Telecom
Airtel CEO Reaffirms Commitment to Excellent Service Experience Following Tariff Adjustment Approval
Airtel Nigeria, one of the country’s top telecommunications providers, has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering superior customer service following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) recent approval of a 50% tariff adjustment across the industry.
The NCC, in addition to approving the new tariff, also mandated that operators meet all quality-of-service (QoS) benchmarks in providing service to customers. Airtel CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, has assured that Airtel remains committed to its track record of regulatory compliance and will dedicate itself to ensure this directive is met and also go beyond it through consistent investments in infrastructure and service delivery.
“Airtel takes quality of service very seriously,” Balsingh said. “This adjustment allows us to double down on investments in our network infrastructure to boost coverage, speed, and reliability. We are committed to ensuring compliance with the NCC’s requirements and will continue to exceed expectations through strategic investments.”
Airtel’s history of consistent investment in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is a testament to its commitment to providing reliable services, said Balsingh. Over the years, the company has upgraded and expanded its network infrastructure across both urban centers and underserved rural communities, enabling millions of Nigerians to access fast, dependable connections.
According to Balsingh, the tariff adjustment will provide the financial backing needed to accelerate these investments even further. “Our focus remains on improving coverage, reducing network congestion, and providing seamless connectivity,” he stated.
“This tariff adjustment ensures that we can expand to more locations, upgrade existing sites, and deliver even better service to our customers.”
In line with the NCC’s directive on meeting QoS benchmarks, Airtel is prioritizing the enhancement of its network’s reliability, voice quality, and data speed. “We fully recognize the need to continuously meet and exceed regulatory standards,” Balsingh said.
“We have built a reputation for delivering value, and we are taking every measure to ensure that our customers enjoy uninterrupted, high-quality services. Our goal is to empower businesses, students, and entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed in the digital age.”
While Airtel remains focused on network investments, Balsingh reassured that affordability will not be compromised. “We understand that customers expect value, which is why we will continue to offer affordable plans while maintaining high service quality,” he said.
Airtel Nigeria’s commitment to consistent investment and its dedication to meeting the NCC’s QoS requirements position the company as a key driver of Nigeria’s connectivity future. “Our investments are not just about meeting today’s needs,” Balsingh concluded. “We are building for the future—one where every Nigerian, no matter their location, has access to world-class telecommunications services.”
MoMo Payment Service Bank (MoMo PSB), a leader in digital financial services in Nigeria, recently partnered with Sochitel Group, a global leader in digital prepaid products.
This collaboration introduces the Global Duka Gift Card Service within the MoMo PSB Super App, enabling millions of users to make seamless online international payments for gaming and entertainment packages.
With the Global Duka Gift Card Service, registered MoMo PSB customers can easily purchase voucher codes for popular platforms such as Apple Play, Google Play, Netflix, Amazon, Xbox, and PlayStation. This service enhances the user experience while supporting various essential payments including airtime and educational services. Customers can conveniently redeem these codes directly on their respective service providers’ websites, making digital transactions more accessible.
Commenting on this partnership, Phrase Lubega, Chief Executive Officer of MoMo PSB, said: “At MoMo, we are dedicated to driving financial inclusion through innovative digital solutions. The introduction of the Global Duka Gift Card Service aligns with our mission to empower Nigerians by providing easy access to global digital products. This partnership with Sochitel Group marks a pivotal step in enhancing our offerings and ensuring our customers can enjoy a broader range of services.”
Jerry Ejikeme, Founder and CEO of Sochitel Group, also commenting on the partnership, said: “Our collaboration with MoMo PSB is a significant milestone in promoting financial inclusion and simplifying cross-border commerce. With Global Duka, we are excited to provide Nigerian consumers with an effortless way to access international brands and services directly from their mobile wallets.”
The Global Duka Gift Card Service is designed to eliminate barriers associated with traditional payment methods. Users can now make purchases without needing credit or debit cards, ensuring secure and trusted transactions within the MoMo ecosystem. The initiative simplifies access to international brands and fosters a more connected digital lifestyle for its customers.
The service is now live within the MoMo PSB Super App and is available to all registered users. To start enjoying the feature, customers simply need to log into their MoMo PSB app and navigate to the Global Duka section under ‘My Apps.’
MoMo PSB remains committed to providing financial services in a secure technology-driven environment to further deepen financial inclusion in Nigeria.
MTN Nigeria has recovered N32 billion from Nigerian banks as part of the N74 billion outstanding debt owed to the telecom operator for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) service charges.
However, N42 billion remains unpaid, highlighting the lingering tensions in the protracted dispute between banks and telecom companies.
USSD, otherwise quick codes or “feature codes s a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) protocol that is used to send text messages.
According to MTN Nigeria’s Q5 financial statement, the circular specified that: “The directive from CBN and NCC requires sixty percent (60%) of all pre-API invoices to be paid as full and final settlement by 2 July 2025 while for post-API invoices the DMBs are required to pay 85 percent (85%) of outstanding invoices issued after the February 2022 implementation of APIs by 31 December 2024. In addition, future invoices are to be settled within one month of issuance.
Based on this directive, on 31 December 2024 MTN received N32 billion payment from the banks out of the N74 billion in CBN and NCC circulars to banks,” they stated.
Recall that telecommunications companies had threatened to withdraw their services over the N250 billion accumulated debt by banks.
In December 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) issued a joint circular to resolve the long-standing USSD debt impasse between banks and mobile network operators (MNOs).
Microsoft has confirmed that Skype will shut down on May 20, 2025, with the free version of Microsoft Teams for consumers as the designated successor.
The company said, “Skype users will be in control, they’ll have the choice. They can migrate their conversation history and their contacts out and move on if they want, or they can migrate to Teams.”
However, telephony features are being discontinued.
Skype, the once one of the go-to messaging platforms is being shut down after 21 years.
The video calling service that was
Introduced in 2003, Skype was then acquired by Microsoft in 2011.
It was used as a replacement for early communications apps like Windows Live Messenger, but the history of the Skype platform within Microsoft products has been bumpy.
The writing has been on the wall for a while now since Microsoft has put most of its efforts over the last decade into its Teams platform.
Skype has also become less relevant over the years as platforms like Google Chat, WhatsApp Messenger, Facebook’s Messenger, Zoom and Apple’s FaceTime have taken over the mobile video calling space.
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