Telecom
Glo Tackles Insecurity with Vigicom for vVigilante Groups
Globacom has launched a new communication package that will assist members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) to effectively perform their work by freely communicating with each other while on duty.
Specially conceived to support vigilante groups across the country, the package, called Vigicom, will in addition also allow members of vigilante groups to communicate with their families at no cost.
Speaking at the launch of the product in Abuja over the weekend, Alhaji Ali Sokoto, commander general of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), said Vigicom will help in effective local policing of remote areas and also assist in gathering necessary intelligence about criminals. He endorsed the Vigicom product and thanked Globacom for coming out with such a wonderful service.
Explaining why Globacom introduced Vigicom, Mr. Tunde Amunikoro, the company’s head of Public Sector, said, “communication is key to security and that was why Glo launched the package to assist local vigilante groups to become more effective in discharging their duties.”
“The essence of Vigicom therefore is to enable security men to send or receive alerts and reach out to critical stakeholders, particularly in distress, without being encumbered by the non-availability of recharge cards even in the remotest part of the country,” he said.
“Take for instance armed security men deployed on the highway from Mokwa to Bida to secure travellers against robbers. How would they be able to communicate with each other as well as their headquarters and families in case of emergencies without having to recharge; considering that recharge cards are not in the remote highways? With Vigicom, that challenge is over,” Amunikoro said.
According to him, all the vigilante members need to do is just pay a monthly rental of N1,000 and communicate with other members of the group and their families who have the special lines for free, throughout the month without incurring extra cost of airtime.
In his remarks, Barrister Adamu Usman, Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, gave Glo and the vigilante groups thumps up, saying the groups were capable of securing Nigeria, especially with private sector collaboration like the one with Glo.
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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