Telecom
Economic Comm for Africa Urges Leveraging Tech in Trade
The Economic Commission for Africa is calling upon countries across the continent to leverage technology in improving trade and enhancing competitiveness.
The plea was made last week at the African Union Summit on industrialisation and economic diversification by African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Economic Commission for Africa, acting executive secretary Antonio Pedro.
Pedro said digitalisation is a promising vehicle to sustainable industrialisation, and countries should take action to promote trade and exports in order to realise the objectives of the AfCFTA.
“The major objective of AfCFTA is to foster competitiveness at the industry and enterprise levels through opportunities for scale production, improved market access and efficiency in resource allocation,” he said.
On how technology can enhance trade, Pedro cited the launch of the Africa Trade Exchange (ATEX) platform, a business-to-business and business-to-government digital trade platform that facilitates intra-African trade within the context of the AfCFTA as a positive move in the digital era.
“The ATEX is a clear demonstration of how regional trade can help channel critical commodities where it is needed most in Africa.”
He noted the Economic Commission for Africa is gathering and analysing data on the regulatory regime governing digital trade in Africa.
Also, speaking at the summit, Treasure Maphanga, chief operating officer of the AeTrade Group, and former trade and industrialisation director at the African Union Commission, said digitisation has a catalytic effect through the growth of services, especially in logistics, finance and insurance.
“Leveraging the technology and other aspects of the digital economy to create jobs is the way forward…and informal business does not have to be disadvantaged.”
In addition, African countries were urged to leverage new opportunities from the agreed package of resolutions at the recent UN climate change conference (COP27) in Egypt.
According to Pedro, the package includes financial, technological and capacity-building assistance that developing nations need to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gasses and adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change.
“Contributions of more than $230 million were made to the Adaptation Fund, which African countries should consider to access financing for structural transformation of their economies,” he said.
Pedro said a preliminary assessment of the voluntary carbon market led by Dalberg and Economic Commission for Africa, based on partial satellite data, indicated carbon credits can generate up to $82 billion at $120 per ton of CO2 equivalent using nature-based sequestration.
He explained that despite the current low prices for carbon credits in Africa, “the need for accelerated action on climate change and the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris agreement will drive prices up, to the benefit of African countries to monetise their natural capital”.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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