Telecom
ISPs Decry Poor Service, High Rentals by Tower Owners

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country have expressed their reservations over poor services delivered by telecommunications tower operators as well as high cost of renting towers that houses their base stations.
Satis Kumar, chief operating officer, Direct On Data, said ISPs are saddled with harsh business condition, which include high base station rentage, inefficiency of tower management that have forced them into deploying batteries at their base stations to ensure improved service quality among other challenges.
“Most times our base stations go down apparently because the attendant is not around to put on the generator when public power supply goes off, sometimes there are diesel issues. Some of our clients are providing critical services that don’t need their internet to go down even for a second. How do you explain this situation?”
Kumar said that ISPs are charged between N3.6million to N4million per tower for a year. This cost depends on the type of the equipment being hang on the tower as some equipment consume more power than others and some take space more than others.
David Venn, chief executive officer, Spectranet, a 4G LTE internet service provider, said that before now, their biggest cost outlay was cost of national and international bandwidth, “but today the cost of bandwidth is coming down which leaves cost of tower rental our biggest cost of operation. Though the cost of tower rental in Nigeria is high compared to other countries I have worked, considering operational cost in this environment in terms of maintenance of the towers, it is reasonable. But in Zambia where there is also power challenge, there is no need for operators to provide security at towers as security challenge is not serious,” he said.
Sunday Folayan, president, Internet Service Providers Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) said that tower rental cost in the country will not be cheap as it is determined by some factors which include number of users on the tower as well as power and security provided at the towers.
“I’m not surprise that tower rental cost is high because the cost of powering base stations with generators is high. If we fix power problem in this country every other thing will take shape,” he added.
Lanre Ajayi, immediate past president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), identified two factors as responsible for high cost of tower rental in the country, which are competition and service cost.
According to him, ‘competition in the co-location business is not deep enough to bring about reduced cost and efficient management. Presently, there are few companies providing co-location facilities in the country’.
He added that high cost of tower rental is also occasioned by service cost provided at the base stations such as power and security. “Most base stations are powered by generators and the cost of gas is high, they provide security at the towers. These are outside the control of co-location operators,” he said.
He however, urged government to set up an intervention fund to support the growth of ICT in the country just as she did in the entertainment industry, from where small operators could borrow to expand their network.
Telecom
4 Dead, 20 Others Injured as Fire Engulfs Cairo Data Centre

Four people have been killed, with over 20 injured after a fire at Cairo data centre disrupted telecom services nationwide.
A fire at a major Telecom Egypt facility in Cairo on Monday has left four workers dead and at least 22 others injured, plunging parts of the capital into a communications crisis.
According to Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for Egypt’s Health Ministry, most injuries were due to smoke inhalation.
The blaze, which broke out at a key data centre operated by Telecom Egypt, the country’s primary fixed-line and internet provider, was brought under control later that day.
However, it caused widespread disruptions, halting phone services, affecting internet connectivity, and even interfering with digital banking operations.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that national connectivity dropped to just 62% of normal levels following the incident.
Residents across Cairo struggled with poor network access, and banks—although already closed for the day—reported interruptions in ATM services and online transactions.
In a statement on Tuesday, Telecom Egypt mourned the loss of its employees and pledged support to their families.
Amr Talaat, Egypt’s minister of Communications and Information Technology, assured the public that service restoration was underway and expected to be completed within 24 hours.
To address the disruption, the Health Ministry released alternative emergency contact numbers across Egypt’s governorates, in case its primary ambulance hotline remained unreachable.
The state-run MENA news agency reported that the fire was prevented from engulfing the entire building and nearby rooftops, thanks to the efforts of emergency responders.
A preliminary investigation suggests the fire was likely triggered by an electrical short circuit, according to a security source cited by MENA.
As the nation works to restore full connectivity, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the need for enhanced fire safety protocols in sensitive tech facilities.
Telecom
Globalcom Thrills Subscribers with 3 New Digital Products

Tech faints, Globalcom, on Tuesday unveiled three exciting digital products aimed at rewarding customers. The products, Animation World Promo, Treasure Spin and Sport Brain, also provide subscribers with the opportunity to play and win instant prizes.
Globalcom in a statement in Lagos said that the company is dedicated to providing value-added service to its ever-growing customers.
The first digital product, which is Animation World Promo, is an innovative trivia-based service aimed at challenging customers culinary knowledge of Nigerian food. With it, subscribers engage in answering food related questions, earn points and win delicious prizes.
For Treasure Spin, customers are availed the digital treasure spin experience. With each spin Glo subscribers stand a chance to win instant prizes, making every participation exciting and rewarding.
In addition, Globalcom captures the heart of football lovers with Sport Brain. Subscribers are allowed to predict football scores in matches across top leagues all around the world. Customers get to select their preferred leagues. “It’s a fun and competitive way for football lovers to test their instincts and knowledge,” the company noted.
Customers who subscribe to any of the three services stand a chance to win fantastic daily, weekly, and monthly prizes. Every day, 20 participants will receive ₦1,000 cash, ₦1,000 airtime, and 3.5GB data. On a weekly basis, five lucky winners will walk away with ₦100,000 each, while one grand prize winner will receive ₦1 million every month.
To participate, customers are required to dial *13055*2# for Animation World Promo,*13199*3# for Treasure Spin and *13199*2# for Sport Brain. Each plan can be activated either as a one-time purchase or Auto Renewal.
Globacom further explained that all products are available at an affordable subscription rate of ₦100 for a daily plan, ₦300 for weekly plan and ₦500 for monthly plan.
In concluding, the company disclosed that the services are available to all Glo prepaid and postpaid subscribers nationwide.
Telecom
SiBAN Applauds Interstellar’s Groundbreaking Role in Africa’s Blockchain Future

The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN) has lauded Interstellar, one of its prominent members, for spearheading a major breakthrough in Africa’s financial technology space.
This follows Interstellar’s strategic partnership with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to roll out the PAPSS African Currency Marketplace (PACM), a blockchain-based platform designed to address the continent’s long-standing currency inconvertibility challenge.
The initiative is already being hailed as a game-changer capable of eliminating the $5 billion annual trade friction currently plaguing intra-African commerce.
According to SiBAN President, Mr Obinna Iwuno, the development affirms Nigeria’s leadership in blockchain innovation, stating that Interstellar’s PACM is not only a technological feat but also a timely response to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) mandate of seamless and cost-effective regional trade.
PACM operates on STARGATE, a blockchain-agnostic system developed by Interstellar, and leverages the Bantu blockchain network to facilitate real-time, peer-to-peer exchanges of African currencies.
The solution ensures financial inclusion by allowing businesses, SMEs, and informal traders to transact in local currencies without relying on foreign intermediaries, all while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Mr Ernest Mbenkum, CEO of Interstellar, described the solution as Africa’s roadmap to financial sovereignty. “Blockchain is not just innovation; it is empowerment,” he said.
SiBAN reaffirmed its commitment to supporting policies and partnerships that promote secure, transparent, and inclusive digital economies.
The association further called on stakeholders in government and the private sector to prioritise blockchain adoption as a driver of national development.
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