Telecom
Ouranos Lab Doles Out $2m to Develop Innovative Enterprise Solutions in West Africa
Ouranos Technologies Ltd, a leading provider of IT infrastructure services and solutions in West Africa, today announced the launch of Ouranos Lab, a venture studio focused on building the products and solutions that will power the future of enterprise technology in Africa.
Ouranos Lab is backed by a $2 million investment from Ouranos Technologies and will be led by Olusegun Maleghemi as Chief Innovation Officer. Maleghemi is no stranger to the technology and innovation space, having served as Director of Incubation at The Nest Innovation Technology Park, which provides support for startups building impactful solutions.
Making the announcements, Joseph Aransiola, Managing Director of Ouranos Technologies Ltd, said, “Ouranos Lab is a natural next step for our company as we look to increase our presence in Africa and drive innovation in the technology and innovation space.
Africa is poised for tremendous growth in the technology space, and Ouranos Lab will play a key role in driving that growth. I am confident that this investment will help identify and develop new technologies and solutions that will drive sustainability and growth for the enterprise technology industry in Africa.”
Ouranos Lab will focus on developing innovative solutions in Data and Identity Security, Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning, Connected devices, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain application in the non-finance space, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), and Robotics Process Automation (RPA), amongst others.
The venture studio also intends to work closely with startups and entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life by providing support in product development, funding, access to new markets, and mentorship.
“I am delighted to lead Ouranos Lab and work closely with the team to foster innovation in the African enterprise solutions space,” says Ouranos Lab’s Chief Innovation Officer Olusegun Maleghemi. We have a strong team with a lot of expertise in technology and innovation who are dedicated to building products and solutions that will define Africa’s future. We will focus on developing sustainable and scalable products to drive enterprise business growth.
Africa’s technology and innovation space is experiencing rapid growth, raising a combined $5.4 billion in 2022, according to market intelligence firm Briter Bridges. Much of this funding is VC-led, as venture studios are few and far between on the continent.
In response, Mfon Okon, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Ouranos Technologies Ltd, says, “We are looking to bridge this divide by investing in the companies that are building innovative and scalable solutions germane to the future of enterprise solutions in Africa.
The choice of Olusegun Maleghemi as Chief Innovation Officer was strategic. With his extensive experience in technology and innovation, Olusegun is well-suited to lead Ouranos Lab and drive growth for the company in Africa. His focus will be on providing a platform for entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life, working closely with them to ensure that their products and solutions are successful and suited for the future of Africa’s enterprise solutions industry.”
The launch of Ouranos Lab is part of the expansion strategies of Ouranos Technologies as the company looks to increase its product and service offerings, as well as its presence from three to six countries in Africa, by the end of 2023. Over the last decade, the company has delivered IT infrastructure services and solutions to clients across multiple African regions, working with global and local partners.
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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