Broadcasting
How unified communications can power the modern-day hybrid workplace
By Dharshan Naidoo, Squad Lead (Pan Africa) at Infobip
In the current era of remote work, companies that have not yet implemented unified communications as a communication platform for employees may find themselves at a disadvantage compared to their competitors who have already made the transition.
Unified communications is a technology that integrates various communication tools, including voice, video, chat, email, and more, into a unified platform. In a hybrid workplace, where employees are spread across various locations, adopting unified communications can facilitate seamless communication and collaboration.
More than just being a single tool or product, unified communications is a collection of solutions that organisations can implement to ensure that their different communication technologies work in a simplified, smooth, and secure manner.
This essentially enables collaboration among employees, as unified communication systems make it easier to share ideas quickly and enables individuals to work in groups, regardless of their physical location. This is particularly important in a post-COVID-19 world where some people still work from home, while some have returned to an office environment, yet all need access to the same resources and latest documents in real time.
Numerous benefits
Adopting unified communications can hold many benefits for the hybrid workplace, including the flexibility it brings to the workforce – working both remotely and in an office setting – in terms of enabling employees to stay connected from wherever and whenever. Employees can literally be anywhere in the world, on any device, and still be able to connect with their colleagues. The flexibility of unified communications goes a long way to bridge the physical distance between individuals.
Additionally, unified communications provide individuals with their channel of choice to engage with their peers, while also enhancing a corporate culture and collaboration which facilitates the building of a unique hybrid community within an organisation. Unified communications can also create personalised experiences, as every individual is different. How one person chooses to work from a remote location and the channels they prefer might differ from their peers.
However, the most important benefit of unified communications is its ability to improve productivity, which was an unexpected outcome for many companies that adopted unified communications platforms during the pandemic.
Improving work-life balance
At the same time, while improving productivity, unified communications has the potential to improve the work-life balance of employees in a hybrid workplace, as the platform can increase flexibility through mobility. With this platform, employees are no longer confined to their desks and are relieved of the need to commute for work or attend in-person meetings. This gives individuals a valuable opportunity to reclaim time that was previously unavailable to them. They are now able to allocate this regained time to activities that hold personal significance, such as spending quality moments with their families or pursuing their hobbies and interests.
To get the most out of their unified communications platforms, organisations must ensure that they take into account the opinions, needs and expectations of their employees – the individuals who will actually be using these tools and solutions on a daily basis. Many companies leave these decisions to senior management and end up investing in solutions that do not positively impact the day-to-day activities of their employees.
Security is key
Another key consideration when adopting unified communications tools is the issue of security and the fact that unified communications platforms broaden the attack surface of organisations, making them more vulnerable to attack. The increased risk stems from employees connecting to an organisation’s network remotely, or it might be inherent in a particular channel that has a security weakness.
To navigate these hazards, companies should ensure that employees only connect remotely via a virtual private network, which adds another layer of security. Additional security layers can also be added, including two-factor authentication and single sign-on capabilities.
Ultimately, unified communications can power the modern-day hybrid workplace by facilitating seamless communication and collaboration, increasing productivity, and improving the work-life balance for employees.
MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.
Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.
The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.
Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.
Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.
By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.
Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.
“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.
“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”
MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.
Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.
Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.
The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.
IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.
Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.
According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.
He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.
Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.
According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.
He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.
Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.
IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.
Broadcasting
NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.
The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.
Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.
Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.
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