Telecom
Digital Encode Scoops 7 Awards @ BoICT 2020
Digital Encode, a leading consulting and integration firm, has received industry-wide accolades, for the specialties in the design, management and security of business-critical networks, telecommunications environment and other IT infrastructures, in Nigeria and indeed Africa.
After receiving massive votes, the team from Digital Encode received standing ovation at the year 2020 Beacon of Information and Communications Technology (BoICT) Lecture/Awards held on Saturday, November 28, 2020 at Eko Hotel Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
A range of awards won by Digital Encode Limited and the Co-Founders: Dr, Adewale Obadare and Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde, at the 2020 BoICT Lecture/Awards held in Lagos over the weekend.
On a corporate level, Digital Encode was named the Cybersecurity Company of the Decade. Communications Week Media Limited, organisers of the award also disclosed that Digital Encode was voted the Compliance Advisory Company of the Decade.
At Digital Encode, technology serves two purposes: to save money and solve a problem.
To this end, the company has been recognized in the industry for its vendor independent perspective and expertise that lies in solving multifaceted, complex enterprise network security and audit problems.
Today, Digital Encode is notable for its effective and successful methodology for achieving compliance to ISO 27001 (IMS); ISO 20000 (ITIL), ISO 22301 (BCM), ISO 9001 (QMS) and several other international compliance standards such as COBIT and PCI DSS compliance.
The duo – Dr. Obadare and Dr. Akindeinde received (joint) Nigeria CommunicationsWeek Man of the Year award.
Digital Encode Limited and the Co-Founders: Dr, Adewale Peter Obadare (L) and Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde (3rd right) receiving the Nigeria CommunicationsWeek ‘Man of the Year award’. On hand to present the award are the former President of the Institute of Software Practitioner of Nigeria (ISPON – 3rd left), Chris Uwaje and the Publisher of the Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Ken Nwogbo (L), at the 2020 BoICT Lecture/Awards held in Lagos over the weekend.
Dr. Obadare Peter Adewale is arguably the most “Credentialed” and Multi-Award winning Pan- African Cybersecurity & GRC Thought Leader, He is a Fellow British Computer Society (FBCS), Fellow Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC), Fellow Institute of Information Management (FIIM), Fellow Enterprise Security Risk Management (FESRM), Fellow Institute of Brand Management (FIBM), Chartered Information Technology Professional (CITP), The First PECB Certified Data Protection Officer (CDPO) in Nigeria, The First Ec-Council Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT) in Africa, First Ec-Council Certified Blockchain in Africa, and Second COBIT 5 Certified Assessor in Africa Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Qualified Security Assessor (PCI DSS QSA).
He is a seasoned cybersecurity Expert and GRC Technopreneur with over 50 (Fifty) international professional certifications to his credit and was awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree in Cybersecurity from Trinity International University of Ambassadors Atlanta Georgia, United State of America.
Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde has 18 years working experience in the IT and Information Security arena, but has spent the better part of the last few years exploring the security issues faced by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) and the Financial Transaction Systems (FTS).
He has mostly presented the outcome of his research works at several conferences; including the Information Security Society of Africa Nigeria (ISSAN), the E-Payment Forum, the Electronic Payment Providers Association, the Forum of the Committee of Chief Inspectors of Banks in Nigeria (CCIBN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the apex bank – Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as well as the senior management of 17 top financial institutions in Nigeria.
Presenting the awards to the recipients, Former President, Institute of Software Practitioner of Nigeria (ISPON) and the current MD of Mobile Software Solutions, Chris Uwaje, (Oracle), described Digital Encode as a ‘fruitful seed’ that has distinguished itself in the African cybersecurity space.
Digital Encode Co-Founders – Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare & Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde receiving Digital Encode’s Cybersecurity Company of the Decade at BoICT Award 2020 as presented by the President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Muhammad Rudman, at the 2020 BoICT Lecture/Awards held in Lagos over the weekend.
“I recall that team Dr. Obadare and Dr. Akindeinde are members of the team Nigeria in 2012 CyberLympics. That team conquered Africa and won gold at the global level. They repeated the feat in 2015.
“Today, see how far Digital Encode has gone; they have demonstrated resilience, skills and understanding of that space. I am super-proud of the team. The future is even brighter”, he said.
Ken Nwogbo, publisher/editor in-chief, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, said that the awards are testaments to Digital Encode’s critical role in the Continent’s cybersecurity space.
He said that the co-founders are well-recognized subject matter experts with numerous successful engagements to their credit in Africa.
Earlier in his keynote presentation titled: “Cybersecurity and its Critical Role in Nigeria Economy”, Dr. Obadare, said that cybersecurity can take Nigeria out of recession.
According to him, Nigeria needs to engage the digital natives more as IT is, presently, the elephant in the house that cannot be ignored.
“Check Point has predicted that next global crisis will be the Cyber Pandemic. Much is at stake.
“Thus, Cyber Crime is currently the 3rd biggest economy after U.S. and China as can be deduced from the rising losses which are put at $10.5trillion by 2025; according to Cybersecurity Ventures”, he said.
Co-Founder/COO of Digital Encode Limited, Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare, delivering BoICT keynote lecture at the Award ceremony held in Lagos over the weekend.
Obadare, who said that the keyboard is the new knife, stressed that Nigeria’s software industry should be bigger than it is today.
“Therefore, there is a need to build capacity to compete internationally”, he said while thanking Nigeria CommunicationsWeek for the Digital Encode at this year’s BoICT Lecture/Awards.
On his part, Dr Akindeinde, said that while every well-meaning Nigeria must condemn cybercrimes in the strongest of terms, however, the Company is concerned with the need to harvest the talents of our youngsters and transform them to become more productive to the economy and themselves.
“We have just been told that the global market needs 4 million skilled cybersecurity experts. Nigeria can benefit from this big time. So, we feel really honoured by the awards and testimonies shared here today. Our promise is to keep raising the bar”, he added.
Also present at the award include; President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr, Ikechukwu Nnamani; President, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Mr. Muhammad Rudman; the President of ISPON was represented by the GMD of Fintrak Software, Mr. Bimbo Abioye, amongst other dignitaries.
Nigeria’s telecom operators recorded 155, 397 fibre-cut incidents between April and May 2026, and these they blame on why internet or calls suddenly stop working.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed fibre-cut incidents increased from 74 276 in April to a record 79 121 in May, bringing the two-month total to the highest level recorded by the industry.
This represents a 2 428% increase from the 5 934 incidents reported during the first quarter of 2026.
Vandalism remained the leading cause of fibre cuts, accounting for more than 54 000 incidents despite telecom infrastructure being designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure, a classification intended to strengthen protection of key digital assets.
Also road construction constantly damages fiber where iggers and machines tear up buried cables during road repairs or construction.
Even with all these, some state governments make it hard for companies to fix cables quickly across different areas with all manners of fees and levies.
The NCC designation provides for penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for offenders, but operators continue to face widespread infrastructure damage.
Proposed solutions, including Nigeria’s Dig-Once policy and AI-powered fibre sensing technologies, have yet to achieve widespread adoption.
The NCC is developing a cost-based framework for shared underground duct infrastructure, while operators are exploring AI-powered fibre sensing technologies that can detect cable damage in real time and improve network resilience.
Nigeria is pursuing ambitious broadband targets under its National Broadband Plan and has expanded fibre deployment to about 35 000 kilometres.
However, infrastructure protection has not kept pace with network expansion, leaving subscribers vulnerable to unreliable connectivity despite continued operator investment.
Standard Bank has partnered with Helios Towers to provide a $29 million Social Documentary Credit Facility. According to the financial services company, this transaction marks Standard Bank’s first Documentary Credit Facility structured in a Sustainable Finance format.
It notes that the facility will support the procurement and importation of telecommunications infrastructure and related services across Africa.
It will also provide payment certainty to suppliers, while supporting Helios Towers’ working capital requirements and infrastructure expansion programme, the bank adds.
Structured in accordance with the Loan Market Association’s Social Loan Principles, the financing is designed to promote digital connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure development in underserved markets.
This will help Helios Towers further expand its footprint and enhance mobile network coverage and connectivity across the continent.
Helios Towers operates one of Africa’s independent telecommunications tower platforms, enabling mobile network operators to extend coverage across multiple markets.
Standard Bank notes that the facility supports the expansion of tower infrastructure and services, increased network densification and improved connectivity in underserved markets and remote regions across the African continent.
It will also drive digital inclusion and tackle the digital divide while supporting economic growth and socio-economic development.
“This transaction demonstrates the power of innovation in trade finance. By combining a first-to-market Social Documentary Credit Facility with a cross-border funding solution, Standard Bank has supported Helios Towers’ growth ambitions while helping extend digital connectivity to underserved communities across Africa,” says Benoit Samouilhan, global transaction banker at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking.
According to the bank, this facility enables positive social impact by increasing and improving network coverage and connectivity in some of the world’s most remote regions.
“Reliable digital infrastructure is fundamental to Africa’s future growth and development,” says Alex Carter, group finance director at Helios Towers.
“This facility provides us with the flexibility and certainty needed to support our ongoing infrastructure investments while advancing our mission of expanding connectivity across the continent. We value our longstanding relationship with Standard Bank and look forward to building on this partnership.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will on Thursday convene a stakeholders’ consultative forum to review the draft business rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria.
NCC
The forum, scheduled to hold at 10 a.m. at the NCC Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja, is expected to bring together telecommunications operators, industry associations and other stakeholders to provide input on the proposed regulatory framework before its finalisation.
The commission announced the event on its official social media platforms, inviting interested stakeholders to participate in the consultation process.
The engagement is part of the NCC’s efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework for MVNO operations and promote greater competition, innovation and consumer choice in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators are telecommunications service providers that offer mobile services by leasing network capacity from licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), rather than owning spectrum licences or telecommunications infrastructure.
The NCC has identified the MVNO licensing framework as one of its initiatives aimed at deepening competition, expanding access to telecommunications services and driving digital inclusion across the country.
The consultative forum is expected to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to review the draft business rules, make recommendations and contribute to the development of a robust operational framework for the emerging MVNO segment.
The commission is expected to issue further details on the outcome of the consultation after the meeting.
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