Telecom
Council Seeks Accelerated Implementation of Broadband Plan
Broadband Council at its regular quarterly meeting held earlier this month acknowledged the progress made on the implementation of the Broadband Plan in the last 18 months, while seeking speedy implementation of other strategic programmes.
The high-ranked broadband implementation council in the country commended especially the increased capacity rolled out by telcos and other infrastructure providers which had resulted in a 2% increase in broadband penetration in 2014.
The Council chaired by Dr Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, evaluated the outlined milestones of the broadband plan and called for accelerated implementation.
The Council also noted the successful auction of the 2.3GHz spectrum, licensing of the first two Infracos for metro fibre rollout and called on successful bidders to quickly rollout to improve the pace of implementation.
Council commended the trial of TV White Spaces approved by NCC/NBC –geared at reducing cost of internet access.
Council also commended the Telecoms Operators for their leadership in the area of base station infrastructure sharing and deployment and resolved that this needed to be extended to fibre.
Of particular concern to the Council, and the subject of extensive discussion during the meeting was the need to increase the landing points of international submarine cables beyond Lagos to other coastal states.
Additional landing points in the country would not only reduce vulnerability and risks associated with a single point of failure but would make it faster and cheaper to lay terrestrial cable from these points to other parts of the country.
The Council called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to look into the possibility of providing financial incentives to accelerate this.
It acknowledged that some milestones were missed due to schedule delays.
Council resolved that Bitflux needs to accelerate pace of rollout and NCC should aim to release 2.6GHz in the first quarter of 2015.
Council at the meeting also reviewed progress on the Ministry’s Smart State initiative aimed at getting concessions from State governments (right of way reductions, standardization on levies and charges on telco infrastructure)
States that had signed the MoU on the Smart State Initiative with the Ministry were singled out by the Council for commendation and other States yet to join were urged to do so to accelerate the pace of broadband infrastructure rollout within their States.
Bayelsa, Ondo, Katsina, FCT, Lagos and Cross Rivers State are Smart States while Anambra, Delta, Gombe and Osun State have agreed to become Smart States.
Also, Council reiterated that the Smart States initiative geared at engaging authorities at the state and local government level to address the issue of multiple taxations will accelerate the roll out of critical infrastructure across Nigeria and help Nigeria meet its broadband target of a five -fold increase by 2017.
Council also resolved that the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, NiRA must reduce cost of .NG to be globally competitive.
Council proposed that to accelerate the uptake of.NG domains NITDA would close the funding gap in NiRA if pent up demand did not result in the anticipated high levels of uptake. Council members were tasked with following up on this resolution.
In recognition of the crucial role broadband plays in inclusive development and in a bid to increase awareness and drive demand, the Council acknowledged the work of online market spaces in encouraging SMEs to bring their products/services online and urged SMEDAN to fund or drive an awareness campaign that will get many more SMES online.
Recalling that the Broadband Council at its 4th meeting pushed for increased 3G coverage to 50% of the Nigerian population by the end of 2015, the Council commended the USPF for the timely completion of its ICT Access Gap Study and concluded this would further help operators to service latent demand.
Council stressed that the significant work by the USPF has given real empirical data to the issue of which areas of the country have connectivity.
The Council members scored overall progress as good but needing acceleration on items such as pricing and metro fibre.
Following the recent announcement of the Infraco License winners the NCC’s work on Wholesale and Cost Based Pricing to improve the affordability of access to the internet would soon be available.
Council concluded that progress was still too slow and challenged the ICT industry to see to it that the broadband plan targets were met.
The Broadband Council inaugurated on the 16th of July 2013 is made up of 19 members chaired by Dr Omobola Johnson.
The Council charged with the responsibility of monitoring implementation modalities for the approved Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013 – 2018 has been working to ensure that Nigeria achieves a five-fold increase in broadband penetration by 2017/2018.
At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.
Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.
During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”
The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.
They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.
The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.
The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.
The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.
As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.
MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.
According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.
If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.
Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.
Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.
MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.
“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.
Netflix has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in Spanish film and television productions over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to Spain as a key creative hub in Europe.
The announcement was made by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos at an event held at Netflix’s production studios near Madrid, celebrating the company’s 10-year presence in the country.
Sarandos emphasized that the investment would contribute significantly to Spain’s economy, create jobs, and enable the streaming platform to produce more local content. He was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in unveiling the initiative.
Netflix first established its international production studios in Madrid in 2019, following the success of the Spanish-language hit series Money Heist.
Since then, its 22,000-square-meter facility has become one of Netflix’s major production centers within the European Union.
The company currently supports over 20,000 jobs in Spain, highlighting the nation’s growing influence in global entertainment.
The investment reflects Netflix’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in European markets through original content and local talent.
China Expands Zero-Tariff Trade for Nigeria, 52 Other African Nations
Sterling Bank Pledges ₦2bn to Fully Fund University Scholarships
MTN Nigeria Unveils CPaaS Platform to Transform Business Communication
Aliko Dangote Signs out @ Dangote Sugar Refinery as Chairman
Court Declines Access Bank’s Request to Freeze MTNN Account over N180Bn Claims
General News2 days agoAfDB to Provide $184.1mfor Africa’s Largest Solar Energy, Battery Storage Project
News2 days agoReport Reveals New Malware Posing as an AI Assistant Steals User Data
Telecom3 days agoMTN and Ecobank Launch Chess Championship to Empower Nigeria’s Youth
Telecom3 days agongCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones
General News3 days agoOSGOF, NASRDA Partner to Boost Geospatial Data, Others
E-Business3 days agoAfrican Startups Raised $345m in Funding in May
Telecom2 days agoMTN Mulls Establishment of Fintech Firm in Nigeria, Others
General News2 days agoCourt Declines Access Bank’s Request to Freeze MTNN Account over N180Bn Claims