Telecom
Huawei Plans Data Centre in Nigeria to Boost Local Cloud Capabilities

Huawei Technologies, a Chinese information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure provider, has unveiled plans to launch a significant new data centre in Nigeria, a move that is expected to bolster the country’s cloud infrastructure and support its growing digital economy.

Server racks in server room data center
This announcement was made by David Olaiya, head of Cloud Fintech Business Development for Huawei Nigeria, during Nigeria Fintech Week, in Lagos.
The new data centre is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a hub for tech innovation in West Africa.
Scheduled to become fully operational by October 31, 2024, the facility, called ‘Cloud Site’ is designed to provide comprehensive data storage and computing services.
By keeping data within Nigeria’s borders, this initiative aims to align with the country’s data protection policies, which mandate that all user data be stored locally.
This is especially critical for sectors like finance and telecommunications, where data security is paramount.
Many Nigerian businesses, particularly those that have relied on international cloud services, often face compliance challenges when it comes to storing and processing sensitive user data.
These companies have had to send their data across borders, raising concerns about data security and regulatory adherence.
The launch of Huawei’s data centre aims to directly address these issues by allowing businesses to manage their data domestically, ensuring compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
“This centre ensures data sovereignty, offering Nigerian businesses a competitive advantage by keeping sensitive information within the country,” Olaiya stated.
The launch of the data centre comes amid the growing influence of Huawei’s cloud services among Nigerian banks. Reports have emerged that major Nigerian banks including UBA Zenith Bank, Opay, First Bank and others are opting for Huawei’s cloud storage solutions, positioning it as a strong competitor to IBM, which has been a longtime leader in banking technology in Nigeria. The shift by these banks reflects the rising trust in Huawei’s cloud capabilities and its growing influence within the financial sector.
Olaiya also emphasized that the new centre will offer more than just local data storage. It is expected to significantly reduce latency, providing faster access to cloud services, which is crucial for real-time operations such as digital payments and mobile banking.
In addition to data compliance, he noted that the centre will be backed by local technical expertise, which will be key in providing timely support to Nigerian enterprises. Huawei plans to have a dedicated team on the ground, alongside its global 24/7 support infrastructure. This combination of local and global resources promises to deliver seamless service, enabling companies to troubleshoot issues more efficiently and reduce the risks associated with downtime or technical failures.
While this is a milestone for Huawei, Nigeria already hosts data centres from global tech giants such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure.
However, Huawei’s entry into the local cloud landscape is poised to bring additional benefits.
The ‘Cloud Site’ will be part of Huawei’s extensive global network, which spans 93 availability zones in 33 regions around the world, including existing data centres in South Africa and Egypt.
The Nigerian data centre will be linked to Huawei’s other key locations, including facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Dublin, Ireland.
This global integration is expected to not only serve as a critical resource for established businesses in Nigeria, but also to support Africa’s digital transformation in broader terms, creating new opportunities for startups, especially in sectors like fintech, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence (AI), where local data processing can drive innovation.
In a related initiative, Huawei Cloud announced in April 2024 its plan to support 100 Nigerian startups over the next two years.
This commitment includes providing these startups with cloud resources and technical assistance to help them scale their operations and bring new products to market.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has also demonstrated its commitment to data infrastructure, with plans to inaugurate a national data centre by May 2024.
This facility, which will have a storage capacity of 1.4 petabytes, is intended to securely store critical national data, including biometric information of Nigerian citizens.
Overall, Huawei’s entry into Nigeria’s data centre market is set to complement these efforts, further establishing the country as a regional leader in cloud computing and data services.
Telecom
Airtel Reveals Mechanism of Spam Alert Service

As the revolutionary Airtel Spam AI Alert Service rolls out across Airtel Africa’s 14 operating countries, Airtel Nigeria CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, has elaborated on the unprecedented benefits and operating principles guiding the Spam Alert Service.
Designed to enhance user safety, this pioneering AI-driven product provides real-time defense against spam and fraudulent SMS messages, making it a gamechanger for mobile security across the continent.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service, which is engineered to automatically detect and label suspicious SMS messages as “Suspected SPAM” without requiring any user action or additional apps, leverages a robust AI algorithm that analyzes over 250 parameters.
These parameters includee sender behavior, message frequency, message geographical distribution, and unusual activity patterns. Impressively, the service completes this process under just two milliseconds, offering near-instantaneous alerts while maintaining the privacy of user data by not reading message content.
Commenting on the breakthrough service, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, stated: “Nigeria is not just a critical market for us—it’s a leader in digital adoption within the continent. Our AI Spam Alert Service reflects our dedication to safeguarding our customers from the growing threat of SMS fraud.
“As the first of its kind in Africa, it addresses a fundamental issue of trust and security, which is paramount to our digital ecosystem. We’re proud to offer this service to Nigerians and extend it across our African footprint.”
Following its successful deployment in Nigeria, the Spam Alert Service has now launched in Tanzania and Kenya and is set to cover Airtel’s entire African operations. The service’s automatic activation for all Airtel customers, across both smartphones and feature phones, ensures maximum reach and accessibility.
Early feedback from subscribers has been overwhelmingly positive, with users praising the AI’s efficiency in flagging potentially harmful messages without interfering with their everyday communication.
By pioneering this AI-based spam detection technology, Airtel Africa demonstrates its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge innovation to resolve critical issues facing its subscribers. The AI Spam Alert Service not only protects users but also sets a new benchmark for mobile security standards in the region.
“Our goal is to build a safer digital environment for our users,” added Balsingh. “This innovation is part of our broader strategy to incorporate advanced technologies that address real challenges while enhancing the overall customer experience.”
Telecom
MTN Group Strengthens Nigeria-South Africa Economic Ties Amid Africa’s Transformation

As Africa stands at the point of a profound transformation, the imperative for greater intra-continental cooperation has never been clearer. The path to shared prosperity depends not on the progress of individual nations but on the collective strength of our commitments.
Central to this vision is the relationship between South Africa and Nigeria, two of the continent’s largest economies, and the institutions that serve as bridges between them.
It was an honour for MTN Group to host Minister Parks Tau (SA Minister of Trade Industry and Competition) and his delegation at our Headquarters in Johannesburg. At a time when global uncertainties are reshaping trade and technology, Africa must respond not in isolation, but in solidarity.
As MTN, we see it as our duty to serve as an economic diplomatic bridge between Nigeria and South Africa — driving growth, fostering inclusion, and unlocking opportunity for the Africa’s shared prosperity.
MTN’s journey exemplifies what is possible when two great nations collaborate. As Nigeria’s largest South African investor, MTN has long viewed its presence not simply as a commercial venture but as a platform for inclusive development.
Since commencing operations in Nigeria in 2001, we have invested more than US$10 billion in the country’s digital infrastructure.
Today, MTN Nigeria serves over 80 million subscribers, employs thousands directly, and supports hundreds of thousands of livelihoods across its extended value chain.
Yet, while the economic footprint is significant, our greatest source of pride lies in the social and developmental outcomes accompanying this investment, expanded access to connectivity, enhanced financial inclusion, and the empowerment of individuals and enterprises through digital technologies.
Still, the operating environment remains complex. Macroeconomic challenges in Nigeria, including currency depreciation, inflation, and constraints in accessing foreign exchange, have placed pressure on business continuity and investor confidence.
Despite these difficulties, MTN remains firmly committed to its business case and its long-term presence in Nigeria, underpinned by a belief in the country’s enduring potential and strategic importance to the continent.
However, for South Africa and Nigeria to truly unlock their bilateral potential, a number of long-standing issues require resolution. The upcoming South Africa–Nigeria Trade and Investment Summit, to be held in Abuja later this year, presents a unique opportunity to address these concerns.
The Summit serves not merely as a diplomatic engagement, but as a catalyst for policy reform, reciprocal market access, and institutional dialogue. Importantly, it should reinforce the private sector’s role in shaping practical, actionable solutions that support cross-border trade and investment.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers a historic platform to actualise these ambitions. Yet its success will depend as much on infrastructure and digital connectivity as it will on tariff liberalisation or regulatory harmonisation.
As a pan-African operator, MTN is investing heavily in the digital foundations of AfCFTA, facilitating seamless mobile communication, enabling digital payments, and building platforms for cross-border entrepreneurship.
We also believe that integration must extend beyond economic frameworks to include cultural exchange and people-to-people engagement. One such initiative is our MTN Media Innovation Programme, which brings emerging Nigerian media professionals to South Africa for immersive learning.
Through programmes like these, we aim to cultivate not only knowledge and skills, but also enduring bonds between our nations’ future leaders.
Telecom
Tariff Hike Leads to Decline in Nigeria’s Internet Users – NCC Report

Nigeria’s telecommunications sector witnessed a notable decline in internet users following a 50 per cent tariff hike on voice, data, and SMS services implemented in January 2025.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) made this known in industry statistics on its website.
According to the report, the industry lost approximately one million internet users in February, with the user base shrinking from 142.16 million to 141.25 million.
It said although a slight recovery was observed in March, with the figure rising to 142.05 million, the sector’s data consumption patterns were significantly impacted.
The NCC data showed a 12 per cent decline in monthly data consumption in February, dropping to 893.06 petabytes from January’s record high of one exabyte.
It, however, said a marginal rebound was recorded in March, with data usage increasing by 11.5 per cent to 995.88 petabytes.
Despite this modest recovery, the report said consumption levels remained slightly below the January peak, suggesting that subscribers continued to exhibit caution in their usage habits due to the increased tariffs.
Meanwhile, the telecom industry demonstrated resilience in other areas, with operators adding 3.39 million new telephone users between January and March.
This growth propelled the total active lines from 169.32 million to 172.71 million, subsequently boosting Nigeria’s teledensity from 78.10 per cent to 79.67 per cent during the same period.
In terms of market dynamics, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) maintained their dominance in the internet market.
MTN Nigeria led with 75.62 million users, followed by Airtel Nigeria with 48.8 million, Globacom with 15.37 million, and 9mobile with 1.75 million.
MTN also retained its market lead in active telephone lines with 90.5 million subscribers, representing a 52.48 per cent market share, while Airtel followed with 58.3 million users (33.78 per cent), Globacom with 20.7 million (12 per cent), and 9mobile with 2.9 million (1.72 per cent).
The latest industry figures underscore the complexities facing Nigeria’s telecom sector as operators navigate economic pressures and evolving consumer behaviours.
On porting activities, the NCC report noted that Nigeria’s fourth mobile network operator, 9mobile, had continued to experience a decline in its subscriber base, with a total of 5809 customers porting out of its network both in February and March.
The report showed that other operators recorded insignificant outgoing porting numbers compared to 9mobile.
It showed that MTN lost 647 customers, Airtel recorded 695 outgoing portings, Globacom recorded 771, while 9mobile lost 5808 in both February and March.
In terms of incoming porting, MTN gained the most customers from other operators, with 4855 subscribers joining its network in February and March, the report revealed.
It stated that Airtel recorded 2084 incoming porting, while Globacom gained 1007 customers in both months.
The NCC added that, meanwhile, 9mobile recorded only three incoming porting for both months.
According to the NCC report on incoming and outgoing porting activities of mobile network operators, a total of 7922 subscribers moved from one network to another in February and March.
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