Telecom
WATRA says Telecommunications Sector Contributes 7% to Regional GDP

Aliyu Aboki, Executive Secretary of the West African Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) said that telecommunications sector contributes 7 percent annually to Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of West African region. He stated this at a virtual media session to highlights activities of the regional regulatory body.
He said that the west African telecommunications sector is integral to the Africa market, valued at $63.17 billion in 2024, with over 400 million mobile subscribers.
“Mobile internet penetration rose from 51% in 2019 to 62% in 2023, driven by investments and infrastructure development”.
He stated that the digital economy in West Africa has been rapidly evolving, driven by increasing internet penetration, mobile connectivity, and a growing tech-savvy youth population.
According to him, “the digital economy contributes around $30billion annually to the region’s GDP, highlighting its significant impact on economic growth. The e-commerce sector is growing at 20% annually, driven by increased internet access and consumer adoption, innovations in Fintech and logistics which are addressing challenges such as payment systems and trust in online transactions.
He added that, West Africa’s vibrant startup ecosystem, with over 600 tech startups, attracted $1.5 billion in investments in 2023.
“Accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces are crucial in supporting entrepreneurs. A tech-savvy youth population is driving digital adoption, enhancing the region’s digital transformation,” he said.
WATRA’s Role
Aboki said WATRA supports the digital economy by promoting regulatory harmonization, facilitating infrastructure development and encouraging action across the telecommunications sector.
Giving WATRA’s role in the growth of telecommunications business across West African countries, Aboki said: “WATRA is not a regulator, but an association of regulators in the sub-region of West Africa, with a responsibility to improve telecoms service delivery in West Africa, through collaboration.
“WATRA’s role in all of these growth areas is that it supports and promotes regulatory harmonisation, facilitates infrastructure development and encourages development across the regulatory bodies in different West African countries. WATRA helps to bring speed of development in West Africa.”
He assured that WATRA will continue to focus on its service expansion pan and increase collaboration in order to extend connectivity to rural areas and under-developed areas in West Africa.
“We will collaborate with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to leverage technology that will advance development in West Africa. We will ensure that new entrants in satellite and space technologies, maximise the benefits to enhance the growth of telecoms business across West African countries, and as well promote cybersecurity and data protection among member states.
“As well ensure that countries with more advanced telecoms infrastructure, share their experiences and methodologies with countries that have less telecoms infrastructure. From time to time, we bring different regulators together to discuss issues that will enhance regulations in their regions.
“For instance, some countries do not have policies on co-location of telecoms infrastructure and WATRA was able to help build the capacities of some of the regulators in such a way that it will attract investors to invest in their telecoms infrastructure rollout.”
On what WATRA is doing to address roaming charges differentials across West Africa, the Executive Secretary explained that the roaming regulation was established in 2017, but it has not been fully implemented across regions for different reasons.
“Another challenge is the disparity in tariff charges. Some countries with large number of subscribers like Nigeria charge lower tariff rate, while countries with smaller number of subscribers charge higher tariff rate. What we need in West Africa is a uniform tariff rate for roaming charges. We are working towards bilateral agreement between countries to achieve it”, he stated.
Worried that data generated in West Africa, are still transmitted to internet hubs in Europe and America, before getting to its final destination in West Africa, Aboki said WATRA had been advocating for Internet Exchange Point structure for West Africa, insisting that it will boost connectivity across West African countries, and also reduce cost of data in West Africa.
“WATRA is working towards improving the interconnectivity of infrastructure companies. Infrastructure companies should be able to interconnect within West Africa, instead of allowing our data to first travel to Europe before returning to West Africa. We need more of the West African data to be hosted in data centres located in West Africa and not in Europe in order to save cost. Our priority is to increase regional connectivity, reduce cost of data and enhance access to spectrum,” Aboki said.
Telecom
Court to Decides on 9Mobile Ownership Tussle September 24

Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed September 24 to rule on several applications in the case of Abubakar Ismaila Isa, a businessman, who claims that his 43 million shares were allegedly transferred to Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited, operating under the trade name 9mobile, without his consent.
The matter before Justice Mohammed Umar on Wednesday, was filed by Isa’s legal team led by Femi Atteh, SAN, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1971/2024.
The plaintiff seeks an order declaring him the “beneficial owner of the 43,000,000 (forty-three million) ordinary shares held in trust for him by the 1st Defendant (Seltrix Limited) in the capital of the 3rd Defendant (Teleology Nigeria Limited).”
He accused Seltrix Limited of purportedly transferring the said shares to 9mobile without his consent, resulting in the alleged illegal change of control of 9mobile to LH Telecommunication Limited by the Corporate Affairs Commission and Nigerian Communications Commission.
Joined as defendants in the suit are Seltrix Limited, Hayatu Hassan Hadeija, Teleology Nigeria Limited, Mohammed Edewor, Emerging Markets Telecommunications Limited, CAC, NCC, LH Telecommunication Limited and General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (Rtd) (first to ninth defendants).
A counter-affidavit sworn to and filed on behalf of Seltrix Limited, Hadejia had described the plaintiff’s application as a reckless abuse of the court process.
He urged the court to dismiss the application and award substantial costs against the plaintiff.
He also demanded concrete evidence of any trusteeship arrangement involving him or Seltrix Limited concerning the alleged N43 million ordinary shares in the capital of the third defendant, Teleology Nigeria Limited, or any matter related to the suit.
Hadejia stated that the plaintiff’s motion, dated 27 January but filed on 28 January, was a fabrication designed to mislead the court.
At the resumed hearing, Michael Aôndoakaa, SAN, counsel for Teleology, 9mobile, and others, drew the court’s attention to his preliminary objections, asking the court to strike out the case for “being statute-barred” as it was filed out of the stipulated time required.
Telecom
MTN, 9mobile Commence Ground-breaking National Infrastructure Partnership

In a landmark move set to redefine Nigeria’s telecom landscape, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile) have officially announced the rollout of their national roaming agreement, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The three-year agreement enables 9mobile subscribers to roam seamlessly on MTN Nigeria’s expansive network, significantly extending 9mobile’s coverage and improving service quality for its customers. The partnership signals a shift toward greater industry collaboration, aligning with the NCC’s vision for a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem.
Beyond infrastructure sharing, the agreement drives greater operational efficiency, stronger connectivity, and an enhanced user experience. It also paves the way for deeper collaboration between the two telcos, most notably a proposed spectrum leasing deal, in which 9mobile will lease its 900MHz (5MHz) and 1800MHz (15MHz) bands to MTN for three years, further strengthening MTN’s network capacity and service quality.
“This partnership marks a bold resurgence for 9mobile,” said Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of 9Mobile. “It empowers us to meet the needs of our customers, especially youthful and enterprise users, by delivering consistent, high-quality service as we roll out city by city in the weeks ahead.”
Banigbe acknowledged the leadership of Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and the leadership of the NCC, for enabling such progressive industry collaboration, and Dr. Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, for his advocacy of a resource-efficient, consumer-first telecom ecosystem.
“In today’s telecom environment, access is more strategic than ownership,” Banigbe added.
“Access to infrastructure is now more important than ownership,” Banigbe added. “Rather than duplicating networks, we’re investing in access that is commercially viable and sustainable. Network infrastructure typically accounts for 70–75% of an operator’s costs, savings here mean we can reinvest in innovation and customer experience. At 9mobile, our mantra is simple: build infrastructure where necessary, share it where possible,” he concluded”
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, described the agreement as a milestone for the sector, “This collaboration underscores our commitment to industry innovation, customer-centricity, and support for the NCC’s goal of a fully connected Nigeria,” said Toriola. “It reflects our shared value philosophy, prioritizing partnerships that benefit the entire ecosystem.”
Toriola also praised Dr. Tijani’s efforts in promoting meaningful collaboration as a key driver of digital access, service quality, and nationwide inclusion.
This pioneering agreement sets a new benchmark for infrastructure sharing in Nigeria. It exemplifies how competitors can collaborate to address systemic challenges, reduce redundancies, and collectively transform the industry—ultimately delivering broader coverage, better service, and faster access to emerging technologies for Nigerian consumers.
Telecom
Karl Toriola Champions Digital Education for Employability @Sigma Club Lecture

MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr Karl Toriola delivered a strong call for digital skills adoption and curriculum reform at the 11th Public Lecture of the Sigma Club, University of Ibadan, on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Speaking on the theme, Leveraging Technology & Digital Education for Mass Employment, Wealth Creation and Poverty Alleviation, Toriola said technology and education can drive large-scale transformation by unlocking access to both global and local job markets. He explained that digital tools enable entrepreneurship, remote work, and access to essential services, especially in underserved areas.
He pointed out several barriers: the infrastructure deficit caused by high deployment costs, poor electricity, and insecurity in rural areas; digital literacy and education gaps; gender and regional disparities; outdated or inconsistent government policies and weak public-private coordination.
Referencing a story about a high-achieving Nigerian doctor, he said, “I saw an article a few days ago about a Nigerian medical student or doctor that qualified simultaneously in [different] specializations of medicine. It’s incredible what some of our people are doing. Our youths are ready. Our systems must be ready too.”
Among his recommendations, Toriola called for expanded digital infrastructure, changes to school curricula, stronger public-private partnerships, and programs designed with gender and cultural awareness in mind. “We must make education employable,” he said. “We have to create the opportunities for students to practice what they are learning with institutions, private-sector institutions that are using those skills of the future.”
Toriola also emphasized that while automation and robotics dominate conversations about the digital economy, there is still significant opportunity in content creation, manufacturing, and agriculture. “Huge opportunities exist in Nigeria. We need to provide the environment for the Nigerian youth to thrive by driving connectivity, changing the curricula to allow our students to acquire the skills that are required in the job market of today.”
He closed with a message of encouragement, saying, “It does not matter however you start. Where you get to at the end of the day is a product of how dedicated, focused and hardworking you are. Never give up. Nigerians have an immeasurable capacity to deliver if given the right opportunities.”
Earlier, Hon. Folajimi Oyekunle, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Oyo State Governor, delivered the welcome address on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde. He noted that the lecture’s theme was timely and aligned with the administration’s focus on innovation and inclusive development. Citing initiatives such as the Waste to Wealth program, which created 12,000 direct jobs, and the recruitment of 21,000 teachers, he highlighted efforts to improve employment outcomes in the state. He also mentioned that the state’s internally generated revenue had risen to 8.5 billion in the first quarter of 2025, compared to a pre-2019 average of 1.6 billion.
“The government so far has worked in line with all stakeholders to create an enabling environment for job creation, which gives our graduates the opportunity to be employed in government work. As a government, we continue to support and encourage wealth in the state and also to support programs like this, which in one way or the other, gives back to their school,” he said.
Other dignitaries present at the event included the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade; Dr. Gani Adeniran, retired lecturer from the University of Ibadan’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, who served as Father of the Day; and Professor Gabriel Ogunmola, Chancellor of Lead City University, Ibadan.
Initiatives like MTN’s recently launched Digital Skills Academy reiterate the company’s commitment to expanding digital access and opportunity. The platform includes a career guidance tool to help users identify and pursue paths aligned with their strengths and market demand. It forms part of the MTN Foundation’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs programme, which supports the National Digital Economy Policy and Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education.
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