Telecom

Increasing Internet Access through Sabi, Win Initiatives

Published

17 years ago

March 23, 2009

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Internet service delivery in the country has been a nightmare ranging from low speed and high cost of the service.
Apart from Internet access service offered by many of the ISPs in Nigeria to the general populace, telecommunications operators also provide data services.
There are issues associated with performance which cuts across the spectrum of various Internet connectivity solution providers in the country.
GSM networks:
All the four GSM networks offer Internet access solutions using GPRS, EDGE and/or 3G (3.5G), although, their Internet services are not at its best in terms of speed.
CDMA networks:
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators are doing much in this regard, with most of them rolling out wireless broadband service, however, there are some challenges with the speed.
Against this backdrop that NCC is planning a forum to address the various bottle-necks in operators bid to offer high speed internet service to their subscribers.
Determined to improve on the current low Internet penetration in the country, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) on July 11, 2006 said it was poised to scale the hurdles to speed up the development of Internet through some new initiatives, deploying emerging information and knowledge technologies.
NCC to the rescue
These initiatives include the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI), Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) as well as Wire Nigeria project.
Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) explained that the major reasons for the slow development of Internet services in the country were the high cost of bandwidth, computers and Internet infrastructure as well as unreliable power supply. He however assured that the NCC would remain focused on its programme of enthroning an information society where every citizen enjoys the full benefits of the global information superhighway.
SABI, Ndukwe said, has been designed to encourage the private sector to build and run a broadband infrastructure with government support and incentive in all state capitals and selected major commercial cities in the country. The project which is nearer to completion will drive Broadband to home (B2H) at an affordable cost.
The SABI project entails the provision of wireless broadband services in Nigerian cities; stimulation of demand for Internet services and increase in usage; and stimulation and acceleration of opportunities in e-education, e-commerce, e-governance, and all electronic related services.
It is believed that National e-government strategy (Negst) is going to leverage on the Sabi in the deployment solution that will facilitate the take off of e-government in the country, especially its recently launched electronic Local Government Administration (eLGA).
The WiN project is intended to provide massive fibre transmission facilities to most areas of Nigeria. The project when fully implemented will ensure that all Nigerians will be only a maximum of 50 km from a fibre network access point wherever they live.
The first phase will connect all State capitals to the fibre network; thereafter all Local Government headquarters will be connected. In the final phase, it is intended that all Nigerians will be within 50 km of a fibre network.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced at the end of the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that Sabi will deliver broadband services in all of the country’s states by the end of 2009. The NCC hopes that the rollout will help to drive economic recovery. The GSM Association (GSMA), the worldwide group of GSM operators, in report said that ICT investments, especially in broadband services, could help take countries out of the economic crisis.
‘The idea and purpose is to serve the areas that are unserved and improve on the areas that have been served partially. We want to stabilize the environment and create incentives that will improve manpower skills that will lead to economic growth,’ said chief regulator of the NCC, Ernest Ndukwe. The first phase of the project will cover the 36 state capitals, followed by expansion to council headquarters and other towns and cities in the local regions.
Three unnamed companies have been approached for the deployment, out of a total of 50 that applied to run and manage the subsidized programme.
He said the subject of broadband being discussed at the conference was timely and crucial to the commission; even as the nation celebrated seven years of massive growth in voice telephony, as broadband was the next frontier that needed to be conquered.
Ndukwe said it was because of the importance placed on extending broadband services to all parts of the country that the commission initiated the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative, which would cover all the 36 state capitals and many of the urban and semi urban centres.
“The rationale behind the Sabi project is to provide wireless broadband services in Nigerian cities so as to stimulate demand for Internet services and increase usage, and most importantly, this project is to drive broadband to homes at affordable levels,” he said.
The NCC boss said that the Wire Nigeria Project being facilitated by the commission to ensure provision of optic fibre cable backbone infrastructure across the country, would also compliment the Sabi.
“The idea behind the WIN project is to provide a national backbone infrastructure,” he said.
"We have also given frequencies to those companies to enable them go round and do it copiously. So, by the end of the year, you will see a lot of broadband infrastructure rolled out across the country with good enough speed to make us happy. In the next few weeks, we shall be holding a forum to discuss how the speed of broadband is improved in our country. Many people are not happy with the current speed and there are bottlenecks and others and the forum is to seek a solution." I must say I have read it in the newspapers like anybody because there is no single company that has approached NCC for tariff increase, he said.
Ndukwe also disclosed that the commission had freely offered information and communication technology appreciation training to over 4,000 professors and lecturers from tertiary institutions across the country through the Digital Bridge Institute, which was established by the commission.
He said the training was offered to the lecturers under the Digital Appreciation Programme for Tertiary-designed to equip the lecturers with the basic computer skills and Internet application to ensure they were equipped to use the facilities to teach and encourage their students.

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Telecom

Airtel Secures Another 10-year Spectrum Renewal in Nigeria

Published

9 hours ago

July 25, 2026

Ebere Melum-Nwogbo

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Airtel Nigeria has secured a fresh 10-year renewal of its spectrum licence from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), reinforcing the telecom operator’s long-term commitment to expanding broadband connectivity and improving digital access across the country.

Airtel Secures Another 10-year Spectrum Renewal in Nigeria

The renewed licence covers Airtel’s spectrum holdings, which are critical to the delivery of voice and high-speed data services, providing regulatory certainty for continued investments in network expansion, capacity upgrades and improved customer experience.

According to the company, the renewal underscores confidence in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector and will support its ongoing efforts to bridge the country’s digital divide by extending quality connectivity to more underserved communities.

Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer, Airtel Africa, said the renewal provides the company with the confidence to continue investing in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

He said, “The spectrum renewal reaffirms our long-term commitment to Nigeria, our largest market. It gives us the certainty required to continue investing in network expansion, improve service quality and accelerate digital inclusion for millions of Nigerians.”

Taldar added that Airtel remains focused on expanding broadband access and supporting Nigeria’s digital economy agenda through sustained investments in telecommunications infrastructure.

He further said, “We appreciate the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Government for their continued support in creating an enabling environment for investment. We remain committed to delivering reliable and affordable connectivity while contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.”

Meanwhile, Industry observers said the licence renewal removes regulatory uncertainty and allows Airtel to pursue long-term capital investments, including the expansion of 4G and 5G networks, as demand for mobile data and digital services continues to grow across Nigeria.

The renewal comes as telecom operators continue to invest heavily in broadband infrastructure to meet rising data consumption and support government efforts to achieve Universal digital access.

Furthermore, It also aligns with the NCC’s objective of ensuring efficient spectrum management while encouraging sustained private sector investment in the country’s telecommunications industry.

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Telecom

GSMA Supports Abuja Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa, Joins Partners to Launch ATLAS Umoja

Published

9 hours ago

July 25, 2026

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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The GSMA supports the Abuja Ministerial Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa by Ministers and Heads of Delegation at the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-2026), describing it as an important milestone in strengthening Africa’s digital future through evidence-based policy, investment and regional collaboration.

The Declaration commits African governments to advancing policies that promote meaningful connectivity, digital inclusion, technology-neutral regulation, resilient digital infrastructure and locally relevant digital services. It also reinforces the importance of collaboration between governments, industry and development partners to close the continent’s connectivity and usage gaps.

Throughout the conference, the GSMA has worked alongside governments, regulators and industry leaders to support these shared ambitions through practical policy engagement, evidence-based research and new collaborative initiatives designed to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.

Speaking during the ATU-GSMA African ICT Regulatory Leaders’ Forum, policymakers and regulators explored how stronger evidence-based regulation, greater regulatory harmonisation and future-ready policy frameworks can create an enabling environment for investment, innovation and sustainable digital growth across Africa. Drawing insights from the GSMA’s Digital Africa Index, participants also examined future-ready approaches to satellite regulation, highlighting how technology-neutral licensing frameworks can support innovation while extending connectivity to underserved communities.

Caroline Mbugua, Senior Director, Public Policy, Africa, GSMA, said: “The Abuja Ministerial Declaration sends an important signal that African governments share a common vision for delivering meaningful connectivity through modern, evidence-based and investment-friendly policy. Its emphasis on digital inclusion, technology-neutral regulation, resilient infrastructure and stronger regional collaboration reflects the practical policy foundations needed to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.”

Launching ATLAS Umoja AI

Supporting the ambitions set out in the Abuja Declaration, the GSMA, Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Togo’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Transformation, Kenya’s Ministry of information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Namibia’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Benin’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and Innovation, Awarri, Zindi, Pawa AI and Mozisha today announced ATLAS Umoja AI –a new pan-African initiative to strengthen collaboration on African language AI.

Designed to complement national AI programmes, ATLAS Umoja will bring together governments, industry and researchers to share expertise, datasets and best practice, helping develop trusted, scalable AI that better reflects Africa’s languages, cultures and development priorities. The initiative aims to accelerate innovation, attract investment and scale African language AI across the continent.

The launch builds on the momentum of the newly established AI for Good Global Commission. Ministers from Nigeria, Namibia and Togo, who serve on the Commission, have committed to support Africa Umoja, demonstrating how African leaders are turning global ambitions for trusted and inclusive AI into practical regional collaboration.

Angela Wamola, Head of Africa, GSMA, said: “Africa’s AI future must reflect Africa’s own languages, communities and development priorities. ATLAS Umoja brings together governments, industry, researchers and innovators to build African language AI at scale. By making AI and digital services available in the languages people speak every day, the initiative will help tackle two of the biggest barriers to internet adoption – digital literacy and locally relevant content – supporting efforts to close Africa’s usage gap and expand meaningful connectivity across the continent.”

Dr. Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria said:“Artificial Intelligence will be a defining technology for Africa’s future, but its benefits must be built on our own languages, cultures and knowledge systems. Nigeria is proud to have taken the first step through N-ATLAS and is equally proud to see that vision evolve into the continental ATLAS Umoja AI.

“By working together with governments, researchers and ecosystem partners across Africa, we can build AI that is more inclusive, locally relevant and accessible to millions of people, while strengthening Africa’s digital sovereignty and creating new opportunities for innovation, education and economic growth.”

Silas Adekunle, Founder & CEO, Awarri added: “Awarri is proud to support The ATLAS Umoja AI and contribute lessons from N-ATLAS, which has demonstrated what is possible when African language data, local technical talent and practical AI applications are brought together. This is an important opportunity to help build AI systems that work for African languages and communities.”

Celina Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, Zindi concluded: “Africa’s AI future will be built by the people who best understand its languages, cultures and communities. Through ATLAS Umoja AI, we have an opportunity to empower local researchers, data scientists and developers to solve meaningful challenges, strengthen national AI capabilities and ensure African language AI is developed by Africans, for Africans.”

Alongside the launch of ATLAS Umoja AI, the GSMA continued discussions with policymakers at the ATU Conference on future-ready regulatory frameworks, including satellite connectivity, spectrum policy and technology-neutral licensing.

Drawing on the GSMA Satellite Regulatory Playbook, discussions explored how modern regulation can encourage investment, expand meaningful connectivity and support the ambitions of the Abuja Declaration.

Together, the Abuja Declaration, ATLAS Umoja and continued collaboration between governments, regulators and industry represent an important step towards expanding meaningful connectivity, accelerating digital inclusion and supporting Africa’s digital transformation.

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Telecom

Samsung Unveils It’s New Galaxy Z Fold8 Series, Pre-Order Now Available on Konga

Published

9 hours ago

July 25, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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Samsung has unveiled its most advanced foldable smartphone lineup yet, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8. The tech conglomerate now sets a new benchmark for premium mobile innovation.

Konga

Nigerian customers can now pre-order the new devices on Konga, Samsung’s trusted e-commerce partner, and stand a chance to receive Samsung gift items worth up to ₦1 million, making this one of the most rewarding smartphone launches of the year.

Designed for productivity, creativity, and everyday convenience, the new Galaxy Z series introduces Samsung’s most refined foldable experience to date.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra combines an expansive display with AI-powered productivity, a powerful 200MP camera, an ultra-thin design, and enhanced durability for users who demand the very best.

The Galaxy Z Fold8 delivers immersive entertainment and seamless multitasking in a lighter, wider form factor, while the Galaxy Z Flip8 elevates self-expression with its sleek design, smarter FlexWindow, and intelligent Galaxy AI features for effortless interaction on the go. Powered by Samsung’s latest AI experiences, the new devices redefine how users create, communicate, and stay productive.

The availability of the new Galaxy Z Fold8 series on Konga further reinforces the long-standing partnership between Samsung and Konga, built on trust, authenticity, and a shared commitment to delivering genuine technology to Nigerian consumers. Through Samsung’s official store on Konga, customers are assured of authentic products, reliable after-sales support, and a seamless shopping experience.

The pre-order offer is available for a limited period. To be one of those who get to experience the new device, tech enthusiasts are encouraged to visit Konga’s Samsung Official Store to reserve their preferred Galaxy Z Fold8 or Z Flip8 device and qualify for exclusive Samsung gifts worth up to ₦1 million, while stocks last.

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