Telecom
Data Centre Operators Canvass for More Players in Industry
Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), on Friday in Lagos, gathered Chief Executive Officers of leading Data Centre Service providers to a breakfast meeting, tagged: ‘Breakfast Meeting with The CEO,’ to discuss Data Centre Operation In Nigeria: Impacts, Benefits And Challenges In a Knowledge Economy.
The Data centre operators said that Nigeria need a minimum of 72 centres to boost connectivity and quality of service, according to them, the country’s data landscape needs more players for growth.
Gbenga Adegbiji, General Manager, MDXi Data Centre, Speaking at the event said that, a data economy would require adequate infrastructure.
He stated that, the country was low in the technology readiness infrastructure because it was not utilising technology well.
Adegbiji urged journalists to create more awareness on the importance of data domiciliation in the country, according to him, hosting of data outside exposes the country to risks.
He listed the advantages of data hosting in the country to include security, job creation and local content development.
Ezekiel Egboye, Director of Operations Rack Centre, while making his remarks, decried Nigeria’s inadequate technology infrastructure.
He stated that, the country would have to invest more in technology infrastructure for the centres to be among global players
Mr. Egboye, said, people processes and control are majorly the challenges on the data landscape in the country.
He noted that power is one of the areas they are working assiduously to mitigate completely; adding that by 2019 they will achieve Tier IV certified Data Centre in West Africa
Ike Nnamani, CEO Medallion Limited, Speaking at the event said that, Medallion is the product of structured collaboration between technocrats with versatile exposures and competences in the telecommunication industry.
He noted that, localization of content is better for end user experience and a big business for stakeholders and the country in general.
He decried that a country like Nigeria, there is no internet connectivity between Lagos and Kano, noting that data centres in Lagos are not enough to cover its data needs, he cited an example of Toronto, a city half the size of Lagos state but with over 50 Data Centre Operators.
Mr. Nnamani, added that more infrastructure is needed outside of Lagos also, adding that Nigeria needs a minimum of 72 data centres in order to boost connectivity and quality of service.
He stated that their goal for 2018 is to promote local content, broadband penetration, hosting and domiciliation of content; he believes that this will drive development of infrastructure in the country.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
Nigerian fintech unicorn Moniepoint Inc. has finalised its acquisition of a 78% stake in Kenya’s Sumac Microfinance Bank, gaining a key deposit-taking licence for credit expansion in East Africa’s biggest economy.
The deal, marked by a Nairobi reception, bypasses the Central Bank of Kenya’s licence freeze, letting Moniepoint rival giants like Safaricom and Equity Group after a stalled Kopo Kopo bid.
It signals Africa’s fintech shift to licensed banking and mergers, equipping Moniepoint to roll out high-speed SME lending via Sumac’s 20-year-old infrastructure and branches.
The acquisition builds a cross-border merchant ecosystem beyond fees, integrating recent Orda buyout (cloud restaurant software) for “business-in-a-box” tools like inventory, payroll, and capital amid Kenya’s digital lending scrutiny.
Moniepoint, which hit $294 billion annualised transactions in 2025, eyes Kenya’s SMEs with Nigeria-honed retail expertise.
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