Telecom
Emerging Technologies, Cybersecurity, Others Form Key Focus of NCA 2003 Review

The House of Representatives Committee on Communications has commenced process to review the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, with Colloquium in Lagos, theme: ” The Nigerian Communications Act 2003, 22 Years After: Reassessing the Nigerian Communications Act, Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions for a Digital Nigeria”.
Dr. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in his opening remarks, said that the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 represents a cornerstone of Nigeria’s telecommunications momentous evolution, and today, we are tasked with evaluating its impact, confronting its challenges, and charting a bold path toward a digitally inclusive and globally competitive Nigeria.
According to him, “when the Nigerian Communications Act was enacted over two decades ago, it heralded a new era for our nation’s telecommunications sector. By dismantling monopolistic barriers and establishing a transparent, independent regulatory framework, the Act empowered the Commission to midwife a sector that has become a bedrock of Nigeria’s economic and social progress.
“The explosion in telecommunications services, its availability and enablement of transformational changes in the Sector, are fruits of this bold legislative initiative by the vibrant Nigerian legislature.
“The numbers speak for themselves: mobile subscriptions have grown from less than 300 thousand in 2001 to over 150 million today. Internet penetration has surged, connecting millions to the digital economy, while the telecommunications sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product has risen to approximately 13.94% as of the 3rd quarter of 2024. Beyond statistics, the Act has enabled transformative innovations, mobile banking, e-commerce, digital communications and digital education—that have redefined how Nigerians live, work, and interact”.
Dr. Maida added that these milestones are a testament to the vision of the Act’s framers, the resilience of industry players, and the trust of Nigerian consumers.
“They reflect the power of collaboration between the legislature, regulator, operators, and stakeholders in building a sector that has become a global model for telecommunications liberalization in emerging markets.
“The global telecommunications industry is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by disruptive technologies such as 5G networks, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, the Internet of Things, and blockchain. These advancements promise unprecedented opportunities but also pose complex challenges.
“In Nigeria, while urban centres enjoy robust connectivity, rural and underservedcommunities still grapple with limited access, highlighting the persistent digital divide.
Infrastructure deficits, including inadequate power supply and the high cost of right-of way approvals, are hindering network expansion. Cybersecurity threats loom larger as our reliance on digital platforms grows, with Nigeria recording a significant uptick in cyber-attacks targeting critical sectors.
“Moreover, the economics of the telecommunications industry are under strain. Operators face rising operational costs, exacerbated by inflation, currency volatility, and the need for substantial capital investment to deploy next-generation technologies.
“Consumers, while demanding faster, cheaper, and more reliable services, often face affordability constraints, particularly in low-income communities. These challenges underscore a critical truth: while the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 was visionary for its time, the realities of 2025 require us to re-examine its provisions to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
“This Colloquium, therefore, is both timely and strategic. It offers a rare opportunity to take stock of the Act’s strengths, address its gaps, and reimagine its role in powering Nigeria’s digital future”.
Also speaking at the occasion, HON. Peter Ohiozojeh Akpatason, chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Communications, said that the colloquium aims to among others; – Review the impact of the Nigerian Communication Act 2003 on our telecommunications sector.
– Identify challenges and opportunities arising from technological advancements and changing market dynamics.
– Discuss future directions for a Digital Nigeria, leveraging insights from industry experts and stakeholders.
He stated that it will explore key areas, such as: – Regulatory frameworks and their impact on competition and innovation.
– Emerging technologies and their potential applications in Nigeria.
– Digital inclusion and access to telecommunications services.
– Cybersecurity and data protection in the digital age.
“This event will provide a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, insights, and recommendations, with a view to: – Identifying areas for improvement in the Act.
– Develop strategies for promoting digital growth and innovation.
– Foster collaboration among industry stakeholders.
“As such, we must, consider strategies to bridge this divide, including infrastructure development and affordable access initiatives.
“Also, the sector faces increasing cybersecurity threats, which require robust measures to protect citizens and businesses.
“Therefore, we have to consider strengthening our cybersecurity frameworks, enhancing incident response capabilities, and promoting international cooperation to combat cyber threats.
“The Act’s regulatory framework has to be strengthened to promote innovation, competition, and investment. We therefore have to consider revising the Act to address emerging issues, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, and to ensure that our regulatory framework is flexible and adaptable to changing market conditions.
“We must consider strategies to promote digital entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment, including tax incentives, funding opportunities, and skills development programs. The new Act has to encourage measures for promoting innovation, including research and development initiatives, innovation hubs, and partnerships with international organizations,” he stated.
Telecom
Telcos Threaten to Disconnect Banks over Misinformation on New USSD Charges

Telecommunication companies have threatened to withdraw their Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD), services from banks over what they called misinformation.
MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile- the telcos disclosed that the banks’ notice to their customers on the new billing system and airtime deductions for USSD services was misleading.
Also, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) also denied that the directive was from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
USSD is done via shortcodes on mobile phones and allows bank customers to make transactions in places with limited or no internet service.
Recall that banks earlier this week claimed that NCC has directed them to begin charging them from their airtime rather than from customers’ accounts.
The notice from the banks read in part: “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.
“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.
“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ?6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.
“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
Reacting, ALTON, umbrella body of telecom operators in Nigeria, said the banks’ notice is a gross misinformation deliberately hatched to suit their selfish interests.
Hence they threatened to withdraw network support to the banks’ USSD services.
Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON told Vanguard: ” I don’t understand why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting information just to favour their selfish interests. In the first place, the information wasn’t a directive from the NCC but a joint regulatory agreement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN witnessed by the telcos and the banks. The agreement was that if the banks finally cleared all USSD debts owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they are free to migrate to the end-user billing method, so long as the model of migration is transparent and agreed upon by the telcos.
“The reason for that clause was because the telcos insisted that the process of migration is such that will not allow a customer to be billed twice; in other words, that a subscriber would not have his airtime deducted and also have his or her money deducted for same services from his or her bank account.
” As we speak, some of the banks have cleared their debts, but the majority are yet to do so. So, even if all the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been perfectly carried out, the implementation cannot even begin because the banks are yet to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.
“Our position now is that if that is the way the banks want to treat the agreement, we may withdraw support for their USSD services. It is not a must-have. They can do without it. But, they should clear the debts as agreed,” he added.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Plans N900Bn in Service Upgrade

MTN Nigeria has announced plans to embark on a massive capital expenditure (CAPEX) drive in 2025, committing nearly N900 billion to significantly enhance network service quality across Nigeria.

Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria,
The substantial investment, more than double the combined CAPEX of approximately N440 billion spent in 2023 and 2024, underscored MTN’s aggressive strategy to address persistent service quality issues and meet growing customer and regulatory expectations.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria, detailed this unprecedented financial commitment during a recent interview on Arise TV, emphasizing that improving service quality is the company’s paramount message for the year.
He highlighted a clear understanding and expectation from both the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and security agencies for improved network quality.
A primary focus of this increased CAPEX will be on putting additional capacity in a city like Lagos, particularly in Abuja, where you have a lot of buildings coming up, you need additional sites because there are coverage issues.
Beyond these critical urban centers, the investment aims to bolster network resilience and ensure power stability for its infrastructure nationwide.
This includes proactively addressing site outages by ensuring timely payment for operational necessities such as diesel for generators, a persistent challenge in the Nigerian operating environment.
Toriola outlined a comprehensive upgrade process, which involves placing orders formally, opening letters of credit, and then the equipment gets shipped in and installed.
He added that MTN will be acquiring new sites and laying fiber to the base station to create better stability” where necessary.
While the immediate CAPEX is geared towards improving existing service quality and capacity, this investment aligns with MTN’s broader goals of enhancing financial inclusion in underserved rural areas, suggesting a long-term vision for network expansion and service improvement that extends beyond metropolitan areas.
Subscribers can anticipate tangible improvements in service quality, with a significant improvement in quality of service expected by the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2025, according to Toriola.
“This year is all going to be about capital expenditure on an aggressive basis to fix quality of service issues (and) meet both the regulators’ and the public’s expectations,” he affirmed, reiterating MTN’s steadfast focus on customer experience through substantial capital investment.
Telecom
Telecom Regulators in Africa Chart New Course for a Data-driven Future

Telecom regulators and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Africa gathered in Cairo last week to chart a data-driven future for the region.
In a region where digital transformation is accelerating at unprecedented speed, connectivity intelligence firm, Ookla and Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) joined forces to organise the Telecommunications Regulatory Summit
Themed ‘Harnessing Data and Technology for Superior QoS’, the summit focused on how data, particularly crowdsourced insights, can transform regulatory strategies across the region.
The summit attracted stakeholders from over 30 countries, including delegates from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Broadband Association (WBBA), who engaged in high-level discussions on optimising network performance and accelerating digital inclusion.
Karim Yaici, lead industry analyst for the Middle East and Africa at Ookla, said the event set the tone for the growing value of data-driven decision-making.
“Access to and the use of crowdsourced data contribute to making more informed decisions, fostering transparency and ensuring that citizens in the MEA region benefit from high-quality, accessible and affordable connectivity,” he said.
The experts underlined that crowdsourced data is becoming a critical complement to traditional regulatory methods.
They agreed that it helps identify service gaps, prioritise infrastructure investments, and drive innovation.
With broadband speeds now closely tied to GDP growth and productivity, accurate performance data is seen as key to socio-economic advancement.
Dr. Hossam Abdel-Mawla, vice-president of technical affairs and quality of service at NTRA, stressed that the summit was pivotal in fostering regional collaboration.
“By actively sharing best practices and exploring innovative data-driven strategies, we are shaping a future where telecom regulations ensure digital inclusion and economic growth across the region,” he said.
In a key session, Ahmed Nabawy, director of client services at Ookla, presented findings on 5G performance in Egypt and Tunisia.
He demonstrated how Ookla’s unified data platform, powered by AI, enables operators to analyse 5G-capable device density and prioritise high-impact rollout areas.
The summit also explored the shift from conventional network quality metrics to more user-centric Quality of Experience models. These advanced analytics tools promise to enhance transparency, improve accountability, and ultimately deliver better connectivity experiences for all.
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