroll via USSD. They will then select a preferred daily, weekly, or monthly package. Payments are debited directly from customers’ Glo airtime. After payment, a link will be sent for a quick screen integrity test. After passing the test, the device’s IMEI is registered with Cubecover, thus securing coverage.

Deji Macaulay, Managing Director of Cubecover, highlighted that this collaboration with Globacom will reduce anxiety for users regarding accidental phone damage and repair costs.

“The device protection service is unique because of its simple enrolment process via mobile phones and its affordable micro-premiums. It is also fast as its tech-driven verification process eliminates delays and paper works. It also provides peace of mind for millions of Nigerians using smartphones daily”, Globacom added.

New customers without Glo SIMs can walk into any Gloworld shop across the country, purchase a SIM and any phone device of their choice and subscribe to the device protection instantly.

 


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MTN Executive Adeola Oduntan Emerges as Africa’s Supply Chain Leader of 2025

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L-R: Victor Esemezie, Senior Manager, Sourcing & SRM, MTN Nigeria; Olufunmilayo Jegede, Senior Manager, Facilities and Fleet, MTN Nigeria; Akin Naphtal, Group CEO, InstinctWave and CEO of Africa Procurement Summit Group; Adeola Oduntan, General Manager, Global Sourcing & Supply Chain Management, MTN Nigeria and Olademeji Shonubi, Senior Manager, Planning and Fulfillment, MTN Nigeria, during the 7th Africa Procurement & Supply Chain Awards where MTN Nigeria won 5 awards, held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.
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Adeola Oduntan, General Manager, Global Sourcing & Supply Chain Management at MTN Nigeria, has been recognised as Strategic Supply Chain Leader of the Year at the 7th Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Awards, highlighting individual excellence within the company’s broader operational success.

L-R: Victor Esemezie, Senior Manager, Sourcing & SRM, MTN Nigeria; Olufunmilayo Jegede, Senior Manager, Facilities and Fleet, MTN Nigeria; Akin Naphtal, Group CEO, InstinctWave and CEO of Africa Procurement Summit Group; Adeola Oduntan, General Manager, Global Sourcing & Supply Chain Management, MTN Nigeria and Olademeji Shonubi, Senior Manager, Planning and Fulfillment, MTN Nigeria, during the 7th Africa Procurement & Supply Chain Awards where MTN Nigeria won 5 awards, held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The award, presented at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, recognises Oduntan’s role in transforming MTN Nigeria’s supply chain operations through digital innovation and strategic sourcing. His leadership has been instrumental in driving the company’s strong business performance, reflected in MTN Nigeria’s comprehensive local procurement framework that prioritises suppliers with genuine local value creation. Under Oduntan’s strategic guidance, the company has implemented sophisticated procurement evaluation criteria that allocates up to 25% weightage for local supplier participation, while conducting rigorous assessments to ensure local partners aren’t merely “trading entities” for foreign suppliers.

The connection between supply chain excellence and business results is evident in MTN Nigeria’s expanding customer base, with the recent landmark three-year national roaming agreement with 9Mobile, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission in July 2025. This groundbreaking partnership, which enables 9Mobile subscribers to access MTN’s network infrastructure nationwide, exemplifies Oduntan’s strategic approach to infrastructure optimisation and collaborative partnerships that enhance service availability while maximising asset utilisation across the telecommunications sector.

“APSCHA has become far more than ceremony, it is now a strategic platform that amplifies the critical contribution of procurement and supply chain professionals not just within the organisation, but across the broader African development agenda,” said Akin Naphtal, Group CEO of InstinctWave.

Oduntan’s individual triumph formed part of MTN Nigeria’s performance at the awards, where the company secured five awards including Digital Supply Chain Innovation of the Year, Excellence in Strategic Sourcing, Sustainability and Local Content Champion of the Year, and Procurement & Supply Chain Team of the Year. This success reinforces the telecommunications company’s position as a leader in supply chain transformation across Africa’s business landscape.

The recognition comes at a time when supply chain leadership plays an increasingly strategic role in driving operational excellence and competitiveness across Africa’s telecommunications sector.


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