Telecom
Tecno @10, Set to Manufacture Phones in Nigeria
Taking its first official step into the international scene, mobile technology giant, Tecno Telecoms launched its flagship devices the Phantom 6 and Phantom 6 Plus, last weekend, in one of the most beautiful venues in the world – the prestigious Armani Hotel located in the Burj Khalifa, Dubai.
Notable guests at the event included Chidi Okonkwo, General Manager TECNO Mobile (Transsion Holdings); Kimura Makoto, General Manager of SONY; Jeremy Doutte, CEO of Jumia; Arthur Wang, Senior Director Corporate Sales International of MediaTek; Martin Kariithi, Manager Android Partnerships for Google (West Africa) and other business partners of TECNO Telecoms. Interestingly also, popular TV personalities Mercy Aigbe and VJ Adams were also present at the event.
Some Global Partners of Tecno Mobile
The dynamic mobile multinational has done well for itself and mobile phone consumers in Africa over the last ten years.
In 2006, TECNO entered the Africa mobile market sphere and since then, has been delivering quality mobile devices – smartphones, smart-bands and tablets, with the aim of making high-end mobile devices readily available to consumers.
Their customized product lines focus on how to meet the needs of the African consumers and how to effectively serve them. After only 10years of operations in Africa, TECNO has become one of the leading mobile phone manufacturers across the world.
Over the past decade, mobile phone penetration rate in Africa has risen from 6% to 80% and TECNO Mobile being a major driver of this development, is already servicing over 35 African countries while currently retaining the largest market share of 41.1% and 31.1% in Tanzania and Nigeria respectively.
Mr. Vane Ni, deputy general manager and global marketing lead at TECNO Mobile said, “We are proud of what we have been able to achieve in Africa so far and we are confident the time is right for us to duplicate the same success across other emerging markets. When we arrived Africa 10 years ago, very few people would have thought that we would grow so fast to control the largest market share of 25.3% across six major African markets – Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Cameroon and Ethiopia”.
Meanwhile, Tecno has set the stage for a mega phone manufacturing plant in Nigeria with the acquisition of land, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered.
Presently, Tecno’s plant is sited in Ethiopia, however, in spite of the present economic situation in Nigeria the company is moving ahead with its plans to set up a plant in the country a top official of Tecno confirmed on Thursday.
“Even when presumed ‘bigger brands’ are not considering building a plant in Nigeria Tecno as the trail brazer is set to do it again. We are sure to commence work at the site soon. We will inform the public when work starts. But I can assure you that Tecno has acquired land in that regards”, the Tecno official said.
Today, TECNO has extended its web to more than 48 countries across the Middle East, South East Asia and South America, serving about 2.5 billion consumers which is about 35% of the world’s population. This feat clearly makes the brand a force to reckon with, not just in Africa but alsoglobally.
Phantom 6, the slimmest dual back camera smartphone
The new Phantom 6 wears an ultra slim design with premium chamfered edges, spotting the TECNO brand’s first dual rear camera technology- a high definition combination of 13 mega pixel auto-focus and 5 mega pixel fixed-focus cameras with LED flash.
Taunted by some analysts as the slimmest smartphone with dual rear cameras, the Phantom 6 stomachs an expanded internal storage space, powered by 3GB RAM for smoother operations with 32GB ROM leg room, expandable to 128GB. TECNO Phantom 6 enjoys improved processor speed at 2.0GHz, MediaTek’sHelio P10 chipset.
“The TECNO Phantom 6 gives mobile consumers better stability, speed and possibly the best camera experience on mobile phone,”says Attai Oguche, TECNO Deputy Marketing Lead, Nigeria.
Phantom 6 Plus, the fastest Deca-core smartphone
Also unveiled at the launch was the TECNO Phantom 6 Plus, the mobile maker’s latest phabletsmartphone targeted particularly at the Middle-east mobile consumers. TECNO Phantom 6 Plus flauntsan impressive 6.0-inch IPS touch display and hosts the mobile brand’s first tri-fold security combination (fingerprint, eye scanner and Trustlook antivirus). TECNO Phantom 6 Plus also boasts the latest MediaTek Helio X20 Deca-core chipset, making the super-smartphone one of the fastest mobile phones in the market.
Arif Chowdhury, vice president, TECNO Mobile (Transsion Holdings) said, “Mobile consumers in Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and other top mobile markets in emerging economies have not seen anything like the Phantom 6 plus. This smartphone took three years in the making and the global expertise of over five hundred engineers to deliver right on schedule,” says TECNO global marketing lead, Vane Ni.
TECNO Mobile customizes its devices based on different consumers’ preferences and the Phantom Series, which embodies the best of technological advances yearly is expected to impress smartphone consumers across different emerging markets.
The customized Phantom 6 and Phantom 6 Plusis sure tobe appreciated by both local and international consumers.
Clydestone Ghana Plc has filed a writ of summons and statement of claim against MTN Ghana, MTN Group Limited and Mobile Money Fintech Limited, alleging unauthorized use of its intellectual property.
The company announced the court action at the Ghana Stock Exchange, confirming proceedings in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Ghana.
The case relates to work commissioned in 2007 that Clydestone alleges was later used without authorisation or compensation.
Clydestone said the claim involves proprietary intellectual property, confidential commercial information and operational methodology developed during the engagement. The company is seeking declarations, damages and equitable remedies.
In a statement, Clydestone said MTN Ghana engaged it in 2007 to develop a commercial and operational framework for a mobile money business.
“The work was developed and delivered by the company’s founder and Group CEO, Paul Jacquaye, and included a full mobile money ecosystem covering the commercial model, operational architecture, implementation methodology and business case.”
Clydestone said the work was commissioned on the understanding that a non-disclosure agreement and memorandum of understanding would be signed.
It alleges these agreements were not finalised despite repeated requests.
The company further alleges MTN Ghana later used its proprietary work and methodology without authorisation or compensation, including in MTN Mobile Money Ghana and other markets.
Clydestone said the alleged use has continued since the launch of MTN Mobile Money Ghana in 2009.
“The wrongful use of that work has been ongoing since 2009. What has changed is the availability of independently verifiable information that documents its scale and commercial significance,” the company said.
It cited the GSMA State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026 and MTN Ghana’s 2025 annual report as evidence of the platform’s scale.
According to Clydestone, the reports show approximately 19.3 million active users and annual revenue of about GHS 6.0 billion ($516m).
The company said it reviewed its records following these publications and concluded there were sufficient grounds to initiate legal proceedings.
It added that it has received no payment or acknowledgement for the work since December 2007, and that pre-action correspondence in 2026 received no substantive response.
“The Board of Directors has unanimously authorised the commencement of these proceedings,” the company said.
Jacquaye said: “This case is about accountability for commissioned intellectual property.
“When independent publications in 2025 and 2026 revealed the scale of the mobile money business, we reviewed all documentation relating to the original engagement and concluded these proceedings were necessary.”
MTN Group Limited, named as a defendant, had not commented at the time of publication.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding digital inclusion through strategic partnerships aimed at equipping underserved communities with digital skills and access to technology.
Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi, Director, Digital Development Services representing the Director General of NITDA, and the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation, alongside members of their respective delegations, pose for a group photograph following a strategic engagement on advancing digital literacy, capacity building, and digital inclusion for women, youth, and underserved communities.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, made the commitment during a courtesy visit by the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation, Mrs Faith Ayuba, to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Digital Development Services, Mr Oluwunmi Oladejo, Inuwa said collaboration with community-based organisations remained central to NITDA’s vision of ensuring that no Nigerian was left behind in the country’s digital transformation journey.
He noted that feedback from beneficiary communities demonstrated the long-term impact of the agency’s interventions across the country.
“It is always gratifying to receive feedback from communities that have benefited from our interventions.
“Many of these projects were implemented years ago, and it is rewarding to know they are still creating opportunities,” he said.
The NITDA boss explained that the agency continued to monitor the performance of its intervention centres nationwide while leveraging emerging technologies to enhance digital learning and virtual capacity-building.
According to him, the National Digital Literacy Framework remains the foundation of NITDA’s efforts to equip children, students, artisans, farmers, professionals and other groups with digital competencies needed in a technology-driven economy.
Responding to requests for additional support, Inuwa disclosed that the agency would consider training community-based instructors to sustain digital literacy initiatives at the grassroots.
He encouraged the foundation to submit a formal request, accompanied by evidence of activities at its digital centre, to facilitate further intervention.
The director-general, however, acknowledged that maintaining internet connectivity across numerous intervention centres nationwide remained a major funding challenge.
He stressed the need for innovative financing models and stronger collaboration to ensure the sustainability of digital inclusion projects.
Earlier, Ayuba commended NITDA for its openness to partnerships and its commitment to supporting initiatives that deliver measurable impact in underserved communities.
She described the agency as one of the few government institutions that prioritised impactful programmes over personal connections.
According to her, the Cal-Maji Foundation focuses on improving access to education, strengthening food systems, enhancing food security and providing social protection for women and young people, particularly in remote communities.
Ayuba said NITDA’s Knowledge Access Centre, established at the foundation’s community school in a border community in Kogi State, had significantly transformed learning by providing students and residents with access to computers, internet services and digital education.
“The ICT centre became an equaliser.
“Young people who ordinarily would never have had access to computers or the internet suddenly had the opportunity to acquire digital knowledge.
“We came back simply to say thank you because this partnership has changed lives,” she said.
She disclosed that more than 1,000 children had benefited from the foundation’s educational programmes.
Ayuba also presented a former student who progressed from the community school to a Nigerian university after utilising the digital resources available at the centre.
She described the student’s achievement as evidence of the enduring impact of the collaboration.
The foundation’s executive director appealed for deeper collaboration through the training of community instructors, upgrading of computer systems and expanded access to NITDA’s digital capacity-building programmes.
She stressed that rural communities must not be left behind as Nigeria advances in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital innovation.
The meeting ended with both organisations reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration to expand digital opportunities, promote inclusive technology adoption and support Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled the National Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Framework to improve software quality, strengthen cybersecurity and enhance public confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and government services.
The framework, approved by the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, under the provisions of the NITDA Act 2007, establishes national standards for the design, testing and deployment of software across Federal Government institutions, regulated industries and the broader digital ecosystem.
According to the agency, the initiative is aimed at reducing costly information technology failures, improving service delivery and ensuring that software powering critical national infrastructure meets globally accepted quality standards.
The framework comprises three regulatory instruments, namely the National Software Development Guideline, the National Software Testing Guideline and the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline.
NITDA explained that the National Software Development Guideline mandates structured software development processes, secure coding practices based on the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP), standardised system documentation and compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA for citizen-facing digital services.
The National Software Testing Guideline introduces mandatory testing benchmarks covering software functionality, cybersecurity, system performance under peak demand and interoperability before deployment.
Under the STOL Guideline, independent Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs) will be accredited and regulated to evaluate and certify software before it is deployed.
The agency stated that all Federal Government software projects would now be required to undergo independent third-party testing and obtain official certification before deployment.
It added that compliance with the framework would become a mandatory requirement for obtaining IT Project Clearance.
To strengthen risk management, the framework introduces a three-tier software classification model based on the criticality of systems.
Under the classification, Class A covers high-risk and critical national infrastructure such as core banking systems, national identity platforms and electricity grid control systems.
Class B applies to medium-risk enterprise platforms, while Class C covers lower-risk internal software applications.
NITDA said Class A systems would undergo more rigorous security assessments, including advanced penetration testing and specialised audits conducted by top-tier accredited software testing organisations.
The agency identified three major benefits of the framework.
It said the initiative would improve the reliability and security of digital public services, protect government investments from software failures and cyber threats, and enhance service delivery to citizens.
It also noted that regulating independent software testing would stimulate the growth of Nigeria’s software assurance industry, create employment opportunities for technology professionals and promote indigenous innovation.
According to NITDA, the framework will further strengthen international confidence in locally developed software, enabling Nigerian technology companies to compete more effectively in global markets and attract foreign investment.
Speaking on the development, Inuwa said quality remained fundamental to building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.
“Quality is the foundation of digital trust.
“With this Framework, every software solution serving Nigerians, whether built for government or the private sector, will meet clear national standards for security, reliability and interoperability.
“This is how we modernise government technology and position Nigerian software to compete on the global stage,” he said.
The agency disclosed that the framework would take full effect in the second quarter of 2027.
It said the implementation period would include nationwide stakeholder engagement, capacity-building programmes and the accreditation of software testing organisations.
NITDA added that an Expression of Interest (EOI) would soon be issued to qualified organisations seeking licences to operate as independent software testing bodies under the new regulatory regime.
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