Telecom
A4AI Seeks Removal of Barrier to Broadband Access, Affordability
Information Technology Industry stakeholders at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) in Lagos, on Tuesday, were unanimous in their views that deliberate efforts must be made to eliminate certain factors limiting the citizens’ broadband access and affordability.
A4AI brings together prominent players from private and public sectors and civil society to provide a unified approach and coordinated focus in addressing the shared goal of open, affordable access to the internet in the developing world.
Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications, said the Forum availed him the opportunity to hear the views of high ranked stakeholders in the industry on the best way to move the Communication industry forward especially with the aim to increase its contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Shittu agreed with the A4AI’s findings that to ensure broadband access and affordability, priority issues to address include infrastructure sharing and open access; spectrum and consumer awareness and pricing transparency.
Available statistics shows that while the sector has grown at an average of 34% per annum in the last 10 quarters, largely driven by the rapid expansion in telecommunications, following the deregulation of the sub-sector in 2001, the industry’s contribution to the GDP has moved from less than 0.5% in 2001 to six% in 2012 to 10% between 2013 and 2014 and currently around 11%.
However, the Minister called for proposals from the industry that will help the administration leapfrog the country’s 2013-2018 National Broadband Plan.
He said, “ The President Muhammadu Buhari led government plans to have more Nigerians get seamless access to broadband and the internet, and the National Broadband Plan 2013-2018 clearly articulates the importance of affordability in doing so.
He added “My team and I are committed to working with stakeholders in order to ensure that broadband and the internet are available at affordable rates to every Nigerians.”
The Minister who was full of praises for Dr. Mrs Omobola Johnson, his predecessor and pioneer Ministry of Communication Technology; and Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, former EVC of NCC, now chairperson and national coordinator of A4AI, respectively, for their efforts towards drafting the National Broadband Plan, commended the Group “for bringing this ideal to the fore, aiming for 30% penetration by the year 2018. It is my understanding that the implementation of this plan nationwide has been slow and fraught with multifarious challenges but I wish to assure you that change has come in this regard”.
He said, under his tenure the industry can be assured of transparency in areas such as spectrum licensing, government-industry players relationships, amongst others.
Also speaking Dr. Mrs Omobola Johnson, chairperson of A4AI-Nigeria, said that attention has to shift from awareness to impact, as the prices of broadband services, though falling, still remains a huge barrier to adoption and usage.
She said that inter-agency collaborations and telcos colocation drives are part of critical steps that must be sustained to enhance investments in the broadband infrastructure.
Johnson also called on industry stakeholders to support Shittu in articulating progressive policies and regulations to boost the investments, return on investments and Contributions to the GDP.
On his part, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the national coordinator said that A4AI aims to increase the affordability of both mobile and fixed-line internet access, with a focus on achieving the UN Broadband Commission Target of entry-level broadband services priced at less than 5% average monthly income.
Ndukwe said that A4AI has regards education as key in driving the purpose as many African leaders are yet to understand the efficacy of the broadband in driving economic growth.
He added that forward-thinking personalities in the helm of affairs in government sphere, there will be greater impact on eliminating barriers to pervasive usage of broadband.
Nigeria recorded improved ranking in A4AI’s 2014 Affordability Report, giving it a rank of 11 out of 51 overall; it was ranked 19th in the year 2013.
However, Ndukwe said that Nigeria still lacks the massive subscriptions base that will lead to more “aggressive” investments and access.
To tackle this, he said, the Coalition members have formed three working groups to work on each priority issues.
He said that Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) as the world’s broadest technology sector coalition wants everyone, everywhere, to be able to access the life-changing power of the Internet affordably.
Our goal is to achieve the UN Broadband Commission target of entry-level broadband priced at less than 5% of monthly income, thereby enabling billions more people to come online.
“We know that affordability remains the primary obstacle to Internet access throughout the developing world. Experience shows that policy and regulatory reform are the best tools to unlock technological advances and dramatically reduce the cost to connect. Through a combination of advocacy, research and knowledge-sharing, A4AI drives policy change by seeking to create the conditions for open, competitive and innovative broadband markets”, he explained.
Spacecoin, US-based, has announced the signing of recent agreements with local authorities and operators to launch satellite connectivity pilot projects in Africa.
The initiatives, focused on Kenya and Nigeria, aim to serve areas where terrestrial networks remain limited or unavailable.
n Kenya, Spacecoin has obtained a transmission license from the Communications Authority, allowing it to test satellite-based solutions for connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas with limited internet access.
According to the Kenyan regulator, internet penetration remains below 50% of the population, despite mobile penetration exceeding 130%.
In parallel, the company is continuing operations in Nigeria under an existing license issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This authorization supports initiatives aimed at delivering affordable broadband connectivity to isolated and underserved communities.
Spacecoin’s approach is based on a decentralized satellite network using nanosatellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Combined with blockchain-based protocols, this architecture is intended to offer more flexible and cost-effective connectivity services than traditional networks, while also enabling the integration of IoT solutions for a range of uses, from smart agriculture to infrastructure monitoring.
These projects are part of a broader strategy to help narrow Africa’s digital divide, where a significant share of the population still lacks access to reliable internet services.
Satellite technology is increasingly viewed as a complement to terrestrial infrastructure, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where deployment costs and geographic constraints remain high.
Beyond Africa, Spacecoin is also running pilot projects in Asia, working with local partners to test the viability of its model across different regulatory and geographic environments.
According to the company’s management, growing interest from regulators reflects a shift toward solutions capable of reaching populations that have long been excluded from internet access.
AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, driving digital transformation and sustainability, today announces the appointment of Khaled Salah, 37 years old, as Vice President of Africa.
Khaled Salah
In this new role, he will be responsible for about 30 employees to ensure the successful implementation of AVEVA’s growth strategy. Khaled Salah will report directly to Jesus Hernandez, SVP of the EMEA region.
A 15-years + career across different industries and domains
With a MBA in management from the Warwick business school, UK, and a master’s degree in engineering from Ain Shams university in Egypt, Khaled Salah is an active advocate for driving sustainable progress in the industrial sector. With Sustainability in mind, Khaled is keen on making a positive business impact, while fostering progress for people and the planet.
He started his career at Schneider Electric, in 2013 in the global supply chain and evolved through various roles such as Europe procurement and supply chain strategy Manager, and Global Commercial strategy Director for the industrial automation business. Khaled Salah has developed a strategic understanding of all those fields.
After 12 years in Schneider Electric, Khaled joined AVEVA in 2022 to lead AVEVA and Schneider Electric global strategic partnership, across all industries managing a team of 30 people.
He has led the introduction of new AVEVA software solutions to initiate and develop significant growth areas across all Schneider Electric verticals.
Ambitious plans for AVEVA in Africa
In addition to his current role as AVEVA and Schneider Electric partnership Vice-President, Khaled now takes over the management of AVEVA’s activities in Africa.
Jesus Hernandez, SVP of the EMEA region says: “Africa is a strategic region for AVEVA. In this major industrial market, customers, world leaders in the fields of Energy, Metal & Mining, Chemicals, and Water, are looking for AVEVA’s expertise to accelerate and drive their digital transformation and sustainability strategies, as well as their energy transition projects.
“Khaled Salah’s qualities of leadership in a global environment will benefit his team spread across 12 countries including Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.”
Motivated by the prospect of capitalizing on the talent of his team to strengthen AVEVA’s presence in Africa in the years to come, Khaled Salah says: “Helping my team realize their professional potential is close to my heart.
“We will work together to support and accelerate the digital transformation of industries in Africa, in particular through CONNECT, our industrial intelligence platform, with the support of our ecosystem of partners. »
A Google-Ipsos report reveals Nigerians topping global AI usage at 88%, surpassing the 62% worldwide average, with sharp rises in education and business applications.
“Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the hands of more people” shows 93% of Nigerians using AI for learning complex topics versus 74% globally, 91% for work assistance, and 80% for new ventures—nearly double the 42% global rate.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, stated: “Nigerians are creatively using AI to unlock opportunities for learning, growth, and economic empowerment, shaping their future with technology.”
Key findings highlight 91% viewing AI positively for learning access, 95% expecting benefits for students and educators, and strong optimism—80% excited versus 20% concerned, compared to global 53%-46% split. Frequent users show 90% excitement
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