Telecom
Brain Drain: NCC Tasks Telcos to Partner Academia to Groom Telecom Talents
In an effort to bridge the skills gap and curb brain drain in the Nigerian telecom sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has tasked telcos with industry-academia collaboration.
Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the commission, who made this call in Lagos as the keynote speaker, also urged telecom companies to adopt flexible work policies, better renumerations and foster a culture of innovation to create an environment that attract and retains talents.
Speaking at the Fifth Edition of the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF 5.0) organised by Business Remarks themed “Mitigating the Effects of Talent Exodus and its Impact on the Growth of Nigeria’s Telecommunications Industry”, Maida who was represented by the NCC Lagos Zonal Controller, Mr Tunji Jimoh said talent is the lifeblood of innovation and development, and the loss of skilled professionals is a major setback for our industry.
According to him, the global demand for tech talent has driven a good number of Nigeria’s brightest minds to pursue lucrative opportunities abroad, leaving vacuums in the industry skills gap that potentially can threaten the sustainability of the telecoms sector.
Quoting the report from the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Maida noted that over 500 software engineers and more than 2,000 trained telecom professionals left the country in 2022 alone. This trend, if left unchecked, could jeopardize the growth and sustainability of the industry.
Speaking on measures to mitigate brain drain and address talent exodus in the telecom sector, the EVC said, professionals, especially in the tech sector, seek environments where they feel valued, engaged, and given the freedom to explore new ideas. Offering remote work options, continuous learning opportunities, and collaborative spaces where creativity is encouraged will make the local telecom sector more appealing to professionals who might otherwise seek opportunities abroad.
He emphasized the need for telecom companies to continue to invest in the regular upskilling and reskilling initiatives for their existing workforce.
By offering employees opportunities for professional development, companies not only enhance their workforce’s competencies but also provide incentives for talent to stay, knowing they have a pathway to career advancement within their current organization, he said.
Furthermore, Maida called for the need to ensure a steady flow of skilled professionals. He tasked the telecom sector and companies to actively engage and partner with universities, technical schools, and training institutes to create tailored programs designed to equip graduates with industry-relevant skills.
According to him, this strategy will not only help fill the talent gap but also foster a pipeline of young, ambitious professionals eager to build their careers within Nigeria. Internships, apprenticeships, and industry-sponsored research projects can be a practical way for telecom operators to integrate students and recent graduates into the workforce, ensuring they have the competencies required to thrive in the sector.
The EVC Boss tasked telcos on Industry-wide mentorship programs, where seasoned professionals can guide younger talent. Maida noted this would be an effective way to encourage the transfer of skills and knowledge.
Additionally, telecom companies can collaborate on initiatives like tech hubs, start-up incubators, and innovation challenges to not only cultivate local talent but also to provide platforms for professionals to showcase their skills and stay motivated within the industry.
Adopt cutting-edge technologies like 5G, AI, and IoT to create an exciting and innovative environment for professionals. Invest in R&D and support entrepreneurship in the telecommunications space to create an environment where Nigerian professionals can pioneer new technologies, rather than having to seek these opportunities elsewhere. This is, because, the telecoms sector thrives on innovation, and one way to retain talent is by fostering a forward-thinking, technology-driven environment, he stressed.
On part of the commission, the NCC Boss said that the commission has been instrumental in mitigating talent migration through its initiatives to promote indigenous content, improve infrastructure, and create an enabling environment for digital growth. The NCC’s collaboration with stakeholders, MDAs, state governments, and international agencies has been crucial in achieving these goals.
According to him, the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Program, launched by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, aims to train 3 million Nigerians in digital and technical skills by 2027. The NCC is actively participating in this program by supporting participants with training devices.
Additionally, the NCC’s partnership with Nokia to provide a 4G/5G test lab will equip young Nigerians with the skills required for the industry. The NCC is also committed to promoting the development and adoption of indigenous content through the Nigeria Office for Developing Indigenous Content for Telecoms Sector (NODITS), he said.
By pooling resources, the telecom sector can create an ecosystem that nurtures talent at all stages, from entry-level to experienced professionals, and aligns with global standards, the EVC highlighted.
In her welcome address, TSSF 5.0 Convener who also doubles as the Managing Editor of Business Remarks, Bukola Olanrewaju stated that human capital flight, the exodus of skilled professionals from their home countries, has become a global phenomenon with far-reaching implications.
According to her, human capital flight is not merely a statistic; for the telecom industry, it poses significant challenges such as a tangible loss of talent, brain drain, diminished innovation, and intellectual capital. It erodes the very fabric of the industry, leaving behind a void that is difficult to fill. The consequences are farreaching, from weakened competitiveness to a diminished capacity for research and development.
While quoting an analysis from PwC that revealed the talent exodus trend is projected to result in a potential loss of $4.7 billion in productivity and tax revenue for the Nigerian economy by 2027, Olanrewaju noted that amidst the challenges, there lies an opportunity for transformation.
“By addressing the underlying factors that drive the huge depletion in its talent workforce -the severe brain drain, and by fostering a conducive environment for talent development and retention, we can mitigate the effects of this to create a more sustainable, attractive, resilience and prosperous industry.
These facts stress the need to invest in talent development and retention, foster a supportive work environment, and offer competitive compensation and benefits”, Olanrewaju said.
MTN Nigeria’s commitment to digital innovation took center stage at MarkHack 4.0, the annual marketing and technology conference held at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, May 23, 2025, with the theme ‘Experience Ignited: Fueling the Customer’s Journey’.
L-R: Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head, Enterprise Segment, MTN Nigeria; Eneyi Obi, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Rise; Tobi Olanisimi, Marketing Manager, AB InBev; Martha Kayode, Marketing Head, PZ Cussonz; Sulaiman Shaibu, CEO, BFT Consulting Service and Daniel Adeyemi, Managing Editor, Condia Business at the MarkHack 4.0 Conference held at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, May 23, 2025.
In a celebration of innovation, technology, and storytelling, the company also took home the award for Best Use of Data in a Marketing Campaign at the Nigeria MarTech (MarkHack 4.0) Awards Night. This award recognizes brands that have successfully transformed data into compelling narratives and actionable insights to meaningfully engage their audiences.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Senior Manager, Segment Management, Enterprise Business at MTN, joined a panel to discuss the power of immersive technologies on consumer behaviour. Drawing from MTN’s launch of its 5G Digital Experience Centre in Abuja last year, Onabolu highlighted the rapid evolution of immersive technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) stating “Our 5G centre is a sandbox for our customers to come and see how technology can shape things. At the launch event, we unveiled a smart city to customers, clients and dignitaries in attendance, with gaming and other tech experiences.”
On the intersection of data, AR and VR, he added: “Co-creating with MTN takes our minds to a platform where different partners, companies and creators can bring their buildings, products and businesses for people to see via augmented reality and connectivity, just swiping through and following through that journey.
“As a part of impacting our customer’s lives, a few years ago, we also played around with the Metaverse and we ended up creating some of our back-office processes with some of our customer journeys on augmented reality and virtual reality such that a customer somewhere can engage with a virtual agent to solve real life problems and integrating that back into our operating systems. As an organization, at a lot of our events, you will find a lot of AR and VR experiences.”
Speaking on how MTN is embedding immersive technology into its day-to-day operations, he explained that the company is prioritizing both internal capability development and external engagement. “85% of our organization has undergone extensive training on AI and that already is a great addition to our daily lives. We’re using it to do things differently, developing user journeys and brainstorming different things. In terms of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, we are working with organizations to develop training programs which we use internally.”
He described the bases for this tech as stable connectivity, high bandwidth, high speed and low latency. “Over the past year, we’ve doubled our 5G capacity across the entire country. Wherever you are, you’ll probably start to pick up 5G. With our FibreX service, we’re going way beyond connectivity to create the systems and platforms to support the ecosystem, AR and VR. In addition to this, we’re also engaging regulatory systems to start to tease this out and build the proper governance.”
The session, moderated by Daniel Adeyemi, Managing Editor at Condia Business, also featured insights from leaders in FMCG, consulting, and global marketing, all underscoring the transformative potential of immersive technologies for Africa’s future.
MTN Nigeria has announced a massive capital expenditure (CAPEX) drive for 2025, nearly doubling its investment to almost 900 billion Naira, as it seeks to significantly enhance network service quality in major cities like Lagos and Abuja and extend improvements to other areas.
Karl Toriola
This financial commitment, up from a combined total of approximately 440 billion Naira spent in 2023 and 2024, was detailed by MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola, during a recent interview on Arise TV.
Toriola highlighted that a key focus of the increased CAPEX will be on “putting additional capacity in a city like Lagos, particularly in Abuja, where you have a lot of buildings coming up, you need additional sites because there are coverage issues.”
Beyond these critical urban centres, the investment aims to bolster network resilience and ensure power stability for its infrastructure nationwide. This includes proactively addressing site outages by ensuring timely payment for operational necessities such as diesel for generators, a persistent challenge in the Nigerian operating environment
The CEO outlined the comprehensive nature of the upgrade process, which involves “placing orders formally, opening letters of credit, and then the equipment gets shipped in and installed.” He added that where necessary, MTN will be “acquiring new sites” and “laying fiber to the base station to create better stability.”
While the immediate CAPEX is geared towards improving existing service quality and capacity, this investment aligns with MTN’s broader goals, which include enhancing financial inclusion in underserved rural areas, suggesting a long-term vision for network expansion and service improvement that extends beyond metropolitan areas.
Customers are expected to begin experiencing the positive impact of these investments with a “significant improvement in quality of service” anticipated by the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2025, according to Toriola.
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
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