Telecom
FG Connects 111 Communities to Telephony Services at Igbo Olodumare
Dr Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology has commissioned one of the several Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) deployed across the South West region by Odu’atel through subsidies provided by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) at Igbo Olodumare in Ondo state.
Through the commissioning of the intervention and commissioning of the BTS, One Hundred and Eleven (111) communities with an estimated population of 664,500 people hitherto without communication were connected to telephony services.
Dr Johnson who made the first voice call at the commissioning reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that unserved and underserved communities in Nigeria are connected to ICT services.
She disclosed that in the next implementation phase, the USPF plans to support the deployment of more than 200 BTS across the country. This will enable more than three hundred (300) Communities with an estimated population of I.65m have access to ICTs when the phase is completed.
The Federal Government of Nigeria established the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to facilitate extension of telecommunications services to underserved and unserved communities. The law establishing the USPF i.e. Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, empowers it to promote widespread availability and usage of network services throughout Nigeria by encouraging the installation of network facilities and the provision of network services to institutions and to unserved and underserved areas and groups in Nigeria.
Dr Johnson who is the Chairman of USPF disclosed that the USPF is initiating various programmes and projects to facilitate the deployment of ICT infrastructure and services which are designed to extend ICT and other telecommunications services to people living in rural areas, where Operators are unlikely to provide services.
One of the programmes according to Dr Johnson designed by the USPF to extend telecommunications services is AMPE (Accelerated Mobile Phone Expansion) Programme which ensures the extension of mobile telephony services to unserved and underserved communities. The AMPE Programme is implemented in collaboration with Network Operators.
The Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is one project under the AMPE Programme through which the USPF provides subsidies to Operators to extend telecommunications services to unserved communities.
Dr Johnson disclosed that while this contributes to the tremendous growth of the telecommunications industry witnessed in the last decade, the Federal Government, as part of the transformation agenda, would not lose focus on an estimated forty million (40m) Nigerians that still lack access to ICT services.
She disclosed that in order to strategically address the ICT needs of these people, the USPF has, based on a Geographical Information System (GIS) study, created ICT Gap Clusters of areas that are unserved or underserved. Each Cluster has the requisite attributes – population estimates, size, major towns, main economic activities/occupation, institutions, vegetation type etc. that would assist USPF in designing projects that address peculiar ICT needs of each community.
In addition, Operators/Implementers would utilize the information in creating the appropriate service-mix for each Cluster.
The ICT Gap clusters is an innovative way of ensuring that all communities benefit from the immense opportunities that ICT brings and are able to effectively participate in the new digital economy. Through the utilization of the ICT Gap Cluster model, the USPF plans to ensure that universal coverage is achieved in the next two – three years.
The Minister thanked members of the communities where the BTSs are located for cooperating with the Implementers during the deployment phase.
She urged the people to protect telecommunications installations located in their communities as vandalism of such ICT infrastructure would result to lack of services, most of which are critical to business and every day activities.
In his remarks, Abdullahi Maikano, secretary USPF, said that the commissioned Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is amongst the very many initiatives of Universal Service Provision Fund towards supporting the transformation agenda of government, though the extension of telecommunications services to rural and underserved areas across the country.
He emphasized that the BTS projects are being implemented in collaboration with licensed Operators in order to ensure sustainability of the services, so that the people for whom the facilities are provided will continue to enjoy uninterrupted services.
He pledged that the USPF will continue to remain in the forefront in executing government’s Policy on Universal Access and Universal Service to ensure equitable socio-economic development of the country.
Airtel Africa reported a profit after tax of $376 million for the half year ended September 30, 2025 as compared to $79 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, benefitting from a $90 million gain largely arising from Nigerian naira appreciation during the current quarter (Q2’26) and the Central African franc (CFA) appreciation during the previous quarter (Q1’26).
Revenues at $2,982 million for the reported period saw strong growth as compared to $2,370 million in the six months of the last fiscal, rising 24.5% in constant currency and 25.8% in reported currency.
The company said constant currency revenue growth reflects the consistent execution of its strategy, supported by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and continued strong growth momentum in Francophone Africa.
“Our strategy has been focussed on providing a superior customer experience and the strength of these results is testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business,” Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of the company said in a statement.
He said the company has been scaling the network to build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion.
“The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Taldar said.
Capex for the period stood at $318 million. “We have increased our capex guidance for FY’26 to between $875m and $900m – from ‘between $725 million and $750 million’.
This reflects our decision to accelerate our ability to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity that is available across the region, as is reflected by these strong H1’26 results,” the company said.
During the period, the company continued investments in network with the rollout of over 2,350 new sites to over 38,300 sites and an expansion of its fibre network by approx. 4,000 kms to over 81,000 kms.
Vitel Wireless Limited, a GSM second level operator, licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to begin nationwide operations on October 30.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Themed “Blue is Here,” the launch event will unveil E-SIMs, physical SIMs, and smart connectivity solutions for individuals and businesses
With the tagline “Everything Connected,” Vitel aims to redefine communication in Nigeria through innovation, speed, and trust.
In a statement earlier, Vitel Wireless, said it combines reliability with innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless connectivity and intelligent solutions across the country.
“The company’s services go beyond communication — they integrate safety, mobility, and smart systems to enhance how individuals, businesses, and communities connect,” the statement reads.
According to Engr Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman, Vitel Wireless, at the heart of the telco’s mission is a bold vision to redefine mobile communication through technology that not only connects people but also protects them.
He highlighted the features saying the device is embedded with IoT-driven devices, smart logistics solutions and AI-powered safety analytics.
“Vitel Wireless is more than a telecom brand — it’s a movement toward a smarter, safer, and more connected Nigeria. Our goal is to bridge technology and humanity, using mobile innovation to improve lives, empower businesses, and strengthen national security,” Engr. Nwabueze said.
He stated that the Vitel Wireless team has interconnected with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and has a roaming agreement with MTN for nationwide rollout, extending Vitel Wireless coverage as one of the largest networks in Nigeria.
“Vitel Wireless has partnered with NCC and various law enforcement agencies to define and support key regulatory frameworks that now govern the nation’s telecom space in personal and public safety,” he said.
He added that the value added service includes Xphone -free phone calls and low international calling rates, SecureMe -location awareness solution for personal safety, Oga-App -employment enhancement and performance tool, ISEEYOU -AI-based CCTV with real-time alerts, AssetNow -LBS/GPS-based asset tracker, and many more.
“Vitel Wireless’s nationwide rollout signals a new era for the telecom industry — one where connectivity meets intelligence, and technology serves both purpose and people,” Nwabueze added.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in collaboration with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has announced the shortlist of 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at fostering home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, community conservation, and sustainability.
According to a joint statement by the organisers, the top 100 were selected from a pool of 2,169 applications received nationwide. The selection process involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by 20 expert assessors, guided by a robust framework to ensure fairness and consistency.
“The shortlisted innovators represent the brightest minds committed to environmental resilience,” the statement read. “Their solutions span high-impact sectors and are designed to address both national and continental environmental issues.”
The PachiPanda programme offers participants access to mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and a network of industry experts. The next phase will see a further evaluation to determine the Top 10 finalists, who will be unveiled ahead of a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass event scheduled for November 2025 in Lagos.
During the event, finalists will undergo intensive training to refine their business strategies and enhance their solutions for broader impact. Winners of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge will advance to the continental Africa PachiPanda Contest, where they will compete with other national champions.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the programme underscores MTN Nigeria’s commitment to eco-entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, empowering youth-led enterprises to drive green innovation across Africa.
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