Telecom
Covid-19: Huawei ICT Academy Hosts Online Training for Students in Nigeria
Huawei Technologies has not relented on its efforts to ensure Nigerian students registered under its authorized information and network academy are trained in core ICT skills in the face of the Covid19 pandemic.
The company moved its classes online, engaging hundreds of students across the country on their computer screens from the comfort of their homes.
The Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy (HAINA) in collaboration with more than 70 universities in Nigeria was established to train students for free in the latest internationally relevant ICT skills in subjects such as Networks, Cloud Computing and Big Data. As at today, over 10,000 Nigerian students have benefitted.
In an exclusive interview with some of the teachers and students, we got insights into the structure of the Huawei ICT Academy online training program and its impact.
The Head of IT Technical Support Unit, Kastina State Institute of Technology and Management, Mr. Lawal Ahmad Alassan, who is also a Huawei Academy Instructor in Routing, Switching, Storage and Security said his first batch of online classes held from the 10th till the 15th of May 2020 and he had between 75 to 50 students from different educational institutions from all over Nigeria.
He said classes were split into 2 classes of 40 each. The training was structured for 3 hours daily with breaks in between. The entire course was broken down into 4-5 topics daily.
Speaking about his experience teaching the students online, he said “It was a wonderful experience coming from a virtual classroom organised by Huawei.
“The students were so overwhelmed and as we speak now we have over 250 students waiting to be trained and still making enquiries and application for training.
“To some of the students it was a new experience and they never thought they could achieve such training process while staying at home.”
Excited about the regular participation of the students, he said “the online training has made instructors and the students bother less about the lockdown because we have been made to acquire knowledge through Huawei’s training platform in the most incredible manner. With these trainings, the ICT industry in Nigeria would grow faster.”
“If our education sector could include virtual classes in our educational platform, it will go a long way in solving most of our educational challenges in Nigeria.
“On behalf of the students and myself and co-instructors, Huawei has made the stay at home caused by the covid-19 a blessing in disguise.” Mr. Lawal recommended.
Augustine, another Huawei Academy Instructor from the University of Port Harcourt, who teaches on Programming, Algorithms, Data Structures and Artificial Intelligence said he also held his classes from the 10th till the 15th of May 2020 with over 100 students from various location in Nigeria (Port Harcourt, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Niger, Anambra, Delta, etc.) According to him, “the experience was very refreshing and the students were very eager to learn.”
“The student’s participation was encouraging as most of them were always early to join the meeting.
“They also participated during the practical sessions. The contents of the entire content of the Routing and Switching curriculum were cover with focus on key topics,” he added.
Speaking on the impact of the training on the students, Augustine said “the training would be very beneficial to the students and the society at large as it not only provides them with the needed experience to boost their career but also a source of inspiration to spawn new ideas in network development on creativity.”
A student participant, Ngei Mkpuru-mpio, said “The HCIA training was insightful and detailed though in a short time. It forms a foundation for my Huawei 5G career pursuit.”
Another student participant, Akpunonu Chidozie Joseph, said “Networking is one of my favourite courses and HCIA R&S has enlighten me more about IT and E-LEARNING, showing that everything is still possible without classroom despite the challenges of network and other things. It has added to my skill base and also enriched my CV.”
Let’s hear from this student participants too, Erewari Eke: “my learning experience in the HCIA Routing and switching class was educative and I was able to understand what the lecturer explained better than the actual written explanation in the pdf.
“I learnt how to navigate and manage Huawei products through the virtual routing platform, built efficient data switching environments through the management of switching products and manipulation of link layer protocols, I understood the principles of routing and configure RIP/OSPF routing protocols and many more. As a Computer Scientist, It will help me a lot as I progress in real life networking. Thanks a lot.”
Elele Gideon, a student participant said “I am so happy to have benefitted from these Huawei virtual classroom happening across the country. I learnt a lot on subjects such as IP Address, subnetting, Enterprise Network Design and Implementation.
“The program was resourceful and helped my understanding of technology irrespective of the duration. I look forward to more trainings like this. So grateful to Huawei for organizing this”
According to Kenneth Igwe, Huawei Channel Training Manager (ICT Talent Ecosystem Development) in Nigeria, “although we live in difficult time with the Covid19, Huawei will not relent in making knowledge available to students across the nation.
“Huawei plans to get 2000 Nigerian students certified in core technology courses during this pandemic period, through the online training and certification.”
“Through the online home training, our partners in the Academia are staying safe, and also improving students’ knowledge capacity.”
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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