Telecom
Nigeria Gears Up for GITEX as NITDA Inaugurates LOC
In a bid to expand Nigeria’s portfolio of technology opportunities, ensure the country’s effective participation at this year’s GITEX and to also expose her startups, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has inaugurated the Gitex 2018 Local Organizing Committee (LOC).
According to a statement by Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs & External Relations Unit, NITDA, the event is billed to hold from October 14 – 18, 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) is the premier technology event in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
The event annually hosts over 184, 000 trade visitors and delegates from more than 140 countries, and over 4000 world class exhibitors from about 97 countries. GITEX Technology Week is a five-day event,” to become one of the most globe’s biggest technology gathering for governments and top decision makers.
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director-General/CEO, NITDA, while inaugurating the GITEX LOC as well as the LOC for eNigeria, said “We remain firm and committed to promoting technology deployment and building our local IT industry to world standard through participation in global events that further exposes the players to trends in the industry.”
Dr Pantami urged the GITEX LOC to explore rather than exploit opportunities at improving Nigeria’s participation at such global events.
He said “to explore requires that we keep thinking of how better a thing can be no matter the level of success already achieved.
“To exploit is to be contented with our achievement and not to desire to improve or to be dynamic to keep raising the bar.
“I urge you all to explore new ideas and new ways at which we can improve our continuous participation at GITEX, an international event and eNigeria, our own national event that is already having an international clout.”
The GITEX LOC which draws members from both public and private sectors has since gone to work with sub-committees for Startups, Pavilion Management, Media and Sector Profiling, and the GITEX LOC Secretariat.
Members were enlisted from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Bank of Industry, NIGCOMSAT Limited and Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Others are from the Nigeria Computer Society and Pinnacle International Consulting LLC, the DWTC Sole Representative for GITEX in Nigeria and West Africa.
NITDA also revealed that they will be sponsoring some carefully selected Nigerian startups to exhibit and participate in the Global Startup Movement and Expo in GITEX.
To also enable more startups to participate in the GITEX Startup Sponsorship, the agency has extended the application to now close on September 2, 2018 as against the former date of August 25, 2018.
Some of Nigerian startups are expected to compete in the GITEX Future Stars (GFS) competition which further exposes the winners to a large pool of global venture capitalists, mentors and angel investors.
Dr Agu Collins Agu, Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, NITDA, who is also the GITEX LOC chairman said “We plan to engage the international community and leverage on continuous exposure of our country’s investment potential in the IT sector.
“We need every member of the LOC to come up with strategic ideas on how the country can best leverage on this international exposure in line with how the director general has tasked us all.”
During the official inauguration, the GITEX LOC members were put through a PowerPoint presentation by Pinnacle’s Mr Olusegun Oruame on the value proposition of GITEX and how the event is impacting on countries and businesses in the last 38 years.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, Director, eGovernment Development and Regulation, NITDA and alternate chairman of the GITEX LOC said “NITDA is seeking to expose our young and talented startups to investors, global IT buyers and tech acquisition specialists keen to know more about the country and willing to explore partnerships and business opportunities,”
The LOC is expected to firm up invitations to those who will make the official list of Nigeria’s Official Delegation as well as manage the select exhibitors inside the Nigerian Country Pavilion.
Nigeria will be joining about 97 other countries to promote and explore technology opportunities; especially as the country seeks to improve the value of its non-oil sectors to her GDP.
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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