Telecom
Phase3 Harps on New Market, Industry Growth Opportunities
Following the recent elevation of its founder, Mr. Stanley Jegede, to the position of Board Chairman, Phase3 Telecom has appointed Mr. Olusola Teniola as the new Chief Executive Officer.
The West African largest independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications service provider has also embarked on a strategic repositioning drive for new market and industry growth opportunities.
Jegede, who has for almost two decades driven the Phase3 vision by fostering creativity, high-performance and a legacy of positive impacts, said: “He is confident that this new and exciting chapter in Phase3’s corporate existence will amplify the company’s role as a dominant industry player, infrastructure spinal cord and an enabler for the ever-changing technologies.”
Teniola, who emerged the new CEO after a thorough and careful screening and selection process, according to Jegede, “brings a wealth of proven knowledge in engendering digital transformation; to effectively drive its robust strategic vision and goals.”
Phase3, Jegede said further, would continue to broaden its business expanse and network operation capabilities to cushion future market changes while ensuring the full compatibility of its renewed enterprise and retail services segments with focal industry trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity solutions and fifth generation (5G) wide area wireless networks.
While thanking the Phase3 board, Teniola, a former Chief Operating Officer and Director of Engineering at Phase3 Telecom, said his appointment would offer a great opportunity for him to work with a vibrant team to ensure the company’s focus for the future.
He added that “engagement with every client and stakeholder that Phase3 encounters must always be uniquely enriching. Thus the team will continue to work towards a digital transformation journey that is nimble, agile and responsive as well as charted to make certain that the way and manner Phase3 conducts its business and delivers its solutions, truly amplify the company’s growth trajectory, vision for West Africa, global pursuits and portfolio of extraordinary accomplishments.”
Telecom
FG Plans EO to Criminalise Fiber Cable Damage Costing Telcos Billions
Nigeria will criminalize the destruction of broadband fiber cables following repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecommunications companies that they are losing billions of naira, according to people familiar with the matter.
Federal ministry of works, which supervises federal road constructors, is finalizing the regulation that will be signed as an executive order by President Bola Tinubu, said the people, asking not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to comment.
While there are presently laws against vandalism, the authorities are aiming to regulate construction firms more closely.
The order will enforce stiff penalties on offenders, said the people, declining to provide more details or say when it will be signed.
“Telecom assets are critical backbone that supports the economy across sectors,” said Temitope Ajayi, a senior presidential aide, who noted that the Association of Telecommunications Companies (ATCON) has been demanding the classification for years.
New rules will provide “further assurance that the Nigerian government will protect their investments against vandals and criminal elements.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that the sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5% in the third quarter of last year.
The move will help alleviate pressure on the telecoms sector, which is facing increased operating costs and sales pressures from a sharp depreciation in the currency and a threefold increase in energy prices.
Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables is estimated to have cost the sector almost 27 billion naira ($23 million) last year alone, documents seen by Bloomberg show.
MTN Nigeria, the biggest wireless operator in Africa’s most-populous nation, and Airtel Africa Plc bore the brunt of the costs, the documents show.
MTN suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable last year, the documents show. On Feb. 28, a cut on its network in three different locations by a road construction firm, an oil serving company and someone burning rubbish in a manhole meant customers faced more than five hours of data and voice outages.
The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than 11 billion naira – enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines to areas without coverage.
A presidential order on the matter would be welcomed, said Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria.
“When it comes to communication infrastructure, they are destroyed at will, so we are eagerly awaiting the president’s order,” he said. “It would be a great boost to the industry, and it will also encourage investment.”
Telecom
Telegram Eyes 1Bn Users amidst Political Pressures
Telegram, the messaging giant founded by Pavel Durov and headquartered in Dubai, anticipates hitting a remarkable milestone of one billion active monthly users within the next year.
Durov’s departure from Russia in 2014, prompted by governmental pressures to stifle opposition communities on his VK social media platform, underscores Telegram’s commitment to neutrality despite geopolitical challenges.
With 900 million active users currently, Telegram stands as a beacon of free speech in the digital realm, particularly influential in former Soviet Union republics and pivotal during conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine standoff.
Durov’s staunch advocacy for freedom of expression and opposition to censorship by tech giants like Apple and Google reinforces Telegram’s status as a neutral platform.
Opting for the UAE as its base, Durov cites its neutrality and openness as conducive to Telegram’s ethos, serving both opposition groups and governments alike while maintaining impartiality.
In Durov’s vision, the pursuit of freedom eclipses material gain, shaping Telegram’s trajectory as a bastion of digital liberation.
Telecom
NITDA, NIMC Announce Collaboration To Strengthen Digital Economy
To further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance and create synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystem, and secure & seemless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
During the meeting between the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and Director General of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, with some management staff of both organisations, they discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up. This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives. It is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks
- News3 days ago
QNET Raises Alarm over Fraudulent Use of Foundation’s Name in Nigeria
- News3 days ago
SoftTalk Messenger Introduces Chat and Make Calls without Sharing your Phone Number
- Telecom3 days ago
Starlink Users in SA to be Cut Off April 30
- Broadcasting3 days ago
Canal+ Offer for MultiChoice Gains Shareholders’ Support
- Telecom3 days ago
NCC Advises Subscribers to Opt for Strong Passwords to Beat Hackers
- Telecom2 days ago
Imperative of Upholding Nigeria’s Telecoms Lifeline
- Telecom3 days ago
9mobile Clinches 2 Trophies at the Prestigious SABRE Awards 2024
- News2 days ago
Kaspersky Warns of Data Stealers Hunting for User Credentials