Telecom
Ericsson Powers MTN to a Successful 5G Trails in Lagos
Ericsson, telecommunications equipment manufacturer assisted MTN Nigeria to a successful 5G trails in Lagos recently.
Ericsson
At the event MTN demonstrated the capacity of 5G service in enhancing tele-medicine, smart city solutions, high-speed internet of over 300 times faster than 4G using Ericsson equipment.
Speaking at the event Nasir Hayatou, senior manager, Radio Frequency Planning, MTN Nigeria, said that fibre to site is a major challenge.
“We told government that one of the major challenges is protection of our infrastructure, we have witnessed a situation where people come with truck and take our generators.
“We have communities today where we are not able to build towers because after setting up the sites the same community will go back and vandalize our equipment. Government needs to help us though the minister has given us assurance that very soon telecom equipment will be included as critical national infrastructure.
“One of the reasons we brought stakeholders to witness this trial is that we want people to see the advantages one gets when you simulate this technology within a very small environment, you can see the speed over 300 times more than 4G speed, you can imagine what the experience is like.
In the same vein, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) decried the impact of vandalization of telecommunications infrastructure on quality of service as 5G trial is carried out around the country, noting that the effort in passing legislation on declaring telecom infrastructure critical national infrastructure will guarantee that Nigerians benefit optimally from the 5G technology.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, who stated this at the event, also affirmed that 5G will be the bedrock of future communications.
According to him, 5G launch is a testament to the support of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to the Nigerian Communications Commission and the private sector.
Danbatta, who spoke through Mr. Henry Ojiokpota, NCC’s Lagos Zonal Controller at the event, which attracted traditional rulers, medical practitioners, students and the representatives of Lagos state government, also quoted a GSMA report that 5G is expected to support significantly, faster mobile broadband speeds and lower latencies than earlier generation networks.
He noted that 5G will enable the full potential of the Internet of Things (IoT). “5G is a game-changer that will revolutionise the way of life from education to agriculture, security to entertainment, and governance in general” Danbatta stated.
Explaining further, the EVC said the availability of a fast wireless network will enable virtual learning and empower students and teachers to re-imagine what is possible inside and outside their classrooms.
In healthcare delivery, Danbatta said 5G will ease Artificial Intelligence (AI) and revolutionise healthcare as it makes it easier to organise diagnoses and to decide on the best treatment plan for a specific patients.
“As demonstrated here today, by moving to 5G networks, healthcare organisations can use the AI tools they need to provide the best care possible from wherever they are in the hospital or clinic,” he stated.
Lagos is the third city in Nigeria, where MTN has demonstrated the potency of 5G technology. The demonstration of the technology had earlier taken place at Abuja and Calabar on 25th and 28th November respectively.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
MultiChoice to Discontinue Showmax Streaming Platform
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