General News
Over 1Bn Subscribers Benefit from Ericsson’s Managed Services
In an increasingly Networked Society, a growing number of devices are expected to use broadband connections to deliver a wide array of rich communication and multimedia services, anytime, anywhere.
Even more advanced network solutions are required to meet the demand for superior performance, and the natural solution for operators is to sign managed services contracts with partners that assume responsibility for activities such as operating and managing their networks.
As the world’s leading provider of communications technology and services, Ericsson pioneered managed services for telecom and continues to be the frontrunner in this area.
With well over 15 years of experience in managing multi-vendor, multi-technology networks, Ericsson industrialized the concept of delivering managed services for multiple operators through outstanding Global Service Centers and a strong field service organization.
Ericsson is also the leader in Africa for Managed Services, a position that was strengthened earlier this year when it was announced that Atlantique Telecom, part of Etisalat Group, awarded Ericsson a 5-year multi-country managed services contract to span the continent.
This partnership spreads across Western and Central Africa and supports Etisalat’s focus on leading a new generation of operations in Africa while supporting the company’s value added services and offerings.
Network operations have traditionally been central to the business of providing communications services. During the past decade, however, this has changed. In an age that has seen the introduction of 3G, LTE (4G) and other great innovations, many operators have chosen to appoint a vendor to manage either the new technology or the legacy technology. To stand out from the competition, operators need to focus on finding new ways of driving business innovation and improving quality of experience for their customers.
In order to achieve these goals, Ericsson is pioneering the development of the Experience Centric Managed Services model, which offers operators benefits such as continuous service improvement, reduced time to market, access to technical competence, and a shared focus on user experience. The end result is satisfied users, lower subscriber churn rates, higher average revenue per user and a more cost-efficient operation.
Magnus Mandersson, executive vice president and head of Business Unit Global Services, says: “We’re very proud to have passed the 1 billion subscriber milestone, as this confirms our leadership in managed services. We achieved this goal by earning the trust of our customers with our high-performance operations and processes and our skilled people, which are at the heart of Ericsson’s services business.
This milestone is just one of many on the journey we have undertaken. The next step is to make the transition from traditional managed services to Experience Centric Managed Services.”
To achieve global scale, Ericsson has invested more than USD 1 billion in tools, methods and processes for service delivery and established Global Service Centers in Romania, Mexico, India and China to deliver managed services remotely for a large number of networks across the globe.
Managed services are about people and competence, and over the years more than 25,000 employees have transferred to Ericsson from operators around the world. Ericsson is continuously looking for new ways to help its customers put their customers first. We believe that – in addition to enhancing innovation, agility and speed – managed services can enable operators to focus on specialization and place a greater emphasis on user experience and customer relationships.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has warned Lagos traders against enforcing the unlawful “no return, no refund” policy, declaring it illegal under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
FCCPC
Dr Olubunmi Otti, FCCPC Southwest Zonal Coordinator, issued the directive during the inauguration of new executives of the Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDA) on Wednesday, stressing consumer education as the strongest defence against market exploitation.
“There is no such thing as ‘no return, no refund’. If a product does not fulfil its intended purpose, the consumer has the right to return it,” Otti declared, adding the commission mediates complaints for refunds, replacements, or exchanges.
Non-compliant businesses face fines, product withdrawals, seizures, prosecutions, or shutdowns. Otti noted thousands of monthly complaints via the FCCPC portal in the Southwest alone, with sensitisation expanding to Alaba Market and Trade Fair Complex.
She urged consumers: “When your rights are violated, do not just say, ‘You give it to God.’ Bring your complaints to the FCCPC. The law empowers us to protect you,” while calling for traders’ collective responsibility to ensure quality products and services.
African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a €6.5 million investment in the Saviu II venture capital fund to boost technology start-ups across Francophone West and Central Africa.
The Bank Group will contribute €4.5 million as equity investment and an additional €2 million as a first-loss hedging tranche on behalf of the European Commission under the Boost Africa Programme.
The investment is expected to strengthen early-stage financing for innovative businesses with strong technological and digital components, particularly in French-speaking countries.
Saviu II, the second investment vehicle managed by Saviu Partners, plans to invest between €500,000 and €3 million in about 20 seed-stage or early institutional fundraising start-ups. The fund will primarily target B2B technology-oriented companies with scalable models.
At least 60 per cent of the fund’s commitments will focus on French-speaking countries in West and Central Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali.
The fund may also co-invest in promising East African technology firms seeking expansion into Francophone markets.
In addition, Saviu II will dedicate a special funding envelope for pre-seed investments, mainly through minority equity stakes, often in collaboration with incubators, venture studios and other ecosystem partners.
Industry observers say the AfDB’s backing is expected to de-risk early-stage investment and crowd in more private capital into Africa’s growing digital economy.
Saviu Partners previously launched Saviu I in 2018 with a capitalization of €10 million.
The first fund invested in 12 start-ups, mainly based in French-speaking West Africa, offering not just funding but hands-on support in business development, recruitment, international expansion and fundraising.
Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ruled in favor of electricity consumers, directing distribution companies (DisCos) to refund ₦20.33 billion in outstanding costs for meters bought under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework.
NERC
Signed on February 27, 2026, by Musiliu Oseni, chairman,NERC and Dafe Akpeneye, commissioner Order No. NERC/2026/025 amends a 2023 directive.
It requires DisCos to disburse the funds via energy credits over 12 months starting March 1, 2026, addressing years of slow refunds.
As of December 31, 2025, DisCos owed this amount due to delays in reimbursing prepaid customers who funded their own meters.
DisCos must automate credits for the full MAP meter cost upon activation, disbursed monthly over 120 months based on the customer’s tariff—credits cannot offset legacy debts.
Prepaid customers will receive a monthly token by the 4th day equivalent to the reimbursement value; for arrears, they’ll get two tokens per month.
Postpaid customers will see a distinct credit line on bills subtracted from totals, with two line items monthly for arrears.
NERC mandates monthly reports on reimbursement values using an approved template, plus dedicated email channels for complaints with resolution status included.
The order aims to end delays, improve notifications, and boost sector trust. DisCos must accelerate arrears recovery over 12 months without further excuses.
This follows NERC’s February 2026 compliance review, amid ongoing power sector challenges highlighted by Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu.
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