Telecom
Telcos, NCC Tackle NASS as Rep Seeks Rejig of Communications Act
Isiaka Ibrahim, member of the House of Representatives, has called for a review of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), which guides operations and regulations in the country’s telecommunications sector.
But telecommunications companies in Nigeria and the apex regulator are urging the National Assembly to designate ICT infrastructure as critical to make vandalism of such infrastructure punishable by law.
Continuing with his argument, Ibrahim, who is also a member of the House Committee on Communications, said the 16-year-old law had become archaic and not in tune with the realities of today’s telecommunications, hence, the need for a review.
He said the Act, which came into force in 2003, was due for review in view of the dynamism in technology world.
“We are elected to make laws for the good of the people and we are waiting for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to bring a proposal for the amendment of the NCA because it has become old and needs to be fine-tuned in line with current realities,” he said.
However, reacting to the call, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, chairman of NCC said the sector was more concerned about the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Bill, which has been before the National Assembly for over two years.
Durojaiye, once a lawmaker, said the review of the NCA may not be necessary now as laws are made to last long.
“The National Assembly needs to first of all look at the Critical National Infrastructure Bill, which has been before them for over two years now. We need to protect the telecommunications infrastructure first before talking about changing our law. The act of wilful vandalism of telecommunications equipment must be criminalised and that is why we want the National Assembly to consider this first and pass the CNI Bill into law,” the NCC chairman said.
Several telecoms stakeholders had before now called on the government to come up with a policy to protect telecom infrastructure by declaring it critical national asset.
Among them was Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
According to him, telecommunication infrastructure should be seen as a critical infrastructure that makes vandalisation of such infrastructure a security risk highly punishable by law.
He recalled that there used to be a law against stealing of NITEL infrastructure and that helped in no small measure in protecting the assets of the company.
With the delay of the CNI bill, the ALTON chairman also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to issue an executive order proclaiming telecoms services as critical national security and economic infrastructure as prescribed by the Cybersecurity Act 2015.
Adebayo noted that the telecom industry supported many other sectors of the economy.
“We are also the first layer of critical infrastructure for socio-economic development and security. It is pertinent to state that unless telecoms facilities have first level of protection by government, it will be difficult to provide uninterrupted services to the citizenry,’’ he noted.
Also speaking, Olusola Teniola, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), called on the Nigeria Police Force, National Security Adviser to the President and other security agents to assist the industry in protecting of critical Infrastructure that ICT infrastructure is now under.
“This will help improve QoS and reduce the costs of repairs in the industry to a nominal level,” he said.
The ATCON president noted that the infrastructure that was being rolled out for support broadband services needed to be fully protected from vandalism, theft, and destruction and therefore the enforcement of the CNI under the cybercrime bill needs to be enacted without any further delay.
According to Teniola, when base stations are shut down wilfully and telecom facilities are vandalised without bringing the culprits to book, not only quality of service is affected but investor confidence is eroded.
“We cannot achieve the national broadband target or improve quality of service with non-implementation of laws meant to protect facilities and infrastructures that are deemed to be national assets. This is another challenge that has impeded the growth of the sector in the sense that some miscreants have turned it to their businesses to destroy the telecom masts and towers.
“The cybercrime law treats telecoms infrastructure as a critical national infrastructure in Nigeria, but we are worried that nobody is implementing it,” he said.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first listed company on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to reach a market capitalization of ₦10 trillion, as its share price closed at ₦480 on Friday, August 1, 2025.
The telecommunications giant’s shares gained ₦8 or 1.69% during Friday’s trading session, pushing the company’s market value past the ₦10 trillion threshold.
This remarkable achievement comes just two days after MTN Nigeria released its stellar half-year 2025 financial results on Wednesday, which showed exceptional performance across all key metrics.
The timing is not surprising based on what was said in the company’s H1 results, which revealed a dramatic turnaround from losses to profitability.
The telecoms operator reported service revenue growth of 54.6% to ₦2.4 trillion, while EBITDA surged by 119.5% to ₦1.2 trillion with margins expanding significantly to 50.6%.
Most importantly, the company achieved a profit after tax of ₦414.9 billion, marking a stunning recovery from the loss of ₦519.1 billion recorded in the same period last year.
Speaking on the H1 2025 results that have driven investor confidence, Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria, said: “We are excited by the progress made in the first half of 2025, reflecting the successful execution of the strategic priorities we previously communicated to the market.”
Toriola emphasized the company’s strong operational momentum, stating: “Building on the momentum from the first quarter, we delivered strong growth in service revenue for the period under review. This was driven by robust demand for our services, proactive customer value management and price adjustments, mainly in Q2.”
The CEO’s confidence in the company’s trajectory was evident in his commentary about future prospects.
“In light of the strong momentum in our business, we have upgraded our FY 2025 and medium-term guidance and we remain firmly on track to restore our balance sheet to a positive net asset position by the end of Q3,” Toriola declared.
This optimistic outlook, backed by upgraded financial guidance targeting service revenue growth of “at least low-50%” and EBITDA margin of “at least low-50%” for FY 2025, has clearly resonated with investors.
Toriola highlighted improving operating conditions that have supported the company’s performance: “The macroeconomic conditions in Nigeria showed notable improvements in the period under review, including a relatively stable naira, improved foreign exchange (forex) liquidity and easing inflationary pressures.”
He noted that “this backdrop helped to enable our improved business performance and set a more supportive context for increased long-term investments.”
The ₦10 trillion market cap milestone represents extraordinary value creation for shareholders.
Vitel Wireless, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), has announced the official launch of its nationwide network services in Nigeria.
In a statement, the company stated that starting yesterday August 1, it will release an initial batch of 50,000 SIM cards and eSIMs across all 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to selected subscribers, bringing reliable, affordable, and high-quality connectivity to millions of Nigerians.
This milestone, it said, marks its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape by providing accessible and seamless mobile services to both urban and rural communities.
Commenting on the launch, Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman of Vitel Wireless Limited, said: “We are excited to bring Vitel Wireless’s innovative services to Nigeria, a vibrant and dynamic country with immense potential. Our goal is to deliver dependable connectivity that enables Nigerians to connect, communicate, and thrive in the digital age. This rollout is just the beginning — we look forward to expanding our services and making a positive impact across the nation.”
According to the company, with a focus on innovation, affordability, coverage, and customer satisfaction, it aims to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive growth.
“More than half of the initial release will be made available through authorised retail outlets, Vitel Wireless Airport Kiosks, and mobile kiosks utilising Know Your Customer (KYC) verification via NIMC’s new SIM-NIN telecommunications registration platform.
“The remaining SIM cards will be allocated to subscribers for innovative value-added services, including Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, Safer Home AI camera systems (iSEEYOU), employment performance monitoring App (Oga-App), and location-based services solutions such as SecurMe and Push-My Location, among others. This initial deployment enables the company to rigorously test its network, optimise its MTN roaming partnership, and implement necessary adjustments prior to the full-scale launch in Q2 2025,” it added.
MTN Nigeria has rewarded the Nigerian Super Falcons with 150 million naira following their remarkable victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The announcement was made at a celebratory breakfast reception hosted by the technology company in Lagos, in the presence of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) leadership and female executives across key sectors, alongside a host of MTN executives who came out to celebrate the champions and reaffirm the company’s commitment to football, inclusion and youth empowerment.
The Super Falcons’ win goes down as one of the most thrilling in tournament history. Facing Morocco on their home soil, Nigeria came back from 2-0 down to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory, clinching their 10th WAFCON title and reinforcing their status as Africa’s most decorated women’s team.
Delivering the opening remarks, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, highlighted the Super Falcons’ win as an inspiration for Nigerian women. “The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is a championship that has been held 13 times and Nigeria has won 10 times. This is no small feat. It is a testament to how determined Nigerian women can be when they set out to achieve something. What you have achieved not only makes Nigeria proud, but it makes us, even we women, proud. Here at MTN, we believe, and one of our values is ‘Can Do’, can do with integrity. Your final match exemplifies that.”
As the official telecommunications partner of the NFF, MTN presented the 150 million naira reward to celebrate the team’s resilience and achievement. MTN director, Ifueko Okauru explained that 115 million naira would go to the players and 35 million to the technical team.
“At MTN we believe in the power of connection, not just through technology, but through our soul, through our spirits, what we share and what unifies us,” said Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.
Toriola described the company’s investment in the NFF as fruitful. “As proud sponsors of the Nigerian Football Federation, this long-term significantly financially-heavy investment in supporting the NFF has borne so many fruits. We followed you through every match, every challenge, every trial and some of them losses. We followed you and we continue to support you and today we are so proud to say our efforts have not been in vain. We followed you for the big things, we followed you for the smaller things.
He added, “To the Super Falcons, you are more than athletes, you are inspirations. You are an inspiration for everyone in Nigeria, every young lady to go out there and make a difference. You are role models, you are ambassadors, and you are proof that when Nigerian women rise, the world will take notice.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rashidat Ajibade, thanked MTN and its board members for their warm reception and support. “We appreciate you a lot. We feel valued, we feel honoured, we feel respected, and this only inspires us to do better, and keep inspiring the next generation.”
“This win is for all of us,” she said, dedicating the 10th title not just to the current Super Falcons squad but to all the players who came before. While grateful for the milestone, she made it clear they were not content. “We want to take this to the next level. We want to be global contenders. We don’t want to be just local champions. It’s time to take it to the next level. We understand the huge responsibility on us, and we hope that we can all work together, the Federation, the federal government, and also private bodies to keep investing and keep supporting the Super Falcons Council so we can all achieve this objective.”
The breakfast reception featured a classical string quartet, stirring soul-Afrobeats choir rendition that had the Falcons on their feet, dancing joyfully in celebration of their hard-won victory. Singer Praiz also delivered a performance that drew cheers from the audience and added to the festive energy in the room.
As the nation continues to celebrate their victory, this moment stands as both a reward and a reminder of what Nigerian women can achieve when backed by belief, investment and opportunity. The celebration was especially timely as it fell on Pan African Women’s Day, a fitting moment to honour the strength, resilience and achievements of Nigerian women on and off the pitch.
Fearless Freedom Launches to Tackle Inequality and Champion Global Economic Inclusion
History as MTN Nigeria Becomes First to Hit ₦10 Trillion Market Cap @ NGX
Nigeria Sends Egusi, Others to Space @ NASA’s Crew-11 Mission Launch
AfDB Approves $46m to Transform Healthcare in Sokoto State
NITDA DG says Nigeria’s Digital Economy Will Empower Citizens, Bridge Divides, and Drive Unity
Telecom3 days agoYele Okeremi charges government to take the lead to make Nigerian fintech attain global leadership
Telecom1 day agoHistory as MTN Nigeria Becomes First to Hit ₦10 Trillion Market Cap @ NGX
- Telecom1 day ago
MTN Nigeria’s CAPEX Soars Nearly 300 Percent to ₦565.7Bn in Q1 2025
Telecom1 day agoMTN Nigeria Celebrates Super Falcons with ₦150 Million Reward After WAFCON Triumph
Broadcasting2 days agoNCC Suspends MovieBox.ng over Alleged Piracy
E-Business2 days agoAfrica Tasked to Fast-track AI Skills Development
News2 days agoTech Alliance Aims to Transform Africa’s Mapping System
General News2 days agoBank Staff Arraigned for Allegedly Defrauding Customer of N423m