Telecom
IDC Commends Telcos over Outsourcing Business Models
International Data Corporation (IDC) has commended mobile network operators in the country for adopting outsourcing business models aimed at reducing operational costs and sustain profitability.
According to a statement from IDC, “the business models employed by Nigeria’s mobile network operators (MNO) are undergoing a notable period of evolution. Spurred by the pressing need to optimize or even reduce costs relating to network operations and maintenance fees, MNOs in the country are increasingly scoping outsourcing models in collaboration with third-party infrastructure providers rather than deploying and owning their entire network infrastructure themselves.”
“This quest to sustain profitability is not unique to Nigerian operators, with the trend proving popular globally. But there are distinct forces at play within the Nigerian market that are making profitability ever more challenging for operators in the country. Legacy voice revenues are steadily declining, competition is forcing down tariffs, and, in general terms, the average revenue per user is falling and is expected to continue doing so”.
The statement added that: “To combat this, attention is been diverted to boosting the provision of data services as operators strive to generate additional revenue streams, but such efforts bring with them additional capital and operation expenditure requirements for new and improved data network infrastructure. Such costs are already impacting negatively on the profitably of MNOs in the country, and generally relate to factors like the acquisition of land, power generation, security and generator maintenance.”
So far, MTN, Airtel, and Etisalat have all signed some form of outsourcing contract with a telecom equipment vendor or telecom infrastructure provider.
Etisalat has even gone a step further by forming a strategic IT outsourcing partnership with Huawei that will see the Chinese company take over responsibility for the operations and management of Etisalat Nigeria’s IT network.
This increasingly popular approach is expected to enable MNOs to focus more on their core business — providing improved customer experience through excellent network service.
“IDC believes the evolution in business models employed by Nigerian MNOs is a step in the right direction. In the long term, we expect this trend to lead to a notable improvement in the quality of service on the networks provided by these MNOs. There will also be a dynamic shift from cost reduction efforts to efficiency enhancements on the part of third-party infrastructure providers. As the market matures, competition will force a need for differentiation among third-party infrastructure providers and this will ultimately lead to an improved value proposition. Finally, as more successful outsourcing case studies emerge, there will be a quest for increased efficiency in terms of capacity management, network planning, and end-to-end performance management. IDC predicts that this will eventually lead to one or two MNOs outsourcing their entire core network infrastructures,” said Oluwole Babatope a telecommunications and networking research analyst with IDC West Africa.
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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