Telecom
Global Broadband Market Robust, But Gender Imbalance Worries ITU

The 2016 State of Broadband Report published by the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development offers plenty of good news, data, and insights on the deployment of broadband worldwide and developments in the next generation of mobile broadband (5G), fixed broadband and satellite broadband systems.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, chief of the Strategic Planning and Membership Department of ITU and Executive Secretary of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development provides some key insights from the recently published 2016 State of Broadband Report.
She writes: “The global market for broadband is robust. The total number of active mobile-broadband subscriptions is expected to exceed 3.6 billion by end of 2016, up from 3.2 billion at end of 2015. By the end of 2016, there will be 3.5 billion people online, yet more than half the world’s population, some 3.9 billion currently remain offline. That’s both a red flag and an opportunity.
“Leaders in the telecommunications community recognize that to bring nearly 4 billion people online is a serious challenge, but is essential if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The telco and technology industry also recognizes that women and girls play a vital part in sustainable global development. On September 18, at the annual Broadband Commission meeting in New York City, ITU and UN Women teamed up with partners from Silicon Valley to Mexico to launch EQUALS: The Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age. EQUALS will collaborate with every programme, whether run by a foundation, corporation, ministry, or NGO, attempting to bring digital literacy and savvy to all women and girls in the world.
“EQUALS’s mission is to coordinate knowledge-sharing and boost best practices among disparate programs with similar goals to shrink the gender digital divide by 2020.
“ITU estimates that there are some 250 million fewer women online than men. Our ICT Fact and Figures 2016 suggest that the global Internet user gender gap grew from 11% in 2013 to 12% in 2016. At 31%, the gap remains largest in the world’s least developed countries (LDCs).
“Further concern arises from ITU figures that show that Internet penetration rates are higher for men than women in every region of the world. In addition, there are 1.7 billion women in low- and middle-income countries who still do not own a mobile phone, according to GSMA, and there are few women in the ICT workforce at every level and in every country.
“The gap is particularly worrying in senior management positions. Empowering girls and women with ICT skills can also solve the predicted shortfall of over two million jobs in the technology sector within the next five years. Women and girls can be the solution, but only if they have affordable access to ICTs and broadband.
“There’s a lot of work ahead. If we are to start bridging the Digital Divide and make real progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the ICT sector, ministries and civil society will have to work closely together, and invest seriously in sharing the best practices necessary to reach every town and village in every corner of the world.
“It’s good to know that, with the EQUALS programme, we are working together for the digital future of women and girls. That’s a great place to start.
Telecom
SHELT Named in Prestigious 2025 MSSP 250 List for Cybersecurity Excellence

SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.

SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Telecom
Meta Names Ex-Trump Adviser Dina Powell McCormick as President

Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.

Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
Telecom
X Suspends Twitter Account for Rules Violation

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the @Twitter account, replacing its profile with a standard notice citing violation of platform rules.

Musk
The action, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, left users encountering the handle greeted by a bold “Account Suspended” message on a black screen, with no details provided on the specific rules broken or the duration of the suspension.
The development has sparked widespread confusion and nostalgia among users, given that Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, approximately six months after acquiring the platform for $44 billion in late 2022.
The @Twitter handle had remained dormant since before Musk’s takeover, serving as a legacy remnant of the platform’s original branding, and its suspension appears to mark the final erasure of the Twitter name amid X’s ongoing efforts to combat spam, impersonation, and rule violations.
X’s official statement on the suspended page simply reads: “X suspends accounts that violate our rules,” without offering an appeal process or further explanation, unlike standard user suspensions.
Public reactions on social media ranged from humorous laments of “RIP Twitter” to speculation that the move resulted from automated moderation or a deliberate cleanup of legacy trademarks.
xAI’s Grok AI described it as a purposeful retirement of outdated elements rather than a genuine infraction, while neither Elon Musk nor X spokespeople issued any comment as of Monday morning.
This incident underscores the evolving identity of the platform under Musk’s ownership, which also saw a domain shift to x.com in 2024, further distancing it from its Twitter roots.
Industry observers note that while the suspension aligns with X’s stricter enforcement policies, the lack of transparency has fueled debates on consistency in applying rules to high-profile legacy accounts.
General News2 days agoMinistry of Finance Leads FG-Backed Deal to Deliver Quality Homes and Boost Agriculture in Niger State
News2 days agoSERAP Sues INEC Over Alleged ₦55.9Bn Election Funds Diversion
E-Financial2 days agoNDIC Declares Second Liquidation Dividend for Heritage Bank Depositors
Telecom2 days agoFG Plans to Invest $460m World Bank Loan in Fibre Infrastructure
News2 days agoAI Founders and Developers to Converge in Lagos for AI in Action 2026 conference
News2 days agoFG Inaugurates N40Bn CCTV Control Centre for Third Mainland Bridge
General News2 days agoTax Reforms Panel Rejects KPMG’s Critique of New Laws
Telecom1 day agoX Suspends Twitter Account for Rules Violation













