Telecom
Africa Data Centres Named Beacon of Information and Communication Technology’s Carrier Neutral Data Centre of the Year
Africa Data Centres, a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has been named ‘Carrier Neutral Data Centre of the Year’ at this year’s Beacon of Information and Communication Technology (BoICT) awards.
In its 13th year, the BoICT awards and corresponding lecture series explored the ‘Impact of Blockchain Technology in a Digitalised Nigeria’ and is widely acknowledged as the most prestigious annual event in Nigeria’s booming information and communication technologies (ICT) industry.
According to Ken Nwogbo, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of Communication Week Media Limited, and the organisers of the lecture series, the awards ceremony rewards best practices. In addition, it recognises outstanding contributions to the growth of the ICT sector.
The awards are free, and awardees are chosen by readers of Nigeria Communications Week through a transparent voting process, and are designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global ICT map, he added.
“Winning the award is a testament to your talents, innovations, contributions and commitments to the growth of the ICT industry, especially in your expertise as a data centre operator, which operates Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities.
We have recognised your hard work, sincerity and dedication towards the development of ICT industry with your strategically located, world-class data centre facilities provide a home for business-critical data for enterprises in Africa” says Nwogbo.
Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres, said: “Africa Data Centres is thrilled to have won this prestigious award that acknowledges the organisation’s contribution to the growth of the data centre industry in Nigeria.”
Africa Data Centres, the continent’s leading pan-African operator of large-scale, vendor- and carrier-neutral data centres, recently announced a new 10MW facility in the region, the first of four faculties planned for Nigeria.
“Our plans include building an additional facility in Lagos at a separate location to ensure total disaster recovery and backup, while Abuja and Port Harcourt have been earmarked for their facilities,” he added.
“Nigeria remains a key African market for us, and this award recognises our investment in, and commitment to, the region.” “We are helping our hyperscale customers deploy digitisation solutions to West Africa. Investments in Nigeria are viewed as a great leap forward in our ambitious long-term plans to close the digital divide and digitise the country,” continued Durvasula.
Organisations of every size and in every vertical have faced tremendous challenges over the past two years. However, it has been motivating and encouraging to acknowledge the outstanding products and services that enhance connectivity and drive economic growth in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
“As a business of Cassava Technologies, we ensure that our initiatives enable social mobility and the economic prosperity of individuals and businesses across the continent through increased access to innovative technologies. BoICT recognising us with this prestigious award reaffirmed that Africa Data Centres that our work is making a difference. We offer congratulations to all who entered, especially the winners in their respective categories,” he concluded.
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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