Telecom
Pantami Urges Huawei to Establish Global ICT Centre for Nigerians, Africans

Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy has asked technology company, Huawei, to establish a global ICT centre for the training of Nigerians and Africans.
Pantami disclosed this during the kick off of the implementation of the Federal Government and Huawei Memorandum of Understanding aimed at providing ICT skills to Nigerian youths in Abuja.
The MoU aims at promoting the partnership between the Ministry of Communication and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. to establish two core ICT projects in Nigeria: the Huawei ICT Academy Project and the Huawei ICT Talent Cultivation Project in line with the Ministry’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for the development and promotion of Digital Economy and growth in Nigeria.
According to him, “the Nigerian government is thankful to Huawei especially looking at how the country has benefited in the CSR programs. The President of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCSF appreciates the work of Huawei and is encouraging Huawei to do more on the Nigerian soil since Nigeria is the largest and biggest market in Africa.
“Huawei (should) establish a global training center in Nigeria to train Nigerians and other African Countries on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)”.
The Minister also highlighted that the federal government has provided an enabling environment for international companies to invest and do business in Nigeria.
“The administration has come up with 36 initiatives to enable the ease of doing business in Nigeria, signing an executive order to address the challenges faced by International companies to provide accountability, transparency, e-govt, tax holiday, visa on arrival etc. which has moved Nigeria higher in the world ranking of ease of doing business. These are part of the administration’s determination to prioritize skills especially in the digital economy sector.”
Huawei will make available, its technology and trainers to help curb the rate of unemployment In Nigeria by providing jobs, experience, opportunities and ICT certifications to students each year so as to increase their market competitiveness.
According to the minister, the implementation of the MoU would see more than 100,000 Nigerians benefit from the initiative beyond the agreement. The skills gained by the students will enable them become entrepreneurs in the nearest future.
This partnership will enable the development of over 300 ICT Academies in top-rated universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria. At least 10,000 university students from reputable universities – on the recommendation of the Ministry – will be trained each year with a total of 30,000 students in 3 years. This would include trainings, competitions and other activities incidental to the operation of the ICT Academy.
Mr. Cui Jianchun, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, who was present at the event expressed delight to witness the initiative.
“I salute the Minister’s support in making Nigeria an outstanding country in ICT because the digital economy develops a country and develops young talents. The Chinese embassy would continue to support the corporation to make a difference. We would sustain this initiative and ensure the University, Minister and Students testify to the initiative,” he said.
Mr. Cui Jianchun, who is China’s 14th ambassador to Nigeria, highlighted nine other programs of Africa-China Cooperation over the next three years which will further strengthen Africa-China practical cooperation and achieve mutual benefit and win-win result.
They include programs in medical and health, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange, and peace and security.
“The Digital Innovation Program is being implemented today. I want to assure you that we are working with the relevant authorities in Nigeria, for example the Ministry of Agriculture in order to provide food for people. We are also doing the traditional herbs ..this is a small project but it is very important”.
Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State, Professor Muhammad Ahmad Abdulazeez, in his goodwill message applauded Huawei for enhancing the skills of students in ICT. He stated that he would ensure that more students pass through the Huawei training and get provided with certifications. He further thanked the Minister for his unrelenting support in providing ICT innovations for Nigerians particularly supporting educational skills for ICT for students.
Similarly, The Registrar Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, Brig. Gen. SS Ibrahim, in his speech at the event stated that “the cooperation between Huawei and the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy is good for the country in human capacity development in the area of ICT.
The partnership is a sure foundation and strategy for the development of ICT and human capacity. This collaboration means that ICT in Nigeria is going towards the right direction, more so, the minister has made noteworthy changes and contributions to the development of ICT which has benefited the Nigerian youth.
“The Nigerian Army University, established in 2018, has decided to follow suit in ICT and partner with telecoms giant, Huawei, in order to fortify its students with the latest technology. I want to acknowledge and appreciate the Minister for being productive in developing the ICT sector and the management of Huawei for taking the bold step in the Nigerian ICT Sector”.
Mr. Trevor Liu, the Managing Director of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria and The Honorable Minister, for giving Huawei the enabling environment to operate and touch lives in Nigeria.
“Our vision and mission in Huawei have been to bring digital technology to every person, home, and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. Huawei has pushed this vision through many channels.
“One of which is our four Major ICT Talent cultivation initiatives, The Seeds for the Future Program, Huawei ICT Academy, Huawei ICT Competition, and The Job Fair. This is because we strongly believe that Digital Transformation is about Talents, and not all about Technology”
He appreciated the Minister for “identifying and seeing the need for Talent cultivation and development, and for also seeing Huawei Technologies as a Partner to work with in actualizing this goal.”
Telecom
NigComSat Eyes $3Bn Annual Revenue – DG

Jane Idehen, director-general of Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited (NigComSat), has said that the organisation is projecting an average annual revenue of three billion dollars as it expands its scope of operations.
disclosed this in Abuja at the July edition of DevsInGovernment MDA workshop series organised by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, with a focus on NigComSat.
The programme supported by Galaxy Backbone and World Bank was tagged: “Driving Operational Excellence through Technology at NigComSat.”
DevsInGovernment is a community that aims to create a group of technologists and tech enthusiasts within the civil service who are actively contributing to digital transformation across all government agencies.
The DG said that for NigComSat to grow, it had to explore new ideas and increase product life, which can lead to significant revenue increases.
“Currently we are projecting to average about three billion dollars in revenue year.
“If we can think about ideas, we can do more than that because if you can increase your product life, you can provide more solutions to problems,” she said.
She said that there were other revenue streams beyond broadcasting, which could double or triple the existing broadcasting revenues.
According to her, creating awareness about the programme’s services and solutions was crucial for its success.
Abiodun Attah, executive director of Technical Services at NigComSat, said the agency was charting a new course in its operations with a view to increasing its revenue earnings and serving the country better.
Attah said that one of the things the agency had done with the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) was to carry 2G, 3G, and 4G traffic in rural areas where there was no connectivity.
“In the past, NigComSat was shying away from going into enterprises; it was shying away from doing business outside the government sector.
“Now we have gone beyond that,” he added.
Telecom
Airtel Backs Global Hepatitis Fight with Health Education and Free Employee Vaccination

As the world commemorates World Hepatitis Day, Airtel Nigeria is taking bold steps to combat the global health challenge by equipping its employees with knowledge and access.
Reinforcing its ongoing commitment to employee wellness and public health advocacy, the leading telecommunications and digital services provider hosted a companywide Health Talk and announced a free hepatitis vaccination rollout across its offices across the country.
This year’s health and wellness theme at Airtel, “Stay Aware, Get Tested, Vaccinated & Seek Treatment,” aligns with global efforts to eliminate hepatitis and underscores the company’s belief that well-informed, healthy employees are the foundation of a thriving organisation.
In collaboration with its healthcare partner, Leadway Health, Airtel Nigeria brought together staff from across the country for an educational session titled: “Healthy Habits, Healthy Liver: Ending Hepatitis Starts with You!” Led by esteemed medical consultant Dr. Obioma Anomneze-Chima, the session offered critical insights into the causes, symptoms, and prevention of hepatitis, along with practical lifestyle habits to safeguard liver health.
In his remarks at the programme, Airtel Nigeria CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, highlighted the company’s holistic wellbeing philosophy.
He said, “Our people are the heart of our organisation, and when they are healthy, they bring their best selves to work. We’re not just investing in employee performance; we’re investing in their complete wellbeing. From mental wellness to preventive healthcare, our programmes are designed to offer real, meaningful support.”
Speaking during the session, Dr. Anomneze-Chima emphasised the importance of proactive prevention and early testing, “Hepatitis doesn’t always announce itself; it creeps in quietly and can cause lifelong complications. Conversations like this help us catch it before it catches us. I applaud Airtel for giving its employees not just facts, but tools and access to protect their health.”
Director, Human Resources and Administration, Airtel Nigeria, Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, noted that events such as the Hepatitis education and vaccination activity are a firm part of the company’s corporate mission. “This hepatitis campaign is a reminder that corporate responsibility goes beyond business metrics; it’s about actively participating in global health conversations and making a difference where it counts: among our people,” she added.
To sustain the impact of the educational talk, Airtel Nigeria is launching a free hepatitis vaccination programme across its premises, allowing employees nationwide to get vaccinated on-site with ease. This initiative reflects the company’s human-first approach to workforce wellness—prioritising both immediate care and long-term health security.
With this initiative, Airtel Nigeria once again demonstrates its leadership in advancing workplace wellness and health advocacy in the corporate sector. From supporting mental health through its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to promoting physical wellbeing with preventive screenings and vaccinations, Airtel is setting the standard for what it means to truly care for its workforce.
Telecom
MTN Nigeria Bounces Back with 414.9Bn Profit in H1 2025, Targets Full Recovery by Q3

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has reported robust financial and operational results for the first half of 2025, signaling a promising turnaround for the telecom giant amid improving economic conditions and strategic initiatives.
Karl Toriola, ceo MTN Nigeria, said the company’s performance reflected the successful execution of earlier strategies and a more stable business environment. “We are excited by the progress made in the first half of 2025,” he said, highlighting a 54.6 percent growth in service revenue and a remarkable recovery in profits.
MTN’s subscriber base grew to 84.7 million, adding nearly 4 million users despite regulatory changes limiting SIM registrations by third-party agents. Active data users reached 51 million, fueling a surge in data revenue, which rose by an impressive 69.2 percent.
The operator has been investing heavily to meet rising demand and improve service quality. Among its major projects is the $240 million Dabengwa Tier 3 Data Centre—West Africa’s largest—which was launched in July and promises to drive digital transformation for businesses across the region.
On the fintech front, MTN made solid strides by adding over half a million new digital wallets in Q2 alone. Customer deposits grew fivefold since December 2024, pointing to renewed confidence and expanding usage of MTN’s mobile money services.
Economically, Nigeria showed signs of recovery during the period, with the naira exchange rate remaining stable and inflation easing to 22.2 percent. These factors helped strengthen MTN’s financial position and allowed the company to renegotiate tower leases, resulting in significant cost savings.
As a result, MTN swung from a loss after tax of N519 billion in the first half of 2024 to a profit after tax of N415 billion this year. Free cash flow also improved, hitting N409.8 billion, which the company plans to leverage for further network investments.
Looking ahead, MTN Nigeria has raised its full-year guidance, targeting service revenue growth at least in the low 50 percent range and an EBITDA margin above 50 percent. The firm anticipates positive retained earnings and shareholders’ equity returning by the end of Q3.
The company also remains committed to nurturing tech talent and innovation in Nigeria, pledging over N3 billion to support skills development. An accelerator programme offering funding and mentorship aims to empower African startups and drive future digital growth.
Despite some regulatory and macroeconomic uncertainties, MTN Nigeria’s leadership expressed confidence in the company’s ability to adapt and deliver sustained value to shareholders and customers alike.
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