General News
Growing Content Among Mobile Phone Users
As mobile phone use has grown since the mid 1990s, the significance of the devices in everyday life has grown accordingly.
Owners of mobile phones can now use their devices to make calendar appointments, send and receive text messages (SMS), listen to music, watch videos, shoot videos, redeem coupons for purchases, view Microsoft Word documents, and so forth.
The use of mobile content has grown accordingly. Modern mobile phones can take photographs with a few million pixels. The Nokia N93 can create videos of comparable resolution to a DVD, storing up to 90 minutes on the phone memory.
Mobile content can also refer to text or multimedia hosted on websites, which may either be standard internet pages, or else specific mobile pages.
Mobile content via SMS is still the main technology for communication used to send mobile consumers messages, especially simple content such as ringtones and wallpapers.
Because SMS is the main messaging technology used by young people, it is still the most effective way of reaching this target market.
SMS is also ubiquitous, reaching a wider audience than any other technology available in the mobile space (MMS, bluetooth, mobile e-mail or WAP).
Although many say that SMS is an old technology that sooner or later will be replaced by fancier technology like MMS or WAP, the fact is that SMS reinvents itself continuously.
One example is the introduction of applications where mobile tickets are sent to consumers via SMS, which contains a WAP-Push that contains a link where a barcode is placed.
This clearly substitutes MMS, which has a limited reach and still suffers from interoperability problems.
It is important to keep enhancing the consumers’ confidence in using SMS for mobile content applications.
This means, if a consumer has ordered a new wallpaper or ringtone, this has to work properly, in a speedy and reliable way.
Therefore it is important to choose the right SMS gateway provider in order to ensure quality-of-service along the whole path of the content SMS until reaching the consumer’s mobile.
In Nigeria the use of mobile contents is also growing as the telecommunications industry matures, a recent study conducted by MobileMoney-Africa, Africa’s leading resource for mobile financial inclusion shared with Nigeria CommunicationsWeek shows that 65 percent of the semi urban and rural population that were interviewed completely choose to have mobile phones as the primary channel for financial services rather than visit a bank.
Another 95 per cent choose not to go back home to pick their cheque book/ savings books but will go back to pick their phones if left at home.
Emmanuel Okoegwale, lead researcher said that the study is direct attestation of the growing influence of mobile money which is a mobile content.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that though mobile phone banking is yet to take root in Nigeria, the initiative is however expanding across the African continent from South Africa to Kenya and is putting the poor directly in control of their own finances like never before.
Current trends suggest that mobile phone content will play an increasing role in the lives of millions across the globe in the years ahead, as users will depend on their mobile phones to keep in touch not only with their friends but with world news, sports scores, the latest movies and music, and more.
An increasing number of people are also beginning to use applications like Qik to upload and share their videos from their cell phone to the internet. Mobile phone software like Qik allows user to share their videos with their friends through emails, SMS and even social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook
The mobile content industry has for too long been just about ringtones and wallpapers.
The market reality now is that the building blocks for a great user experience of mobile content are in place high resolutions screens, mobile broadband network speeds, devices such as Apple’s iPhone and users are embracing their new found freedom to go off-portal in search of innovative mobile content.
Growth is stifled in the mobile content market in Nigeria because mobile operators are playing safe and concentrating only on mass services for which content is readily available and chances of failure less.
Entertainment content despite the fact that its practical value is minimal, is popular because of its mass appeal especially to the youth segment and it is promoted over Mobile commerce and infotainment which has the capacity to create real value for subscribers.
None availability of network supporting some mobile content posses a challenge, because of commercial value, network operators concentrate the deployment of 3G network which support advanced mobile content such as video, Multimedia service among others in major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and few other cites thereby locking out people living in other cities where the technology is no available.
Prevalence of low end mobile handsets is a major factor in the uptake and penetration of advance mobile technologies.
Operators worldwide are taking initiatives to collaborate with Mobile phone makers to make 3G services available to more people with less entry cost through handset development, logistics and marketing initiatives.
Notable among such collaborations is the 3G for All campaign spearheaded by the GSM Association that will reduce 30% off from the LG phone that has been chosen. The 3G for All campaign is the second programme designed by the GSMA to create economies of scale for handset makers and their component suppliers.
The GSMA’s Emerging Market Handset programme stimulated the development of a range of ultra-low cost mobile phones aimed at first-time buyers in developing countries.
In most developing economies level of education also accounts for the use of most mobile content as owners of advanced mobile content enabled phones find it difficult to access such service from their phones.
This writer witnessed a situation where a man whose mobile phone has map was asking his way, when he was asked if his phone does not have map, he said it has but that he does not know how to use it.
This case is one out of many of such cases in Nigeria and some other African country which pose hindrance to adoption and use of mobile content.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned four persons before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged money laundering scheme involving $5.3 million.
The defendants — Bamidele Ayodele Emmanuel, Abdullah Oriyomi, Garuba Fathiat Funmilayo and Gbenro Victor Ademola — were arraigned before Justice F. N. Ogazi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi on separate two-count charges bordering on money laundering.
According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offence involved a total of $5,296,691 and contravenes the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the charges against Emmanuel alleged that between January 1 and 31, 2025, he retained $826,691 in a Wema Bank account, which he allegedly ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC alleged that the act was contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All four defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their pleas, Bilkisu Buhari, prosecution counsel, told the court that investigations showed the defendants admitted handing over their personal details to one Afeez Animashaun, who allegedly approached them at Mushin Market in Lagos, where they carried out their businesses.
According to the prosecution, the personal information was used to register several companies, including College Compass Eduguide Nigeria Limited, Hortifresh Solutions Nigeria Limited, Eduboost Innovation Nigeria Limited and Fixit Hardware and Tools Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC further alleged that corporate bank accounts were opened in the names of the companies and used to receive millions of dollars within January 2025.
Buhari told the court that the arrangement enabled the actual operators of the companies to remain anonymous while facilitating the movement of suspicious funds through Nigeria’s financial system.
She urged the court to convict the defendants based on their guilty pleas and impose appropriate sentences.
Justice Ogazi ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the matter until August 4, 2026, for judgment.
Dele Oye, chairman, Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE), has raised the alarm that an estimated eight million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) shut down across Nigeria between January 2023 and June 2024, representing about 20 per cent of the country’s estimated 40 million SMEs.
Dele Oye, chairman, Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics
He also warned that the scale of the collapse exposes a deepening crisis in the sector, describing it as an existential threat to Nigeria’s economic foundation.
He disclosed the figures in a policy brief titled “The Gap: Nigeria’s Industrial Policy 2025 vs. The Lived Reality of SMEs.”
According to Oye, research consistently shows that as many as 95 per cent of Nigerian SMEs fail within their first five years of operation, highlighting the urgent need for policies that go beyond design to effective implementation.
Quoting Femi Egbesola, national president of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Oye described the situation as a humanitarian crisis.
“Many businesses simply cannot cope with the harsh economic environment. Owners are closing their shops, unable to meet loan obligations or manage skyrocketing operational costs. Several people have died under the pressure; others are in the hospital. It’s a humanitarian crisis,” Egbesola said.
Oye identified three major factors driving SME failures: macroeconomic instability, limited access to affordable finance and soaring energy costs.
He, however, commended the Federal Government’s newly introduced Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 (NIP2025), describing it as an ambitious framework designed to reposition the country’s manufacturing sector.
On the policy championed by the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, minister of State for Industry, explained that it seeks to raise manufacturing’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 15 per cent by 2030 and 25 per cent by 2035, while boosting exports, creating jobs and positioning Nigeria as Africa’s leading industrial hub.
Oye noted that the policy rightly recognises MSMEs as central to achieving those objectives, pointing out that the sector contributes 46.32 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and accounts for about 87.9 per cent of total employment.
He said the policy promises single-digit loans, industrial clusters, technology incubation centres, skills development programmes and fiscal incentives aimed at supporting businesses.
Despite these commitments, Oye argued that there remains a wide gap between policy intentions and the realities confronting entrepreneurs.
“For millions of Nigerian entrepreneurs struggling to survive, the NIP2025 reads less like a practical roadmap and more like a distant promise,” he said.
According to him, inflation, which climbed to 33.4 per cent in July 2024, persistent naira depreciation and the removal of fuel subsidies have sharply increased production and transportation costs, forcing many SMEs to downsize their workforce by as much as 70 per cent.
He also lamented the limited access to affordable financing, noting that only between 15 and 20 per cent of SMEs have access to formal bank credit. Where loans are available, he said, lending rates now exceed 35 per cent, making borrowing unsustainable for most small businesses.
Energy shortages remain another major burden, with businesses enduring prolonged power outages and relying heavily on generators.
Oye noted that diesel costs alone consume as much as 30 per cent of revenue for many SMEs.
He argued that previous industrial policies failed largely because of weak implementation rather than the absence of good ideas.
According to him, although government interventions have increased credit availability over the years, most SMEs use borrowed funds to cover operational expenses such as rent, inventory and energy costs instead of expanding production because of the difficult business environment.
To reverse the trend, Oye called on the Federal Government to declare an SME emergency and introduce targeted measures, including genuine single-digit interest loans, energy support for productive sectors and a moratorium on multiple taxation by state and local governments.
He also recommended loan products that align with SME cash flow cycles through longer repayment periods, revenue-based financing and appropriate grace periods.
In addition, he urged the government to prioritise the development of SME industrial clusters by providing reliable electricity, water, roads and security in selected locations within one year.
Oye further called for greater transparency through the National Industrial Development Monitoring System (NIDMS), recommending quarterly publication of detailed data on SME financing, beneficiaries, sectors and employment outcomes.
While describing Senator Enoh’s advocacy for NIP2025 as commendable, Oye stressed that Nigeria’s entrepreneurs need effective implementation rather than another policy document.
He said the policy would only succeed if it delivers tangible benefits to business owners, including bakery operators struggling with rising costs, transport operators forced to cut jobs because of higher diesel prices and artisans fighting to keep their businesses afloat.
“The ambition is right, the execution must now match it.”
MENXTT TECH NG, a Lagos-based technology company, has launched an initiative to make quality Dell laptops more affordable for Nigerians through flexible payment plans and extended warranty support.
The company said the initiative was aimed at helping students, entrepreneurs, professionals and small businesses acquire reliable computing devices despite rising technology costs.
According to the company, customers can now purchase premium pre-owned Dell Latitude, Dell Precision and Dell Inspiron laptops at competitive prices, with selected models available under staggered payment arrangements.
The laptops, it said, are designed to meet the needs of users ranging from students and office workers to architects, engineers, software developers, graphic designers and video editors.
Speaking on the initiative, the Co-Founder of MENXTT TECH NG, Mr Anthony Emeka Nwosu, said access to quality technology should not be limited by financial constraints.
“A laptop is no longer a luxury; it is an essential tool for education, business and career development.
“Unfortunately, many people are forced to settle for unreliable devices because of the high cost of new laptops.
“At MENXTT TECH NG, we want to bridge that gap by providing durable Dell business laptops at affordable prices, backed by a full one-year warranty and flexible payment plans.
“We want every student, entrepreneur, freelancer and business owner to have access to technology that helps them succeed,” he said.
Nwosu explained that every laptop undergoes comprehensive testing before delivery and comes with a one-year warranty, an original charger, a complimentary laptop bag, Windows 11 operating system and Microsoft Office Suite pre-installed.
He added that the company, an authorised Bitdefender Antivirus reseller in Nigeria, also installs genuine Bitdefender security software on every system to protect customers against cyber threats.
According to him, customers requiring additional productivity tools can also have licensed Foxit PDF software installed on their devices.
Nwosu said the flexible payment option was introduced in response to prevailing economic realities, enabling customers to spread payments over an agreed period.
He noted that the arrangement would make it easier for students, startups and growing businesses to acquire quality computers without placing excessive pressure on their finances.
Beyond laptop sales, the company provides information technology consultancy, computer repairs, software licensing, cybersecurity solutions and digital transformation services to organisations across Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital economy by making dependable computing devices and enterprise technology solutions more accessible to individuals and businesses.
According to him, the initiative reflects MENXTT TECH NG’s vision of combining affordability, quality products and professional after-sales support to help more Nigerians participate in the country’s expanding digital ecosystem. (NAN)
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