Telecom
Stakeholders Canvass for Concerted Effort in ICT Local Content Development
Stakeholders in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector have urged the federal government to do everything in its powers to support local content in ICT.
They stated this at the Nigeria Information and Communications Technology Reporters’ Association’s (NITRA), quarterly forum with the theme, “Local content development in Nigeria’s ICT sector: stimulant for national economic recovery” held on Thursday in Lagos.
Chris Uwaje, Director General, Delta State Innovation Hub, in his keynote address called on federal government to create national strategy on software development as well create a park where people can work and come out with productive output.
He noted that Nigerian technology space is underfunded and unprotected and thereby urged the government to ensure that 10% of its national budget is earmarked for the development of ICT sector in the country.
He explained that local content development is a topical issue in the country, stressing that local content is when a product is developed in Nigeria by Nigerians or anywhere else in the world but the product does not require foreign remittance.
Uwaje, commended Systemspec for developing Treasury Single Account for the federal government, noting that they deserve national merit award for harmonizing government accounts into one.
He called on attendees to imbibe local content in creating their passwords with local languages as these will reduce the chances of cybercrime attack to 50%.
“I call on you all to change your passwords to Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and any other Nigerian languages through this you will reduce the chances of cyber crime attacks to 50%.
“In china, Russia and other countries they do not use English to create their passwords, they use their local languages and this thereby reduced the chances of them being attacked by hackers because they may not understand local language used in creating the password”
He also called on government to build knowledge labs in our schools to ensure bottom up growth for our children in ICT development.
Speaking earlier, Emma Okonji, Chairman, Nigeria Information and Communications Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA), said that the main thrust of NITRA as an umbrella body of all practicing ICT journalists in Nigeria is to drive ICT development and ensure accurate and robust ICT reportage.
He noted that this quarterly seminar is in line with the association’s noble vision of driving ICT development and creating a platform where issues of national interest would be discussed.
He stated that the incursion of Financial Technology (FinTech) players into the country’s financial sector has led to digital disruption in the banking sector.
He decried the lack of support and patronage from government agencies and organisations towards these startups who have developed home grown technology solutions with the best of quality that are commercially viable in addressing specific and organisational challenges in the country, to foreign software and hardware solutions.
He said, “Since the incursion of Financial Technology (FinTech) players into the country’s financial sector that has led to digital disruption in the banking sector, we have witnessed the growth of several FinTechs and technology startups.
“The FinTechs and startups have developed home grown technology solutions with the best of quality and are commercially viable in addressing specific and organisational challenges, but they lack support and patronage from government agencies and organisations who still prefer foreign software and hardware solutions, to the detriment of locally developed products.
“NITRA strongly believe that if the right support is given to FinTechs and technology startups, it will not only boost local production that will enhance job creation, but will also help the federal government and the Nigerian economy to save huge revenue that would have left the country for the purchase foreign solutions and products.”
He called on the federal government to urgently formulate new policies that will ensure full implementation of polices that will protect local content in Nigeria.
He commended the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for its Local Content Guidelines initiative that seeks to help restructure and develop a strong indigenous ICT industry, adding that they should give such guidelines the utmost attention it deserves, especially in the area of implementation.
Okonji, also commended SystemSpecs for developing Remita that is driving the country’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) and other electronic payment systems in the country.
“The Association is proud of SystemSpecs, one of the leading FinTechs in the country for developing Remita, the indigenous software solution that is driving the country’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) and other electronic payment systems in the country.
“We also commend the federal government for believing in the local solution called Remita that is currently doing the country proud in the area of electronic payment system.
“We encourage other FinTechs and technology startups to develop quality solutions that can address specific, organisational and our collective national challenges, he stated.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has announced the formation of Airbel Ventures, a new humanitarian impact investing fund aimed at accelerating the introduction and scaling of breakthrough technologies in crisis-affected communities.
The fund will invest in companies whose ideas have the potential to change humanitarian response, including digital infrastructure for frontline health systems and climate-resilient agriculture.
The launch of Airbel Ventures follows a period of rapid innovation at the IRC, despite the humanitarian sector facing record funding cuts.
In the past year, the IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab has advanced more than twenty Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology initiatives—from anticipatory action tools powered by climate and vulnerability data, to frontline service delivery using safe, orchestrated AI systems, to breakthrough diagnostic tools for emerging diseases.
Airbel Ventures’ first impact investment is in Signalytic, a company delivering solar-powered computing devices that ensure reliable electricity and connectivity for remote health facilities.
Following the investment, the IRC will pilot Signalytic’s technology with its Nigeria Health team, demonstrating the viability of next-generation digital infrastructure in humanitarian settings.
“We know breakthrough solutions already exist—what’s missing is the path to scale in humanitarian contexts,” said Dr. Jeannie Annan, Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation at the IRC and head of the Airbel Impact Lab.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecommunications operator, recorded a historic surge in network disruptions in 2025, suffering 9,218 fibre cuts as of December 31, alongside 211 base station sites affected by theft and vandalism, incidents that disrupted mobile and data services relied upon daily by millions of Nigerians.
The data was revealed by Dr Karl Toriola, chief executive officer/managing director, MTN Nigeria via a social media post titled ‘MTN Nigeria 2025 Wrapped’.
The scale of the damage highlights the growing vulnerability of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure, which has come under increasing pressure from road construction activities, cable theft and deliberate acts of vandalism.
MTN said 5,478 fibre cuts occurred within just the first seven months of 2025, with 760 incidents recorded in July alone, underscoring the intensity of the challenge.
Some of the incidents had wide-ranging consequences, knocking out connectivity across multiple states simultaneously and affecting voice calls, data services, digital payments and enterprise operations.
The company described the situation as a national infrastructure problem, rather than an isolated corporate issue, given the economy’s deep dependence on mobile networks.
“These gaps were shaped by real operational challenges such as fibre cuts, theft, and vandalism. Their impact is felt directly by customers and reflected in what they tell us,” Toriola,
The disruptions were reflected in customer feedback volumes, as MTN handled an unprecedented number of complaints during the year. The operator said it resolved 1,624,263 customer complaints in 2025, spanning call centres, social media platforms, emails and physical service centres nationwide.
Despite the setbacks, MTN pointed to signs of operational resilience. The company retained its ranking as Nigeria’s best network by Ookla, returned to profitability after a challenging period, declared an interim dividend, and expanded its subscriber base to over 85 million users by September 2025.
The figures show that while Nigeria’s telecom operators continue to invest heavily in network expansion and customer service, infrastructure sabotage remains a major drag on service quality and operating costs.
MTN acknowledged that performance improvements remain a work in progress. “We are not where we want to be yet. We see you. We hear you. We exist because of you. And we will get better,” Toriola said.
As the company enters its 25th year of operations in Nigeria, Toriola said MTN is doubling down on customer-centricity, treating every piece of feedback as a guide for improvement, while also stepping up engagement with government agencies.
The CEO renewed calls for stronger regulatory and legal protections for telecommunications infrastructure, urging policymakers to classify fibre cables, base stations and other critical assets as national infrastructure and criminalise vandalism to deter repeat attacks.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted operating licences to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), effective January 1, 2026, raising the total number of authorised ISPs in the country to 231 from 225 recorded in December 2025.
NCC
The newly licensed firms are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited.
Five of these companies are headquartered in Lagos, while Granet Technologies Limited operates from Owerri in Imo State, highlighting the persistent concentration of broadband infrastructure in major commercial hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
This development intensifies competition in Nigeria’s broadband market, which faces pressure from dominant mobile network operators such as MTN and Airtel, alongside rapid expansion by satellite providers like Starlink.
Traditional ISPs continue to grapple with shrinking customer bases, aggressive data pricing from telcos, and satellite disruptions, even as NCC data from Q2 2025 showed Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne controlling about 65 per cent of the 313,713 active ISP subscribers.
The inclusion of Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited marks a significant entry of global satellite broadband competition, building on Nigeria’s recent approvals for other low Earth orbit providers to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.
Industry analysts view the licences as a strategic push to improve internet quality amid rising demand for digital services, though geographic clustering underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges outside urban centres.
NCC’s move aligns with broader efforts to foster a competitive telecoms sector critical to Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
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