Telecom
African Telcos to Prioritize Emerging Opportunities in Order to Stay Afloat
Telcos across Africa are increasingly focusing on effectively maximizing their return on investment from data and on monetizing emerging opportunities such as the Internet of Things (IoT) to remain competitive and afloat, according to George Kalebaila, research director for telecommunications, media, and IoT at International Data Corporation (IDC).
This is due to increasing levels of competition that is forcing them to seek new methods to stem the steady decline of traditional voice services.
“We expect to see greater market consolidation as telcos increase their efforts to acquire smaller ISPs in response to the challenging marketing conditions,” said Kalebaila.
“Particularly in West Africa, this is being driven by heightened market saturation, declining average revenues per user (ARPUs), increasing operating expenditure, and diminishing profit margins on services. As such, IDC expects some consolidation within the market, especially between local ISPs that possess 4G LTE frequencies and fibre-to-the-x (FTTX) infrastructure and multinational telcos with solid financial support.”
In markets where 4G adoption is already gaining traction, discussions around fifth-generation network technology (5G) will take center stage, creating awareness and bringing the possibilities and expectations of future data networks to the forefront.
“IDC expects vendors to focus on the higher bandwidth 5G offers and the technology’s potential ability to support emerging services such as IoT, seamless video on demand or IPTV, drone video recording, smart city solutions, and virtual reality applications,” said Kalebaila. “We also expect 5G to deliver gigabit connections that enable the seamless delivery of rich multimedia services and applications.”
As competition continues to increase in Africa’s more mature telecom and IT markets, the need to attract and retain customers through differentiation has become imperative. This means that telcos must move beyond traditional connectivity offerings and provide IT services such as unified communications and collaboration, cloud, and datacenter services.
“In the medium to long term, telcos will be forced to re-evaluate their business models to efficiently design, develop, and deliver cost-effective solutions and services,” said Kalebaila. “This may compel telcos to migrate from operating legacy networks to deploying agile systems that are capable of increasing operational efficiency while speeding up the time to market of new solutions.
Those telcos that prioritize technologies such as network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) for the delivery of connectivity, cloud, and datacenter services will be well placed to maximize cost savings, achieve greater efficiency, and increase productivity.”
In 2017, telcos are also expected to focus more on 4G monetization strategies such as enhanced data offerings, service bundling, and partnerships with digital media companies from a content perspective.
While the deployment of 4G networks is already gaining traction across Africa, spectrum availability, low customer awareness, low coverage, high tariffs, and the cost of 4G smartphone devices remain key challenges.
“The availability of affordable 4G smartphones is expected to increase 4G penetration, and those telcos that are creative in their offerings and allow customers to trade in their existing 3G devices will differentiate themselves from the competition,” said Kalebaila. “Rather than focus on extolling the features of 4G, telcos could further drive adoption by introducing innovative data bundles and transparent prices, particularly as 4G provides an opportunity to start transitioning to a data-centric model and begin preparations for a voiceless future.”
Open application programming interfaces (APIs) is expected to become more commonplace, enabling the developer ecosystem to drive innovation and for telcos to improve partner management. “Historically, open APIs were used in traditional telco services such as USSD and SMS,” said Kalebaila. “Going forward, we expect to see remarkable growth in financial services platforms like mobile money and breakthrough emerging technologies like IoT, in a bid to drive the release of APIs by telcos to the developer ecosystem. This will allow telcos to harness innovative and localized solutions.”
Kalebaila said that telcos that take concrete steps to transform themselves internally will be best positioned to survive digital disruption. “The key focus areas in 2017 will include business model transformation and network efficiency improvements using so-called ‘3rd Platform’ technologies, namely cloud, big data, mobility and social business,” he said.
Before they can become digital transformation partners to their clients, telcos will first need to harmonize their internal IT environments with external-facing IT systems and become digital providers to their own internal business functions. “By streamlining, optimizing, and modernizing their own IT environments, telcos can leverage the lessons learnt internally to optimize customer service and experience to their external clients,” said Kalebaila.
He added that telcos need to identify their key challenges, prioritize the development of unique digital transformation strategies, and implement a phased approach to digital transformation. “For example, Telcos can use big data technologies to upsell and cross-sell services, design new products and services, or create new revenue generation streams from existing customer data assets,” said Kalebaila. “Understanding and tracking customer behavior will also help telcos provide personalized and optimized offerings to their subscribers, and therefore help enhance customer loyalty.”
In a recent revelation from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Airtel Nigeria has emerged as a standout performer in the country’s telecommunications sector, marking significant gains in market share over the past year.
According to the NCC data, by the end of March 2024, Airtel Nigeria has grown its market share over the last year into a remarkable 29%, solidifying its position as a leading telecom provider in the region.
In stark contrast, other mobile network operators such as MTN and 9mobile have faced considerable setbacks, with MTN witnessing a notable 3.19% decline in market share and 9mobile experiencing a 0.5% decrease.
Even Glo, a prominent player in the market, saw a decline, albeit less pronounced, with a 0.58% drop in its share of internet subscribers.
Airtel Nigeria’s success story goes beyond market share gains. The company has also witnessed a substantial surge in its share of internet subscribers, boasting an impressive 165% basis points increase.
This surge correlates with the launch of Airtel 5G, which the company began rolling out in June 2023 and underscores the telco’s continued push to grow its customer base nationwide.
Airtel Nigeria’s ascendancy in the telecom market comes at a pivotal moment when mobile network operators face challenges of rising operations cost and exchange rates volatility. The company’s recent results solidify its position as a frontrunner in Nigeria’s telecom landscape.
Google Developer Groups Lagos (GDGLagos) has announced a regional edition of the global #BuildWithAI hackathon, in partnership with SeerBit, Africa’s most trusted payment solutions provider and GOMYCODE.
This hackathon, taking place on Saturday, April 27th and Wednesday, May 1st, 2024, will empower participants to explore Google’s AI tools, Gemini and Vertex AI and develop innovative solutions for real-world challenges.
“We are excited to partner with Seerbit and GoMyCode to bring the #BuildWithAI hackathon to Lagos,” says Co-Organizer, GDGLagos, Femi Taiwo. “This event fosters innovation and empowers individuals to use AI to solve real-world problems. We encourage everyone interested in AI to join us for this inspiring event.”
Founder & CEO of SeerBit, Omoniyi Kolade articulated the profound impact of this collaboration, stating, “At SeerBit, we are committed to pioneering innovative solutions that enhance financial security and foster trust in digital transactions. Collaborating with GDG Lagos amplifies our quest to combat fraud effectively. Together, we aim to empower developers to harness the power of technology for the greater good, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.”
“At GOMYCODE, we are committed to unlocking the potential of innovators across Nigeria and beyond through accessible technology education. The ‘Build With AI’ hackathon with Google Developer Groups Lagos offers a hands-on chance for innovators to use AI for real-world solutions. We’re excited to create a space where technology meets creativity, empowering participants to actively shape the future,” Country Head, GOMYCODE Nigeria, Babatunde Olaifa said.
The #BuildWithAI hackathon aligns with Google’s global initiative to democratize access to AI technology. This regional event in Lagos offers a unique opportunity for developers, data scientists, designers, students, and anyone curious about AI to:
- Gain hands-on experience with Google’s cutting-edge AI tools, Gemini and Vertex AI.
- Tackle real-world challenges across various sectors like sustainability, finance, education, healthcare, and social good.
- Leverage SeerBit’s expertise in digital payments to create solutions with tangible applications.
- Develop in-demand skills with the support of GoMyCode’s training resources.
- Collaborate in teams and network with fellow AI enthusiasts.
- Compete for a chance to win a cash prize of NGN 1,000,000, office space to further develop their winning solution, and the opportunity to partner with SeerBit, with NGN 500,000 and NGN 250,000 for second and third place respectively.
The GDGLagos #BuildWithAI hackathon serves as a springboard for the global Google AI Hackathon, taking place online. This international event focuses on pushing the boundaries of what Generative AI apps can do with Gemini. Participants in the Lagos event are highly encouraged to consider entering the global competition as well.
GDGLagos will provide ongoing support and guidance to the regional winner as they prepare to compete on the global stage. This includes access to mentorship, resources and technical expertise to help them refine their solution and showcase their talent to a worldwide audience.
Startup founders, experienced developers, data scientists and expert resources and designated mentors will be available during the hackathon to provide guidance, refine ideas, answer questions and offer technical support to participants. This ensures they receive the necessary guidance to tackle the challenges and bring their innovative ideas to life.
Telecommunications service provider, Airtel Nigeria has collaborated with the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to provide with unlimited internet access at the institute’s inaugural edition of the Nigeria Public Relations Week.
The trailblazing event themed ‘Leveraging Public Relations as a Critical Asset for Nigeria’s Economic and Reputation Renaissance’ is set to run from Monday, April 22nd to Friday, April 26th, 2024, and will welcome thousands of delegates across Nigeria to the prestigious June 12 Cultural Centre, nestled in the heart of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Speaking on the strategic collaboration, Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “Airtel is proud to support the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations in its endeavor to advance the field of public relations.
“The relevance of public relations practice in Nigeria cannot be overstated, as it plays a vital role in shaping perceptions, managing reputations, and influencing public opinion. Hence, our support is a demonstration of our commitment to empowering individuals and organizations with innovative solutions that drive progress and create an enabling society.”
According to NIPR, through the PRWeek Organizing \Committee Chairman, Mr Yomi Badejo Okusanya, the NPRW will gather over 2,000 experts in the fields of economics, PR, and nation-building to discuss strategies for effectively communicating government policies and initiatives to the public.
Other activities at the NPRW will include conferences, the annual general meeting, workshops, induction of new members, breakout sessions with students as well as traditional rulers and a tour of some legacy projects in Ogun state.
With Airtel’s provision of onsite unlimited data connection, attendees and participants can enjoy unparalleled access to online resources, real-time updates, and interactive engagements throughout the duration of the event. This will significantly support the exchange of ideas, foster networking opportunities, and elevate the overall experience for all stakeholders involved.
Airtel Nigeria remains committed to offering unwavering support for initiatives aimed at driving innovation, collaboration, and nation-building.
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