Telecom
Airtel CEO, Carl Cruz says Investment, Collaboration are Essential for Telecoms to Keep Enabling Other Industries
Carl Cruz, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, has emphasized the critical importance of creating an investment-friendly environment to sustain the role of the telecoms industry in driving digital inclusion and economic growth in Nigeria.
This was remarked at the Telecoms Industry Townhall, themed ‘Two Decades After: What Next for the Telecoms Industry’, on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.
The hybrid event, organized by the Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), took place at Four Points Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Aside from Mr Cruz, the panel also featured Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria; Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operations Officer, HIS Towers; Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; and Olatunji Bello, Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
During the event, Carl Cruz discussed challenges and ways forward for the telecoms industry, highlighting the need for an atmosphere that would encourage investors to help telecom operators thrive. Telecom, he explained, is an enabler for digital inclusion and economic growth.
Mr. Cruz said, “One of the major challenges faced by the telecoms industry is the issue of security. The cases of sabotage and fiber theft on a monthly basis are over a thousand. Now, capital being invested in Nigeria is being compared to capital being invested in other countries due to some of the impacts of these challenges.
However, At Airtel, we understand that investing in infrastructure can be challenging, so we adopt a forward-looking approach as we believe that a country’s growth is significantly boosted by substantial investments.
“To illustrate this, I’m pleased to share that Airtel has established a digital lab here in Nigeria, serving our operations across the 13 other countries where we have a presence.”
Mr. Cruz further underscored the necessity of a strong regulatory collaboration to support industry growth.
“Industry collaboration with regulators is also very essential for the country to progress. It is therefore imperative for players in the telecoms industry to engage in constant communication with our regulators, especially to address the limiting factors affecting the telecoms business.
“On this note, I can say that Airtel and other operators in the telecoms industry are currently doing this and are optimistic about favorable deliberations and outcomes that will boost the success of the telecoms industry,” he said.
Other industry leaders also contributed their perspectives on the telecoms industry as it relates to the financial sector and other business areas such as aviation and banking.
Some of these speakers include Chief Executive Office, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), Temi Popoola, Special Adviser to the President on Industry, Trade, and Investment, John Uwajumogu; and Special Adviser to the Honorable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Armstrong Katang.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
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