Telecom
Anambra State Govt in Talk with US High-Tech Companies on Strategic Partnership

Anambra State Government’s Executive Council delegation, led by His Excellency, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, engaged in strategic discussions with the US Consul-General, William Stevens, and influential leaders from 26 renowned US high-tech companies at a groundbreaking meeting held over the weekend, at the US Consulate General Office in Lagos.

L-R: US Consul-General, William Stevens and Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR, during the groundbreaking meeting held over the weekend, at the US Consulate General in Lagos.
The distinguished Anambra Executive Council delegation included key figures such as Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency; Uchechukwu Christian, State Commissioner for Industry; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Ms. Chinwe Okoli.
The meeting aimed to explore avenues for collaboration, forge corporate alliances, and foster technological partnerships to accelerate Anambra State’s growth, and provided an opportunity to enhance strategic partnerships for economic development and the exchange of technologies, fostering shared prosperity between Anambra State, its tech companies, and their counterparts in the United States.

The Anambra State delegation and representatives of the US Tech firms during the meeting.
The Anambra delegation seized the opportunity to present the state’s tech developmental strides under Governor Soludo’s visionary leadership, as well as the strategic plan of the government to build an Anambra where the tech ecosystem thrives.
Highlighting the key initiatives driving tech revolutions within the state, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, underscored Mr. Governor’s commitment to establishing Anambra as a thriving hub for digital transformation and innovation.
The US high-tech companies participating in the discussions expressed eagerness to support Anambra State in diverse capacities, one of which includes robust support for the State’s Digital Health and Education Transformation initiatives pledged by Amazon Web Services and technical support and offer of substantial discounts for future devices purchased in the state by Dell and HP.

Managing Director, Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata ‘CFA’ (left) and others during the meeting
Meta also pledged to deepen their collaboration in Anambra through partners such as IGHub and Fate Foundation, while Google expressed enthusiasm to pilot several initiatives and explore opportunities to enhance the digital presence of SMEs in Anambra, thereby contributing to increased digital footprints.
Noteworthy, however, is the understanding that these commitments are preliminary and subject to further discussions and finetuning, by both the Anambra State Government and these tech industry giants, towards translating these commitments into impactful projects that will bring about lasting positive change for the people of Anambra.
The strategic alliance signals a significant milestone in Anambra State’s journey towards becoming a technology-driven hub and aligns seamlessly with Mr. Governor’s commitment to his vision to transform Anambra State into the digital and creative capital of Nigeria.

Governor Soludo (middle), the US Consul-General, William Stevens (1st on the Governor’s left) and other delegates from Anambra State and reps of US tech firms in a group photograph after the meeting
The partnerships forged with these leading industry giants, no doubt, are poised to catalyze innovation, economic growth, and societal development within the state.
In his remarks, Governor Soludo expressed gratitude for the willingness of the US companies to support Anambra’s technological advancement, emphasising the state’s commitment under his watch, to creating a conducive environment for collaboration and a thriving ecosystem for innovation.
Telecom
Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

Airtel Nigeria has restated its commitment to transparency, customer safety, and regulatory collaboration following recent regulatory enforcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The NCC had served Airtel Nigeria a notice of sanction over some alleged SIM infractions in Kano State and consequently slammed a fine of N104 million on the telecommunications firm.
NCC had in a letter, addressed to Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, dated May 26, 2025, signed by Chizua Whyte, head, Legal and Regulatory Services, and Mohammed Dari, acting head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, on behalf of Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, titled: ‘Notice of Sanction: Non-Compliance with SIM Registration Directive in Kano,’ where the infractions were spelt out.
According to NCC, Airtel infractions include unauthorised SIM registrations using 198 unapproved devices, resulting in 8,275 registrations outside the 281 verified Airtel shops; premature activation of 63 MSISDNs prior to proper SIM registration, contrary to the provisions of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022; failure to conduct effective eyeballing, leading to 407 fraudulent SIM registrations with multiple NINs, contrary to the provision of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and failure to provide satisfactory explanation for SIM registrations conducted between 12.00 a.m and 6.00 a.m.
On the matter, the letter revealed that there were some letter exchanges and subsequent meetings on the infractions between the telecom regulator and Airtel, starting from January 12, 2025, March 19, 2025, March 24, 2025, and March 27, 2025, respectively.
Apparently, after investigations and responses from Airtel, the NCC was not satisfied and this led to the fine of N104 million, which was to be paid within seven days from the date the letter was issued.
Specifically, NCC fined Airtel N5 million, N12 million, N81.4 million and N5 million for the infractions respectively.
Reacting, Airtel, expressed appreciation to the NCC for uncovering the infractions, describing the development as a critical opportunity to strengthen internal processes and further align with national security and regulatory expectations
“We thank the NCC for its vigilance and continued support in protecting the integrity of the telecoms ecosystem. Airtel takes these findings seriously and is already implementing corrective measures,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Only recently, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO recently announced that the company is doubling its investment in the country, focusing on network expansion, fiber-to-the-street rollout, 4G/5G deployment, customer care upgrades, and digital infrastructure security.
These investments reinforce Airtel’s long-term vision of building a resilient and forward-looking telecom network that meets the evolving needs of Nigerians.
“Our systems are constantly evolving to stay ahead of scammers and malicious actors,” the spokesperson added. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about our responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who rely on Airtel daily.”
Airtel Nigeria says it will continue to work closely with the NCC and other arms of government to ensure high standards of service and safety for all telecom users nationwide.
Telecom
Kenya Beats Nigeria As the Most Progressive ICT Regulation in Africa

Kenya is celebrating its regulatory ecosystem being ranked as the most progressive in Africa. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked the East African country first in its most recent ICT Regulatory Tracker.
ITU’s ICT Regulatory Tracker is an evidence-gathering tool for decision-makers and regulators. It demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory systems in the age of technology.
The ITU evaluates the design of the national regulatory authority, the scope of the regulatory mandate, the obtaining regulatory environment, and the robustness of the competition framework in member countries.
Kenya received 93 points, up from 92 in 2023, and now leads the continent in best practices for ICT regulations.
Nigeria and South Africa finished second and third, with 92 and 88 points respectively. Malawi, Egypt, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal complete the top 10 list.
Globally, Kenya was ranked 20th out of 194 countries covered.Italy led the rankings, with 100 points.
The regulator, Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, said the achievement underscored Kenya’s commitment to creating a robust, technology-neutral regulatory environment that supports innovation, affordability and access.
Steve Isaboke, permanent secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, visited CA Centre in Nairobi following the announcement on Thursday.
“The ranking is a clear testament of the excellent work that CA has done in spearheading Kenya’s digital transformation and driving digital access for all,” he said.
“After 25 years, CA’s regulatory regime has attained maturity, and gained global recognition. This ranking shows that the CA staff and leadership are executing their work diligently.”
Telecom
MTN’s Female Leadership Surges to 41.4%, Doubles Industry Average

MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced a significant increase in female representation within its leadership, with women now making up 41.4% of its workforce, a notable rise from 38.7% in 2023.
This figure reportedly doubles the industry average, positioning MTN Nigeria as a frontrunner in gender diversity within Nigeria’s ICT sector.
The company’s recently released 2024 Annual Report highlights its sustained commitment to workplace inclusion and gender equality, aligning with its “Ambition 2025” strategy. Female representation within the executive management team has reached approximately 46.7%.
MTN Nigeria attributes this progress to dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering women professionally. These include the “Women in Tech” programme, which provides targeted upskilling in high-demand fields such as Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, and Cyber Security.
The “MTN Y’ello Mums Internship Programme” also supports young mothers in their transition back into the corporate world after career breaks.
Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, was recognised as the CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA), further underscoring the company’s impactful social initiatives.
Additionally, Uto Ukpanah, the company secretary, received the inaugural Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award from the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).
Speaking at a recent conference, Odunayo Sanya, emphasised the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation, saying, “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders.”
Uto Ukpanah, added, “Showcasing our corporate values and ethos to the world opens the door for greater collaboration with other organisations, as we believe there’s a lot to learn when we all come together. Governance continues to evolve. The challenges today are not the same as they were 10 years ago. Greater accountability is expected, and companies can only continue to do better.”
The company’s broader efforts in diversity and inclusion have been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the Corporate Responsibility Award. MTN Nigeria also received the “Employer of the Year” award at the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Employers’ Excellence Awards.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, in the report, reiterated the company’s commitment to building a purpose-driven organisation, emphasising that its success is intrinsically linked to its people and their dedication to a shared vision.
“Since we initiated our culture transformation journey in 2021, our culture transformation has significantly enhanced employee engagement and organisational cohesion. It’s directly strengthened our ability to deliver outstanding business performance and drive sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
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