Telecom
Nigeria Has World’s Most Affordable Data Costs – GSMA
Nigeria has an average data cost of $0.38 per gigabyte, making her the most affordable countries globally and one of the cheapest in Africa for mobile data services.
United States averages $6 per gigabyte and South Africa with $1.77 per gigabyte rank the highest globally and in Africa respectively.
According to the GSMA, Nigerian data costs, as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, are among the lowest across Africa.
The reports by the body lends weight to telecom operators advocacy for tariff adjustments to address economic pressures threatening the sector’s sustainability.
The GSMA report, titled “The Role of Mobile Technology in Driving the Digital Economy in Nigeria,” highlighted Nigeria’s competitive data pricing, which is significantly lower than other African nations, such as Kenya ($0.59 per gigabyte), Ethiopia ($0.68 per gigabyte), and South Africa ($1.77 per gigabyte).
By contrast, the United States averages $6 per gigabyte, underscoring Nigeria’s advantage in offering cost-effective connectivity.
The cost of mobile data in Africa varies greatly by country and region.
Data costs can refer to the cost of mobile data or the cost of acquiring, maintaining, and using business data.
In 2023, the average cost of 1 GB of mobile data in Sub-Saharan Africa was $3.31, while in Northern Africa it was $0.86.
Telecommunications operators in Nigeria have been requesting some policy changes as well as tariff rebalancing to enable them deliver support to the Government’s digital economy objectives.
They have called for the simplification and improvement of the Right of Way (RoW) charging and administration process, harmonised across the country
According to them, all government authorities (at national and sub-national levels) should apply the national maximum RoW fee of N145 per/LSQM adopted by the National Economic Council (NEC) for the deployment of fibre across all states in Nigeria.
There should be a single point of contact in each state for the RoW application process while the duration for the approval process should be digitalised and limited to a maximum of one month.
Simplification and reduction of the tax burden on the mobile sector
On tariff, recall that the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) had urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to consider reviewing tariffs upward to address rising operational costs.
Nodding in agreement, Bismarck Rewane, chief executive officer, Financial Derivatives, said the proposed tariff hike by telecommunications will help reduce inflation in the country.
He said it would help to reduce inflation because it increases productivity, stressing that the price of MTN shares went up by 10% to 220.
Rewane reiterated that investors had already factored that in, adding that they are expecting a lot of good goodies.
“But more important to think about is the fact that because of an increase in tariff and an increase in investment to make the industry sustainable, they’re going to see an increase in productivity, not directly but indirectly.
“Any increase in productivity and output is likely to allow inflation to moderate, which is the goal. So, we heard from the policymaker, Bosun Tijani, who was very clear that we want a sustainable sector. But we also heard from the regulator saying that we will hold these guys to quality of service.
“We also heard from the operators, MTN that they are all revving up. So in all, there are economic benefits because of increased output and productivity. Two, policymakers are aligned because they want this to lead to a moderation in inflation,” he added.
He further said that it was not a bad deal and re-echoed the minister’s comment that the tariff hike will not be 100 per cent.
“Will they get 100%? No, they will definitely not. We suspect that we are going to likely see something between 40 and 50% which is fair after so many years of static changes,” Rewane added.
In honour of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, Glo Foundation, is investing millions to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education among girls in Nigeria.
Towards this end, the foundation is launching the ‘Glo Innov8’ National STEM Competition for Girls in Senior Secondary Schools, with a prize of N5 million, to be won by the top performing schools.
The competition is designed to give young women the confidence and knowledge to compete, innovate and succeed in STEM as well as boost their confidence and knowledge.
As a statement from the foundation explained that “it is our modest way at Glo Foundation of celebrating and encouraging the girl child to focus more on the studies of STEM subjects and pursue careers in these areas in future so as to become problem solvers for the country,” the foundation added.
The top school with the best idea will receive a prize of N2,000,000, along with a laptop for each of the two students representing the school. The teacher or mentor for the winning team will also receive a N200,000 prize. The second and third-place schools will be awarded consolation prizes.
Registration for the competition, which began on Monday, September 15, is open to all senior secondary schools in Nigeria and will conclude on October 5, 2025. To register for a chance to win, all that secondary schools have to do is visit https://glo-foundation.com/glo-innov8/ and fill the form, to STEM their way to N5,000,000.
At the Port Harcourt auditions of Next Afrobeats Star, hopefuls stepped onto the stage not just to perform, but to be seen by a platform that understands their dreams. At the heart of that platform is MTN Nigeria.
Contestants praised MTN’s role in shaping their journeys. Fadda, a local singer aiming for the Lagos finals, said: “Everybody sees what MTN is doing with talent shows. Nobody else is doing it at this scale. They are investing in us and giving us a chance to shine.”
Gift from Okrika expressed gratitude to MTN, Ultima Studios and ONErpm for creating a structured opportunity where young voices can be heard. “This is a great opportunity, and I know every one of us here will give our best,” she said.
The scale of the competition highlights MTN’s ambition. The winner will receive a $100,000 ONErpm record deal, along with mentorship and production support from leading producers including Sarz, P.Priime, Puffy Tee and Andre Vibez.
Contestants advance through multiple stages, starting with online submissions and regional auditions, followed by a versus round, an original song challenge and a live top-12 showcase. Each step offers exposure and professional development that are often out of reach for many young Nigerians.
MTN’s investment comes at a time when Nigeria’s entertainment and media industry is expanding rapidly. The sector was valued at US$9 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to US$13.6 billion by 2028, according to PwC.
Jobberman estimates that the industry already employs over 4.2 million people and is expected to add another 2.7 million jobs by 2026–2027.
Afrobeats has been a major driver of this growth. Nigerian music exports have grown by 49 per cent in the past three years, according to BusinessDay. Streaming platforms such as Spotify report significant increases in royalties, with Nigerian content enjoying a surge in both local and international consumption.
By launching Next Afrobeats Star, MTN is reinforcing its identity as more than a technology company. It is positioning itself as a key player in talent development and cultural promotion, helping to take Afrobeats from a local passion to a global phenomenon. Through this initiative, MTN is connecting young Nigerians not just to networks, but to their own futures.
Airtel Africa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Airtel Africa plc, yesterday unveiled its plans to directly improve the lives of 10 million people across the continent by 2030. The strategy will be delivered through targeted initiatives under four core pillars namely Financial Empowerment, Education, Environmental Protection and Digital Inclusion (FEED).
Outlining the ambitious target, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation, stated, “Our 2030 vision is a transformed Africa where over 10 million lives are directly improved through our interventions. We are not just donating resources, we are building a pipeline of talent and fostering innovation to ensure the global digital revolution leaves no African behind. This is a strategic, measurable commitment to unlocking the continent’s demographic dividend.”
The Foundation’s mission will be executed by creating a cycle of empowerment through targeted programmes. These include ‘Connecting Schools’, which provides free connectivity and devices, and the ‘Airtel Africa Fellowship’, offering full undergraduate scholarships in tech and STEM fields, complemented by mentorship and internships.
A key early success underscoring the Foundation’s impact is its ongoing partnership with UNICEF. This collaboration has already connected more than 1,800 schools, benefitted over one million students, and trained more than 17,000 teachers in digital education across the Foundation’s 14 markets of operation.
In addition, the Foundation will leverage its dedicated Employee Volunteer Programme, channelling the skills and passion of its people directly into community initiatives. For the 2025/26 financial year, the Foundation has set specific expansion targets, with programmes now active across all its operating countries, from Nigeria to Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Commenting on the company’s support for the Foundation, Airtel Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, said, “We cannot thrive in a place that is not thriving. This understanding is the very reason the Airtel Africa Foundation was born. It is our vehicle to catalyse transformation, by systematically investing in the pillars that underpin a resilient and dynamic society.
“We have remained dedicated to transforming lives both as a business imperative as well as our overarching philosophy. For us, helping to connect the unconnected, banking the unbanked and enabling businesses and economies to thrive are the three most significant objectives of our business.”
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