Telecom
Governments in Africa Urged to Establish Favorable Digital Laws & Policies
Governments across Africa have been urged to expand digital rights and inclusion on the continent by formulating favorable laws and policies.
Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a leading Pan-African Digital Rights and Inclusion organization, pointed out that citizens on the continent are currently using Information Communications Technology (ICTs) on a regular basis, creating a need for rights respecting and inclusive practices.
Representatives from the social enterprise as well as the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) made the appeal at the sidelines of the just concluded PIN festival in Harare, Zimbabwe. The festival celebrated the collective behind-the-scenes efforts toward advancing digital rights and inclusion in Africa over the years.
Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director at PIN said as much as many governments in Africa have made considerable progress towards improving privacy online, data protection and providing affordable internet to increase access, much more needs to be done to bridge the existing digital divide.
“Paradigm Initiative has been in existence for 15 years now and over the years, we have seen gradual progress towards digital transformation, a clear indication of opportunities that exist towards safeguarding digital rights for all,” Mr. Sesan added.
On her part, Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director of Association for Progressive Communications (APC) emphasized the need for developing policies geared towards empowering individuals and strengthening their livelihood capacities through ICTs.
“Having worked together with Paradigm Initiative over the years, I can attest to the benefits that accrue when individuals and organizations are empowered. Access to ICTs leaves individuals, communities and institutions in a better position to act, and try to solve their own problems,” she added.
Since its inception in 2007, Paradigm Initiative has impacted the lives of more than 5,000 under-served African youth with improved livelihoods through digital opportunities and the protection of their online rights. For more than eight years, the organization has played an instrumental role in advancing Internet Freedom, proposing policy solutions and monitoring legal and policy frameworks around Information Communication Technology (ICTs) on the continent to ensure citizen rights. This contribution has been strengthened by the organization’s competencies in ICT capacity building, research and reports.
The social enterprise has also trained non-profit organizations and educational institutions on usage of ICTs for digital security, online and social media advocacy through its annual digital rights reports which have been converted into short films to speak more to the younger audience.
Ms. Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, PIN’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) said the organization has played an important role in spearheading development of public policy for internet freedom in Africa and will continue to do so through its presence in Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Kenya.
In her address at the same event, Ms. Thobekile Matimbe, PIN’s Partnerships and Engagements Manager echoed the need for the establishment of sound policies, noting that the Zimbabwe government had enacted data protection laws which is a step in the right direction. She urged the Zimbabwe government to ensure internet access during the upcoming general election.
Nigeria’s telecom operators recorded 155, 397 fibre-cut incidents between April and May 2026, and these they blame on why internet or calls suddenly stop working.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed fibre-cut incidents increased from 74 276 in April to a record 79 121 in May, bringing the two-month total to the highest level recorded by the industry.
This represents a 2 428% increase from the 5 934 incidents reported during the first quarter of 2026.
Vandalism remained the leading cause of fibre cuts, accounting for more than 54 000 incidents despite telecom infrastructure being designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure, a classification intended to strengthen protection of key digital assets.
Also road construction constantly damages fiber where iggers and machines tear up buried cables during road repairs or construction.
Even with all these, some state governments make it hard for companies to fix cables quickly across different areas with all manners of fees and levies.
The NCC designation provides for penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for offenders, but operators continue to face widespread infrastructure damage.
Proposed solutions, including Nigeria’s Dig-Once policy and AI-powered fibre sensing technologies, have yet to achieve widespread adoption.
The NCC is developing a cost-based framework for shared underground duct infrastructure, while operators are exploring AI-powered fibre sensing technologies that can detect cable damage in real time and improve network resilience.
Nigeria is pursuing ambitious broadband targets under its National Broadband Plan and has expanded fibre deployment to about 35 000 kilometres.
However, infrastructure protection has not kept pace with network expansion, leaving subscribers vulnerable to unreliable connectivity despite continued operator investment.
Standard Bank has partnered with Helios Towers to provide a $29 million Social Documentary Credit Facility. According to the financial services company, this transaction marks Standard Bank’s first Documentary Credit Facility structured in a Sustainable Finance format.
It notes that the facility will support the procurement and importation of telecommunications infrastructure and related services across Africa.
It will also provide payment certainty to suppliers, while supporting Helios Towers’ working capital requirements and infrastructure expansion programme, the bank adds.
Structured in accordance with the Loan Market Association’s Social Loan Principles, the financing is designed to promote digital connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure development in underserved markets.
This will help Helios Towers further expand its footprint and enhance mobile network coverage and connectivity across the continent.
Helios Towers operates one of Africa’s independent telecommunications tower platforms, enabling mobile network operators to extend coverage across multiple markets.
Standard Bank notes that the facility supports the expansion of tower infrastructure and services, increased network densification and improved connectivity in underserved markets and remote regions across the African continent.
It will also drive digital inclusion and tackle the digital divide while supporting economic growth and socio-economic development.
“This transaction demonstrates the power of innovation in trade finance. By combining a first-to-market Social Documentary Credit Facility with a cross-border funding solution, Standard Bank has supported Helios Towers’ growth ambitions while helping extend digital connectivity to underserved communities across Africa,” says Benoit Samouilhan, global transaction banker at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking.
According to the bank, this facility enables positive social impact by increasing and improving network coverage and connectivity in some of the world’s most remote regions.
“Reliable digital infrastructure is fundamental to Africa’s future growth and development,” says Alex Carter, group finance director at Helios Towers.
“This facility provides us with the flexibility and certainty needed to support our ongoing infrastructure investments while advancing our mission of expanding connectivity across the continent. We value our longstanding relationship with Standard Bank and look forward to building on this partnership.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will on Thursday convene a stakeholders’ consultative forum to review the draft business rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria.
NCC
The forum, scheduled to hold at 10 a.m. at the NCC Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja, is expected to bring together telecommunications operators, industry associations and other stakeholders to provide input on the proposed regulatory framework before its finalisation.
The commission announced the event on its official social media platforms, inviting interested stakeholders to participate in the consultation process.
The engagement is part of the NCC’s efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework for MVNO operations and promote greater competition, innovation and consumer choice in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators are telecommunications service providers that offer mobile services by leasing network capacity from licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), rather than owning spectrum licences or telecommunications infrastructure.
The NCC has identified the MVNO licensing framework as one of its initiatives aimed at deepening competition, expanding access to telecommunications services and driving digital inclusion across the country.
The consultative forum is expected to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to review the draft business rules, make recommendations and contribute to the development of a robust operational framework for the emerging MVNO segment.
The commission is expected to issue further details on the outcome of the consultation after the meeting.
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