Telecom
Nigeria is a Focus Market for Nokia Devices – Ossai
Emmanuel Ossai is the senior business manager of HMD Global West Africa, makers of Nokia range of devices. He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on the recently launched devices and the on-going pre-order of Nokia 9 PureView in Nigeria.
Uniqueness of the recently launched Nokia Smartphones and their Market segments
HMD Global as a company is committed to manufacturing devices that meet different pain-points of our different consumers, and we do this by bringing on devices that are quite innovative. This has been our standard, since HMD Global was announced, especially with the very first launch at Mobile World Congress in 2017, with the introduction of Nokia 6.
Since then we have expanded our product portfolio which has seen the announcement you just talked about at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona two months ago. We have expanded our portfolio with four new devices; made up Nokia 1+, Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2 and our flagship device – Nokia 9 PureView, which we believe our consumers will find innovative and exciting. This is the only device in the world with five cameras; no other device as we speak today has that feature of five cameras.
The whole idea is that each of these devices should fit into different price and lifestyle segments, thus, attending to different needs of different consumers. For us, we produce devices for everybody, from our feature phones, up to our entry level phones where you have Nokia 1+ and to our mid-range devices which are Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2.
One guarantee you have is that across these different segments, each of these devices has features that excite our consumers and meet their everyday needs because the idea is that people buy phones not to just use phone but to help them solve a problem. So, our devices are there to help provide solutions to everyday tasks and needs.
Whether it is entry level, mid-range or high, these devices come with Nokia craftsmanship people have known Nokia phones for, they come with very solid battery and then from Nokia 3 upwards, we have devices that are part of Android 1 and on each of these Android 1 devices, offers the best of Google experience. So, we pride ourselves in saying that our own brand of Android is pure, secured and up-to-date Android.
Availability in Nigeria of all new range of Nokia devices launched in Barcelona
We have direct distribution partners in 80 countries and our devices are sold in 180 countries around the world and Nigeria is a focus market for us. Nigeria is the biggest market in Africa from an economic perspective, absolutely there is no way we will want to launch a device that Nigeria will not be priority or a focus market. So, each of these devices is going to be available in Nigeria, in the next few weeks.
As we speak for the Nokia 9 PureView we have started pre-order. You can order for this device through our key partners such as Slot, Jumia, or Konga. All you need do is to visit Nokia.com and it will take you to each of these partners.
How the Pre-order is going
Even before the pre-order went live, we were getting very positive feedback from each of these our strategic partners, and immediately the device was announced consumers have been making inquiries about it.
Like I said earlier, this is a device that comes with the latest technology, a new innovation that you haven’t seen in any other smartphone. All you need to do is to go to the Jumia website, they already have the pre-order page up there. The same applies to Slot which is one of our strategic partners, and they have outlets around Nigeria. If you walk into any Slot outlet you can do your pre-order booking. You can equally do same on Konga.
So, in each of these strategic partners that I have mentioned all you need to do is walk into their office or go online and you will be directed to the page where you can make your pre-order. It has been quiet exciting so far.
About pure, secured and up to date Android
When we say that the Android version on our devices is pure, secure and up-to-date android, what we are saying is that it is the way Google originally designed Andriod to be, quite unlike what is seen across markets with different devices offering different Android versions.
The first level is when we say it is pure. It means it doesn’t have any extra skins on the device, so it is the way Google has designed Android. In essence, it is a purest form of Android from Google, so, it does not have any skins or extra layers on it.
What that does is that it helps you to maximize your battery capacity. What runs down your battery on any Android smartphone is that there are quite a number of preloaded Apps which the user might not need. With our pure, secure and up-to-date Android, you have the opportunity to customize your screen the way you want your screen to be customized and because you don’t have extra layers or extra skins it means that your battery optimization will be at the highest.
When we say it is secure, part of being a member of Android 1 range of devices which offers you excellent Google services is the fact that you will get monthly security patches. One of the critical things about Android devices is that you get a lot of Malware threats. With us, you get monthly security updates which come straight from Google. That way your information is secured on your device, making it extremely difficult for anybody to try and crack into your phone.
When we say it is up-to-date; this for us is one of the very strongest points we try to emphasis. Once there is a new Android version, we get it first before competition. Most of our devices are already on Android Pie and with it comes a lot of new features which you will not see on other Android versions.
If you go into the market today quite a number of Android devices you see are still running on previous versions and not Pie.
In essence, when we say it’s pure, secure and up-to-date, it means you are having end-to-end the best of Google experience on your device.
Managing grey market in Nigeria
I said earlier that Nigeria is a big market, most populous black nation on earth and biggest population in Africa. That comes with the desire of everybody to do business in Nigeria whether it is from smartphone perspective or any other industry you can think about.
For us, the very first objective is to make sure that our products are available everywhere which was why I told you that we are working with 80 of our partners in 80 countries and our devices are activated in over 180 countries in the world.
There are grey markets in different industries, so our strategic goal is to continue to make our products available, because grey also filters in when you don’t make your products available. This we have ensured by selecting the right partners in Nigeria, end-to-end, so that at every point in time our devices are available for our consumers.
Part of what we also try to do is to provide warranty policy. For consumers who buy grey devices, it doesn’t come with warranty. We provide warranty for our devices which gives consumers the confidence in our products.
Distribution channels across Nigeria
There is no major city in Nigeria that we don’t have a partner directly or a partner that covers. For example, Slot is one of our major key distributor-retailers. Slot has about 65 retail outlets scatted all over the country. Konga, aside having an online platform also has physical stores across Nigeria, we also have quite a number of retailers and wholesalers that our distributors in Nigeria deal with directly and each of these people have different stores in different parts of Nigeria.
Each of our key distributors covers a large number of outlets in Nigeria, we also have people on ground from our own direct resources that interact with these retailers and they are scatted around Nigeria to ensure that our products are readily available to the consumer.
Support to dealers for effectively handling of after-sales service
The arrangement we already have in place is that when there is a product that is deficient, there are different levels through which you can solve that problem. Sometimes it might just be software update, in some of these stores that I have mentioned; we do have people on ground, quite a large army of field guys on ground who ensure that when a consumer comes in and if the problem is a software update, they fixed the problem at that point.
If it is a problem beyond that, then it has to go to our care centre, so, we do have a structure in place that addresses these after-sales service of our customers. Whether it is first level care issues or second level depending on the level that it is, we already have a system in place that addresses each of the different levels.
Competing with other cheaper smartphones
Competition is a way of life and it is actually meant to bring out the best in one. For us, the very first thing about us is to continue that known Nokia culture of craftsmanship. Whatever devices we produce meet the needs of consumers across the world. It will gladden you to know that in a short while when HMD Global came into existence as a company we are now global leader in feature phones.
In Nigeria, you will always have devices at different price points but for consumers who value good products, durability, and quality at competitive price, Nokia phones come to mind.
We have been known for many years for the durability of our products and we are going further by bringing in the pure, secure Android experience. We are also partnering with some of the best in the world, for instance, our Nokia 9 PureView comes with ZEISS technology, which is one of the very best camera technology firms in the world.
The whole idea is that we have different phones at different price points, so, you don’t deal with consumers the same way. A consumer that buys an entry level phone, for instance, can’t be dealt with the same way as one that wants to go for high-end device.
For us, the idea is to have different devices at different price points, so that you are giving consumers options. We try to achieve this by ensuring that our devices are available across different channels, whether it is online or physical store. You have our devices available across the country. Our experience has shown that cheap doesn’t last but value lasts and people are settling for value.
Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, has stated that the telecom company is “a Nigerian company through and through,” emphasising that it belongs as much to Nigerians as to its global investors, with over 11 million Nigerians holding indirect stakes through pension funds.
Toriola also defended the federal government’s approval of telecom tariff adjustments, noting that the move helped prevent a financial crisis in the sector and enabled the company to ramp up capital expenditure to about N1 trillion in 2025 to improve network quality.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, the MTN boss dismissed claims that the company is solely South African, despite its origins.
According to him, MTN Nigeria is incorporated locally, listed on the Nigerian Exchange, pays taxes in Nigeria, and is largely managed by Nigerians.
“We are labelled as a South African company because MTN Group was founded in South Africa. But the reality is that MTN Group has a very diverse global shareholding. Only about 50 percent of the shareholding is African, while the rest is held by investors from North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific,” he said.
Speaking further on MTN Nigeria’s identity, Toriola stressed the company’s deep roots in the Nigerian economy.
“MTN Nigeria is a Nigerian company through and through. We are domiciled in Nigeria. We are listed on the Nigerian Exchange. We pay all the taxes, duties and levies expected of us, and we are run by Nigerians.
“I am Nigerian. Apart from one executive, every member of our executive committee is Nigerian, while our entire expatriate workforce in Nigeria is just four people.
“We have over 201,000 retail investors, while about 11 million Nigerians own MTN shares indirectly through pension funds. We are very proud of our Nigerian identity,” he stated.
On the recent telecom tariff adjustment, Toriola said the increase was driven by necessity rather than profit motives, noting that operators were struggling to meet basic financial obligations before the review.
“People perceived the tariff increase as an aspiration for profitability, but the reality was that we were on our knees financially. We couldn’t even pay our month-to-month bills with the revenues we were generating. The tariff adjustment was an absolute necessity. It enabled us to stay alive,” he said.
He added that the improved revenue base has enabled MTN to scale up infrastructure investments to enhance service delivery.
“In the first quarter of this year alone, we spent N390 billion on capital expenditure, compared with a profit after tax of N359 billion. That shows our commitment to improving quality of service,” he said.
Addressing concerns over poor network quality, Toriola attributed the challenges to increasing demand, infrastructure gaps, vandalism, insecurity, and unreliable power supply.
“There are people who deliberately pour petrol into our manholes and set them on fire. A single incident can knock out services for millions of subscribers. We also face security challenges that prevent our engineers from quickly accessing some sites.
“In addition, we operate about 18,000 sites nationwide, each requiring generators, batteries, rectifiers and constant fuelling because of inadequate public electricity supply. All these affect quality of service,” he explained.
While acknowledging that service quality still needs improvement, he assured customers of continued investment.
“We are not perfect, but we are investing aggressively and continuously striving to do better,” he added.
On allegations that telecom operators deliberately deplete customers’ data, Toriola said findings often point to background data usage by smartphone applications.
“There is a perception that MTN goes and takes customers’ data, but our studies have shown repeatedly that background applications are consuming much of that data.
“I encourage customers to check their device settings. Daily automatic backups are unnecessary for many users. If possible, carry out backups over Wi-Fi instead of mobile data,” he advised.
MTN Nigeria celebrated its 2026 edition of the 25 Days of Y’ello Care employee volunteerism initiative with an impact showcase held at the MTN Rooftop, Ikoyi, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
MTN Nigeria
This year’s edition saw employees move beyond financial donations to invest their time, skills, and even their blood [donations] into underserved communities across the country.
The impact showcase served as a reflection point on weeks of intensive outreach, including the recent medical intervention at Badore Market in Ajah, where traders received free screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases which schools benefit from and many more.
Hundreds of market women, artisans, and residents benefited from on-the-spot consultations, medications, and health education sessions led by MTN staff volunteers.
In Lagos, the initiative brought critical health and wellness resources directly to the youth at Kuramo Senior College. Volunteers led intensive health awareness campaigns and structured medical outreach programmes, equipping students with vital information on preventive care and personal well-being.
Simultaneously, the regional execution extended to the nation’s capital to support the busy transit community at Utako Motor Park in Jabi, Abuja.
This regional activation targeted transport workers and commuters with the “Know Your Numbers” campaign, providing accessible basic health screenings, general wellness education, and essential medical checkups designed to promote long-term preventive healthcare.
Setting the tone for the ceremony, Ayham Moussa, Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, praised the dedication of staff volunteers who consistently showed up across the campaign’s field activations. “From day one, we said we don’t just give money we sacrifice, we put in the effort, we go to the field, and we even give our blood.
“Not many companies are doing what we are doing today. We are one of the very few making this kind of big impact,” he said.
Building on that sentiment, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, celebrated the cultural shift the initiative has triggered both inside and outside the organisation. “The greatest takeaway from Y’ello Care is that it confronts you with your privilege and helps you channel that privilege in the right direction.
“Someone told me today that she never knew MTN would do these kinds of things in the market. We are changing the narrative of what MTN means to communities,” she noted.
The impact showcase ultimately reinforced that Y’ello Care is a sustained movement embedded in MTN Nigeria’s corporate culture. With healthier markets, empowered communities, and inspired employees as visible proof of impact, the company signaled that its commitment to equitable health and social good will continue well beyond the 25 days shaping a future where business and purpose remain inseparable.
As teens spend more time online connecting, creating, and exploring their interests, safety needs to be built into their digital experiences.
To ensure safe, age-appropriate online experiences for teens, Meta has Teen Accounts to give parents more peace of mind and address their top concerns: making sure teens see age-appropriate content and don’t experience unwanted contact.
Here are 10 ways Teen Accounts are helping create safer and more positive online experiences for young people.
Teen Accounts Are Private by Default: Teen Accounts automatically come with private settings enabled. This means teens must approve new followers, and people who don’t follow them cannot view or interact with their content. And with Teen Accounts teens under 16 need a parent’s permission to change any settings to be less strict.
Stricter Messaging Controls Reduce Unwanted Contact: Teen Accounts are automatically placed in the strictest messaging settings, allowing messages only from people teens already follow or are connected to.
Sensitive Content Is Limited Automatically: Teens are automatically enrolled in Teen Accounts and defaulted into 13+ age appropriate content settings, These settings help create a more age-appropriate experience by limiting exposure to sensitive content such as violence, graphic imagery or content promoting cosmetic procedures. Teens also won’t be able to follow, message or see accounts that regularly share age-inappropriate content, or whose profile photo, name or bio suggests the account may not be suitable for younger users.
Protections Against Bullying Are Built In: Meta automatically enables its strongest anti-bullying protections for Teen Accounts. Hidden Words filters offensive language from comments and message requests, helping create a more positive experience.
Tagging and Mentions Are More Controlled: To reduce unwanted interactions, teens can only be tagged or mentioned by people they already follow.
Screen Time Reminders Encourage Healthier Habits: After 60 minutes of daily usage, teens receive reminders encouraging them to take a break from the app and spend time offline.
Sleep Mode Supports Better Digital Wellbeing: Teen Accounts automatically switch to Sleep Mode between 10 PM and 7 AM, muting notifications and sending automatic replies to direct messages overnight.
Parents Can See Who Their Teens Are Chatting With: While parents cannot read their teen’s messages, supervision tools allow them to view who their teen has messaged over the previous seven days, creating greater transparency while respecting privacy.
Parents Can Set Time Limits and Usage Schedules: Parents can establish daily Instagram usage limits and block access during specific times, such as school hours, study periods, or overnight.
Family Center Gives Parents Resources and Support: Meta’s Family Center brings all parental tools across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger into one hub, so parents can manage and supervise their teen’s experiences more easily. Parents can also see the topics their teen has chosen to explore, and access expert-backed resources to help them have meaningful conversations about being online.
Building Safer Digital Experiences Together
Teen Accounts are designed to help parents feel more confident about their teens’ online experiences while empowering young people to connect, create, and discover content in age-appropriate ways. Combined with parental supervision tools, Family Center resources, and digital literacy initiatives, Teen Accounts represent Meta’s ongoing commitment to creating safer online spaces for young people and their families.
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