Telecom
Lenovo Reclaims Number one Spot in PC Rankings in Q3 2018 – IDC

Lenovo pip HP, Dell to the number one spot at the PC ranking in the third quarter of 2018 (3Q18).
The International Data Corporation (IDC) preliminary results for the third quarter of 2018 (3Q18) shows that shipments of traditional PCs (desktop, notebook, and workstation) totaled nearly 67.4 million units, marking a decline of 0.9% in year-on-year terms.
Unlike 2Q18, which grew, the 3Q18 results nonetheless outperformed the forecast which called for a decline of 3.0% due to several factors.
The traditional PC market has trended toward stabilization since 2017 and even flirted with solid growth in 2Q18.
While demand from mature regions remained key to the market, many emerging markets had to contend with unfavorable currency headwinds and other politico-economic factors that cramped demand.
In addition, heading into Q3 there were some concerns about processor shortages.
Despite these concerns, most of the top OEMs were able to fulfill a sizable portion of their demand and outperform the market.
All in all, the quarter appears to have been driven by pockets of strong demand as well as a focus on increasing inventory ahead of further supply issues and expected price hikes.
From a geographic perspective, all regions exceeded forecast, though Latin America and Asia/Pacific saw year-on-year declines.
Jay Chou, research manager with IDC’s Personal Computing Device Tracker, said “Q3 came in better than expected,
“But the outlook remains uncertain as we head into the holiday season, when volume will be boosted by many consumer-oriented promotions in entry-level SKUs.
“AMD supply could help with processor demand somewhat, but it will also take time for OEMs to spec in more models.”
Neha Mahajan, senior research analyst, US Devices & Displays, said “Despite looming concerns around CPU shortages, the PC market in the U.S. turned in a good quarter backed by strong results in the notebook segment.
“Healthy business PC volume, steady Chromebook shipments to U.S. K-12, and a growing gaming consumer base have been the key reasons for the optimism around the U.S. PC markets.”
Regional highlights show that U.S. PC market had yet another growth quarter with a total of 17.2 million units shipped.
The boost in PC volume was a result of growing demand for notebook PCs in the enterprise segment and increasing popularity of gaming systems that supported the consumer segment.
Europe, the Middle East and Africa – The traditional PC market recorded flattish results, with ongoing mobility demand leading to a slightly stronger notebook performance compared to desktops.
Despite higher demand from the commercial space, component shortages slightly dampened the overall growth.
Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) (APeJ) – The traditional PC market in APeJ posted a single-digit decline but results were above expectations.
Vendors and channel partners increased shipments in 3Q18 to hedge against expected price increases and CPU shortages.
India saw a significant sequential increase in sell-in due to preparations for the festive Diwali season.
In China, ultraslim demand fueled consumer and SMB shipments while the government segment benefited from Windows 10 renewals.
Japan – Strong commercial activity likely helped beat expectation for 3Q18. Two factors – replacement of PCs that were bought at the time of Windows end of service and migration to Windows 10 – have been accelerating in the commercial space and are expected to carry into 2019
While company highlights show that Lenovo continued the second quarter of its joint venture with Fujitsu.
The company saw a marked improvement in its North American business in the wake of a revamped channel strategy and more stable management.
The addition of Fujitsu volume helped to push the vendor to the top spot with 24% of the global market share.
HP Inc. grew a modest 0.3% year on year but still reached its tenth consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth and slightly outgrew its market share from a year ago.
It faced a tough quarter in the U.S. as well as Latin America.
Dell Inc. tied with Lenovo in terms of year-on-year growth at 5.8% and further expanded its market share versus a year ago.
A strong showing in desktop volume overall and a great EMEA quarter were the driving forces behind its results.
Acer climbed to 4th place with strong performances in education and gaming.
The company has continued to focus on building out a comprehensive Chrome OS portfolio and its gaming notebooks have also garnered significant uptake.
Apple finished the quarter in 5th place, declined over 11%, and was the only top 5 company to underperform the overall market.
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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