Telecom
AfriTECH2021: NiRA Describes .NG Platform Unique for Brands Positioning

The .ng domain name has been described as a platform for unique positioning of brands and products online.

Cross section of speakers and panelists at Africa Tech Alliance Forum AfriTECH2021 held in Lagos (Nigeria) recently
Mr Muhammed Rudman, president, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), stated this at the 2021 Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH2021) held in Lagos, Nigeria recently.
Rudman represented by Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata “CFA”, a director at NiRA, said that .ng domain name enables the connection of businesses to the entire world, making it possible for you to reach out to people irrespective of where they are, and showcase your skills, products and dreams.
Similarly, the NiRA’s President emphasised the need for increased internal dependence in Nigeria through improved local investments in the startup ecosystem.
He said that while most celebrated companies in the country are funded by foreigners, there is an urgent need to balance the investment portfolios to prevent future capital flights.
“These companies are all foreign-led and foreign-dominated, which we are thankful for because if those foreigners don’t bring the money, we’d probably not have these companies so we are thankful for that,” he said.
“But how can we now make the transformation in order to start building local resources in some of these companies?”
The answer given by Rudman was simply “practical and efficient ways of doing things”.
The resource you can get from your investment is almost predictable and that’s the beauty of how you deal with technology.
“Technology is an enabler, it’s a leveller, it levels the playing field,” Rudman reiterated.
All skills can be learnt at any level. Irrespective of who you are or where you are, you have the opportunity and what you need is access to the Internet.
“The good thing is that broadband penetration is growing and so we have all the indices we’ve been working for as a country. That is why we should be more calculative in ensuring that digital transformation has come to stay.
Explaining the essence of the .ng domain, Rudman explained that it gives businesses identity online and separates them from the cluster of others, especially on social media.
“Social media is amazing but if you’re a business owner it will be wise to own your uniqueness so people can reach out to you.”
Giving an instance, he pointed out the issue encountered by Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp recently, where all the platforms were shut down due to technical issue (already resolved).
“Business owners who only rely on Instagram for their sales probably had to rethink the fact that anything can still happen in the future,” he said.
“The .ng domain is a platform for the unique positioning of your product. It enables the connection of businesses to the entire world, making it possible for you to reach out to people irrespective of where they are, and showcase your skills, products and dreams.
“The .ng domain is NiRA’s national brand and the company encourages small businesses to start with the domain so as to thrive seamlessly.
“I want to encourage everyone because we all have a collective responsibility to ensure we build the digital economy. At the end of the day, it is our responsibility to build the economy,” he told participants at AfriTECH2021.
Conclusively, he said: “A lot more is still possible, we need more collaboration and we need to be much more celebrated about what we do with the opportunities available.”
Telecom
MTN @ Swish Fusion Summit, Showcases 5G Rollout Strategy

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has joined other professionals across media, technology, and business gathered in Lagos for the Swish Fusion Tech and Media Summit.
Themed ‘Africa: Big Wins & New Breaks’, the summit drew thousands of attendees and featured more than 40 speakers exploring the intersection of innovation, regulation, and economic growth across the continent.
Among the sessions, MTN Nigeria presented a detailed look at the company’s ongoing 5G deployment efforts and its role in shaping enterprise infrastructure.
Njideka Jack, senior manager for Partnerships in MTN’s Enterprise Business Division, shared details of the investments, reiterating the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality 5G-powered services.
The company’s 5G rollout timeline began in 2022 with license acquisition from the Nigerian Communications Commission. In 2023, MTN moved into pilot testing and infrastructure investment.
By 2024, coverage had expanded to key cities and business hubs.
The company now plans to extend access to more underserved areas throughout 2025 while deepening collaboration with OEMs and regulators.
Beyond the rollout itself, Jack also spoke on the potential of private 5G networks for Nigerian enterprises.
With the ability to offer secure, high-speed, low-latency connectivity, these networks are increasingly being adopted in manufacturing, healthcare, education, and logistics sectors.
The summit’s broader agenda reflected a similar sense of urgency around Africa’s digital future.
Panels and breakout sessions tackled topics ranging from mobile-first product design and regulatory frameworks to the rise of AI in content creation and the realities of funding early-stage tech ventures on the continent.
Speakers from companies like Jumia, Stears and local startups provided perspectives on both the barriers and breakthroughs in building scalable African solutions.
The sessions also sparked conversations about how African businesses are adapting to consumer behaviour shifts and infrastructure limitations.
Telecom
PAT Taps Osi as CEO

Pan African Towers (PAT), a Nigerian infrastructure provider serving 9mobile and Spectranet, has appointed Echezona Osi as chief executive officer.

Echezona Osi
Adefolarin Ogunsanya, company’s, board chairman, explained in a statement that Osi would succeed Oladipo Badru, whose tenure lasted nine months in acting CEO position. Osi has more than 28 years of experience in the telecommunications sector across various regions of Africa.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, he had served as the head of network deployment at Airtel Nigeria, operations director and chief technical information officer at MIC Tanzania, chief technology officer roles at IPT PowerTech Nigeria, Rhino Niger Networks and Biswal Nigeria.
He obtained a degree in electrical/ electronic engineering from the University of Benin and a postgraduate diploma in data science and business analytics from the University of Texas.
Telecom
NCC Introduces N10m Licence Fee for Bulk SMS Service

Companies sending bulk international text messages, also known as Application-to-Person (A2P) messages, will now have apply for a licence that costs N10 million.
This is part of new rules introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at cleaning up the system, fighting fraud, blocking spam messages and stopping money from leaving the country unchecked.
These A2P messages are the kind customers get from banks, online stores, hospitals and political campaigns, automated texts sent from apps to their phones.
According to the commission, the bulk international text message system has been poorly regulated, allowing misuse and invasion of privacy.
“The International SMS Service Ecosystem in Nigeria has not been fully brought under regulatory control. It has been observed that the excessive use of the Short Message Service has led to fraud, spam and illegal activities,” the NCC said.
The regulator warned that without action, the problem would worsen as more people use mobile phones and digital services.
To solve this, the NCC is creating a central platform, or gateway, through which all international bulk text messages must pass through.
The agency said this would help to monitor messages in real time, ensure proper fees are paid, and make sure the money stays in Nigeria where it can contribute to the economy.
As part of the incoming change, service providers must follow strict rules, including strong data protection, spam filters, and message encryption.
Also, they must also work with local mobile networks and make sure all messages come from a verified sender
The NCC warned that any message without a proper sender ID will be blocked and not delivered to users.
To protect users from unwanted texts, the new rules say companies must get clear permission before sending any promotional content.
The rule also says people must also be able to choose whether they want to receive such messages or not.
Companies are now required to keep records of all messages for at least six months and must clearly state all charges involved.
The NCC said fees for help requests, cancellations, or service info must be transparent and not include hidden charges.
The commission will issue licences to several providers to encourage healthy competition but may limit new licences if needed.
Only companies that show they can stop fraud and safely deliver messages will be allowed to operate. They must also regularly report their message traffic and finances to the NCC.
It warned that any company that breaks the rules risks getting fined, suspended, or having its licence revoked.
Offences like charging illegal tariffs, ignoring security rules, or avoiding taxes will be punished, the NCC said.
The commission added that the new rules follow the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023 and support the federal government’s goal of strengthening cybersecurity and controlling Nigeria’s digital space.
The framework will also be reviewed from time to time to keep up with new technology and market trends.
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