Telecom
Paradigm Initiative Calls for Collective Action to Safeguard Digital Rights and Promote Internet Freedom
Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a leading pan-African organisation that advocates for digital rights and inclusion has urged stakeholders to take collective action in safeguarding digital rights, promoting responsible practices, and preserving Internet freedom.
In a monitoring report highlighting the state of digital rights and inclusion in 24 African countries, the organisation has outlined key recommendations for the private sector, media, academia, civil society and government to ensure the protection of digital rights for all.
In the report known as Londa, PIN emphasises the need for the private sector to ensure that content moderation and surveillance practices do not stifle diverse political views and perspectives. It urges companies to resist unethical governmental pressures that seek illegal access to personal data and engage in digital abuse, more so blockage of Internet networks and services.
The report stresses the need to remove barriers to Internet and mobile service access, prioritising digital literacy and keeping citizens informed about their digital rights. “Addressing the challenges faced in the digital space as proffered by Londa is a positive step towards the full realisation of human rights and government compliance with treaty obligations.
“Every African government should aim to improve their digital rights record each year while every other stakeholder plays their critical part,” Ms. Thobekile Matimbe, the organisation’s Senior Manager, Partnerships, and Engagements, adds.
The Londa report further calls upon the media to uphold professional ethics in reporting, saying this is essential in combating misinformation and disinformation. At the same time, it emphasises the importance of protecting media practitioners by building strong coalitions and resisting repressive laws. In addition, providing digital security training to members will enable them to work safely in the digital space, the report states.
The report also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration between fields to tackle complex digital rights and Internet freedom issues. “Academia should play an active role in developing digital literacy training curricula, promoting best practices through research and fostering awareness,” the report proposes.
The organisation, through the Londa report, indicates that in order to build effective domestic human rights monitoring mechanisms, civil society should streamline the flow of information between grassroots community organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
PIN also calls on governments to refrain from digital authoritarianism and instead uphold constitutional and international obligations. “Establishing robust multi-stakeholder consultative processes for policies, laws, and regulations is important. Regular policy and legislative updates should be provided to the public and governments must exercise caution when applying disinformation laws to ensure they don’t unjustifiably limit freedom of expression, ” the report recommends.
Paradigm Initiative believes that collective action from all stakeholders is vital to protect digital rights and preserve Internet freedom. By implementing the recommendations, the continent can ensure an inclusive, transparent, and secure digital landscape.
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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