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Danbatta Pledges Support to New WATRA Leadership

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Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has promised the new leadership of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) of the unflinching support of the Commission towards advancing the socio-economic agenda of the Assembly for the sub-region.
Danbatta gave the pledge during a recent courtesy visit of the new executives of WATRA, led by its new Chairman, Sekou Oumar Barry of the Republic of Guinea. Barry came to vist Danbatta in company of the first and second Vice Chairmen of the Assembly, representing Mali and Sierra Leone respectively; as well as the Executive Secretary of WATRA, Aliyu Aboki, among others.
“In my capacity as the immediate past Chairman of WATRA, I promise my commitment to always share ideas with the new leadership of WATRA towards consolidating the successes so far recorded by WATRA under my leadership.
“I will give advice that will make you succeed as a friend and not the one that will undermine your authority,” Danbatta said, while welcoming the WATRA team in his office.
Speaking further, the EVC urged the new WATRA chairman to ensure diligent implementation of the new Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2022-2024 developed for WATRA. The EVC also emphasized that the strategic vision plan is expected to guide the activities of the Assembly over the next years.
According to Danbatta, the past one year of his tenure as former chair of WATRA has been eventful with a lot measures put in place towards deploying the power of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for advancing socio-economic development of the sub-region.
Danbatta acknowledged the important role WATRA has been playing in creating policy, legal and regulatory frameworks in the sub-region since the mid-1990s and commended the synergy among member states that has resulted in significant growth to the ICT ecosystem.
“I would like to congratulate my dear brother, Sekou Oumar Barry, on your emergence as the new WATRA chairman and to express, in very clear terms, our commitment as NCC and in my capacity as immediate past Chairman of WATRA to support your leadership to succeed in consolidating on existing achievements of the Assembly towards taking WATRA to a greater height,” he said.
Reinforcing his delight, Danbatta said, “This is an action in the right direction because we cannot deny the fact that successes are needed and financial and human resources are crucial to achieving success in any organization and WATRA with 16 member countries is not different.
“The expectation of our citizens is very high, especially in the area of ICT and we must strive to meet and surpass their yearnings.”
He further tasked the new WATRA executives to roll their sleeves and deepen the work they had started towards achieving the mandate, vision and mission of the Assembly.
“If we work together as a team, I believe we would make a lot of difference in a manner that will result in the socio-economic transformation of our sub-region in order to improve the standard of living of our people as we have seen this done successfully in many countries. So, we can repeat the same feat here in Africa,” he said.
In his response, Barry, who thanked Danbatta for making giant strides during his one-year tenure as Chairman of WATRA, assured of his readiness to work closely with member states and the EVC for valuable advice and guidance to collectively take WATRA to the next level over the next one year.
He pointed out that his leadership will focus on four key areas of priorities. These, according to him, include ensuring that the SMP is finalized and fully becomes operational, ensuring that member fees contribution is revised upward so that WATRA will have adequate resources to run its operation, build its permanent structure, and ensuring that the regional roaming policy for the sub-region becomes a reality.
“We want to ensure that the plan you started is not going to stop. We understand that the time left for us is short.
“We know we cannot do everything and that is why we are going to be focusing on the four key priorities areas as itemized above so that at the end of the tenure we can say we have succeeded on those priorities,” Barry said.
Danbatta handed over to Barry as the new WATRA Chairman during the 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Assembly which took place from March 29-31, 2022, in Conakry, Republic of Guinea.
The Assembly currently has 16 members states including Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger Republic, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Republic of Guinea, The Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Ghana and Liberia.
WATRA, among other objectives, serves as a platform through which telecommunications regulators work together to broaden access to ICT services in the sub region. It also promotes the adoption of best global practices that stimulate investment in telecommunications infrastructure and services, deliver cheaper services to more citizens and connects people, societies and economies across West Africa and beyond.

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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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History as MTN Nigeria Becomes First to Hit ₦10 Trillion Market Cap @ NGX

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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.

istory as MTN Nigeria Becomes First to Hit ₦10 Trillion Market Cap @ NGX

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.

 

 

 


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Vitel Wireless Rolls Out 50,000 SIM Cards, eSIMs

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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.

 


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MTN Nigeria Celebrates Super Falcons with ₦150 Million Reward After WAFCON Triumph

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L-R: Dr. Muhammed Sanusi, General Secretary, Nigeria Football Federation; Dr Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria; Rashidat Ajibade, Captain, Super Falcons; Ifueko Okauru, Director, MTN Nigeria; Chiamaka Nnadozie, Goalkeeper, Super Falcons and Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, President, Nigerian Football Federation at an MTN Super Falcons Breakfast Reception held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
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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.


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