Telecom
DMSI Tackles Unemployment by Giving Young Women a Voice in the Digital Economy
Digital Marketing Skill Institute (DMSI) a global digital marketing edutech company that uses digital technologies to accelerate the development of digital marketing talents while matching them with organizations globally either as employees or entrepreneurs (freelancer or agency) has partnered with the Challenge Fund For Youth Employment (CFYE) which is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to launch “Digital Marketing Women Employability and Entrepreneurship Programme (DM-WEEP)”, a programme designed to train, match and create digital marketing jobs for 4,500 women.
The programme which is co-funded by Dutch Government aims to empower young women in Nigeria within the ages of 20-35 is set to boost the employability of these women with digital marketing and they will pay nothing upfront for the training until they are employed and earning a decent income.
Speaking on this development, Founder of Digital Marketing Skill Institute, Tobi Asehinde revealed that the initiative is in line with the organization’s mission to help and empower 1 million people by 2030 to start, grow and scale wildly profitable businesses and careers using digital marketing.
He further reviewed that the global market for Digital Marketing is estimated at US$350 Billion and male dominated however, with this programme we are giving women a voice and share in digital marketing industry that is male dominated.
“Digital marketing is one of the most desired industries where many women are interested in building a career but then, some of them are held back by the financial cost that is required to learn the skill. Digital Marketing Women Employability and Entrepreneurship Programme will be bridging that gap and empower many Nigerian women to pursue their dreams and build a global digital marketing career,” he stated.
Global figures show a startling economic disparity with women losing jobs at almost twice the rate of men and leaving over 47 million more women below the poverty line. And of course, due to the responsibilities that come with being pregnant or a nursing mother, some young women have had to lose their job or drop their career pursuit for the sake of being available to attend to taking care of their home. With a career in digital marketing, they won’t have to drop their ambitions because they are pregnant or nursing a baby, as it allows for flexible working conditions.
According to a research released at the beginning of the year by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), about 35.2% of women in the country are unemployed. The research also revealed that women account for only 43.3% of the working population in Nigeria.
At the same time, businesses have been forced to adopt digital technologies and channels to promote and operate their businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in an accelerated growth in demand for people with digital skills. There is an opportunity to match and create jobs here by training young people in digital marketing to assist these businesses to grow and thrive in a digital economy.
Mr. Asehinde said we have built an education technology solution to accelerate learning of digital skills and built 2 tech platforms called Accredital and Wizlancer to match learners to employment and self-employment opportunities from businesses around the world. We are really focused on not just training young people but connecting them to opportunities to earn a decent income.
Speaking on the initiative, the project manager Christiana Olawumi expressed her gratitude to Digital Marketing Skill Institute and Challenge Fund For Youth Employment for collaborating to help young women like herself meet their personal and career aspirations in the new digital economy.
In her words, “when we reduce the rate of unemployment in the country, there will be a reduction in community vices and our society will be a safe place to live”.
She went further to show her enthusiasm as she spoke about how much effort the project team has put in place to make sure that the programme is a success.
To ensure that the project has maximum impact and reaches women interested in digital marketing, Digital Marketing Skill Institute collaborated with Challenge Fund For Youth Employment, which is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and seeks to create a prosperous future for young women across Nigeria.
Mr. Asehinde emphasized that such collaborations with CFYE are critical to the success of tackling unemployment in Nigeria which is currently at 33%, and re-emphasized DMSI commitment to partner with more governmental bodies, public/private companies, Foundations, Non Government Organizations (NGO’s) to achieve its goal of empowering and securing a better future for Young Women in the Digital Economy.
“Digital Marketing Women Employability and Entrepreneurship Programme” is one of the many strategies we are using to achieve our mission.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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