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Telecom

FG Hands Over $200m NRTP to Operators in April

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Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communications Technology
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Ministry of Communications Technology said it is waiting for the final confirmation by the federal executive council (FEC) to handover the National Rural Telephony Project (NRTP) to operators that emerged preferred bidders to operate the networks across the country.

Barring any unforeseen delays, the ministry, said that the transaction will be rectified between now and March and that the winners will take over the project.

The National Rural Telephony Project, the little successful $200 million project was conceived in 2001 to take telephony services to the rural areas.

The project has however been caught in a web of confusion, claims and counter charges with fingers pointing left and right.

Engr. John Ayodele, director of Posts and Telecommunications in the ministry of Communications Technology, told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that his ministry will conclude the protracted deal by April.

Ayodele said that the date is based on budgetary approval which the ministry has appropriated for in the 2014 budget and is waiting for approval.

He added that every necessary approvals for the conclusion of the transaction between the ministry and the preferred bidders have been secured except the final confirmation by the federal executive council (FEC) of presidential approval, which is expected to be rectified between now and March this year.

“The Ministry of Communications Technology is committed to conclusion of this transaction; we have included it in our 2014 budget of the ministry and is waiting for budgetary approval. When our budget for the year is approved, all that we need to do is to get federal executive council to rectify President Goodluck Jonathan’s approval of the transaction. Once all these are done, we are looking at handing over the networks to the preferred bidders by April this year,” he stated.

It would be recalled that federal government in July last year began concerted efforts towards concluding the transaction with the inauguration a new board which has Senator Ken Nnamani as chairman.

Other members of the board were Senator Anyin Pius Anyim, secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), minister of Justice; Dr Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, minister of Finance; and Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others.

The NRTP inaugurated under former President Obasanjo’s first term in office, was to cover 218 Local Government Areas (LGA) in the first phase and provide over 636,256 Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), lines in the 774 LGAs and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the second phase to bridge the digital divide between the urban and rural areas.

Three Chinese companies– ZTE Corporation, Huawei and Shagai Bell – were awarded the contract at the sum of $200 million.

The Federal Government had borrowed the above amount from the China Export and Import (EXIM) Bank, while it provided 15 per cent counterpart funding of N5 billion for the execution of the project.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the Chinese companies failed to deliver on the project prompting the federal government to transfer the first phase of the project to five indigenous telecommunications companies namely: Key Communications Limited, Suburban Broadband Limited, Voicewares Network Limited, Gicell Wireless Limited and Hezonic

Engr. Gerry Ekesiani, chief executive officer, Voicewares Networks Limited, one of the operators of the project that won the contract to operate South-east and Benue exchange, said that stakeholders in the project which are operators and ministry of Communications Technology have engaged in meetings in order to resolve outstanding issues that are delaying full take off of the project.

He stated that continue delay of the project is jeopardizing full realization of the project, adding that the 800MGH frequency allocated to them is no longer suitable for delivery of broadband and that had it being that the project has taken off the current plan by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to license 2.3Ghz spectrum would have been an opportunity for them to upgrade to 2.3Ghz.

He explained that 2.3Ghz is robust for broadband service delivery which NRTP is designed for.

Ekesiani added that the continued delay in the rollout of services is causing Association of Rural Telephony Operators of Nigeria (ARTON) financial losses while the equipment have become object of vandals and thieves.

Among the companies that emerged preferred bidders in the various zones are, Suburban Limited (now Telefund Ltd) emerging for Abuja and Kaduna zones respectively; Gicel Wireless emerging for Bauchi Zone; Voicewares Networks Limited for Enugu Zone; Key Communications for Ibadan Zone and Hezonic for PortHarcount Zone. 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

Telecom

Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year

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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.


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Telecom

Telcos Warn of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage

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Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON
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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).

Telcos Warn of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage

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.

 

 

 


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Telecom

Nigerians Spend N5.3 Trillion on Telecom Services

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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.

Nigerians Spend N5.3 Trillion on Telecom Services

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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