General News
Backbone Capacity will Boost Internet Access—Anudu
Charles Anudu, managing director, Swift Networks, has passion for the technological advancement of the country. This he has demonstrated in moving Swift Network from intermediate internet service provider to a major one in delivering broadband services.
Anudu is trained in agronomy, electronics and business. He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on some of his company’s new initiative to extend broadband internet service to more Internet users.
Hotspot Initiative
Hotspot was launched to further distribute our services to the segment of the market many people have not tried to address. There are lots of people who for one reason or the other, are not able to connect to internet services either because they are on transit, new in town, or do not know the service provider to choose, such people can access internet in the Hotspots. The idea is to provide where one can have access to a very high speed internet in a clean and easy to find environment.
At Swift, we have enough bandwidth to serve as many customers as possible, but the question is how to get the service across to the people. The essence of the hotspot initiative is to find locations where people naturally visit, places like fast food outlets, entertainment centres, malls, markets, country clubs and social clubs. We install the hotspot in those areas so that natural patrons of these areas would have access to the internet thereby making real connectivity ubiquitous in areas where we operate.
Response to the Initiative
Fantastic, it shows there is a gap. A lot of people love it, the experience has been positive; it also serves as a very good interface to interact with our customers and to learn more about different segments of the market which we never knew much about.
Extending Services to Eateries and Public Places
The service is not exclusively Tetrazzini. Silverbird is also running the service and a few other centres are coming up shortly. We are also launching the service across many cyber cafes but why we started essentially with Tetrazzini was because, we wanted a franchise we could use to prototype the business model, study the business module to see people’s response in order to fine-tune it and Tetrazzini was kind enough to partner with us in that area. We are rapidly expanding to other outlets, you can find it on all the floors of Silverbird Galleria and we are also extending it to as many spots as possible.
Empowering Cyber cafes with Broadband
We are bringing three specific values to them. The hotspot project runs on our fibre or microwave infrastructure, it does not run on our last mile service. It is not that the last mile service is not good, but it is intended for small business users few computers. The cyber cafes and all the hotspots run on our fibre optic infrastructure, which means that theoretically they can get any speed they desire.
We give them speed; we are committed to giving each of them a minimum of 1Megabyte of internet access. We are bringing to them adequate equipment as well as our corporate advertising because periodically we are going to advertise in the media, letting people know areas that have distinguished internet services so that people would know that these cyber cafes have actually differentiated themselves through very high quality service.
We are also bringing management system to them in order to ensure revenue assurance and accountability.
Combining Wimax and Wifi Technologies
At Swift we use so many technologies. We have fibre optic infrastructure, microwave network and last mile. Of course, you will find out that we deliver to cyber cafes or hotspot locations using either microwave or fibre infrastructure. We use Wifi to rebroadcast the service so that the back haul going into the hotspot locations is going to be fibre, if it is near our fibre route. We use microwave so that we can pump in as much capacity of bandwidth as they can ever consume at that location.
Launching Voice Service Commercially
Our vision is to be the leading converged services provider, giving internet and voice plus any other value added service we can. Our strategy is ultimately convergence.
We re-evaluate our journey at each point. A lot of people are already offering voice services to people and we feel at this point in time that the easiest way we can differentiate ourselves is to go to the area where our strength is visible and that is in the area of data.
Video Service for Traffic Monitoring
The service is still there, but it is meant only for our subscribers at this point. We wanted to go public but constraint by capacity issues. We need a reasonable extra capacity to deliver the service to consumers otherwise the quality of service of our Internet will suffer. In order to prevent this, we are holding back on that service because if we launched it, it is likely that it would not run efficiently and it is may affect the experience our current customers have.
Extending Operations to other Parts of the Country
I know a lot of people have found our Lagos centric strategy very confusing. Strategy is about how you see the world and how you define the world. When we started Swift Network was more like entering field operations, we needed to learn, get a few things right, develop manpower because we found out that before now the expertise we had in this country has been in the area of voice, so we needed to develop our human resource, and understand how to enter the market with data services. I am happy to announce that we are confident to say we fully understand the business, we have prototyped it and very soon you will hear of our intention to step outside Lagos.
Intended Locations
We are going to Abuja and Port Harcourt and I know a lot of people would want to ask why? Our reason for this is strategic because Abuja would eventually serve as our centre for northern expansion. Whereas Port Harcourt would be the centre for South –Eastern and South-South expansion, and from Lagos, we would move in the direction of the south west. We are setting up three centres from where we would expand. We are definitely going to Abuja and Port Harcourt and NCC has been kind enough to grant us licenses for these locations.
Competition in the Market
It is just a case of where the market is and the market is never homogenous. All customers are not the same, what we are experiencing is a case of people splitting into different segment of the market where they belong. Eventually it will still be a mixture of all sorts; some people would continue to use Vsat because that is what suits them. Of course, somebody in his village is expected to use Vsat probably because there is no other service available and as you can see Vsat is uniquely positioned for that particular service. If you are doing basic internet, most of the basic CDMA and GSM internet services can do but if you are a bank and you need to interconnect your branches involving lots of data, you will find out that the GSM or the CDMA platform may not be able to support the kind of platform or software you are using. So, people are sorting themselves out by going to where they can be better served. Again, the market is still young and there is significant confusion in the market at the moment. Telecom operators are addressing a different segment that was not touched by anybody because you and I never used Vsat in our small businesses so there is a typical role for such services.
You do not expect a company like Chevron or Mobil to log data from the Niger delta to the United States using the CDMA card neither do you expect First Bank for instance to interconnect their branches using CDMA or GSM technology. Some technologies may be able to address more than one segment but there will be a place for everybody in the market.
Alternative Sea Cable and Reduction in the Cost of Internet Services
I think one thing you can expect is that as the supply site improves, both the backbone side and in the last mile segment, prices would drop because the cost for the operator is also expected to drop significantly. What we are seeing at the moment is basically little or no fibre capacity into Nigeria because Sat-3 of Nitel is very epileptic. Sat-3 was down in the whole of January and February and has gone down since late March, so virtually that option has not been a viable one. Most of us rely on a secondary fibre capacity which is Vsat and a lot of satellite operators do not have good footprints in West Africa because it is not usually the choice location to seek traffic.
I think it will be a major lifeline for most operators, if any of these cables or satellite initiative comes on stream. A major aspect of our cost is in the area of backbone capacity; almost one in every N2 we charge goes to the backbone service operators because of unreliable service. At Swift, we use three backbone service providers instead of one. You find out that instead of paying for one backbone service, you are paying for three where one could have been okay coupled with other challenge we face, which are major reasons the service is expensive and will remain expensive until some of these backbone initiatives are put in place.
Sharing or Leasing Infrastructure
In telecoms, everybody does business with everybody. A lot of people use our fibre infrastructure when they come to Lagos and we use a lot of other people’s infrastructure. Many of the base stations we use now are not entirely ours we collocate with other service providers.
People who were arrogant and would not consider sharing their infrastructure are considering this kind of posture and I think, that is for the good of the industry. For us, we have been very open right from day one in sharing with anybody who would like to share with us because it makes everyone of us more competitive in surviving hard times.
Vision for Swift Network
The vision is to build Swift into Nigeria’s leading converged broadband services provider. We would do this by dedicating all our resources, energies and talents towards ensuring that our subscribers do not feel any difference in experience whether they are in London, New York or Lagos. People do business with us not because we are their friends or we are Nigerians but because Swift is a very competitive company. To build value into our stakeholders, be it our staff, our communities, the government, our suppliers and all the people to whom we render services know that we are differentiated and distinguished in our constituency. Definitely, our vision is very clear, we are playing in the broadband space and we are not going to do anything narrow brand.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s Global Bank, has reiterated its commitment towards building tangible economic bridges and strengthening diaspora-driven investment into Nigeria.
L-R: Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri and Chief Executive Officer, UBA UK, Loknath Mishra, during a strategic engagement with the African diaspora at the UBA UK Office, London.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, stated this on Monday, while hosting key representatives from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) led by its chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri, at the bank’s UK office.
The strategic visit comes on the heels of UBA’s recently launched Diaspora Banking platform, which is designed to provide a seamless, integrated platform for Africans in the diaspora to bank, invest, and manage their financial obligations back home, thus connecting global Africans with investment and wealth opportunities.
The bank launched the platform, with leading ecosystem partners representing a major step in redefining diaspora banking beyond remittances toward structured wealth creation and long-term investment.
During the strategic meeting with the NIDCOM officials at the UBA UK office on Monday, Alawuba underscored the diaspora’s critical role as a powerful economic force and a generation of builders shaping new narratives for the continent.
While emphasising UBA’s role as a trusted partner for Nigerians at home and abroad, he said, “With UBA, you have a financial partner that is with you, that understands what you are going through, and that can support you to make sure you realise your aspirations, both here and in the country.”
Alawuba further encouraged the diaspora to leverage the opportunities within Africa’s economic landscape, stating: “You are not limited here; you have opportunities on the continent, and we want you to make good use of them. That is where banking, and we at UBA, become the connecting point that you need to access the opportunities back home. Whether you like it or not, the returns are high in Africa, and we are here to help you navigate that space.”
He also took time to reiterate the Bank’s readiness to leverage its global network and innovative financial solutions to support diaspora engagement.
The Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who commended UBA for being a trusted financial partner over the years, especially with the recent launch of its diaspora platform, praised the resilience and success of Nigerians abroad while calling for a stronger focus on constructive narratives.
She said, “Many of you here are the real game-changers. “For years, it has been wonderful engaging Nigerians all over the world. When I started, it felt like we only heard the bad stories, not the good ones. What we have tried to do internationally is to tell and celebrate the good stories. We have Nigerians doing well all over the world, and they are in this room. We must continue to celebrate you.”
While remarking that the meeting demonstrates a significant step in aligning public and private sector efforts to deepen diaspora inclusion and accelerate Nigeria’s development agenda, she pledged closer collaboration in driving policies and initiatives that encourage Nigerians abroad to actively participate in the country’s economic growth.
The discussions further highlighted UBA’s unique position to facilitate cross-border payments, unlock high-yield investment opportunities, and connect diaspora enterprises to markets across the continent.
With a robust global footprint and an unrivalled African presence, UBA continues to serve as the critical link for those looking to engage with the continent’s growing economy.
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.
Federal government said that it is adopting technology and innovation to speed up eradication of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.
It also said $54 million had been approved for the procurement of drugs, especially for treatment of tuberculosis and HIV, to prevent stock-outs of life-saving medicines.
Speaking at the 2026 Pre-World Tuberculosis Day briefing in Abuja, organised by Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr. Charles Nzelu, director, Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the present government was making giant strides in addressing challenges in the health sector.
Nzelu said the ministry, under the leadership of Professor Muhammad Pate, had prioritised TB as a major pillar of the health agenda.
As part of the implementation of National Strategic Plan (2021-2026), Nzelu, said the ministry had adopted technology to help achieve the target of stopping tuberculosis from constituting a public health risk in the Nigeria.
He stated, “To bridge the gap, we are leading with innovation. Specifically, this year, the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) is spearheading the national rollout of the Pluslife Mini Dock diagnostic platform.
“This near-point-of-care technology is a game-changer, allowing us to bring molecular-grade testing to the most remote communities, ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind due to geography.
“Nigeria is rolling out over a thousand of this diagnostic equipment. But technology is only as strong as the systems that support it.
“We are currently focused on strengthening our electronic reporting systems to ensure real-time data flow from the facility level to the national dashboard.”
Nzelu said transparency allowed the ministry to manage the supply chain effectively and prevent stock-outs of life-saving medicines.
In her remarks, Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, board chair, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, said the country had witnessed remarkable milestones in the fight against tuberculosis.
They included the mobilisation and engagement of high-level TB champions at the national, state, and local levels; strengthened collaboration with government and private-sector actors; increased advocacy for domestic financing; and expanded public awareness of TB prevention and care, Ogbuji-Ladipo said.
She, however, said there were challenges in funding to be addressed with the changing global health financing landscape and dwindling donor support.
According to her, “This reality makes domestic resource mobilization for TB more important than ever before. Sustainable financing from government budgets, private sector contributions, and innovative financing mechanisms will be critical to sustaining TB programs.”
In its presentation, Dr. Temitope Adetiba, TB Programme Lead – Institute of Human Virology (IHVN and Global Fund Project, said under the Global Fund Grant Cycle 7 for TB and HIV response, Nigeria had recorded over 300,000 TB case detection across the country.
In addition, IHVN said more than 3,000 drug-resistant TB cases were identified and linked to care, while over 2.3 million pregnant women were screened for TB and HIV across 2024 and 2025.
It also said Nigeria was increasingly taking TB and HIV services to the people within communities, households, and the private sector.
Dr. Mayowa Joel, executive secretary of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, said the theme, “Yes We Can End TB”, was action oriented.
Joel said the theme challenged all stakeholders to move beyond discussions and commitments toward practical action.
He said, “This means ensuring that TB diagnostic services, treatment, and care reach everyone who needs them, especially through Primary Health Care, where most people first access health services.”
Dr. Mya Ngom, representative of Country Director of World Health Organisation (WHO), said Nigeria had made tremendous progress in responding to the epidemic.
According to Ngom, “In 2024, Nigeria reported 405,324 TB cases having increased from 106,533 cases in 2018, while 335,003 TB cases were reported in the three quarters of 2025.”
He said, “Expectantly, eighty percent (80 percent) of the estimated 510,000 incident TB cases will be detected and notified when the entire 2025 TB notification report is received. While this progress is encouraging, the fight against TB is far from over.
“The number of undetected TB cases averaging 175,000 cases constitutes a pool of reservoir that fuels on-going transmission of TB in the community as one undetected infectious TB case can infest between 12-15 persons per year.
“The emergence of Multi-Drug-Resistant TB (MDR-TB) and the high number of HIV further complicates the burden of TB in the country.”
Luno, an Africa-founded global exchange, has launched a structured Crypto Prediction Market, ushering in a new chapter for Nigeria’s cryptocurrency market.
This platform enables users to forecast short-term price fluctuations of key cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin , Ethereum , Solana, Dogecoin, Ripple, and earn USDC payments when when their predictions are accurate.
Powered by Limitless, the platform rewards right forecasts with USDC, a fully supported stablecoin.
This launch reflects shifting investment trends in Africa’s largest cryptocurrency market. Previously focused on long-term holding or spot trading, retail traders are now looking for tools that allow them to act on market information in a structured, short-term framework.
“We are seeing a clear shift in how Nigerians want to engage with crypto assets,” said Ayotunde Alabi, CEO of Luno Nigeria.
“Many already follow price movements closely and form strong market views; we want to lead with education as well as provide a safe and secure platform to help them apply that knowledge. This feature is designed to be a natural extension for those who enjoy forecasting.”
To mitigate risks, the platform integrates educational resources, dedicated prediction wallets, mandatory risk acknowledgements, and mechanisms preventing users from taking both sides of a market.
Unlike conventional derivatives or open-ended speculation, binary prediction markets are strictly outcome-based. Participants wager on whether an asset will close above or below a specific price target.
While this opens opportunities, it also carries high risk, as incorrect predictions result in total loss of the committed capital.
The launch could influence broader trends in African fintech. By introducing regulated, outcome-based products, exchanges can cater to a more informed investor base while promoting financial literacy.
For Nigeria, this could mark a turning point moving the market from passive participation to data-driven trading, providing a framework for responsible engagement in increasingly complex digital asset markets.
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