Telecom
BPE, NATCOM Sign Agreement on NITEL’s Assets
The Bureau of Public Enterprises has signed an Asset Sale Agreement with the preferred bidder for the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, NATCOM Consortium.
In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Mr. Chgbo Anichebe, head of Public Communications at BPE, said the agreement was signed by the two parties in Abuja.
Anichebe said Dr. Olatunde Ayeni, Chairman of the consortium, , during the ceremony pledged to turn around the moribund telecom conglomerate in the shortest possible time to bring it back to its lost glory.
Ayeni, at the ceremony which also marked the issuance of Letter of Offer to the preferred bidder by BPE, said NITEL still had the potential to be the national carrier.
He said the consortium had the wherewithal to revamp NITEL and its mobile subsidiary, the Nigerian Mobile Telecommunications Limited to become the biggest and leading telecommunications outfit in Nigeria and that with the signing of the transaction documents, the process of revamping the organisation had begun.
Ayeni recalled the previous failed attempts to sell the enterprise and maintained that the current effort would not be in vain as the NATCOM Consortium was determined to break the jinx.
He said, “We pledge to make NITEL/M-Tel to come alive again to the delight of the BPE that had unsuccessfully in the past tried to sell the enterprise and to the good of Nigerians who will be employed and afforded another service provider in the telecoms market.
“BPE is indeed, one of the few government agencies in Nigeria that are transparent, meticulous and execute their assignments diligently.”
Mr. Benjamin Dikki, Director General of BPE, said that given the zeal and calibre of persons on the consortium that won the bid, he was confident that the consortium would pay the bid price and make NITEL/M-Tel work again.
“I believe we have the right group to turnaround NITEL/M-Tel and we believe without any doubt in their ability to turnaround the fortunes of NITEL,” Dikki said.
The BPE boss said the transaction had undergone a full circle with ratification and approval by the National Council on Privatisation and that what was remaining now was for the preferred bidder to pay up and take possession.
He warned the preferred bidder that signing of the Assets Sale Agreement did not in any way confer ownership on the consortium; adding that only the full payment of the bid consideration would grant them access to the assets.
Also speaking, Otunba Olutola Senbore, the Liquidator for NITEL/M-Tel, noted that though the task was daunting, with the cooperation of all stakeholders, the transaction was successful.
Following the disqualification of NETTAG Consortium as a result of its failure to provide a bid bond together, only the financial bid of NATCOM Consortium qualified for opening on December 3.
Accordingly, the financial proposal of NATCOM consortium was publicly opened and the consortium won with a bid price of $252.25m.
However, another entity, Arabian Amlak for Investment Limited led by General Abdullahi Mamman (Retd) has gone to court, challenging BPE for selecting NATCOM Consortium as the preferred bidder for NITEL.
The company said it was preposterous for BPE to offer NITEL and M-Tel to NATCOM Consortium for $252m when it had made an offer of $919,999,999 to the privatisation agency.
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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