Telecom
Telecom Subscribers Spend N335.94Bn on Calls, SMS, Data in May
Telecommunications consumers in the country spent some N335.94 billion in May, according to findings by Business A.M.
In arriving at the figures, Business A.M, estimated that each active telephone line averagely spent N1, 747.26 ($4.50) during the month.
Similarly, total active telephone lines in the country increased to 192.27 million in May, rising by additional 1.46 million lines from April’s record of 190.81 million, according to the latest industry statistics obtained from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
As active subscriptions increased, so also did the Average Revenue per User (ARPU), which is a measure used primarily by consumer communications, digital media, and networking companies, as the total revenue divided by the number of subscribers.
The upward movement has been observed in two consecutive quarters as ARPU went up by 20 per cent to hit $4.25 in Q1, 2020 from $3.87 in Q4 of 2019; and sustained to settle at $4.50 in Q2, 2020.
This is in contrast to the conventional trend whereby rise in the number of active lines often distributes estimated revenue to total subscriptions and thus trigger contraction in ARPU.
Recall that industry observers had earlier projected increase in revenue for telecoms operators as lockdown and social distancing employed as preventive measures for COVID-19 have kept people at home and forced enterprises to divert operations and activities to the virtual space, resulting in more reliance on data and telephony in its entirety.
This has been supported by disclosure by Muahamed Rudman, chief executive officer of the Nigerian Internet Exchange Point (iXPN) who reported more than 10 per cent in internet traffic less than two weeks into lockdown in Nigeria.
As this development seems to ignite insinuations that operators are cashing in big on the development and that active telephone lines are rising, industry experts have been quick to call for a critical digestion of the figures.
Olusola Teniola, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has cautioned that the figures must not be celebrated yet, hinting that the observed rise in revenue is claimed by just a few operators, leaving the majority of other telecoms players on the other side of the divide.
He noted that only the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) consisting of MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9Mobile and just a few others have their operations immune to the pandemic.
He said there are many other ATCON members who provide enterprise solutions for companies that are now under locks, and thus losing money to the lull on a daily basis.
He said: “We have to note that obviously, the industry is not just made up of the MNOs alone, there are other players in the market that have had to demonstrate negative numbers
“Negative numbers in the sense that, during the lockdown, employees of enterprises and businesses have stayed at home naturally. So, there have been no services to these enterprises by our members. So we can say this contributed to the change in consumer behaviour in terms of internet usage.
“However, as these slightly uplifted the numbers, they do not compensate for the losses in voice and they do not compensate for the losses in the enterprise segment of the market,” Teniola explained.
This is further supported by data from the industry regulator, NCC, showing that of the current 192.27 million active lines, the MNOs or GSM operators have 190.48 million subscribers on their networks, representing 99.82 per cent market share.
Other players by technology are Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) players controlling 0.12 per cent market share; the fixed wireless and wired operators have 0.06 per cent while code division multiple access (CDMA) have completely lost relevance in the Nigerian telecoms market, with 0.0 per cent market share.
In the GSM segment of the market, MTN Nigeria is leading with 76.06 million active lines on its network, which translates to 39.61 per cent market share, followed by Globacom that has 52.06 million customers on its network to cover 27.12 per cent of the Nigerian market.
Similarly, Airtel Nigeria, which remains the closest competitor to Glo serves 51.5 million subscribers on its network, equivalent to 26.83 per cent share while Emerging Market Telecommunications Service (EMTS), operating as 9Mobile in the country, controls 6.37 per cent market share with its remaining 12.23 million subscriptions.
Meanwhile, Visafone, whose subscribers now run on MTN network but captured separately in the NCC data had 137,086 active subscriptions as at May, and this secured for it 0.07 per cent, the smallest market share.
Analysis of trends in telecoms market also shows a sustained uptick in the number of active lines which grew from 184.7 million in December 2019 to 186.02 million in January, 187.44 million in February and 189.28 million to seal the first quarter in March.
The figure moved up again in April by 0.81 one per cent as 1.53 million new subscriptions were recorded on the networks of operators, extending the growth in May by 0.77 per cent with 1.46 million new subscribers.
Similarly, teledensity which stood at 99.96 per cent in April inched up to surpass 100 marks at 100.72 per cent.
Telephone density or teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area and is calculated based on a population estimate of 190 million people in Nigeria.
The latest rise in teledensity, according to the ATCON president, Teniola, indicates that something is not right with network distribution patterns in Nigeria, noting that despite the rise in the figures, millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural areas still lack access to telecoms services.
He said: “If you look at the increase in subscriptions, you will see that existing customers are picking up other new lines in addition to the ones they have to ensure that they can enjoy many offers and partake in virtual meetings and so on since the COVID-19 lockdown.
“The teledensity is above 100 per cent and anything above 100 per cent suggests saturation of accounts, network coverage and usage. Basically, concentration of services is in the triangular cities of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. But we have to think about those who don’t have access to services at all.
“The narrative around the number suggests that there are a lot of people who have access and can afford cost of data but they are concentrated, particularly in those cities of the country where penetration of broadband is, predominantly Lagos which takes about 15 per cent of the country’s current 40 per cent broadband penetration by subscription, and not by individual,” he explained.
As he cited the issue of young Nigerians who cannot access education online because of lack of access and affordability, he said solving the problem will depend primarily on expanding the service to them.
“I think that what we need to do is to look at the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (2020-2025) and see those areas that we really need to plug in to get a diminutive unique subscriber number that reflects the GDP increase that we are expecting in the country,” Teniola concluded.
Qualcomm Technologies Inc. has announced the successful completion of its third annual Make in Africa (QMIA) Startup Mentorship Program, marked by the virtual Make in Africa Finale 2025. The initiative underscores Qualcomm’s long-term commitment to fostering Africa’s vibrant innovation ecosystem through the broader Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform.
Highlights:
- The 2025 Qualcomm Make in Africa program supported ten innovative startups from Kenya, Tunisia, Nigeria, Benin and Senegal, each addressing local challenges by developing tech-enabled solutions across critical sectors such as healthcare, sustainable agriculture, climate resilience and mobility.
- This year, the program attracted more than 400 applications from 19 countries, showcasing remarkable talent across the continent.
- Farmer Lifeline, of Kenya, was announced as the 2025 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund winner, recognizing its impactful use of wireless technology.
- Applications for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2026 are now open. Applicants can visit the Qualcomm website to apply.
As a flagship initiative of Qualcomm, the equity-free program shines a spotlight on the creativity and drive of African founders leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, 4G/5G, robotics, connectivity and IoT to address pressing real-world challenges.
Now in its third year, the program remains steadfast in its mission to accelerate early-stage technology startups by providing tailored mentorship, targeted business coaching, expert engineering consultation and comprehensive intellectual property protection guidance – exemplified by resources such as Qualcomm’s L2Pro Africa training. This holistic support empowers founders to transform their visionary ideas into sustainable, market-ready solutions.
“This year’s cohort has demonstrated incredible ingenuity, transforming complex challenges into scalable, tech-driven solutions that will drive social and economic impact across the continent,” said Elizabeth Migwalla, Vice President International Government Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated.
“Innovation is the driving force behind Africa’s future, and this year’s startups are a brilliant demonstration of that. The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is proud to partner with Qualcomm for the Make in Africa 2025 program,” said John Omo, Secretary General of the ATU. “We are working to harmonize spectrum management policies, regional standards, and open data practices, but we know that true progress relies on large-scale support. That’s why we call on governments, universities, investors, and industry to support these initiatives – and any endeavor that places African ingenuity at the forefront.”
The 2025 cohort includes the following groundbreaking startups:
- Aframend (Nigeria): Uses AI to explore African medicinal plants for new drug discovery and aims to turn local remedies into safe, affordable treatments for diseases.
- AmalXR (Tunisia): Offers AI-powered virtual rehabilitation sessions on everyday devices, enabling easy patient and clinician progress tracking.
- Archeos (Benin): Automates fish farming with solar-powered sensors and feeders, providing real-time data on water quality and feeding levels for improved fish health.
- ClimatrixAI (Nigeria): Installs connected weather and flood stations with an AI platform to forecast street-by-street risk, enhancing early warnings and disaster response for local communities.
- Ecobees (Tunisia): Builds smart hive monitors and a digital platform for real-time insights into beehive-health, to protect bees and crops that depend on them.
- Edulytics (Senegal): Applies AI on handheld ultrasound devices for early detection of liver disease, aiming to make this special screening widely accessible.
- Farmer Lifeline (Kenya): Deploys small, solar-powered devices that scan fields for pests and diseases and send alerts straight to farmers’ phones to protect crops.
- Pollen Patrollers (Kenya): A women-led agritech startup using connected hive technology and AI to keep bee colonies healthy.
- Solar Freeze (Kenya): Provides solar-powered cold rooms with remote monitoring enabling farmers to keep fruits and vegetables fresh and increase earnings.
- Pixii Motors (Tunisia): Designs electric scooters with smart batteries that can be swapped in and out at local stations, aiming to revolutionize urban mobility.
Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund Winner
Kenyan innovator, Farmer Lifeline, was announced as the winner of the 2025 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund. The fund, sponsored by Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ Initiative, champions the innovative use of wireless connectivity to address pressing community. As the winner, Farmer Lifeline will receive dedicated funding and tailored technical support to scale its groundbreaking solution.
“Farmer Lifeline stood out with its innovative small solar-powered devices that scan fields to detect pests and diseases. This technology enables local farmers to effectively protect their crops, significantly increase yields, and improve food security”, stated Erica Ciaraldi, Vice President, Wireless Reach, Qualcomm Incorporated.
“Their visionary approach and dedication to agricultural resilience have positioned them as leaders in their field. They are driving meaningful change for smallholder farmers and inspiring others across the continent. This fund will empower them to scale their impact further, enabling broader reach and deeper influence across Africa and the world.”
In recognition of the groundbreaking innovations demonstrated by all finalists, each will receive stipends designed to accelerate their growth, support strategic development and safeguard their intellectual property. This comprehensive support underscores Qualcomm’s commitment to fostering innovation and ensuring these visionary projects can thrive sustainably.
Looking ahead: Launch of Qualcomm Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program 2026
Building on the significant success of previous years, Qualcomm is excited to launch the fourth year of the program in 2026.
Applications for the 2026 Qualcomm Make in Africa cohort can be found at the Qualcomm website.
Fynd, an AI-native retail technology platform backed by Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, today announced its official expansion into South Africa, onboarding Surtee Group – one of the region’s most established luxury and fashion retailers – as its first strategic customer in the market. This milestone marks a pivotal moment for African retail, as legacy brands begin embracing digital transformation to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving consumer landscape.
Fynd
Fynd’s entry into Africa reflects its commitment to enabling digital transformation in high-growth retail markets worldwide. The move also comes at a turning point when South Africa’s e-commerce sector is projected to exceed R130 billion ($7.48 billion) in 2025, capturing nearly 10% of total retail sales – a fourfold increase since 2020.
According to Statista, South Africa is expected to have 11.7 million e-commerce users in 2025, with projections reaching 21.5 million by 2029. This growth is being driven by rising internet penetration, mobile-first shopping behaviour, and increasing trust in digital platforms. To meet rising consumer expectations, businesses are investing in AI and unified commerce platforms. Fynd’s scalable, AI-native stack is built to support this shift, enabling agility, personalisation, and operational efficiency.
“South Africa’s retail landscape is evolving fast,” said Ronak Modi, Chief Business Officer – Global at Fynd. “Consumers expect seamless, personalised experiences across every channel, and retailers need agile, intelligent infrastructure to keep up. Our platform is built to unify disconnected systems, speed up fulfilment, and elevate customer engagement; all without adding operational complexity.”
“South Africa is an exciting addition to our global footprint. The market is digitally ambitious, brand-forward, and ready for intelligent commerce infrastructure. Our goal is to help local retailers unify siloed systems, personalise engagement, and accelerate fulfilment without adding complexity.”
Surtee Group operates 94 boutiques and 2 e-commerce sites, comprising the multi-branded stores Levisons and the mono-brand boutiques, namely, Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Lacoste, Hugo Boss, VERSACE, TOD’S, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace Jeans Couture, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Luminance, Paul Smith, Coach, and Armani Exchange. They will implement Fynd’s unified commerce stack, including Storefronts, Order Management System (OMS), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Clienteling tools to connect in-store and online operations, streamline inventory visibility, and launch brand-specific ecommerce storefronts across its brand portfolio.
While online retail continues to surge, offline sales still represent the vast majority of revenue for retailers in the country. Fynd will enable Surtee Group to unify its offline inventory online, power ship-from-store capabilities, and improve both margins and sell-throughs. Additionally, products like Clienteling will empower in-store teams to engage customers better and drive incremental sales through personalised recommendations and seamless omnichannel experiences.
Fynd’s entry into the market is designed to meet this demand. Its AI-native platform enables real-time stock visibility, ship-from-store capabilities, dark store orchestration, and intelligent customer engagement all within a single scalable solution.
As part of its digital transformation roadmap, Surtee Group aims to consolidate its leadership in luxury and fashion retail while expanding into e-commerce and improving omnichannel agility.
“We were looking for a partner who understood both the technical and strategic dimensions of unified commerce,” said a Surtee Group spokesperson. “Fynd stood out for their proven scalability, consultative approach, and deep experience with global fashion brands, many of which align with our portfolio. Their unified stack enables us to modernise operations while building a connected, brand-first customer experience.”
Fynd has already scaled across India, the GCC, and Southeast Asia, and now adds Africa to its regional presence. With Surtee Group leading the transformation, Fynd is positioned to play a key role in powering unified commerce adoption across South Africa’s growing digital economy.
Anambra State has taken another decisive step in digital governance with the BETA launch of SmartGov (https://smart.anambrastate.gov.ng), its digital government services platform designed to simplify how citizens access its over 31 public services anytime and anywhere.
Anambra Rolls Out SmartGov
SmartGov is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), enabling citizens to interact with government through natural conversations rather than complex procedures or paperwork. At the core of the platform is NORA, an intelligent digital assistant trained on Anambra State government services, processes, and directories.
This launch further cements Anambra’s leadership in digital transformation, coming on the heels of its recognition at the recently held National Council on Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (NCCIDE), where the State won four major national awards, including Best Overall Performing State in Digital Technology Development and Best State in Human Capital Development.
SmartGov serves as a single digital gateway to official government information, services, and platforms across the State.
Using AI, the platform understands citizens’ questions and guides them accurately to the right service, requirement, or process.
Through a simple three-step interaction, citizens can:
1. Ask questions about any government service in plain language
2. Receive intelligent AI-driven guidance that directs them to the correct procedure, requirements, or platform
3. Get answers or complete transactions online, via WhatsApp, or through voice-enabled access
The platform currently covers eight major service categories, including Taxes and Revenue, Land and Property, Business Services, Health, Education, Security and Complaints, Transport and Vehicles, and Culture and Tourism.
With 24-hour availability and multilingual support in English and Igbo, SmartGov removes traditional barriers such as office hours, location, and unnecessary bureaucracy, making government services more inclusive and accessible.
From business-related inquiries to renewing vehicle papers, paying taxes, or locating the nearest health facility, SmartGov guides users clearly and seamlessly through each step of the process, ensuring accuracy and consistency across government interactions.
The BETA launch also showcases Anambra’s technical innovation by bringing together AI, voice-enabled access, and WhatsApp connectivity into one unified platform, all supported by a continuously updated government service directory.
This development positions Anambra as a national reference point for citizen-focused eGovernment, building on strong policy direction, sustained digital infrastructure investments, and a deliberate focus on human capital development.
Describing the platform and its functionality, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA), MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, said SmartGov was built with citizens at the center.
“SmartGov is more than a service directory. It is an intelligent gateway that makes government interactions simple, fast, and reliable.”
He added that Mr Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has consistently emphasized technology as the backbone of governance through the Everything Technology, Technology Everywhere vision.
“SmartGov is a practical expression of this vision. By embedding AI into everyday government services, Anambra State is making governance more transparent, accessible, and efficient for Ndi Anambra.”
As part of the BETA phase, SmartGov also has a dedicated feedback channel to support continuous improvement. Citizens are enjoined to submit feedback via https://smart.anambrastate.gov.ng/feedback
In addition to existing channels such as the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and official email platforms, NORA, the AI digital assistant, is also available to guide users through the feedback process where required.
“As we refine SmartGov during this BETA phase, we invite Ndi Anambra to explore the platform, use it actively, and share feedback to help us make it even better,” CFA concluded.
SmartGov is now live at https://smart.anambrastate.gov.ng, ushering in a new era of AI-enabled, citizen-centric governance in Anambra State and advancing Mr Governor’s Smart Mega City vision, where innovation is expected, not optional.
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