Telecom
How we’re harnessing and strengthening Nigeria Digital Ecosystem- DG NITDA

Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), has that said the Agency is implementing key policies to harness and strength the Nigeria Digital Ecosystem.
He stated this at the webinar session organized by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in collaboration with the National Association of Software and Service Companies in India (NASSCOM).
Abdullahi while speaking on the theme; ‘Nigeria-India Partnership towards a Structured ICT Market and Digital Economy’, noted that the collaboration is an amazing opportunity for creating a viable ICT Market and Digital Economy in both Nigeria and India.
“We hugely invest in four areas to strengthen our tech innovation ecosystem; these are: Human Capital Development, Infrastructure, Demand Creation and Funding for Startups”, he disclosed.
He further corroborated his claims by stating that Lagos alone has more than 400 startups valued at over $2 billion.
“At NITDA we focus on creating market for digital economy through implementing groundbreaking initiatives to create innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurial capacity in our country”, he said.
This, according to the NITDA Boss, is in line with the Presidential mandate given to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
He also stated that Nigeria is leading in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the technology sector, and this he attributed to the nation’s population and volume of usage.
“We have the largest young population, Internet users and mobile subscriptions, and we are second-highest tech-startup density on the continent”, he added.
The DG explained further that with Nigeria’s population both countries have promising potentials to create and capture value in digital economy.
He argued that Nigeria is towing the same line with the Indian tech sector on this positive trajectory.
He also identified three distinctive attributes that fostered the growth of ICT in India; firstly, lowering the cost of mobile data, secondly, implementing a national identification program to provide digital identity for all, and thirdly, embracing digital payments.
“Nigerian government is vigorously implementing similar policies to structure its ICT Market and Digital Economy”, he added.
Mallam Abdullahi believes that Abuja is becoming an emerging tech hub and having a viable innovation ecosystem in Abuja is critical to digital economy market creation in the city and Nigeria at large.
He is optimistic that this partnership will focus on opportunity to learn from India to build market and create prosperity for Nigerians.
The NITDA Boss charged the collaborating team to ensure the partnership is geared towards enhancing Nigeria to become a digital economy.
He is also confident that Nigeria has a competitive edge to compete with any country globally.
He commended the efforts of ACCI and NASSCOM for the opportunity they are opening up to Nigerians.
Stating his believe that the partnership will help strengthen digital ecosystem and create prosperity for the country.
Dr. Dan-Azumi Mohammed Ibrahim, director general of National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), in his goodwill message expressed optimism that the collaboration would enable sustainable development and also bring the level of illiteracy to its barest minimum in the country.
Engr. Olanrewaju Onigbogi, who is head, ICT department of M-P Infrastructure, reiterated the NITDA DG’s submission that ICT has evolved in Nigeria.
He also agreed that the use of ICT has helped organizations achieve growth, making them become efficient, effective, innovative and globally competitive.
Telecom
MTN @ Swish Fusion Summit, Showcases 5G Rollout Strategy

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has joined other professionals across media, technology, and business gathered in Lagos for the Swish Fusion Tech and Media Summit.
Themed ‘Africa: Big Wins & New Breaks’, the summit drew thousands of attendees and featured more than 40 speakers exploring the intersection of innovation, regulation, and economic growth across the continent.
Among the sessions, MTN Nigeria presented a detailed look at the company’s ongoing 5G deployment efforts and its role in shaping enterprise infrastructure.
Njideka Jack, senior manager for Partnerships in MTN’s Enterprise Business Division, shared details of the investments, reiterating the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality 5G-powered services.
The company’s 5G rollout timeline began in 2022 with license acquisition from the Nigerian Communications Commission. In 2023, MTN moved into pilot testing and infrastructure investment.
By 2024, coverage had expanded to key cities and business hubs.
The company now plans to extend access to more underserved areas throughout 2025 while deepening collaboration with OEMs and regulators.
Beyond the rollout itself, Jack also spoke on the potential of private 5G networks for Nigerian enterprises.
With the ability to offer secure, high-speed, low-latency connectivity, these networks are increasingly being adopted in manufacturing, healthcare, education, and logistics sectors.
The summit’s broader agenda reflected a similar sense of urgency around Africa’s digital future.
Panels and breakout sessions tackled topics ranging from mobile-first product design and regulatory frameworks to the rise of AI in content creation and the realities of funding early-stage tech ventures on the continent.
Speakers from companies like Jumia, Stears and local startups provided perspectives on both the barriers and breakthroughs in building scalable African solutions.
The sessions also sparked conversations about how African businesses are adapting to consumer behaviour shifts and infrastructure limitations.
Telecom
PAT Taps Osi as CEO

Pan African Towers (PAT), a Nigerian infrastructure provider serving 9mobile and Spectranet, has appointed Echezona Osi as chief executive officer.

Echezona Osi
Adefolarin Ogunsanya, company’s, board chairman, explained in a statement that Osi would succeed Oladipo Badru, whose tenure lasted nine months in acting CEO position. Osi has more than 28 years of experience in the telecommunications sector across various regions of Africa.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, he had served as the head of network deployment at Airtel Nigeria, operations director and chief technical information officer at MIC Tanzania, chief technology officer roles at IPT PowerTech Nigeria, Rhino Niger Networks and Biswal Nigeria.
He obtained a degree in electrical/ electronic engineering from the University of Benin and a postgraduate diploma in data science and business analytics from the University of Texas.
Telecom
NCC Introduces N10m Licence Fee for Bulk SMS Service

Companies sending bulk international text messages, also known as Application-to-Person (A2P) messages, will now have apply for a licence that costs N10 million.
This is part of new rules introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at cleaning up the system, fighting fraud, blocking spam messages and stopping money from leaving the country unchecked.
These A2P messages are the kind customers get from banks, online stores, hospitals and political campaigns, automated texts sent from apps to their phones.
According to the commission, the bulk international text message system has been poorly regulated, allowing misuse and invasion of privacy.
“The International SMS Service Ecosystem in Nigeria has not been fully brought under regulatory control. It has been observed that the excessive use of the Short Message Service has led to fraud, spam and illegal activities,” the NCC said.
The regulator warned that without action, the problem would worsen as more people use mobile phones and digital services.
To solve this, the NCC is creating a central platform, or gateway, through which all international bulk text messages must pass through.
The agency said this would help to monitor messages in real time, ensure proper fees are paid, and make sure the money stays in Nigeria where it can contribute to the economy.
As part of the incoming change, service providers must follow strict rules, including strong data protection, spam filters, and message encryption.
Also, they must also work with local mobile networks and make sure all messages come from a verified sender
The NCC warned that any message without a proper sender ID will be blocked and not delivered to users.
To protect users from unwanted texts, the new rules say companies must get clear permission before sending any promotional content.
The rule also says people must also be able to choose whether they want to receive such messages or not.
Companies are now required to keep records of all messages for at least six months and must clearly state all charges involved.
The NCC said fees for help requests, cancellations, or service info must be transparent and not include hidden charges.
The commission will issue licences to several providers to encourage healthy competition but may limit new licences if needed.
Only companies that show they can stop fraud and safely deliver messages will be allowed to operate. They must also regularly report their message traffic and finances to the NCC.
It warned that any company that breaks the rules risks getting fined, suspended, or having its licence revoked.
Offences like charging illegal tariffs, ignoring security rules, or avoiding taxes will be punished, the NCC said.
The commission added that the new rules follow the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023 and support the federal government’s goal of strengthening cybersecurity and controlling Nigeria’s digital space.
The framework will also be reviewed from time to time to keep up with new technology and market trends.
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