Telecom
Pantami Inaugurates New NCC’s Board Member, Tasks Commission on synergy, policy implementation

Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has formally inaugurated Prof. Mansur Bindawa, as a non-executive commissioner on the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by administering the oath of office on the new appointee.

L:R Prof. Millionaire Abowei, Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) Governing Board of Commissioners; Prof. Mansur Bindawa, Commissioner, NCC Board of Commissioners; Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/ CEO, NCC; Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Prof. Adeolu Akande, Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners; Abdul-Azeez Salman, Commissioner, NCC, Board of Commissioners; and Chief Uche Onwude,Commissioner, NCC Board of Commissioners at the inauguration of Prof.Mansur Bindawa,recently
Speaking at the official induction of Bindawa into the NCC Board, Pantami said Bindawa’s journey into the Commission followed the laid-down laws establishing the Commission.
“The inauguration of Prof. Bindawa into the NCC board is in fulfilment of the requirements of Nigerian Communication Act (NCA), 2003, which stipulates that the Board of Commissioners of NCC shall constitute of three executive commissioners and six non-executives commissioners, selected based on proven integrity and diversity in their expertise in different professional spheres,” he said.
At the occasion, which took place in the Minister’s Office at the NCC’s Communications and Digital Economy Complex in Abuja on Monday, March 28, 2022, Pantami congratulated Bindawa and describing his appointment as fitting.
The Minister also challenged Bindawa to cooperate with other Board members of the Commission for effective regulatory operations that will benefit the Commission’s staff, stakeholders and the Nigerian economy at large.
Overall, the Minister also tasked the entire Board and management of the Commission on the need to re-double their efforts and journey with the Ministry and its various agencies to collectively implement various policies of government aimed at developing the telecommunications sector of the Nigerian economy.
In his remarks, Chairman, Governing Board of NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande, who led Bindawa and other Board members of the Commission to the Minister, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and the Minister for “fortifying the Commission with intellectuals ready to work together for the advancement of the technological ecosystem.”
Akande stated excitedly, that, “Bindawa is the fourth professor on the board of the NCC and his professional experience and expertise will further strengthen the Board.
“The profile of Professor Bindawa has preceded him as a distinguished humanist, and we believe that his presence will be of immense benefit to the Commission.
“We look forward enthusiastically to leveraging the wealth of experience and support Prof. Bindawa is bringing on board in consolidating our achievements,” Akande said.
Additionally, Akande asserted that Bindawa’s appointment conforms to the notion that people of diverse experience continue to complement one another in taking the Commission to greater heights.
Speaking in the same vein, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Umar Danbatta, thanked the Minister for his interest in policy implementation and for preserving the autonomy of the Board and Management to discharge their functions effectively as a regulatory institution.
Danbatta assured the new board member of a work atmosphere characterised by cordiality and friendship where regulatory issues of national interest are resolved through intellectually-engaging deliberations for the progress of the Commission and the nation.
Bindawa, responding after taking oath of office, appreciated the government for the opportunity given to him to serve the nation through the NCC and pledged to deliver on the set mandates of the Commission, promising to cooperate with the Board and Management.
Bindawa’s inauguration by the Minister followed his nomination in a letter dated January 10, 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari, and subsequent confirmation of the nomination by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 1, 2022, in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003.
Telecom
Equinix Expands Digital Footprint in Nigeria with Launch of LG2.3 Data Center

Equinix, Inc. the world’s digital infrastructure company™, has officially opened its latest data center expansion in Lagos. Called LG2.3, the facility will support Nigeria’s growing digital transformation efforts, providing state-of-the-art colocation and secure interconnection solutions which will empower businesses across the region.
It also signifies Equinix’s unwavering dedication to advancing Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy, reinforcing the company’s commitment to the region.
As part of the inauguration, Bruce Owen, President of EMEA at Equinix, along with other Equinix executives, led the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newly expanded site. In addition to an official visit to the Governor of Lagos State, Equinix hosted an exclusive customer engagement event, bringing together key customers and partners from Nigeria’s business and technology sectors.
Attendees discussed shared successes and Equinix’s role in facilitating digital transformation, while also connecting directly with Bruce Owen for insights into how Equinix’s solutions drive innovation and business agility in the region.
Equinix executives also took part in a tree-planting ceremony, symbolising Equinix’s continued investment in sustainable initiatives across the globe and highlighting the company’s broader goal of reducing its carbon footprint while supporting greener practices across its operations worldwide.
Speaking about the expansion, Bruce Owen, President of EMEA at Equinix said “Nigeria is a crucial market for Equinix. Today’s opening is a clear demonstration of our continued commitments to invest and grow digital infrastructure that will benefit the many thousands of businesses in Nigeria and on the continent as a whole.
“I am deeply encouraged by the enthusiastic partnerships and innovations emerging from this dynamic region, which continue to inspire our commitment to Nigeria’s digital and sustainable future.”
Adding to this, Wole Abu, Managing Director of Equinix West Africa, highlighted the critical role of data centers in driving economic growth stating “Data centers continue to play a pivotal role in driving economic development in Nigeria, serving as critical infrastructure that supports digital transformation and economic growth.
“As governments and enterprises increasingly acknowledge their significance, global demand for data center capacity is poised to rise. While Africa’s demand for data solutions is still evolving compared to more mature markets, the continent is demonstrating strong potential for digital adoption and innovation.
“To meet this growing need, Equinix is actively advancing three major data center projects in Nigeria, with future expansion plans for Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa.”
Equinix remains steadfast in its mission to enable secure, scalable, and sustainable digital growth for economies across the world.
Telecom
African Women Hit Hardest as Mobile Internet Gender Gap Persists

African women remain among the most digitally excluded globally, with smartphone affordability and digital literacy among the key barriers. New data from the 2025 GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report, launched recently, reveals a persistent global gender gap in mobile internet use across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
It further notes that literacy, digital skills, safety, and affordability of data also remain critical barriers. The report highlights that 885 million women across these regions still do not use mobile internet, with nearly 60% of them living in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
While mobile internet is the primary way women in LMICs access the internet, offering critical lifelines to health, education, and financial services, the pace of female adoption has stalled, leaving 235 million fewer women than men connected.
Claire Sibthorpe, head of digital inclusion at GSMA, highlighted that the gender gap had narrowed significantly between 2017 and 2020, but progress flatlined in recent years.
Although 2023 brought a slight improvement, restoring the gap to 15%, 2024 saw minimal change, with the gap settling at 14%.
The disparity is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa, where women are 29% less likely than men to use mobile internet.
“It’s disheartening that progress in reducing the mobile internet gender gap has stalled. The digital divide is driven by deep-rooted socio-economic and cultural factors that disproportionately impact women,” said Sibthorpe.
GSMA projects that closing the gender gap by 2030 could add $1.3 trillion to GDP across LMICs and deliver $230 billion in revenue to the mobile industry.
The report, funded by the UK FCDO, Sida, and the Gates Foundation, stresses the urgent need for targeted investment and policy action to bridge the digital divide and ensure that no woman is left offline.
“The mobile internet gender gap is not going to close on its own. It is driven by deep-rooted social, economic, and cultural factors that disproportionately impact women,” said Sibthorpe.
Telecom
₦800 Billion Infrastructure Plan Set to Boost MTN’s Network Quality Nationwide

In a recent interview, MTN Nigeria reaffirmed that its ongoing infrastructure investment is a strategic step to improve network quality, speed, and nationwide coverage.
Speaking on Beyond the Headlines with Nifemi Oguntoye, Ugonwa Nwoye, Chief Customer and Experience Officer at MTN Nigeria, explained that although public concern is valid, the company undertook several internal cost-efficiency measures before making structural adjustments.
She emphasised that improved investment is critical to fast-tracking improvements across MTN’s network.
Nwoye explained that MTN undertook extensive internal reforms before embarking on structural changes needed to support this scale of investment.
The company completed its phased roll-out of the increase between February and March, ensuring that every existing data plan was below the 50% increase, and most remained below 25%.
She also noted that customers were proactively informed about all changes, particularly when certain legacy plans were retired and replaced with new ones. “We gave customers six to eight weeks’ notice,” she explained.
“This is why it has taken us some time to complete this process, where we let customers know that at a certain date, this particular tariff is not going to exist.”
Nwoye stressed that MTN had exhausted other internal measures before turning to broader structural updates. Now, with the new pricing structure in place, the company is accelerating its investment in infrastructure, spending over ₦200 billion in the first quarter of 2025 alone, a 159% increase from the same period last year. A total capital expenditure of ₦800 billion is planned for the year.
She noted that this investment is a direct outcome of long-term operational restructuring aimed at improving service quality.
She added, “We are investing over ₦800 billion this year alone in our infrastructure. This will translate into better customer experience, reduced congestion, faster internet speeds, and wider network reach.”
This investment will support the upgrade of over 1,000 cell sites and the expansion of more than 2,000 transmission links nationwide.
Nwoye stressed that these upgrades are designed to deliver faster data speeds, fewer dropped calls, and broader network reach, especially in underserved areas.
She acknowledged the public’s expectations for immediate service improvements but emphasised that large-scale infrastructure takes time to deploy.
Nonetheless, MTN expects customers to begin experiencing visible improvements in network performance by the second half of the year.
In a sector where service quality and customer satisfaction are closely watched, MTN maintains that its ongoing investments are not merely capital commitments but vital enablers of improved digital experiences across Nigeria.
- Telecom3 days ago
₦800 Billion Infrastructure Plan Set to Boost MTN’s Network Quality Nationwide
- News3 days ago
Creative Economy Ministry Secures $300M Investments Commitment
- E-Business3 days ago
NITDA, CISCO Empower Youth with Digital Skills
- E-Financial3 days ago
Fidelity Bank reclaims trillion-naira market cap as stock rises to ₦21
- Telecom3 days ago
African Women Hit Hardest as Mobile Internet Gender Gap Persists
- General News3 days ago
NITDA DG says its Community IT Centres Should be a Catalyst of Change
- Telecom3 days ago
Remita’s Bold Leap: Nigeria’s Fintech Giant Expands Across Africa
- E-Financial3 days ago
Kuda Co-founder Urges Young Developers to Build Tech with Purpose @NACOSS 2025