Telecom
5 Ways AI is Helping People, Businesses and Governments to Become More Sustainable
AI is a transformational technology that is already bringing meaningful and positive change to people and societies around the world.
Put simply, AI is an effort to build machines that can learn from their experiences, spot patterns and make predictions better than any computer has been able to do before. Using this technology, we can now give governments, businesses and citizens the tools they need to make systemic change, like meeting the climate challenge.
Here are five ways that we and our partners are using AI to help reduce emissions, protect nature and build cleaner environments:
1. Helping communities to predict and prepare for natural disasters
We’re already seeing the impact of climate change in communities around the world, with natural disasters affecting millions of people each year. Being able to predict, prepare for and respond to these crises can be life-saving.
AI can now help us to predict the trajectory of hurricanes, typhoons and floods – so that we can share forecasts and advice on how to stay safe on SOS Alerts and Maps. And by combining satellite imagery with AI analysis, we’re able to identify which areas need help after a disaster has struck – helping rescue organisations reach those most in need quickly.
2. Recovering global wildlife populations
Recovering global wildlife has never been more important – and that’s precisely the aim of Wildlife Insights. The tool uses AI to help conservationists and nonprofits to better track, understand and share insights on wildlife populations.
Conservationists rely on camera traps to monitor wildlife populations. But one camera can take hundreds of thousands of pictures every month – and processing and analysing them is time consuming and inefficient.
That’s where Wildlife Insights comes in. It uses AI to analyse and classify each photo – so that users can instantly filter to see photos only of a particular species, or location.
And, through Google Cloud, different organisations from across the world are uploading, storing and sharing their findings on the platform – removing silos and helping assess results on a global level. In the Philippines, ZSL is using Wildlife Insights to track endemic species – while in Columbia, the WWF and UNDP are helping build a wildlife corridor for jaguars.
3. Cleaning up fashion’s supply chain
The fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to the global climate crisis, with much of their impact occurring at the raw materials stage of the supply chain – like when cotton is farmed, or trees cut down. But when brands source these materials, they often have little visibility on their environmental impact.
Enter Global Fibre Impact Explorer: a tool built in partnership with Stella McCartney, NGIS, Textile Exchange and WWF Sweden to give companies the data they need to make more sustainable sourcing decisions.
The tool, which launches formally later this year, uses Google Cloud and Earth Engine to help brands identify the environmental risks of over 20 fibres, and provides recommendations for risk-reduction activities – including opportunities to work with local communities.
4. Helping prepare for extreme heat
Cities across the world are trying to reduce ‘heat islands’ – patches of a city that become particularly hot in a heat wave. Heat islands are caused by their surrounding infrastructure and lead to poor air quality, dehydration and other public health concerns.
Tree Canopy – part of Environmental Insights explorer – uses aerial imagery and AI to help local authorities identify heat islands, and plan tree coverage to combat them. The tool, which is now being rolled out to nearly 350 more cities globally, has already been used across the US to plant trees in vulnerable areas and parkways, and place bus stops in tree-shaded areas.
5. Giving you more sustainable options
You’re probably already using AI to reduce your emissions without even realising it. Google Maps uses AI to give you the best walking or cycling routes – and to suggest the most fuel-efficient routes for journeys where you need to drive. For electric vehicle drivers with Google built-in, we’re now using AI to recommend the best charging stop for you – based on factors like current traffic, your charge level and expected consumption.
And since 2011, Google’s Nest Thermostats have saved over 120 billion Kwh of energy – enough to power 1 million electric vehicles for over 320,000 miles each. The thermostat uses AI to learn user schedules and adjust the heat accordingly – even turning it off when you’re out.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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