Telecom
Dell Technologies, TD Africa Launch Reward Programme for Partners
Dell Technologies, a multinational technology company, has partnered with TD Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading tech, lifestyle and solutions distributor to launch a novel incentive to reward authorised partners trading Dell products in Nigeria.
The initiative, known as the Rise Programme, was formally unveiled at the Tech Experience Centre, located at Yudala Heights, 15 Idowu Martins, VI, Lagos.
Launching the programme on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, Mr. Adebayo Osimi, distributor account manager, Dell Technologies, called on partners who are expecting to benefit from the programme to patronise TD Africa, even as he described the globally renowned company as Dell Technologies’ biggest distributor in Nigeria.
Earlier, while welcoming participants to the programme, Mr. David Akindele, executive director (Sales), TD Africa, stated that the Rise Programme is one of the ways through which TD Africa, in partnership with Dell Technologies, is rewarding its partners.
He further, expressed gratitude to the participants for making out time to attend the launch of the programme, which was graced by a number of established partners numbering among TD Africa’s growing customer base.
On the Rise Programme, Osimi said: “Our main reason of being here is to let our authorised partners be aware that Dell Technologies is around and we have attractive programmes to help them drive our business.
“One of the major programmes we have is what we call the Rise Programme. What the programme does is to enable authorised partners in the channel to realise that they can earn money and rebate by selling our products.
“This is how it works. A partner needs to buy a Dell product from TD Africa to get rebate for buying such product.”
On how the reward system is different from what is obtainable with other players in the market, Osimi said: “The beautify of Rise Programme is that our Authorised Partners get paid per product. It, therefore, means that if partners buy a unit of our product, they would be paid for such unit.
“They are paid in dollars per month. That is the beauty of the Rise Programme. Our competitors do not have this kind of arrangement.”
Osimi further explained that there are a number of other benefits accruing to partners from the Rise Programme.
“We have different types of mechanisms to reward our partners. We have categorised the Rise Programme into Ignite, Boost, Advanced and Elite categories.
“Depending on our partners’ performance over the last four quarters, based on the data we gathered from our business intelligence (BI) solution in a particular category, the partners would get their earnings.
‘‘Therefore, depending on the category our partners fall in, as they buy, they are paid. One of the issues we have within the partners’ community is that many of our partners are not aware of this arrangement.
“We are very happy with the support we got from TD Africa for this programme. We have had a good turnout of partners, nice ambience and fantastic support from TD Africa,” he enthused.
Also speaking at the event, Foluso Olulade, head of Marketing, TD Africa, disclose that TD Africa, which has been in business for the past 22 years, has several arrangements in place to help partners grow their business.
He listed some attributes which distinguish TD Africa in the technology distribution ecosystem to include huge capital base, ability to grant credit facility to partners and great human capital, which he described as TD Africa’s “most prized asset.”
In addition, Olulade highlighted the Partner Advantage Scheme (PAS), Pick-Up Promo, Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS) as some of the eye-catching initiatives and services currently being run by TD Africa to incentivise partners’ efforts in the technology distribution landscape.
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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