Telecom
Ericsson’s Ten Hot Consumer Trends 2030 Report

Consumers expect an array of beneficial services from connected technology interacting with our senses of sight, sound, taste, smell and touch to be a common reality by 2030. The consumer predictions about the Internet of Senses are among the expectations highlighted in the ninth edition of the Ericsson ConsumerLab Hot Consumer Trends report.
The Internet of Senses will be enabled by technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), 5G and automation. Consumers predict that by 2030 screen-based experiences will increasingly compete with multisensory ones that will be almost inseparable from reality.
Based on comprehensive research, the ConsumerLab Hot Consumer Trends 2030 report represents the expectations and predictions of 46 million early technology adopters.
Main drivers for the Internet of Senses include immersive entertainment and online shopping, the climate crisis and the corresponding need to minimize climate impact.
Dr. Pernilla Jonsson, Head of Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab and co-author of the report, says: “We’re talking about a shift from current smartphone-based internet connectivity to immersive experiences resulting from our senses being connected.
“This report explores what that could mean for consumers, with Augmented Reality glasses as the entrance point. We did not expect the extent to which consumers already envisage vast changes to our daily lives driven by sensory connectivity through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), 5G and automation.”
Dr. Michael Björn, Head of Research Agenda, Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab, and co-author of the report, says: “We often imagine the future as a linear development from today. But we already need to consider what opportunities and challenges a world where all human senses are digitalized will bring.
“For example, it could play a significant role in climate action and carbon footprint reduction. Many activities can be digitalized to reduce their climate impact. You could go to work, go on vacation, and travel the world, all from your home.
“Consumers expect concerns about individual privacy in the Internet of Senses to be addressed by the industry. For example, possible public concern that our senses could be manipulated to purchase items or services. People will expect necessary protections and guarantees to be put in place.”
The 10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2030 – Internet of Senses are:
- Your brain is the user interface
Fifty-nine percent of consumers believe that we will be able to see map routes on Virtual Reality glasses by simply thinking of a destination.
- Sounds like me
Using a microphone, 67 percent believe they will be able to take on anyone’s voice realistically to fool even family members.
- Any flavor you want
Forty-five percent predict a device for your mouth that digitally enhances anything you eat, so that any food can taste like your favorite treat.
- Digital aroma
Around 6 in 10 expect to be able to digitally visit forests or the countryside, including experiencing all the natural smells of those places.
- Total touch
More than 6 in 10 expect smartphones with screens that convey the shape and texture of the digital icons and buttons they are pressing.
- Merged reality
Virtual Reality game worlds are predicted by 7 in 10 to be indistinguishable from physical reality by 2030.
- Verified as real
“Fake News” could be finished: half of respondents say news reporting services that feature extensive fact checks will be popular by 2030.
- Post-privacy consumers
Half of respondents are “post-privacy consumers”: they expect privacy issues to be fully resolved so they can safely reap the benefits of a data-driven world.
- Connected sustainability
Internet of senses-based services will make society more environmentally sustainable, according to 6 in 10.
- Sensational services
Forty-five percent of consumers anticipate digital malls allowing them to use all five senses when shopping.
The report insights are based on Ericsson ConsumerLab’s global research activities spanning more than 24 years. It primarily draws on data from an online survey conducted during October 2019 of advanced internet users in 15 cities around the world. They are Bangkok, Delhi, Jakarta, Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, Moscow, New York, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney and Tokyo.
Telecom
PAT Taps Osi as CEO

Pan African Towers (PAT), a Nigerian infrastructure provider serving 9mobile and Spectranet, has appointed Echezona Osi as chief executive officer.

Echezona Osi
Adefolarin Ogunsanya, company’s, board chairman, explained in a statement that Osi would succeed Oladipo Badru, whose tenure lasted nine months in acting CEO position. Osi has more than 28 years of experience in the telecommunications sector across various regions of Africa.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, he had served as the head of network deployment at Airtel Nigeria, operations director and chief technical information officer at MIC Tanzania, chief technology officer roles at IPT PowerTech Nigeria, Rhino Niger Networks and Biswal Nigeria.
He obtained a degree in electrical/ electronic engineering from the University of Benin and a postgraduate diploma in data science and business analytics from the University of Texas.
Telecom
NCC Introduces N10m Licence Fee for Bulk SMS Service

Companies sending bulk international text messages, also known as Application-to-Person (A2P) messages, will now have apply for a licence that costs N10 million.
This is part of new rules introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at cleaning up the system, fighting fraud, blocking spam messages and stopping money from leaving the country unchecked.
These A2P messages are the kind customers get from banks, online stores, hospitals and political campaigns, automated texts sent from apps to their phones.
According to the commission, the bulk international text message system has been poorly regulated, allowing misuse and invasion of privacy.
“The International SMS Service Ecosystem in Nigeria has not been fully brought under regulatory control. It has been observed that the excessive use of the Short Message Service has led to fraud, spam and illegal activities,” the NCC said.
The regulator warned that without action, the problem would worsen as more people use mobile phones and digital services.
To solve this, the NCC is creating a central platform, or gateway, through which all international bulk text messages must pass through.
The agency said this would help to monitor messages in real time, ensure proper fees are paid, and make sure the money stays in Nigeria where it can contribute to the economy.
As part of the incoming change, service providers must follow strict rules, including strong data protection, spam filters, and message encryption.
Also, they must also work with local mobile networks and make sure all messages come from a verified sender
The NCC warned that any message without a proper sender ID will be blocked and not delivered to users.
To protect users from unwanted texts, the new rules say companies must get clear permission before sending any promotional content.
The rule also says people must also be able to choose whether they want to receive such messages or not.
Companies are now required to keep records of all messages for at least six months and must clearly state all charges involved.
The NCC said fees for help requests, cancellations, or service info must be transparent and not include hidden charges.
The commission will issue licences to several providers to encourage healthy competition but may limit new licences if needed.
Only companies that show they can stop fraud and safely deliver messages will be allowed to operate. They must also regularly report their message traffic and finances to the NCC.
It warned that any company that breaks the rules risks getting fined, suspended, or having its licence revoked.
Offences like charging illegal tariffs, ignoring security rules, or avoiding taxes will be punished, the NCC said.
The commission added that the new rules follow the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023 and support the federal government’s goal of strengthening cybersecurity and controlling Nigeria’s digital space.
The framework will also be reviewed from time to time to keep up with new technology and market trends.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Targets $1Bn Cloud Market with Largest Modular Data Centre

MTN Nigeria has launched what it claims is the country’s largest prefabricated modular data centre, marking a bold push into the country’s fast-growing cloud market and taking aim at global giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.
The shift comes as demand for cloud services in Nigeria soars — driven by the uptake of mobile apps, fintech tools and e-learning platforms — while foreign providers have become costlier in the wake of the naira’s sharp devaluation.
“This is one of the biggest data centres in West Africa and probably one of the biggest in Africa,” said Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.
He described the new Tier III-certified facility, with locally hosted cloud services, as “transformative for the technology ecosystem in Nigeria and very supportive of the federal government’s agenda”.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecoms provider, has so far invested $120m in the first phase, delivering an IT load of 4.5MW. A second phase, set to double capacity to 9MW, is budgeted at $135m.
“We already have data centres that are running our existing capacities,” Toriola said.
“We will go to 9MW in short order, possibly 14MW, and we can expand even further.”
He said the facility would allow local hosting for tech developers, large enterprises including banks and oil companies, and government agencies — markets long dominated by foreign cloud providers.
“Multinational companies such as Netflix, Facebook and Instagram can also host a lot of their data here. That improves the quality of service and reduces the cost of storage,” he added.
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