Telecom
Africa Holds the Ace in 5G Investments, Says NCC Boss
Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that Africa holds the ace for 5G investment, going by its large number of unconnected population.
Danbatta disclosed this on Tuesday when he spoke as a panelist on the topic, 5G Centre Play at the ongoing Intentional Telecommunications Union (ITU Telecom World 2019 in Budapest, Hungary.
He noted that government alone cannot do it hence he beckoned on the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities provided by 5G and invest in Africa which guarantees adequate returns on investment.
“We need to look at 5G usage scenarios, and there are 3 of them: The enhanced mobile broadband applications, the ultra-reliable low latency applications and the Machine to Machine applications.
“In our own part of the world, we are looking closely at these key areas of usage scenarios. The one that African countries will subscribe to quickly is the enhanced mobile broadband applications.
The reason for this is that, African countries are trying to roll out broadband infrastructure for broadband applications. So this will spurs us on to ensure we put in place the necessary infrastructure,” he explained.
According to him, African nations are trying to reserve the spectrum for the roll out of broadband services.
“Specifically in Nigeria we are talking about three, 26, 38 and 42 GHz. These frequencies exist and we are not licensing it for other applications.
“We are waiting in anticipation for the standardization process to be completed at the World Radio Communication (WRC) in Egypt and then we can see how we can go forward with the licensing processes in the 3 frequencies, Prof Danbatta added.
Addressing the audience further, the NCC boss said the other important step that African countries are taking is to address new forms of anxiety that is occasioned by this emerging technology, 5G.
“There’s also the regulatory anxiety. And therefore to do that successfully like we had done in the past with every service we deployed, we start with a proof of concept trial. And preparations are underway for this important trial to take place.”
“The whole idea behind the trial is to be able to see what these challenges are. Security challenges, levels of radiation power density, whether this is within the acceptable limits provided for by the international non-ionization radio regulatory agencies as well as to ensure whatever factors that we need to come to terms with in preparatory to commercial deployment of services are identified in readiness for commercial roll out of services using 5G.”
He further told the audience that African countries are currently exchanging information and experiences on what they are seeing, “the promise of the 5G roll out in the area of enhanced Broadband mobile services in our individual countries as well as addressing the anxiety of the citizens by giving them the information that will make them receptive to this technology that is already here.”
Official of the AT&T also assured the audience that so far his company has successfully deployed 5G in the United States of America (USA) with no security so far.
Panelists agreed at the session that 5G is not only an evolution but also a revolution and the journey is long complete standardization by the ITU is underway, as everybody looks forward to 2020 when the standardization will take root.
Panelists also agreed that satellite communications will complement terrestrial deployment of 5G services.
ITU Telecom World 2019, which began on Monday, September 9, comes to a close on Thursday, September 12, 2019.
MTN Nigeria expanded its lead in Nigeria’s fixed broadband market after adding 13,433 subscribers to its fibre-to-the-home service in December 2025. The gains come as smaller providers struggle to retain users amid rising demand for high-speed internet.
Industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed sharp subscriber losses among smaller operators.
21st Century Technologies saw its subscriber base fall from 175 in December to 82 in January, a drop of more than 50 percent.
SWIFT Nigeria recorded an even larger decline.
The company lost 11,285 users, with total subscribers falling from 25,484 to 14,199, a 44.3 percent decrease.
The gap between large infrastructure providers and smaller operators is widening as broadband demand grows across Nigeria.
Companies with extensive fibre networks can offer faster speeds and wider coverage, while smaller competitors face higher costs and limited scale.
MTN has accelerated its investment in network infrastructure to maintain its lead.
The company spent ₦1 trillion, or about $715 million, in capital expenditure in 2025, more than double the ₦443.5 billion invested in 2024.
The investment followed a return to profitability, with profit after tax reaching ₦1.1 trillion after losses in 2024 linked to foreign-exchange pressures.
Spending focused on network modernization, 4G expansion, 5G rollout and deeper fibre deployment.
The operator expanded its fibre-to-the-home footprint to about 4 million households, concentrating deployments in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Ibadan as data traffic rose 34 percent.
Network vandalism remains a challenge. MTN recorded 9,218 fibre cuts in 2025, an average of 25 incidents per day, affecting 211 base stations.
Key Takeaways
Nigeria’s broadband market is entering a scale phase where infrastructure investment is becoming the main competitive advantage.
Telecom operators with strong balance sheets are deploying billions of naira into fibre networks to capture demand for high-speed connectivity driven by streaming, remote work, digital payments and cloud services.
Fibre infrastructure also strengthens mobile networks by connecting base stations and improving 4G and 5G performance.
However, the economics of building and maintaining fibre networks remain challenging in emerging markets. Infrastructure vandalism, power supply instability and high deployment costs increase operational risk.
These factors make it difficult for smaller internet service providers to compete with large telecom operators that can spread costs across millions of customers.
As demand for broadband continues to grow in Africa’s largest economy, the sector may see further consolidation, with dominant operators strengthening their market position while regulators face increasing pressure to maintain competition and affordable access to high-speed internet.
credit…. dabafinance.com
Telecom
VDT Communications Achieves Two Prestigious Certifications ISO /IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Reinforcing its Leadership in Broadband Service Provision
VDT Communications Limited, a provider of Enterprise communication solutions, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management System (ISMS) and ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Cybersecurity Management System certifications.
These prestigious certifications demonstrate VDT’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of information security and cybersecurity, ensuring the protection of sensitive customer data and maintaining the trust of its clients.
These certifications are a testament to VDT’s dedication to implementing robust information security and cybersecurity measures, aligning with international best practices.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification recognizes VDT’s ability to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve its ISMS, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of customer information. The ISO/IEC 27032:2023 certification highlights its commitment to protecting its customers’ information assets and preventing Cyber threats.
VDT Communications Limited has consistently demonstrated its commitment to excellence, previously earning and maintaining ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and ISO 20000-1:2018 IT Service Management certifications. These certifications have enabled the company to deliver high-quality services, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty.
“We are thrilled to receive these two prestigious certifications, which reinforce our commitment to information security and cybersecurity. These certifications demonstrate our dedication to implementing robust security measures that ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of customer data” said Engr. Abiodun Omoniyi, GMD of VDT Communications Limited.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27032:2023 certifications bring numerous benefits to VDT’s customers, including:
- Enhanced information security and cybersecurity posture
- Protection of sensitive customer data
- Compliance with international standards and regulations
- Improved risk management and incident response
- Increased trust and confidence in VDT’s services
“We are proud to serve our customers with the highest level of security and quality,” Bimbo Ikumariegbe, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VDT. “These certifications demonstrate our commitment to excellence and our dedication to delivering innovative communication solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers” – Olufemi Akinola, Head, Information Technology.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a stern warning to content creators filming and sharing videos of unsuspecting citizens on social media, describing such practices as direct violations of citizens’ rights to informational self-determination.
NDPC
The Commission drew attention to individuals capturing pictures and footage of the general public without consent, breaching Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
NDPC specifically flagged a content creator in Lagos State who films unsuspecting passersby at roadsides for a “reality show”. The Commission stressed that processing personal images in this manner demands explicit consent or a justifiable lawful basis under the NDP Act.
Preliminary investigations revealed no public or legitimate interest served by this “wilful invasion of privacy”. Data subjects, the Commission noted, have no reasonable expectation that their images would be captured and broadcast globally by an unknown individual.
National Commissioner/CEO Dr Vincent Olatunji has instructed social media platform owners—including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta—to intensify enforcement of community guidelines to prevent harm from unlawful and unfair personal data processing.
Platforms failing to act promptly face sanctions under the NDP Act. Individual creators remain personally liable for violations, potentially facing criminal prosecution for infringing citizens’ and data subjects’ privacy rights.
The advisory was signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, Esq. CDPRP, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations.
NDPC emphasised that abuse of rights under the guise of entertainment will not be tolerated, urging compliance to safeguard Nigerians’ data privacy in the digital age.
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