Telecom
Tigo @M360 Africa GSMA Conference Showcases Transformative Financial Inclusion

Tanzania’s leading digital lifestyle company, Tigo (www.Tigo.co.tz) has outlined its strategic priorities that are meant to drive the company’s long-term social investment objectives.
Speaking at the just-ended Global System Mobile Association (GSMA) Mobile 360-Africa Conference held on 26th-28th July 2016 at the Julius Nyerere International Conference Centre in Tanzania’s commercial capital City, Dar es Salaam, Tigo General Manager, Diego Gutierrez cited the telecom’s core social priorities as digital inclusion, education and business entrepreneurship. Gutierrez was one of the key Tigo Tanzania panelists at the conference that included Shavkat Berdiev, Tigo Tanzania Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Head of Mobile Financial Services, Ruan Swanepoel.
“At Tigo, creating positive change is part of our DNA as we bring the digital lifestyle to our customers and communities”, Gutierrez said adding: “we take our responsibilities to the communities where we work and strive to deliver positive social impact to the people”.
Gutierrez explained that in the current fast-changing dynamics in the mobile telecom industry, there was a need to change the goal-posts through innovation and synergy to leverage diverse models of doing business.
Giving an example of Tigo’s mobile money service, Tigo Pesa, the GM alluded to its dramatic growth, noting that currently, it has the largest network with over 50,000 merchants across the country.
Talking on Tigo’s contribution to driving financial inclusion in Tanzania, Gutierrez said that through Tigo Pesa, the company had given its customers access to Africa’s first universal mobile money exchange system.
“Cumulatively”, he said, “Tigo Pesa users have earned Tsh. 40.7bn (US$18,397,406) in profit share since the scheme was started in 2014”.
The return to customers is calculated based on Tigo Pesa customers’ average daily balance stored in their mobile wallets and is in line with the Central Bank’s (Bank of Tanzania-BoT) Circular issued in February 2014.
Tigo Tanzania became the first telecom company in the world in 2014 to share profit generated from its mobile money Trust Account in the form of a quarterly distribution to its customers.
The Tigo boss also reiterated the company’s pioneering role in localizing digital content and offering zero-rated products and services that are meant to transform the lives of its customers.
In a keynote debate entitled, “Creating Opportunities for Local Digital Content”, the General Manager said, “Tigo was the first telecom in Tanzania to introduce free Facebook and affordable Smartphones whose interfaces are fully embedded in Kiswahili, the country’s national language so as to open the doors to our customers to access our products and services in a language they can easily understand”.
On his part, Tigo Tanzania Head of Mobile Financial Services, Ruan Swanepoel stressed on leveraging the mobile money ecosystem through a market-driven approach that incorporates all players in the telecom industry.
Giving an example of interoperability where different mobile money providers can conduct cross-network services, Swanepoel said through the new ‘NitigoPesa’ campaign, customers from across all mobile networks in the country can seamlessly send and receive money to any Tigo customer through its secure and convenient Tigo Pesa service.
“All other financial mobile money networks will be able to transact to Tigo Pesa through buying and paying from our widest network of Tigo Pesa merchants that are spread all over the country”, Swanepoel told the media on the sidelines of the GSMA event.
He lamented that in Tanzania, 98% of transactions were still cash-based, emphasizing that the end-game of the evolution of interoperability was to avoid cash-outs in the payment of utilities in future.
Shavkat Berdiev, Tigo CCO, waded into the topical issue of closing the mobile gender gap and fostering financial inclusion among the underprivileged, especially the low-income women in the country.
He re-affirmed the company’s commitment to continue contributing in closing the mobile gender gap to the underprivileged women in Tanzania through the provision of mobile phones and supporting income-generating micro-finance schemes that target low-income women in a program dubbed, ‘Connected Women Project’.
“Tigo has already set the pace in contributing to closing the mobile gender gap by providing 400 mobile phones and training on mobile phone use to needy women in Kilwa and Rufiji Districts in the Coastal Region in Tanzania. This is a deliberate move by our company to open up the barriers to both access and use of mobile phones such as cost, cultural issues and low levels of digital literacy”, Berdiev told the media at the conference.
According to GSMA 2015 report on the gender gap in mobile access and usage, 27 million fewer women than men own mobile phones in Africa.
In Tanzania, statistics indicate that only 58% of women owned a mobile phone in 2014 compared to 78% of men, a situation that is mainly attributable to the high cost of a mobile handset.
Noting that Tigo’s target was to reduce the gender gap in Mobile Financial Services by 5%, Berdiev explained that mobile phone ownership and usage by women had the potential to unlock benefits for women as well as the mobile industry and broader economy.
A research conducted by Tigo and REPOA (a leading research organization in the country) last year showed that cost was the greatest obstacle to obtaining a mobile phone handset. That is why, according to Berdiev, the telecom is championing the empowerment of low-income women who cannot afford the phones, hence enhance digital and financial inclusion.
According to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, women could bring in an extra $170 billion in revenue to the telecommunications industry by 2020 if their contribution to the sector is fully exploited through bridging the mobile gender gap.
Through Connected Women Commitment initiative, Tigo Tanzania is among other 75 operators that plan to tackle the many barriers that hinder women from owning mobile phones.
Tigo’s drive towards offering cheaper phones and micro-finance loans will not only connect Tanzanian women to the world of digital lifestyle but will also contribute to their economic wellbeing and hence better life.
Telecom
NCC Orders Telcos Inform Subscribers of Data Breach within 48 Hours

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecom operators in the country to notify affected customers of any data breach within 48 hours ( that is two day) of detecting such unauthorised infringement.

This directive was contained in the revised Internet Code of Practice 2026 by the NCC, on Friday.
The document seeks to define the rights and obligations of telecom operators in handing the rights of internet users to an open internet.
In the move to protect customer information, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are to take necessary measures to protect customers’ data from unauthorised use, disclosure, access or breach.
Telecom operators must now notify affected customers within 48 hours of detecting a compromise through text message, email or any other effective means. As contained in Chapter 3.4 of the regulation titled “Data Breach Notifications,”
The telecoms companies are also directed to notify the NCC of such a breach not later than 48 hours after determining such a breach.
“Where full details of the breach are not immediately available, the provider shall issue a preliminary notification within the same period and furnish a comprehensive update within Fourteen (14) days thereafter, or within such extended period as the Commission may approve,” part of the section reads.
The guidelines, according to NCC, are in tandem with the provisions contained in the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023 and Part VI of Schedule 1 of the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024.
The regulation also joins other agencies’ policies, ensuring protection. Agencies such as the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) protect consumers against misuse of personal data, identity theft, financial loss, and reputation damage.
The review comes at a time when privacy becomes core amid frequent breaches and illegal harvest of data such as biometric, national IDs, financial information, traffic and usage, and others.
Regulations are necessary for the proper handling, consent, and regulatory compliance regarding sensitive data, ensuring it is only processed for legitimate purposes.
Under Chapter 3.5, the Internet Code of Practice 2026 addressed the handling of harvesting of transactional data by notifying and getting approval from the NCC of any usage by a third party. It noted that the NCC approval will be defined by a review and assessment of such access and “its potential effects on national considerations, consumer information and personal data.”
Telecom
Globacom Promotes Valentine Gifting with Huge Discounts on Smartphones

Globacom has announced a Valentine Smartphone promotion, which provides incredible savings on a variety of high-end smartphones from top manufacturers including Tecno, Samsung, and Infinix.

Starting on February 9, the promotion provides substantial price reductions on a number of Samsung models, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy A07, Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G, and Galaxy A26 5G. Customers who buy any of the phones will also receive a complimentary travel pouch and charger, as well as up to 18GB of extra data for six months, only available on the Glo network.
Along with other Infinix models, Tecno devices are also offered at attractive discounts, giving customers a large range of smartphones to fit a variety of tastes and price ranges.
The goal of the Glo Valentine promotion is to provide customers with the best possible deals on carefully chosen smartphones that are renowned for their cutting-edge technology, stylish designs, and dependable performance. The offer, which includes alternatives to suit a range of budgets and lifestyles, reaffirms Globacom’s dedication to customer happiness, digital adoption, greater data usage, and client centricity.
The company revealed that the promotion aligned with customers’ expectations during celebratory seasons, when demand is highest for quality smartphones at affordable prices. The company added that its partnership with trusted global and regional brands such as Samsung, Infinix, and Tecno ensures that customers enjoy premium features without compromising on value.
“The Valentine season is about connection, and what better way to stay connected than with a smartphone that fits your needs and aspirations,” the company stated. “This promo gives our customers the chance to get their dream smartphones at some of the best prices of the year, along with generous data bonuses to keep them connected,” the company disclosed.
Customers are encouraged to visit Gloworld outlets nationwide to take advantage of the Valentine Smartphone Promo while stocks last.
Telecom
GBB Expands Broadband to 13 Underserved Communities In 2025

Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has recorded a significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey by advancing broadband connectivity to 13 underserved institutions and communities nationwide in 2025, reinforcing its position as the nation’s digital backbone and a trusted partner in national development.

Guided by its mandate to enable a digitally inclusive Nigeria, GBB deliberately extended connectivity to locations within reach of its infrastructure footprint, particularly institutions with strong potential for productive use but limited readiness for immediate commercial engagement. Through this effort, the organisation continues to unlock opportunity, stimulate innovation, and support sustainable growth across critical sectors of the economy.
The expansion reached three Federal Universities, two Local Government Areas, and eight Federal Secretariats, strengthening digital capabilities in education and public administration while enhancing service delivery across the country.
GBB also extended reliable broadband connectivity to strategic and cultural landmarks such as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, underscoring its commitment to supporting national infrastructure that drives economic activity, mobility, and global connectivity.
These deployments highlight Galaxy Backbone’s resolve to bridge the digital divide and empower institutions that shape Nigeria’s future. They demonstrate the measurable national impact of GBB’s infrastructure investments and reflect the tangible progress of the Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS), further solidifying the organisation’s role as the platform upon which government institutions and communities can confidently build their digital future.
More importantly, the milestone illustrates that GBB’s work extends beyond technology by enabling education, improving governance, supporting economic participation, and connecting citizens to opportunity.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s broadband penetration objectives and complements national programmes such as Project 774 – Universities’ Hostel Connectivity, ensuring coordinated, scalable, and sustainable impact across the country. Commenting on the achievement, Galaxy Backbone noted that every new connection brings Nigeria closer to a more inclusive digital economy while reinforcing the infrastructure required for innovation and national competitiveness.
As implementation continues, GBB remains committed to expanding access, pushing boundaries, and delivering on the promise of a fully digital nation, with further updates expected as additional phases of the deployment progress.
Galaxy Backbone Limited is the Federal Government’s digital infrastructure and shared services provider, dedicated to delivering secure, reliable, and scalable ICT solutions that support efficient governance, innovation, and sustainable national development.
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