Telecom
Nigeria to Seek Re-election into ITU Elective Positions
Federal government says Nigeria will be presenting itself for re-election into the Administrative Council seat of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) at the upcoming election of the union to be held at its 2018 Plenipotentiary Conference to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirate in October/November this year.
Barr. Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications, disclosed this while declaring open the second African Preparatory Meeting (APM) for ITU 2018 Plenipoterntiary Conference (PP-18) which is going on in Abuja.
The minister also disclosed that Nigeria will be presenting Mr. Williams Ijeh for election as Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau of the ITU during the conference in the UAE and solicited for the support of the ITU member states for Nigeria.
Shittu therefore, charged the participants at the meeting to come up with quality decisions that will immensely benefit the African region and the world at large.
‘‘It is my believe that this meeting will enable member states come up with preliminary positions on agendas for the PP-18.
I am happy that the African Region has deemed it fit to prepare for this important conference, which will make member states put their heads together to fight a common cause. I will us all not to under estimate the importance of these preparations.
‘‘I am pleased to inform you that Nigeria will be presenting itself for re-election into the Administrative Council seat as well as presenting Mr. Williams for election during the ITU conference in Dubai. I wish to seek your unflinching support for Nigeria twin candidates,’’ he added.
The ITU Plepotentiary conference is the key event at which ITU member states decide on the future role of the organization thereby determining the organization’s ability to influence and effect the development of telecommunications/ICT worldwide.
The Plenipotentiary conference is also the top policy-making body of the ITU held every four years, setting the union’s general policies; adopts four-year strategic and financial plans and elect the senior management team of the organizations, the member s of Council and the members of the Radio Regulation Board (RRB).
In his remarks, the Secretary General of ITU, Houlin Zhao, urged African nations to work together in leveraging ICT to develop the continent. He expressed hope that Africa will soon emerge a global champion in the innovation and use of emerging technologies.
‘‘We must work to use ICT to transform Africa by making ICT a useful tool, to help us achieve each and every UN SDGs. The future of our lives is strongly affected by emerging technologies. I am pleased to note that ICT, innovations will be launched by African engineers and innovators.
‘‘We will in this meeting see how we will use ICT work out the future of African continent. I am much confident that in the nearest future, Africa will begin to enjoy the same socio-economic life like any other continent enjoys.
‘‘We want to see ICT made in Africa and use in Africa. Africa has contributed to global ICT global technological services and development.’’
Earlier in his address, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the importance of the gathering cannot be understated when considering the ITU Framework and Plenipotentiary process.
The EVC stated that Nigeria sees the work of ITU as integral to the development of ICT in Africa and in tune with its focus of achieving ubiquitous Broadband deployment that will in turn lead to sustainable socio-economic development of its citizenry, stressing that the challenges posed by the development of new technologies cannot be over emphasized as the benefits far outstrip whatever risks we may face.
‘‘This meeting sets the tone for our gathering here and I am confident that the deliberations that will take place in the next 3 days will further enhance Africa’s common position at PP-18.
It pleases me to note that Nigeria, beyond being your host, will be a very active participant at this meeting as we have submitted a number of proposals for your consideration.
‘‘Nigeria sees the work of ITU as integral to the development of ICT in Africa and in tune with its focus of achieving ubiquitous Broadband deployment that will in turn lead to sustainable socio-economic development of its citizenry.
This we believe can only be achieved through continued and deepened partnerships of which the ITU provides the most ideal platform.
‘‘Nigeria has witnessed phenomenal growth in its ICT sector and acknowledges the support of the ITU in the country’s ICT evolution. Nigeria has been a long standing member of the ITU council and has always seen itself as a flag bearer for the interest of Africa and other developing Nations as a whole.
‘‘To this end, and with your support we wish to continue the good work we have been doing over the past decades.
The presence of the ITU Secretary General signifies the importance accorded to Africa within the ITU.’’ Prof. Danbatta urged participants to harness their expertise and experiences from previous meetings to overcome their differences.
He also urged them to put together and synthesize well-articulated and impactful common proposals that will ensure Africa’s participation at PP-18 produces the necessary strategies to ensure the digital divide in the continent is significantly reduced with Africa not just being a major consumer of technology but a producer as well.
Karl Toriola, chief executive, MTN Nigeria has defended recent tariff hikes by mobile network operators, stating they are essential for the “survival” of the telecoms industry in Nigeria, despite significant criticism.
Karl Toriola, chief executive, MTN Nigeria
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) granted mobile network operators permission to raise tariffs by up to 50% last month, a change reportedly implemented on 11 February.
The increase has sparked public outrage, as mobile connectivity has become a vital necessity in daily life across the West African nation.
In an interview with Developing Telecoms, Toriola pushed back against criticism that the price surge was excessive, arguing that tariffs should have increased by approximately 300% to reflect the naira’s sharp devaluation and the country’s soaring inflation.
Addressing the impact of currency devaluation, Toriola emphasised that MTN purchases network equipment and software in US dollars, a process that has become significantly more expensive. With the naira’s decline, operators are now receiving three times fewer dollars than they did in 2023, making operations more challenging.
In February 2023, businesses could exchange 460 naira for one US dollar, but the currency has since devalued sharply. At the time of writing, a single dollar was worth 1,510 naira.
As Nigeria grapples with the sharp devaluation, MTN has been severely affected.
The company was technically bankrupt in 2023 as its liabilities surpassed its assets—a deeply concerning issue for the wider MTN Group, as Nigeria remains one of its highest revenue-generating markets.
“Because of these factors, we’ve seen our costs rise dramatically. The cost of leasing tower space and supplying energy to cell sites increased by 120% in the first three quarters of 2024. So, in comparison, a 50% tariff increase is not that high,” said Toriola.
The IoT West Africa & Data Centre Cloud Expo 2025, co-located with Power and Water Nigeria, is poised to play a crucial role in boosting Africa’s digital economy, projected to reach $180 billion by 2025 and contribute 5.2% to the continent’s GDP.
Organized by Vertex Next, the three-day event will take place from May 13th to 15th, 2025, at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. It will convene government leaders, industry experts, investors, and innovators to explore the latest advancements in IoT, AI, cloud computing, digital infrastructure, and energy solutions.
In a statement made available to journalists in Lagos, Vertex Next Managing Director, Shitij Taneja, stated that this influential event will significantly contribute to the continent’s digital economic growth.
He assured that the expo will feature a comprehensive conference program focused on the transformative power of IoT, AI, and digital technologies across various African industries.
According to Taneja, discussions will center on how these technologies drive economic expansion, improve connectivity, and increase efficiency in key sectors like telecom, energy, finance, and e-commerce. Government officials and business leaders are also expected to collaborate on strategies for scaling digital infrastructure and leveraging data for innovation and sustainable development.
As demand for secure, efficient, and scalable digital infrastructure surges, Africa’s data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% through 2030, reaching a valuation of over $5 billion.
The expo will feature high-level discussions on critical infrastructure development, investment opportunities, cybersecurity, and AI-driven data center expansion. Thought leaders from global cloud and data center giants will share insights into building future-ready facilities that power industries and drive economic progress.
With Africa’s power sector undergoing transformation, discussions will focus on smart grids, energy storage, and sustainable power solutions to support the continent’s growing digital economy.
The African Development Bank estimates that investment in energy and utilities must increase to $70 billion annually to meet rising demand. Industry leaders will explore the role of IoT and AI in optimizing utilities, managing resources efficiently, and developing smart, connected cities.
The rise of digital banking, fintech, and e-commerce is reshaping consumer experiences and financial transactions across Africa. The fintech sector alone attracted over $3 billion in investments in 2023, and e-commerce is projected to exceed $75 billion in value by 2028.
This expo will highlight how automation, AI, and IoT are creating secure, seamless, and scalable financial solutions, ensuring that businesses stay ahead in the fast-paced digital landscape.
Taneja disclosed that the IoT West Africa & Data Centre Cloud Expo 2025 aligns with Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and Agenda 2063 of the African Union, both of which prioritize technological innovation, digital infrastructure, and economic diversification.
By bringing together policymakers and industry stakeholders, the event aims to support regulatory frameworks for digital transformation, foster collaboration between the public and private sectors, encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) in ICT and energy, and accelerate initiatives such as Smart Cities and e-Governance.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its dedication to fostering an innovative ecosystem that balances regulation with industry growth. The agency is investing in cloud infrastructure, data classification, and AI applications to establish Nigeria as a leading digital hub in Africa.
Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA’s Director General, emphasized this commitment while speaking at the Africa Hyperscalers Digital Infrastructure Outlook 2025. The event gathered industry experts to explore Africa’s role in the expanding global AI-driven infrastructure boom.
In his remarks, Inuwa highlighted NITDA’s dual regulatory framework: rule-based regulation, involving strict compliance guidelines, and non-rule-based regulation, which allows for industry-led innovation with established benchmarks.
“Before we regulate anything, we need to be aware of the landscape, we need to be intelligent, we need to have data and make sense out of that data, we need to be dynamic because technology is fast-changing and we need to develop that agility within the regulatory framework,” Inuwa stated.
He also discussed the Cloud First Policy, introduced in 2019 to discourage excessive reliance on physical data centres. This policy encourages government agencies and private businesses to leverage cloud computing and digital solutions. Initially, businesses were granted waivers to use public cloud infrastructure, but NITDA is now pushing for local data centres to enhance their capabilities.
A major milestone for NITDA was its successful engagement with global hyperscaler providers, including Google Cloud, which pledged to collaborate with local data centres to drive cloud adoption and establish a hyperscaler data centre in Nigeria. This follows a meeting between Google CEO Sundar Pichai and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Paris, where the President shared his transformative ambition for Nigeria.
To further drive cloud adoption, NITDA is finalizing a framework that will mandate data classification, ensuring that certain data categories remain within Nigeria. This move is expected to attract more cloud service providers and bolster the country’s digital sovereignty.
Emphasizing the importance of AI applications, Inuwa disclosed that NITDA is prioritizing AI to enhance governance, regulation, and service delivery. He asserted that AI can revolutionize governance and business operations by automating processes, enhancing regulatory efficiency, and developing knowledge management systems.
Dr. Nadu Denloye, Co-founder of Telnet Nigeria Limited, also spoke at the event, highlighting Africa’s remarkable digital transformation driven by connectivity advancements, cloud adoption, data centres, AI, and a growing digital-native population. She expressed confidence in crafting solutions to drive Africa’s digital growth.
Other notable panelists included Dr. Ayaotunde Coker, CEO Open Access Data Centres and Chairman of the Africa Data Centres Association; Johnson AgboGbua, CEO of Kasi Cloud; Obinna Isiadinso, Data Centres Global Sector Lead at International Finance Corporation; Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer at IHS; and Abibat Kazeem, Commercial Director at Bayobab.
This commitment by NITDA underlines its dedication to advancing Nigeria’s position as a digital leader in Africa through innovative solutions and strategic regulations.
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