Telecom
FG Commends NCC’s Regulatory Strides
The Federal Government has commended the leadership of the Nigerian Communications Commission for the remarkable strides of the agency that has earned spectacular international reputation for Nigeria and placed the telecom regulator in the forefront of the nation’s quest for forward looking national economic growth.
Dr. William Alo, permanent secretary, Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, said this recently while receiving the management team of NCC, led by Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the Commission, who briefed him on the status of the industry after his recent appointment to the Ministry.
“So far so good. The entire country, and beyond, is fully aware of the strategic importance of the NCC as a regulating institution of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. And, of course, we are aware today that between oil and communications, the latter is gradually taking over in the provision of revenue for the country as the nation strives to diversify the economy,” he said.
He said of a truth, the quality of service has improved tremendously over the past few years now and that the Commission deserves a pat on the back for what it has done in that direction. “Your efforts are generally felt in the economy. So when you talk of digitalization of the economy the NCC and the operators are the first port of call.”
He requested the leadership of the Commission to continue the good work and also strive to mind and bridge the infrastructure gap that may create a gap between the served and underserved communities in the country.
Danbatta, who provided a detailed briefing about the achievements of the Commission and its efforts toward addressing all the challenges confronting the industry, intimated him with the key focus and targets of the Commission through the launched of the Strategic Vision (Implementation) Plan SVP 2021 – 2025, which took into consideration, the provisions of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2020-2030, and National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
He said the SVP, which streamlines all policies for a robust sectoral lifting and relevance, has five focus areas which include: operational efficiency and regulatory excellence; facilitation of infrastructure provision for the digital economy; promotion of fair competition, inclusive growth and investment; improvement of quality of serve and quality of experience; and facilitation of strategic collaboration and partnership.
Prof Danbatta who led a team of two executive commissioners and directors of the Commission to the briefing, listed successes recorded since 2015 in teledensity, broadband penetration, and significant contribution of the industry to the gross domestic product (GDP) that grew from 8.5 per cent in the 4th quarter of 2015 to 12.61 in the 4th quarter of 2021, as the sector also attracted over $2 billion in foreign direct investment over the period.
The NCC chief executive listed some other key achievements of the Commission under him to include the recent successful auction of 3.5GHz spectrum for 5G services, licensing of 7 fibre optics infrastructure providers, and adding up to 38,296 kilometers of fibre optic in the country.
Danbatta noted that access gap clusters in the country has been reduced from 217 to 114 to enable 15 million Nigerians have access to telecommunications services, and increase of fibre optics deployments from 47,000 kilometers to 54,725 kilometers.
The EVC revealed that the 3G and 4G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in the country has increased from less than 30,000 in 2015 to 53,460 while 7 VSAT gateway earth stations have been licensed to boost broadband penetration in the country.
He informed the new Permanent Secretary that the Commission under him has also remitted N463 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund from 2015 to April 2022, while landing permits have been issued to 53 Geo Satellite Orbits space stations and 923 non-GSO space stations.
Elon Musk’s Starlink has become the second-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Nigeria, surpassing FiberOne in customer numbers while Spectranet remains the market leader.
Elon Musk
This was revealed in a recent report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
According to NCC’s Q3 2024 data, Spectranet maintained its top position with 105,441 active subscribers, despite losing over 8,000 users since December 2023.
Meanwhile, Starlink, which launched in Nigeria in January 2023, grew rapidly to 65,564 subscribers, adding 41,667 users in just nine months.
This pushed FiberOne to third place with 33,010 customers.
The report also showed that out of 241 licensed ISPs in Nigeria, only 124 had active users in Q3 2024, collectively serving 307,946 subscribers.
However, these numbers remain far below the dominance of mobile network operators such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, which together accounted for over 130 million internet users as of September 2024.
Starlink’s expansion has been driven by its satellite-based internet service, which provides coverage in remote areas where traditional ISPs struggle.
By the end of 2023, the company had already secured the third position with 23,897 users, marking a 113% growth from the previous quarter.
Its growth has also been supported by partnerships with Nigerian companies like TD Africa and Konga.
In 2023, Starlink briefly stopped accepting new orders in major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, due to capacity issues.
The Federal Government says it has committed $2 billion to enhance Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, aiming to boost the nation’s economy and safeguard the digital identities and rights of its citizens.
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy disclosed in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming International Telecommunication Union, (ITU) Summit holding in Abuja from Wednesday to Thursday this week.
The ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit will feature over 250 participants from 194 ITU member countries, with key representatives from the private sector and academia expected to attend.
Tijani who addressed journalists alongside Tomas Lamanauskas, the Deputy Secretary General of ITU,said the present administration was not making two billion dollars investments in digital infrastructures for the fun of it.
He said the present administration is committed to digital connectivity for the people to make lives more meaningful and impactful, adding that the investments would ensure that Nigerians enjoy the best quality of digital services and protection in the nearest future.
The ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit aims to foster global collaboration, secure innovative solutions, and engage leaders from government, industry and international organisations to strengthen the global digital infrastructures.
“This investment is part of a larger vision to provide every Nigerian with access to high-quality digital services, while safeguarding their digital identities,” Tijani said.
The ITU International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit, co-hosted by Nigeria and Portugal, will explore innovative strategies to strengthen the security and resilience of submarine cables—vital infrastructure for global digital connectivity.
The summit is bringing together government leaders, industry experts, and international organizations to discuss ways to safeguard submarine cable networks, which are increasingly vulnerable to disruptions.
Tijani emphasized that the discussions at the summit will focus on finalizing a global declaration on submarine cable resilience, calling for heightened action from both governments and private sectors to protect digital infrastructure worldwide.
In his words, “Nigeria is not just solving local issues; we are taking a global leadership role in securing submarine cables, which are essential for digital connectivity”.
The summit will address the growing concern of disruptions in submarine cable networks, with an average of 150 to 200 cables being damaged or cut annually, severely impacting global digital connectivity.
To tackle these challenges, the summit will include key international organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), promoting coordination across industries such as telecom, shipping, and fishing, which impact submarine cable integrity.
Tijani also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership in the digital space, stating that while the country already boasts a robust submarine cable network, with around eight or nine cables landing in Nigeria, the key challenge now is expanding these networks inland and ensuring reliable, high-speed internet access for all Nigerians.
“We are committed to connecting every Nigerian, ensuring that digital infrastructure benefits all citizens,” he added. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of ITU, praised Nigeria’s forward-thinking investments in digital infrastructure.
He highlighted that Africa is experiencing rapid growth in digital traffic, and Nigeria’s investments will play a pivotal role in ensuring the continent remains competitive on the global digital stage.
According to him, “This region is the fastest-growing for international digital connectivity, and Nigeria’s leadership is critical to ensuring Africa’s success in the global digital economy.
The summit is expected to provide a platform for robust discussions on enhancing submarine cable security, a critical pillar for the global digital economy, with over 50 countries participating in this essential dialogue.
Telecom
Network International Partners with MTN Group to Enhance Digital Payment Solutions Across Africa
Network International, a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has been appointed as a Payment Processor – Issuing partner for MTN Group Fintech, Africa’s leading mobile financial services provider.
This partnership marks a significant extension of Network’s portfolio of issuer processing collaborations throughout the African continent.
With a footprint spanning over 50 countries and serving over 250 financial institutions, Network International brings its expertise to this partnership which will enhance MTN Fintech’s cutting-edge mobile services and provide even greater value to stakeholders and customers across Africa.
The partnership will focus on rolling out card issuance products across key MTN Fintech markets, starting with Rwanda which is already operational. Soon Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria will also be covered under this collaboration.
Network International will provide a comprehensive range of services, including transaction processing, card management and online fraud prevention. MTN Fintech users will benefit from a seamless experience accessing both traditional mobile services and innovative digital payment solutions.
Dr. Reda Helal, Group Managing Director – Processing, Africa and Co-Head Group Processing at Network International commented: “Our collaboration with MTN Group Fintech marks a major milestone for our outsourced payments services in Africa.
“It demonstrates our ability to successfully serve Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) via our fully-fledged processing solutions and our continued dedication and commitment to the African region.
“We are excited to support MTN Group Fintech’s growth strategy, and its business development plans across the continent.”
Cedric N’guessan, Executive for Payment and E-commerce at MTN Group Fintech added, “This collaboration with Network International is pivotal in enhancing financial inclusion across Africa and beyond.
“It enables our customers to actively engage in the global economy, aligning perfectly with our strategic goals alongside Mastercard to broaden access to digital financial services across the continent.”
MTN Group provides voice, data, fintech, enterprise wholesale and API services to more than 288 million customers in 14 African markets.
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