Telecom
Telecoms@20: NCC Lists Next Frontiers for Industry Growth

As stakeholders in Nigeria commemorate 20 years of telecoms revolution in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has clearly identified key initiatives being implemented to consolidate the growth and gains of the telecom sector.
Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the Commission, listed the digital frontiers while delivering a paper titled: ‘Telecommunications in Nigeria: The Next Frontier’ at the 20th anniversary of the telecommunications revolution in Nigeria organised recently by Compact Communications Limited, at the Muson Centre, Lagos.
At the event, the Commission received a recognition award “in appreciation of its institutional support to the growth and development of telecoms in Nigeria”.
The EVC of NCC also received a separate award “in appreciation of his immense contribution to the growth and sustenance of telecoms development in Nigeria.”
Represented at the forum by NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Danbatta said in the last 20 years, the sector has witnessed significant growth in subscribers, internet usage, investment, innovation, contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and multiplier effects of the growth in other sectors of the economy.
Danbatta stated that in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, NCC is driving new frontiers aimed at ensuring consistent growth of the nation’s digital economy sphere.
According to him, as a foremost telecommunications regulatory agency and consistent with NCC mandate as stipulated in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, and other guiding legislations, the NCC has been at the forefront of leveraging latest technologies and accelerating broadband infrastructure deployment to put Nigeria on the global map of the digital economy experience.
In this regard, he said NCC was working to ensure increased broadband penetration in line with Federal Government’s targets as contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Pan (NNBP), 2020-2025. The NNBP was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020.
Danbatta explained that the NNBP has a target to achieve 70 per cent broadband penetration among 90 per cent of the country’s population. The Plan also seeks to achieve broadband speeds of 15Mbp and 25Mbps in rural and urban areas respectively over the next five years.
“The Commission is also driving various initiatives aimed at facilitating the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) Mobile Technology in Nigeria.
Prof. Danbatta emphasized that a robust broadband infrastructure will play a key role in fast-tracking the effective deployment of 5G technology and facilitate availability of services associated with 5G technology.
“Already, the Commission is set to auction some spectrum slots in 3.5GHz band and we have confirmed 97 per cent readiness for 5G deployment in this regard.
“This is in line with the marching order given to us by Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, following approval by the Federal Executive Council to proceed on our 5G Deployment Plan.
“The Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction had earlier been shared with stakeholders and we are set to auction the 5G spectrum before the end of the year,” he said.
The NCC Chief Executive also said one of the initiatives being emplaced by the Commission to enhance the attainment of the next frontier for telecom development in Nigeria and the nation’s economic growth, is the ongoing review of licensing structure in the sector.
This is to align telecoms licensing process with the wide range of technological advances, convergence of technologies and services shaping global telecoms space.
Danbatta said the Commission has also finalized review of its Spectrum Trading Guidelines (STG). The STG, according to the EVC, allows spectrum resource in-country to be traded on the Secondary Market through Transfer, Sharing or Leasing (TSL) once the stipulated regulatory conditions have been complied with.
Danbatta declared that NNBP 2020-2025 requires that these Guidelines be reviewed to ensure that un-utilised spectrum is fairly traded to facilitate rollout by other operators among others. The Guidelines will, therefore, facilitate the country’s yearning for ubiquitous broadband access in line with the economic agenda of the Federal Government.
As vehicles for implementation of the NNBP, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) and other similar digital economy policies, Danbatta said the NCC has unveiled its Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 and the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP), 2021-2025, which will ultimately drive the next frontier of growth in the telecoms sector.
He said the two strategic plans embody critical areas on which the Commission intend to focus toward driving the implementation of the digital economy agenda of the government.
He stated that the two regulatory documents (the SMP and SVP) encapsulate the totality of regulatory and policy initiatives, designed to re-invent and transform the telecom ecosystem, within the context of regulation, to a greater height.
He added that this, to the Commission, is the next frontier for the sector. “While emerging technologies are disruptive by nature, Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind digitally and this explains Commission’s engagement with developmental regulations for the industry and we are irrevocably committed to this,” he said.
Other individuals bestowed with recognition awards at the event include Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and the former EVC/CEO of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, both for pioneering the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) revolution of 2001.
The Zenith Bank also received an award for being at the forefront of leveraging technology for powering financial services delivery.
Among the journalists who received awards is a veteran ICT journalist/Publisher, E-World News, Aaron Ukodie.
Telecom
Tarana, Microsoft Enhance Africa’s Broadband Connectivity

Tarana, provider of next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) broadband technology, is collaborating with Microsoft to expand internet access in rural and underserved communities across Africa.
Together, the companies will help service providers in rural and underserved Africa deploy government-approved telecom equipment, along with training and technical support.
This comes as access to secure; affordable telecom equipment remains a major barrier to internet connectivity in Africa. Despite progress, high infrastructure costs and limited rural coverage have allowed the digital divide to persist.
Tarana stated that in some areas, fewer than 30% of people have dependable internet connectivity.
To that end, it said its collaboration with Microsoft will help reduce the cost of ngFWA equipment for African internet service providers while also assisting with deployment logistics, enabling them to give internet access more faster and more cost-effectively.
The company went on to say overcoming two primary limitations of traditional fixed wireless access) technology, ngFWA delivers high-speed broadband service in both non-line-of-sight conditions and heavy radio interference, making it an ideal solution for hard-to-reach and underserved markets.
More than 250 operators worldwide are deploying ngFWA to deliver better broadband more efficiently, said the company.
Basil Alwan, CEO of Tarana, added: “We look forward to making significant progress on the digital divide together.”
“Access to affordable, secure broadband infrastructure is essential for unlocking economic opportunity through digital access across Africa,” said Vickie Robinson, general manager, energy, connectivity, and sustainability at Microsoft. “By working with Tarana, we’re helping local operators overcome cost and deployment barriers so they can bring high-speed connectivity to the communities that need it most.”
Telecom
Mobile Industry Emissions Down 8%, But Pace Must Double to Hit Net Zero

The mobile industry’s operational emissions fell by 8% between 2019 and 2023, even as mobile connections grew by 9% and data traffic quadrupled, according to the GSMA’s fifth annual Mobile Net Zero report released this week.
The findings show the mobile industry has successfully started to decouple emissions from data and connectivity growth – a stark contrast to global emissions, which have increased 4% since 2019. However, to continue progress and reach net zero by 2050, emissions must fall by 7.5% annually until 2030 – more than twice the average annual rate achieved to date.
Key findings from the report include:
- Preliminary 2024 data suggests a further 4.5% drop in emissions – an acceleration on previous years, but still short of the 7.5% annual reduction needed to 2030.
- 37% of electricity used by operators disclosing to CDP came from renewables in 2023, up from 13% in 2019 – avoiding 16 million tonnes of emissions.
- 81 mobile operators (covering nearly half of global connections) have set or committed to science-based targets.
- The GSMA Climate Action Taskforce now includes 77 operators, covering 80% of mobile connections worldwide.
- Europe (-56%), North America (-44%), and Latin America (-36%) lead the way in operational emissions reductions between 2019 and 2023.
- New analysis of China shows operational emissions likely fell by 4% in 2024 – the first decline after a 7% rise between 2019–2023 – alongside a more than quadrupling of renewable energy use.
Global, collaborative climate action gathers pace
The acceleration in decarbonisation is driven by operator actions to improve network energy efficiency and transition to clean energy, including solar and battery storage. Many operators are phasing out less efficient legacy networks and reducing their reliance on diesel generators.
Some markets are seeing better renewable electricity access through policy support and market reform, but the GSMA warns that the accelerated reductions needed by 2030 will require greater access across more markets.
Regional momentum is building globally, with Europe and the Americas leading emissions reductions, while Asia and Africa show increasing engagement. China, representing the world’s largest mobile market with more than one billion 5G connections, shows promising progress in 2024.
New analysis published today to frame discussions at MWC25 Shanghai indicates China’s operational emissions declined for the first time in 2024, with preliminary data showing a 4% reduction year-on-year driven by a more than quadrupling in renewable energy use by operators. As the industry’s largest single market, China’s progress is instrumental in achieving global net zero targets.
Steven Moore, Head of Climate Action at the GSMA comments: “Our findings show the mobile industry isn’t greenwashing or greenwishing – it’s green acting. Emissions are trending in the right direction, but the pace of progress must now double.
“This is a global effort, and it’s encouraging to see momentum building across every region – from Latin America to Europe and especially to China.
“But to sustain this progress, we need broader support: better access to renewables, more policy certainty, and stronger collaboration across the ecosystem. Supply chain emissions, which make up most of our industry’s footprint, must also be addressed – and climate transition plans will play an increasingly important role in navigating what comes next.”
Focus on Scope 3 and circularity sharpens
The report emphasises that Scope 3 emissions – mostly from supply chains and manufacturing – account for more than two-thirds of the industry’s total carbon footprint and require attention. While transparency is improving, Scope 3 emissions remain a blind spot compared with operational emissions (Scopes 1 and 2), making them a critical challenge for operators with science-based targets, which require reductions across full value chain emissions.
Additionally, the report points to growing momentum around circular economy initiatives. Consumer appetite for sustainable devices is rising, with around 90% of users surveyed by GSMA saying they value longevity and repairability, and nearly half considering refurbished for their next phone purchase.
Buying refurbished instead of new can save consumers money and reduce environmental impacts from manufacturing, with refurbished phones generating 80-90% fewer emissions than new ones. While new device sales have slowed in recent years, the second-hand device market is growing rapidly, and projected to be worth $150 billion by 2027.
Many leading operators are now developing climate transition plans to assess climate risks and map out credible, long-term strategies toward net zero. These plans are expected to become a key focus of the GSMA’s Climate Action Programme over the coming year.
Telecom
MTN’s Ikenna Ikeme Urges Responsible AI Use @Pan African Data Policy Conference

The use of local content in Artificial Intelligence systems is essential for delivering accurate, region-specific results, according to MTN Nigeria’s General Manager for Regulatory Affairs, Ikenna Ikeme.
He shared this perspective at the recently held Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Conference, held in Abuja recently.
The conference convened industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss the role of data and AI in shaping Africa’s future. Key discussions focused on balancing innovation with risk, safeguarding data in AI systems, promoting responsible data use, and enabling cross-border data flows.
During a panel on “Data Governance for Responsible and Beneficial Use of AI,” Ikeme highlighted data’s dual nature. “Data can be transformational by bringing efficiency to businesses, but it also presents risks, ranging from privacy to investment,” he stated. He warned against relying too much on external data.
Adewale Adene, Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, also spoke at the session. Adene projected AI and data governance could add $30 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030. “All relevant authorities and stakeholders must ensure Africa is positioned to capitalise on this new economy,” he urged.
Other panelists included Nonye Ujam, Government Affairs Lead at Microsoft; Ololade Shyllon, Director of Privacy Policy for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey at Meta; Oliver Patel, Head of Enterprise AI Governance at AstraZeneca (who joined remotely); Femi Daniel, Senior Counsel, Privacy and Data Protection at Mastercard; and Adewolu Adene, Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager at Google.
The conference stressed the urgent need for African stakeholders to create strategic policies. These policies should support both growth and safety.
Participants called for collaboration, investment in local data infrastructure, and strong legal frameworks. This is to ensure AI technologies are developed and used responsibly.
The NADPA Conference served as a timely call to action. It urged governments, companies, and regulators to prioritise trust and transparency. Homegrown solutions are key in shaping Africa’s digital destiny, the conference concluded.
- Telecom2 days ago
ALTON Clarifies on Migration to End-User Billing for USSD Services
- News3 days ago
Digital Africa Global Consult, NDPC Partner on Ground-Breaking “Nigeria Data Challenge” Initiative
- E-Financial2 days ago
Nigerian Stock Market Suffers ₦183 Billion Loss Amid Profit-Taking
- News2 days ago
DStv Rewards Loyal Customers with Free Package Upgrades
- Telecom2 days ago
Lagos Future Conference 2025: Stakeholders Call for Digital Responsibility and Grassroots Innovation
- General News2 days ago
African Parliamentarians Seek Answers from Telcos on Quality of Service
- News1 day ago
Lasaco Assurance to Invest in Technologies, Systems to Deliver Value to Clients
- E-Financial2 days ago
SEC Working on Stablecoin Regulation Framework