Telecom
NCC says 9mobile Acquisition on Course, As Parties Agree to Extension of Timeline
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said that there is no cause for alarm regarding the sale of 9Mobile as the preferred bidder, Teleology Nigeria Ltd, make efforts to meet the deadline on payment for its acquisition.
Its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta made this known in Abuja shortly after receiving an award from representatives of African Achievers Award ( AAA) who presented the EVC an Award of Excellence at the Commission’s Headquarters.
Prof Danbatta said a meeting would be held during the week among all the stakeholders, especially Teleology promoters, the NCC and the CBN and other parties.
He however declined to give details of the meeting, saying he would not like to pre-empt discussions at the meeting.
Meanwhile, the board of 9mobile yesterday announced the extension of the timeline for closure of the acquisition process.
The timeline extension was considered necessary to enable parties involved in the sale process to finalise the requisite transaction documentation to facilitate a smooth closure and transition to the new investor.
In a statement made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, the Board of 9mobile expressed satisfaction with the progress made thus far and expects the acquisition process to be completed as soon as possible. Further updates in this regard will be provided in due course.
“We hereby thank our invaluable customers for their support and reiterate our continuing commitment to providing best-in-class telecommunication service,” the statement added.
Prof. Danbatta also stated that as part of its effort to promote youth participation in ICT, the commission would deploy ICT tools, to tertiary institutions across the federation to help in facilitating research and development in the country.
He noted that the Digital Association Programme for Tertiary Institutions is one of its interventions to build human capacity in the universities.
According to him, “We are deploying information and communication technology in key sectors of the economy including education, in order to encourage informed learning and teaching”.
The EVC said the programme was aimed at educating students on how to leverage the power of information in content delivery in the university.
“This is consistent with the digital transformation that is going on all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
According to him the commission had made several efforts to protect Nigerians from being shorted changed, adding that the efforts had helped to transform the telecom industry in the country.
Speaking on the award, Prof Danbatta said the basis for the recognition is on the way the organization has empowered and protected the consumer with its eight point agenda which is all about empowering and protecting the consumer.
Earlier, the Principal Partner, African Achievers Award Mr. Rex Idaminabo said the award was aimed at encouraging them to do more especially by using the ICT platforms to ensure job creation and economic development.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
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.
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).
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.
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.
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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