Telecom
Ihedioha Solicits NCC Partnership for ICT Innovation in Imo

Emeka Ihedioha, governor of Imo State has solicited the partnership of the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, in his administration’s effort to embrace and deepen digital culture in Imo State.
Governor Ihedioha stated this recently in an address presented on his behalf by Gerald Irona, his deputy, at the opening of a 2-Day Research and Innovation Forum organised by the NCC for tech entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the South East geopolitical zone.
The governor recalled that in its first 100 days, his administration has recorded strides through the creation of the Ministry of Technology Development, funding ICT training programmes for different categories of persons, and instituting the digitisation of the State’s tax and revenue collection processes.
The governor then solicited the support and partnership of NCC to enable Imo State government to expand its vision for ICT innovation and technological development.
In a keynote paper by Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Haru Alhassan, director, New Media and Information Security, NCC affirmed the Commission’s commitment to collaborate with stakeholders in the country to deepen the impact of ICT research, innovation and utilisation.
Danbatta noted that the Commission “in its effort to encourage tech entrepreneurship and innovation in the ICT sector, has embarked on visitation to various tech startups across the six geopolitical zones to assess their development and challenges.”
The EVC said NCC is ready to assist the various innovation hubs with the appropriate interventions to ease their operations, stressing that the deliberations at the Forum will improve collaborative efforts and actions designed by governments and the NCC to accelerate innovation and accentuate digital economy in Nigeria.
Ephraim Nwokonneya, director, Research and Development DRD, at NCC underscored Danbatta’s remark that the Forum theme, “Developing Nigeria’s Tech Ecosystem: The Imperatives for Improving Local Content” was selected to emphasise the commitment of NCC to leverage local content in the nation’s effort to achieve concrete digital transformation.
Nwokonneya also said NCC’s initiatives in this regard will unlock the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of the young people, boost local content in the ICT sector and enhance wealth creation, facilitate the introduction of new value added services that will improve quality of consumer experience, and support President Buhari’s agenda to reduce poverty in Nigeria.
In a presentation by Dr. Chris Uwaje, a leading light of ICT research and innovations, Nigeria will concretely harness opportunities lurking in ICT and digital economy by improving local content participation, see innovation hubs as fulcrum of local content, ensure legislative and government support for tech initiatives, and nudge young people to be globally competitive.
Dr. Fidelis Onah, a former Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC and now a tech entrepreneur, who made a presentation on the “Imperatives of e-governance in the Emerging Digital Economy”, allayed the fears of the public about people losing jobs as a result of tech innovations.
He said while some job losses may be recorded, much more jobs will be created in the increasingly digital economy.
He advised that stakeholders need to be ready by designing and reviewing existing policies to design strategies that will enable Nigeria to take advantage of the opportunities that abound within the digital culture.
He also warned that any society that refuse to embrace the digital culture will have to do so later at higher costs.
In a panel session on Legislative and Government Support for Enhancing Tech Ecosystem in Nigeria, chaired by Tony Ojobo, former Director Public Affairs at NCC, Founder of Tech X Innovation Hub and President of African ICT Foundation, discussants agreed on the need for state governments to designate a Commissioner for ICT Development.
The panelists reasoned that it is also important for all stakeholders to demonstrate the awareness of the capacity of ICT to galvanise growth so that such knowledge can trigger more concrete action to provide access, adoption and application of ICTs in all facets of life.
In another panel discussion focused on Innovation Hubs as Fulcrum of Local Content, chaired by Hanson Johnson, Founder of Nextdeegit Hub, panelists were on accord that innovation hubs hold the promise of harnessing the energy of the youths for creativity and measurable outcomes.
Overall, all panel sessions emphasised the need for clear and harmonised policies and strategies, more collaboration of stakeholders and particularly advocated for a new approach by government that shows the government appreciate the value of ICT, innovation and the treasures lurked in the digital culture.
Participants welcomed enthusiastically the NCC’s vision of Silicon WAZOBIA, a replication of the Silicon Valley Model, but discussants and other participants urged government to get more intimately involved in mobilising the innovation hubs, the academia and other strategic actors in the emerging revolution driven by ICT.
The Forum is being attended by many stakeholders including Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Galaxy Backbone Plc, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), tech economy enthusiasts, entrepreneurs of tech innovation hubs, as well as captains of other capacity-building and startup businesses, Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), banks, Zinox Technologies and other players in the telecom ecosystem.
Telecom
Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

Airtel Nigeria has restated its commitment to transparency, customer safety, and regulatory collaboration following recent regulatory enforcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The NCC had served Airtel Nigeria a notice of sanction over some alleged SIM infractions in Kano State and consequently slammed a fine of N104 million on the telecommunications firm.
NCC had in a letter, addressed to Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, dated May 26, 2025, signed by Chizua Whyte, head, Legal and Regulatory Services, and Mohammed Dari, acting head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, on behalf of Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, titled: ‘Notice of Sanction: Non-Compliance with SIM Registration Directive in Kano,’ where the infractions were spelt out.
According to NCC, Airtel infractions include unauthorised SIM registrations using 198 unapproved devices, resulting in 8,275 registrations outside the 281 verified Airtel shops; premature activation of 63 MSISDNs prior to proper SIM registration, contrary to the provisions of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022; failure to conduct effective eyeballing, leading to 407 fraudulent SIM registrations with multiple NINs, contrary to the provision of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and failure to provide satisfactory explanation for SIM registrations conducted between 12.00 a.m and 6.00 a.m.
On the matter, the letter revealed that there were some letter exchanges and subsequent meetings on the infractions between the telecom regulator and Airtel, starting from January 12, 2025, March 19, 2025, March 24, 2025, and March 27, 2025, respectively.
Apparently, after investigations and responses from Airtel, the NCC was not satisfied and this led to the fine of N104 million, which was to be paid within seven days from the date the letter was issued.
Specifically, NCC fined Airtel N5 million, N12 million, N81.4 million and N5 million for the infractions respectively.
Reacting, Airtel, expressed appreciation to the NCC for uncovering the infractions, describing the development as a critical opportunity to strengthen internal processes and further align with national security and regulatory expectations
“We thank the NCC for its vigilance and continued support in protecting the integrity of the telecoms ecosystem. Airtel takes these findings seriously and is already implementing corrective measures,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Only recently, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO recently announced that the company is doubling its investment in the country, focusing on network expansion, fiber-to-the-street rollout, 4G/5G deployment, customer care upgrades, and digital infrastructure security.
These investments reinforce Airtel’s long-term vision of building a resilient and forward-looking telecom network that meets the evolving needs of Nigerians.
“Our systems are constantly evolving to stay ahead of scammers and malicious actors,” the spokesperson added. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about our responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who rely on Airtel daily.”
Airtel Nigeria says it will continue to work closely with the NCC and other arms of government to ensure high standards of service and safety for all telecom users nationwide.
Telecom
Kenya Beats Nigeria As the Most Progressive ICT Regulation in Africa

Kenya is celebrating its regulatory ecosystem being ranked as the most progressive in Africa. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked the East African country first in its most recent ICT Regulatory Tracker.
ITU’s ICT Regulatory Tracker is an evidence-gathering tool for decision-makers and regulators. It demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory systems in the age of technology.
The ITU evaluates the design of the national regulatory authority, the scope of the regulatory mandate, the obtaining regulatory environment, and the robustness of the competition framework in member countries.
Kenya received 93 points, up from 92 in 2023, and now leads the continent in best practices for ICT regulations.
Nigeria and South Africa finished second and third, with 92 and 88 points respectively. Malawi, Egypt, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal complete the top 10 list.
Globally, Kenya was ranked 20th out of 194 countries covered.Italy led the rankings, with 100 points.
The regulator, Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, said the achievement underscored Kenya’s commitment to creating a robust, technology-neutral regulatory environment that supports innovation, affordability and access.
Steve Isaboke, permanent secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, visited CA Centre in Nairobi following the announcement on Thursday.
“The ranking is a clear testament of the excellent work that CA has done in spearheading Kenya’s digital transformation and driving digital access for all,” he said.
“After 25 years, CA’s regulatory regime has attained maturity, and gained global recognition. This ranking shows that the CA staff and leadership are executing their work diligently.”
Telecom
MTN’s Female Leadership Surges to 41.4%, Doubles Industry Average

MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced a significant increase in female representation within its leadership, with women now making up 41.4% of its workforce, a notable rise from 38.7% in 2023.
This figure reportedly doubles the industry average, positioning MTN Nigeria as a frontrunner in gender diversity within Nigeria’s ICT sector.
The company’s recently released 2024 Annual Report highlights its sustained commitment to workplace inclusion and gender equality, aligning with its “Ambition 2025” strategy. Female representation within the executive management team has reached approximately 46.7%.
MTN Nigeria attributes this progress to dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering women professionally. These include the “Women in Tech” programme, which provides targeted upskilling in high-demand fields such as Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, and Cyber Security.
The “MTN Y’ello Mums Internship Programme” also supports young mothers in their transition back into the corporate world after career breaks.
Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, was recognised as the CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA), further underscoring the company’s impactful social initiatives.
Additionally, Uto Ukpanah, the company secretary, received the inaugural Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award from the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).
Speaking at a recent conference, Odunayo Sanya, emphasised the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation, saying, “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders.”
Uto Ukpanah, added, “Showcasing our corporate values and ethos to the world opens the door for greater collaboration with other organisations, as we believe there’s a lot to learn when we all come together. Governance continues to evolve. The challenges today are not the same as they were 10 years ago. Greater accountability is expected, and companies can only continue to do better.”
The company’s broader efforts in diversity and inclusion have been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the Corporate Responsibility Award. MTN Nigeria also received the “Employer of the Year” award at the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Employers’ Excellence Awards.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, in the report, reiterated the company’s commitment to building a purpose-driven organisation, emphasising that its success is intrinsically linked to its people and their dedication to a shared vision.
“Since we initiated our culture transformation journey in 2021, our culture transformation has significantly enhanced employee engagement and organisational cohesion. It’s directly strengthened our ability to deliver outstanding business performance and drive sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
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