Telecom
WTL Provides Missing Link for Nigeria’s MNP Initiative

World Telecom Labs (WTL) on Monday announced that it has developed Text-To-Change, a vital component of Nigeria’s Mobile Number Portability (MNP) programme.
Text-to-Change shows operators worldwide how customer transfer requests should be started, which has been identified.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek had reported exclusively, that telecom subscribers wishing to migrate from one network to another, under the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) regime, are being frustrated by some telecom operators.
Uche Onwudiwe, chief operating officer, Interconnect Clearing House Nigeria Limited. said that subscribers who are interested in porting to another network are being delayed by SMS routing during the porting process.
“The critical area is where subscribers are restricted in the porting access. We are hopeful it will come out better. It is actually meeting the objectives where people can move from one network to another.
“But in the process where people have to send SMS, we are seeing a situation where SMS are not getting through and the responses from the operators are what we are working on to ensure full obligation. We are working with them to clear that process; then the subscribers will experience seamless process.
“When we have done our part; that is, clarifying with the operators, any of them who intentionally frustrates the process shall be taken care of by the NCC,” Onwudiwe explained
Also WTL that will be exhibiting at AfricaCom this week is discussing Text-To-Change as well as launching Easy SMS Hubwhich enables operators in Africa to increase revenues from text messages by setting up their own SMS hubs.
Text-To-Change enables people in Nigeria to text their provider in the first instance to notify their intention to switch to another provider.
This text then sparks a string of actions by the old and new provider to transition both the number and the customer’s account.
Established by the Nigerian Communications Commission, the MNP initiative enables people to keep their existing mobile numbers when they switch to a different mobile operator.
The ability to port numbers and Text To Changemake it more attractive for consumers to switch providers increasing competition and leading to reduced prices and improved service levels.
WTL was appointed by ICN, one of Nigeria’s interconnect exchange carriers which is leading the MNP initiative, to develop the Text To Change service.
ICN’s project leader for MNP, Johnson Farotimi said: “Mobile Number Portability has been a long time coming in Nigeria. It is a large, complex and very high profile initiative which must succeed.
Giving Nigerians the ability to request porting via text messages rather than some long-winded, bureaucratic system is one of the founding conditions of the MNP scheme. Ease and convenience for the subscriber are vital to the success of the project.
WTL were brought into the project late in the day but their contribution was enormous. The team at WTL are extremely knowledgeable and without their experience and expertise this project would not have been completed so smoothly”.
ICN is a long-term customer of WTL’s and currently uses its specialist high capacity voice switching equipment.
Text To Change messages will pass through ICN’s existing WTL SoIP SS7 Gateway which connects to all the legacy mobile switches used by Nigeria’s principal operators.
Leigh Smith, managing director, WTL, said “It is now easier for people in Nigeria to switch carriers than in any other country I have visited. This was a tricky project but our engineers worked hard to develop a system which is reliable. We are always happy to turn our hand to new challenges like this. Text To Change is also available to operators outside Nigeria and should be on the radar of regulators around the world”.
Telecom
9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN

9mobile, Nigerian operator, has reportedly gained approval for roaming on the MTN Nigeria network in a deal that some commentators suggest could improve its position in the market and, more specifically, tempt back lost subscribers.
After finally gaining regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 9mobile plans to launch national roaming services on the MTN network from this month.
Under the agreement, 9mobile subscribers will gain access to MTN’s infrastructure for calls, texts and data in areas where 9mobile’s coverage is weak or unavailable.
For 9mobile, the deal offers a cost-effective way to expand coverage without the heavy investment required for nationwide infrastructure.
According to ITWeb Africa, the decision comes nearly five years after initial discussions – much longer than expected due, the Techloy news service said, to regulatory bottlenecks, shifting market conditions, and unclear execution timelines.
It may, however, prove pivotal for 9mobile, whose market share has dwindled to 1.72% in April 2025, down from 6.6% in 2020 when the proposal was first submitted. Indeed, in 2015 the company once known as Etisalat Nigeria had over 23 million subscribers and a 15.7% market share.
Of course, there’s also something in this for MTN. In exchange for network access, MTN gains utilisation rights to 9mobile’s underused spectrum in the 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 2100MHz bands – key frequencies for expanding coverage and improving data capacity.
For MTN, which serves over 84 million subscribers, this additional spectrum could reduce congestion and improve service quality.
The company has also had financial difficulties in the Nigerian market due to the naira’s substantial depreciation; this deal could support better service provision at a reduced cost.
That said, MTN Nigeria’s results for the first quarter to March 31 2025 were apparently much improved, and the company recently announced a massive capital expenditure drive for 2025 of some NGN900 billion (US$568.5 million) as it seeks to significantly enhance network service quality in major cities like Lagos and Abuja and extend improvements to other areas.
Telecom
Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime Today

Banks and telecom companies will begin deducting USSD banking charges directly from customers’ airtime instead of their bank accounts beginning from today, June 3.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a communications protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to interact with a mobile network operator’s computers.
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) announced this change in an e-mail message to customers, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Key details:
Each USSD session will cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, charged by your mobile network.
You will be asked to approve the charge before it’s deducted from your airtime.
If you prefer, you can use other banking channels like ATMs, mobile apps, or internet banking.
This change is part of a move to end the long-standing debt dispute between banks and telecoms over unpaid USSD fees.
As of late 2024, banks owed telecom companies ₦160 billion. For example, MTN was owed ₦42 billion by Nigerian banks.
By shifting USSD fees to customers’ airtime, the telcos aim to recover these debts and avoid future issues.
Telecom
IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles

IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited and one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has formally commissioned 65 Response, Patrol, and Escort (RPE) vehicles to G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, its long-standing security partner.
The commissioning ceremony which held in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to operational excellence, safety, and strategic partnerships.
The fully equipped vehicles, customized with radio systems, public address systems, medical kits, ladders, and amber lights, are expected to significantly enhance G4S’s patrol capabilities and enable proactive risk mitigation across IHS Nigeria’s infrastructure footprint in the country.
Speaking at the event, Jubril Saba, Vice President, Operations at IHS Nigeria, remarked: “IHS Nigeria is delighted to formally hand over these Response, Patrol and Escort (RPE) vehicles to our valued security partner, G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited. As a company, we recognize that the success of our operations lies not only in our technology and infrastructure but also in the strength of the partnerships we build and sustain.
G4S has been an essential partner in protecting our sites, supporting our teams, and ensuring operational continuity across the country. This initiative is more than just a commissioning of vehicles; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the safety of our people and assets, our drive for operational excellence, and our belief in strong partnerships.
We understand that securing our infrastructure and communities is critical to sustaining high-quality services nationwide, and we are confident this fleet will enhance G4S’s capacity to support us.”
Also speaking at the event, Jonas Ahl, Managing Director of G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, expressed his appreciation for the partnership:
“We are proud to receive these 65 custom-built patrol vehicles from IHS Nigeria. Each unit is fully outfitted to meet the specific security needs of our operations, equipped with communication systems, emergency response tools, and visibility-enhancing features. These vehicles will not only improve our response times and field presence but also enable us to reduce risk and deter criminal activity more effectively.
I would like to thank the IHS team for their excellent collaboration throughout this project. We are proud to serve IHS and remain committed to protecting the assets that power connectivity across Nigeria.”
This strategic gesture reinforces IHS Nigeria’s position as a socially responsible and security-conscious industry leader, while highlighting the value of operational synergy with trusted partners like G4S.
The deployment of these vehicles marks another milestone in IHS’s mission to secure its infrastructure and deliver uninterrupted service to millions of users across the country.
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