Telecom
MTN Nigeria, TD Africa partner to Accelerate Actualization of FG’s National Broadband Policy
ICT giant, MTN Nigeria Communications PLC and Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading distributor of technology, services, and lifestyle products, TD Africa have partnered to quicken the pace of broadband rollout in Nigeria.
L-R: Senior Manager – Analytics and Market Development, MTN Nigeria, Abdul-Malik Ahmed; Coordinating Managing Director, Chioma Chimere; General Manager, Fixed Broadband, MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikeja-Emeka and Senior Manager – Broadband Regional Sales, MTN Nigeria, Musibau Olanrewaju at a Co-sponsored Forum for Electronics Distributors at Yudala Heights, Lagos, on Thursday, October 6, 2022.
Both partners co-sponsored an event where channel partners drawn from TD Africa’s extensive database, as well as other attendees, were given an opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of MTN’s fixed broadband propositions.
The session, which was held on Thursday October 6, 2022, at Yudala Heights, Victoria Island, Lagos, is in line with MTN Nigeria’s dedication to creating shared values aimed at positively impacting Nigerian businesses through mutually beneficial partnerships targeted at accelerating broadband penetration in Nigeria. Representatives of MTN Nigeria hosted a discussion on the propositions under the MTN Home broadband umbrella, whilst assuring the distributors of the various opportunities that are available to them as MTN partners.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, General Manager, Fixed Broadband MTN Nigeria, said “As we all know, data is the new oil.
“Our key role as operators and players in the industry is to ensure that we are effectively positioned to assist the Federal Government to achieve the ambitious goal of 70% broadband penetration by 2025.
“The only way to efficiently achieve this objective is through continued collaboration among all the ecosystem players.
“For us at MTN, we believe very strongly in the fact that everyone deserves a modern connected life and we are continuously finding ways to make the customer’s life brighter. This means our broadband services are second to none and there is value for not just our customers, but our partners as well.”
Highlighting the enormous opportunities that ICT offers, Chioma Chimere, Coordinating Managing Director (CMD), TD Africa, said: “You look at today’s world where it appears things are not working as well as they should, but if you look deeply, you would find that embedded in all of those seeming low lights, there are lots of opportunities.
“And if you are lucky like we are privileged to be in the ICT sector, you would find that our own opportunities are even larger because we are in an industry that is evolving, moving up every day.”
The forum, hosted by TD Africa, was a platform for MTN Nigeria Communications PLC to outline the process of becoming a partner of the leading technological company, as part of efforts to drive broadband penetration in Nigeria and make home broadband more accessible to Nigerians.
In October 2019, the Federal Government inaugurated a committee to draft the 2020-2025 National Broadband Plan in a bid to strengthen efforts to diversify the Nigerian economy. The plan seeks to deliver a penetration rate of 70 per cent by 2025 with effective coverage available to at least 90 per cent of the population by 2025.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), broadband penetration stood at 44.5% in July 2022, a figure considered hopeful for achieving the national broadband target of 70% in 2025.
MTN Fixed Broadband services which also include solutions running on its recently launched 5G services, are tailored to support the broadband plan of the government, which necessitated the recent 60 percent slash in the price of the company’s broadband routers.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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