Telecom
Stakeholders Disagree Over Nigeria Adopting Its Own Use Case for 5G
Stakeholders in the nation’s telecommunications space have disagreed over the adoption of Nigeria use case for 5G deployment, arguing that it is tall order going by our level of technological advancement.
Engr. Olusola Teniola, president, Association Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), had advocated Nigeria adopting its own use cases for 5G deployment.
According to him “technology should be used to solve pertinent problems and in Nigeria case we have many idiosyncratic issues we need to solve using our own local talents, knowledge and patriotic will. The technologies that are layered over 5G and 6G will be able to be adapted and deployed to solve very complex problems and as such the solutions should address the problems to the benefit of the Nigerian citizens”.
On whether the country can develop applications required for 5G deployments, Teniola said: “Most definitely. We are encouraged by the recognisable talent being displayed by the youths in the area of data science, IoT applications, analytics and Artificial Intelligence and of course the burgeoning and universal Nollywood and musical talent that exists. The content created once digitized should be patented and IPRed so that it generates revenue both locally and internationally.
He added that the implication of not adopting its use case is that: “The data generated is what I mean by adopting our own Use Cases and applications tailored to our environment, local dialect and culture! This is really important as the future power of technology is where the prosperity lies. The knowledge and data are the new currency. The application of technology is the catalyst that will drive economic growth for any nation and will be traded internationally as contribution to the global digital race.”
Responding to this view, Engr. Samuel Adeleke, managing director, Steineng Ltd, said that 5G is far faster in usage and was developed to cater for big data where we have and use data from social media, car sensor among other sources.
“Amount of data that we analysize is big which affects the speed of 4G hence 5G development. In the age of data analytics that gave rise to 5G.
“But who is in the lead has become important because of the potential of the person becoming the biggest economy. Who start it will be the first.
“For Nigeria to adopt its own use cases for now in 5G is tall order going by our level of technological advancement. Anybody that wants to run will have to craw and then stand, walk before running. We are crawling presently. It is the application of physics and mathematics that we call engineering or technology which we have not understood.
“There is no research in the country where technologies can be developed; we must understand technology before we can contribute to the world’s technological advancement. Our educational system is faulty which is supposed to assist us to understand technology,” he stated.
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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