Telecom
Broadband Expansion Driver of N150Bn e-Commerce Industry-Iroegbu
Nigeria’s N150 billion electronic commerce (e-commerce) industry is set for significant growth in the next few years, riding on the back of sustained efforts by the Federal Government and the private sector to enhance broadband availability, analysts have said.
Affordable data cost offered by mobile operators as well as consistent acquisition of smartphones have also been identified as major factors that would drive e-commerce adoption.
25 percent of Nigeria’s over 116 million mobile subscribers use smartphones, according to global market research company, TNS.
Industry analysts expect online sales to reach N1.25 trillion by the end of 2013. Besides, online sales grew 25 percent in 2011 to N62.4 billion, up an additional N12.5 billion from N49.9 billion in 2010.
Kanu Iroegbu, certified digital marketing consultant, is optimistic that this upward growth trajectory in online sales will not recede, because electronic commerce companies are increasingly channelling their energies and resources towards providing locally-relevant solutions to Nigerian customers.
The preceding year has seen e-commerce companies’ move away from merely cloning international brands. In view of this, investor confidence in the e-commerce landscape, according to industry analysts, is growing tremendously.
e-Commerce is growing very rapidly, an estimated volume of about N75 billion was done by e-commerce in Nigeria as at 2012 and if that is correct, in another four or five years we will be looking at N150 billion.
A report has it that with a population of over 160 million and an already thriving e-commerce market, Nigeria is becoming a game-changer in African e-commerce and that Nigeria’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has grown exponentially over the past five years, with the recent implementation of its five-year National Broadband Plan, which will see Nigeria’s broadband internet penetration increasing by 80 percent by the end of 2018, the country is likely to surpass South Africa’s e-commerce market.
Iroegbu while assessing the security aspect of the development said that “Ecommerce security is a vital part of online trading. It is essential for customers to be relaxed for protection of their account or credit card information while billing takes place.
If this will not be the case, the customer won’t take the risk of trading online then, thereby affecting the online trading in a big way.
“With new technology, businesses and companies are modifying their Ecommerce website for more functionality that increases the security and convenience of the user. The four phase of an E-commerce website can be mentioned as given: Brochure ware; Web storefront; One-to-One Customer Relationship and Communities that are of Interest”.
He defined Brochure ware as a kind of an E-commerce tool for the companies.
“A site would definitely be more good and effective if it picks up the advantage of the interactive ability of the Internet like that of navigated links to go ahead and back over the website. One more method of promoting the business online is encouraging the customers for sending questions, providing feedbacks, and inquiring about the products. These contacts can then be further transformed to valuable leads that complement the sales channel of the company, or online services.
“Web storefront – It expands the functionality of the site and includes buying and selling online that allows the customer the chance to visit a site and then purchase services or goods. Web storefront creates demand, acquires information of customer, fulfill the orders and process the payment also.
“One-to-One Customer Relationship – Here the information of the customer that is acquired from the past interaction for personalizing the content of the site, or its services and products according to the needs of the customer and his/her preferences is brought into use. The marketing campaigns on Internet also provide better addressing to the needs of the customer, which can thereby increase the satisfaction of the customer and retain him/her which will thus result in higher amount of sales and more profits.
“Communities that are of Interest – Here the information of the customer is brought into use for identifying and engaging the online community with the personalized services and products that is tailored specifically for the community that is created.
Ecommerce has certainly changed the face of business and made shopping a relaxed and fun-filled experience”.
The Certified Digital Marketing Consultant added that performing trade over the internet is not an easy business therefore designing of E-commerce websites requires good amount of research.
Nigeria’s telecom operators recorded 155, 397 fibre-cut incidents between April and May 2026, and these they blame on why internet or calls suddenly stop working.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed fibre-cut incidents increased from 74 276 in April to a record 79 121 in May, bringing the two-month total to the highest level recorded by the industry.
This represents a 2 428% increase from the 5 934 incidents reported during the first quarter of 2026.
Vandalism remained the leading cause of fibre cuts, accounting for more than 54 000 incidents despite telecom infrastructure being designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure, a classification intended to strengthen protection of key digital assets.
Also road construction constantly damages fiber where iggers and machines tear up buried cables during road repairs or construction.
Even with all these, some state governments make it hard for companies to fix cables quickly across different areas with all manners of fees and levies.
The NCC designation provides for penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for offenders, but operators continue to face widespread infrastructure damage.
Proposed solutions, including Nigeria’s Dig-Once policy and AI-powered fibre sensing technologies, have yet to achieve widespread adoption.
The NCC is developing a cost-based framework for shared underground duct infrastructure, while operators are exploring AI-powered fibre sensing technologies that can detect cable damage in real time and improve network resilience.
Nigeria is pursuing ambitious broadband targets under its National Broadband Plan and has expanded fibre deployment to about 35 000 kilometres.
However, infrastructure protection has not kept pace with network expansion, leaving subscribers vulnerable to unreliable connectivity despite continued operator investment.
Standard Bank has partnered with Helios Towers to provide a $29 million Social Documentary Credit Facility. According to the financial services company, this transaction marks Standard Bank’s first Documentary Credit Facility structured in a Sustainable Finance format.
It notes that the facility will support the procurement and importation of telecommunications infrastructure and related services across Africa.
It will also provide payment certainty to suppliers, while supporting Helios Towers’ working capital requirements and infrastructure expansion programme, the bank adds.
Structured in accordance with the Loan Market Association’s Social Loan Principles, the financing is designed to promote digital connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure development in underserved markets.
This will help Helios Towers further expand its footprint and enhance mobile network coverage and connectivity across the continent.
Helios Towers operates one of Africa’s independent telecommunications tower platforms, enabling mobile network operators to extend coverage across multiple markets.
Standard Bank notes that the facility supports the expansion of tower infrastructure and services, increased network densification and improved connectivity in underserved markets and remote regions across the African continent.
It will also drive digital inclusion and tackle the digital divide while supporting economic growth and socio-economic development.
“This transaction demonstrates the power of innovation in trade finance. By combining a first-to-market Social Documentary Credit Facility with a cross-border funding solution, Standard Bank has supported Helios Towers’ growth ambitions while helping extend digital connectivity to underserved communities across Africa,” says Benoit Samouilhan, global transaction banker at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking.
According to the bank, this facility enables positive social impact by increasing and improving network coverage and connectivity in some of the world’s most remote regions.
“Reliable digital infrastructure is fundamental to Africa’s future growth and development,” says Alex Carter, group finance director at Helios Towers.
“This facility provides us with the flexibility and certainty needed to support our ongoing infrastructure investments while advancing our mission of expanding connectivity across the continent. We value our longstanding relationship with Standard Bank and look forward to building on this partnership.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will on Thursday convene a stakeholders’ consultative forum to review the draft business rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria.
NCC
The forum, scheduled to hold at 10 a.m. at the NCC Annex Office, Mbora, Abuja, is expected to bring together telecommunications operators, industry associations and other stakeholders to provide input on the proposed regulatory framework before its finalisation.
The commission announced the event on its official social media platforms, inviting interested stakeholders to participate in the consultation process.
The engagement is part of the NCC’s efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework for MVNO operations and promote greater competition, innovation and consumer choice in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Mobile Virtual Network Operators are telecommunications service providers that offer mobile services by leasing network capacity from licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), rather than owning spectrum licences or telecommunications infrastructure.
The NCC has identified the MVNO licensing framework as one of its initiatives aimed at deepening competition, expanding access to telecommunications services and driving digital inclusion across the country.
The consultative forum is expected to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to review the draft business rules, make recommendations and contribute to the development of a robust operational framework for the emerging MVNO segment.
The commission is expected to issue further details on the outcome of the consultation after the meeting.
NBC Scraps Annual Digital Access Fee on DSO
Surge in Fibre Cuts Hobbles Service Provisioning
Why Bandits, Kidnappers are Hard to Trace despite NIN-SIM Linkage – FG
First Securities Brokers Empowers Nigerians to Trade in the Stock Market with the Launch of FirstInvest App
Quest Merchant Bank Hosts Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
Nigeria Launches FreeTV Nationwide
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
Telecom2 days agoMTN Nigeria Slashes Cost of Broadband Internet Router, Unwraps New Data Bundles for Low-Budget Users
E-Financial2 days agoNigerians Accumulate $59Bn in Cryptocurrency Assets —FDC
E-Financial2 days agoFlutterwave Partners Xoom on Transfers into Nigeria
General News2 days agoNearpays, Nigerian Fintech Becomes First African Startup to Win UN’s AI for Good Innovation Factory
News2 days agoDataPro Upgrades Dangote Cement’s Credit Rating to AA+
Telecom2 days agoNokia’s 14 Years of Mobile-Phone Supremacy Ended in an Afternoon
General News2 days agoFintech Brands Should Communicate Right in a VUCA Economy
E-Business2 days agoTinubu Orders NIMC to Enrol Every Nigerian by End of this Year – DG