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Data Floor Plan: ALTON Cries Out “ISPs Selling Below Cost”

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Association of Licensed Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ALTON) has called on the National Assembly to urgently review the position on the telecommunications Data Floor Plan. 

To save the ‘smaller’ internet service providers (ISPs) from imminent shutdown, the Association lamented that most of the ISPs are operating under harsh economic conditions, and forced to sell data to subscribers at ‘unprofitable costs’.

According to the Association, there is urgent need for the National Assembly to allow the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other stakeholders to immediately revisit the suspended Data Floor Price.

Data Floor Plan Price is a partial price control measure, which is the lower limit price to check unhealthy but foster healthy competition among players.

The price floor is a means of controlling anti-competitive behaviors by operators considered to have attained the dominant status in the industry.

However,  there is a limit to how low ISPs could charge for data services; the regulator in October 2015, approved the removal of data floor price, giving internet service providers opportunity to drop their data prices as low as they can in order to survive. 

But, this was vehemently opposed by Nigerians, which led to the National Assembly ordering the NCC to back off the process.

Speaking at a recent ICT Journalists’ organised breakfast discussion, Engineer Gbenga Adebayo, president of ATCON said, “It is an issue we have treated extensively, but the way it’s perceived by the public is as though the operators have come to take something away from them. Reality of the matter is there is a cost and there is price. Cost is how much it takes to provide the service.

“Price is the cost plus your margin. It is a basic economics. What it means some of the service offerings today, providers are selling at cost and in some cases, below cost. When I came on this role, we had 35 members; some of you know them- Reltel, Intercellular, Mobitel, VGComs, Starcomms, Multilinks, MonaCom and the rest of them. Before then, these people have done other businesses and were successful, but when they came to the telecoms, due to the circumstances, so to say, they didn’t succeed. Where are they today. So, we have today, the big and mega big. It’s only the small provider that changes the rules of the game”.

He said that the present data floor plan gives room for the emergence of monopoly in the data segment of the market.

“If we do not allow the small providers to survive, competition will not thrive. Let me remind us where we are coming from: the bigger operator told us per second billing was not possible and we believed it. But while a smaller operators in those days, came and said ‘from today I will start with per second billing. it changed the rules of the game.

“Imagine if a situation never allowed a small player to compete, what would have happened? Recently, I was asking, where are the ISPs? Do we still have ISPs? The story is a very simple one: you approach NCC and apply for licence as internet service provider. They give you this license; you approach the operator to buy bandwidth to resell and redistribute to your customers.

“The day your service is commissioned on SAT, the Big operator comes with the mega package; half your package. How will you survive. So, we are saying, unless we are allowed for a minimum level of price, it will be very difficult for the small players to survive. Someone said to me: if you people think you cannot make profit and then you want to increase rate, you people should leave that business.

“Our answer: no problem! It is a simple story. But when the small players leave, the big player will still decide on what they want to do. The truth: the small player will leave in the first day; if the circumstances don’t change, the big players will leave the second day. It is only a matter of time.

“Some stories I read few days ago, I read similar stories 10 years ago. We remember the story of late Laba Joseph. What led to his death? Bank debt! In those days, it was for a small player. The society didn’t attach much meanings to it; today, it has become the topic of the day, because it happens to them, they are one of the mega players”, he said.


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Treepz Doubles Down on Corporate Mobility in Africa with Launch of a New Website

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Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility startup, has expanded its corporate mobility and employee transportation services across the continent with a fresh new look for its website.

 

The company’s new website boasts a sleek, user-friendly interface with added features to better showcase Treepz’s range of services for companies looking to efficiently and sustainably move employees and clients in major African cities. From on-demand employee shuttles, and school bus solutions to intra-city group trips for events and conferences, Treepz is positioning itself as an all-in-one corporate transportation provider.

Managing transportation logistics across multiple sites has always been an operational nightmare for companies,” said Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Treepz. “Our goal is to streamline that experience through Treepz’s powerful technology platform.”

With nearly 6,000 employees of companies daily relying on Treepz’s innovative tech and reliable fleet for employee transportation or staff bus commutes, we understand the complexities of managing corporate transportation firsthand. “Our revamped website simplifies the process, offering businesses a seamless solution to optimize their transportation needs and empower their workforce in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana,” Onyeka added

Key Features of the New Treepz Website

  • Trackable Dashboard for a bird’s eye view of all guests’ trips in real-time when using Treepz.
  • 24/7 customer support to assist with all mobility inquiries.
  • Wide selection of vehicle options, each with professional drivers tailored to specific needs.
  • Friendly interface for easy navigation and booking.
  • Client testimonials and case studies showcasing Treepz’s success stories.

Treepz’s mission extends beyond just transportation – they aim to revolutionize how over 1 million daily commuters experience mobility across Africa. Since its launch in 2019, the company has provided employee transit for top firms like Tekexperts, Wakanow, Somasource, and Brighter Monday across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. This has resulted in the transportation of about 5 million passengers since then.

With this digital reinvention, Treepz doubles down on transforming corporate mobility through tech-driven solutions. The company welcomes businesses seeking smarter ways to move their people to explore the new website www.treepz.com.


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Nigerian Business Leaders Partner Google for Strategic Advantage, Seeks Competitive Edge in Privacy-First Era

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Leading companies from Nigeria joined Google West Africa at a roundtable to discuss the shift towards privacy-first marketing as third-party cookies are phased out. The forum brought together leaders from FairMoney, Konga, Mondelez, Stanbic IBTC, and Zenith Bank, highlighting a collective commitment to redefining consumer engagement in the digital age.

Businesses recognize that building consumer trust is essential in a world that increasingly values privacy. In this new era, adapting marketing strategies to be more privacy-focused is not just a necessity but a strategic move towards building sustainable customer relations. This transition challenges businesses to innovate while maintaining transparency and respect for consumer data privacy, turning potential constraints into avenues for deeper consumer engagement.

“Customer trust is the new currency,” noted Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google. “Consumers are demanding more control over their data, and the savviest businesses are seeing this shift as an opportunity. This is about reimagining how we engage with technology and data, ensuring that innovation and privacy go hand-in-hand.”

The discussions emphasised this point, highlighting the competitive advantage of adopting privacy-first strategies. Google showcased innovative solutions like Google Tag and Enhanced Conversions. These tools demonstrate a commitment to both high performance and privacy standards. Success stories illustrated how other businesses have successfully navigated this shift, offering valuable insights.

“We stand at a crucial juncture,” remarked Oluwadamilare Akinwunmi, Chief Data & AI Officer at Interswitch. “The winners of tomorrow will be those enterprises that strike a balance between innovative, data-driven marketing and a profound commitment to data protection and privacy-first practices. The essential dialogues we engage in, and the subsequent actions we take, set us on the path to achieve precisely this”

The roundtable underscores a pivotal shift towards privacy-first strategies in Nigeria’s digital marketing sphere, emphasising the critical role of collaboration and innovation in this transition. It marks a collective stride towards a future where consumer trust and data privacy form the cornerstone of business growth and competitive advantage.

“We are committed to empowering Nigerian brands in building a privacy-forward future. By harnessing AI and privacy-centric technologies, we aim to empower our partners to thrive amidst these changes,” stated Felicia Otolorin, Senior Industry Lead, West Africa, Google.


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MTN Nigeria, PAU Open Applications for 3rd Edition of MTN Media Innovation Programme

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced call for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. 

MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape.

The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an innovation hub to incubate ideas, is open to media practitioners across all strata of the media industry including the print, electronic and online platforms. The programme is also open to social media content creators.

Speaking on the impact of the programme, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer, MTN Nigeria said: “The media play a crucial role in shaping the society. It is important that they are enabled with tools and opportunities to do their jobs better as this ultimately benefits the society.

“Our commitment is to continue to empower media practitioners, regardless of platforms, to be able to innovate and create technological-driven solutions to our world. This is what the MTN Media Innovation Programme seeks to accomplish.”

On his part, the Dean School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya, stated that the programme brings into play the wide experience that the School has in the training of media practitioners.

In our various programmes targeted at journalists, we at the School of Media and Communication have always laid a lot of emphasis on the importance of creativity, ethics and professionalism.

“The Media Innovation Programme is one more opportunity to drive home these values but with a new emphasis on innovation.

“Journalism remains as important as ever to the society, and it is driven by the same values, but journalists require a retooling to meet the technological changes and challenges of today.

“This is the role that the Media Innovation Programme aims to play, and we are quite happy to be able to partner with MTN to achieve this goal.”

At the end of the training, the 20 successful applicants will qualify as Fellows for the 2024 cohort. The Fellows would be coached on Nigeria’s technology sector, the relationship between media and technology, and equipped with the skills to adapt to the changing realities that guarantee career and financial success in their professional practice.

Fellows will also have access to professional resources and mentorship from PAU’s erudite faculty.

Interested journalists, bloggers and content creators can apply for the Fellowship at https://smc.edu.ng/mtnmip

Applications open on Friday March 23 and close Wednesday April 10, 2024.


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