Telecom
NITDA Inaugurates e-Nigeria, GITEX Committees, Members Tasked on Disruptive Ideas
The National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) has inaugurated the Local Organising Committees, (LOCs) for e-Nigeria and Gulf Information Technology Exhibition, (GITEX) 2019.
Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs & External Relations Unit, NITDA stated this in a statement released on Thursday, in Abuja,
The e-Nigeria Conference, Exhibitions and Awards is NITDA’s annual flagship event that brings stakeholders together in the Nigeria IT ecosystem while the GITEX is the biggest technology show in the Middle East and third biggest technology show in the whole world that creates platform for countries to share knowledge and experience and also provides space for start-ups to meet Venture Capitalists and Angle Investors.
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director General and CEO of NITDA while inaugurating the committees challenged the committee members to come up with disruptive ideas that will challenge the successes recorded in the previous years.
“I have directed my colleagues at NITDA to look at disruptive ideas; we have to challenge our successes after 365 days and do what will surpass the achievements recorded last year, I therefore hope these two committees will do intensive and extensive works to see to the successes of these national assignments,“ he said.
On e-Nigeria, the DG specifically tasked the LOC to consider it as national assignment and put in their best efforts with the view of ensuring a successful outing at the event.
He said; “e-Nigeria is very dear to us as IT stakeholders and as a nation because of the importance the leadership of the country attached to the development of IT sector.
“I advise you to see it as a rare opportunity to serve in the committee that has attracted presidential present in two consecutive years within his first term in office.”
He added that, “apart from budget presentation that the President attends every year, its only e-Nigeria that can boast of playing host to the president on two successive occasions.
While briefing the committee members on the theme of this year event-“Leveraging Technology and Indigenous Innovation to Attain Sustainable Development Goals, (SDG),” DrPantami advised that members can come up with other suggestions that could address Nigeria’s IT challenges.
“Nothing is casted on the stone, if you have a strong conviction that this theme should be amended please do not hesitate to suggest another one to us.”
On GITEX, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami charged the committee members to improve on Nigeria’s presence at the annual Technology and Investment gathering of over 200, 000 people from more than 145 countries.
The committee must explore new ways through which the country can leverage the opportunities in GITEX to bring the much desired benefits and goals for participating in GITEX.
He urged members drawn from across sectors to think out new ways of bolstering the country’s image globally and seeking investments in the technology sector where Nigeria and her growing number of startups have demonstrated great potentials.
In the same vein, the Director General has disclosed that by the year 2020, the annual e-Nigeria Conference, Exhibition and Award would metamorphose into African Information Technology Conference and Award with the objective of integrating other African countries to the conference.
DrPantami explained that the Management of the Agency is discussing with the NITDA Governing Board to consider the proposal of coopting other African countries to the conference and make it a continental events.
“We have a lot to learn from other African countries that are doing extremely well in IT sector.
“This will create a platform form for peer review between Nigeria and some other selected African countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Morocco, Ghana, Botswana and host of others’, he said.
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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