Telecom
2021 Africa Tech Alliance Forum to Center on Digital Transformation Solutions
Annual Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH) event has been scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 by 10:00am (WAT).
Formerly known as Mobile & Disruptive Technology Forum (MoDiTECH), AfriTECH2021 will hold as a hybrid event: both Virtual and Physical with strict compliance to COVID-19 protocols and promises to be bigger, better and to serve as an interesting Forum for inter-sectorial cross-fertilization of ideas on economic impacts of COVID-19 on digital transformation and way forward for businesses.
#AfriTECH2021 Central theme is: ‘Embracing Change and Digital Transformation in the New Normal’.
The subthemes will dwell on boosting digital infrastructure for Cloud Hosting; digital tools for education & reskilling African youth; cyberSecurity: Pushing for privacy & data protection; and harnessing blockchain technology for digital economy growth.
Speaking on preparations for AfriTECH2021, Peter Oluka, editor, TechEconomy.ng recalled that the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) had devastating impacts which the global economy is still grappling with.
Apart from the negative health implications, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to job losses, pay cuts, travel restrictions and consequently fall in foreign trade and general business activities.
The businesses most hit are the Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as recent survey by the International Trade Centre (ITC) revealed that the pandemic has strongly affected nearly two-thirds of micro and small businesses – compared to about 40% of large companies – with 20% of MSMEs feared to shut down permanently at some points soon.
Interestingly, the survey revealed that 40% of the companies that came out strong from the pandemic were mainly technology driven businesses.
“Though the pandemic has adversely affected our economic and social life, it has also created opportunities for us to look in-ward.
“At one time or another, nations and individuals confront crisis points – moments of existential challenge that also open up new possibilities. We believe in the technological possibilities to assist Africa recover fast from this pandemic.
“Therefore, we align with the school of thought that African countries face three possible outcomes post-pandemic: play catch-up, stand still or fall even further behind the industrialized world”, he said.
Oluka explained that AfriTECH2021 offers a platform to identify and showcase technological solutions that assist organisations tackle the problems thrown up by the pandemic.
The Editor said the theme was carefully selected to give particular attention to the disruptive potentials of emerging technologies such as the Blockchain Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Robotics, FinTechs and mobile phone economy around retail and service provisioning and the potentials to reposition both public and private entities in the post Pandemic era.
He added that maiden AfriTECH Awards has been instituted to honour or recognise organisations that demonstrated outstanding capabilities during the peak of the pandemic and others that have set themselves apart with turnkey; convenient, safe/secured, flexible, cost-effective and regulatory compliance solutions.
“We are also using this opportunity to call on Startups and other SMEs seeking for a platform to launch their innovative ideas to leverage on #AfriTECH2021 to achieve that purpose”, he announced”, he said.
Participation:
Oluka said that companies and individuals seeking to be part of the Forum & Award ceremony should contact the team via info@techeconomy.ng while the registrations have commenced via the link https://bit.ly/3CRxCI6.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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