Telecom
Knocks, Pats as Operators Dissect Interconnect Rate
Argument swung left and right Friday, as stakeholders in the telecom industry disagreed on terms of measurement used in determining Nigeria’s interconnection rates regime that has caused problems in the sector.
The stakeholders at the forum called by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to review the 2009 interconnection rates determination for voice services to the regime apart and pointed at the various issues causative to high interconnection indebtedness in the industry.
Under the current regime, which kicked off in December 31, 2009, interconnection rates for mobile voice termination provided by new entrants irrespective of originating network were set at N10.12.
The rates were designed to fall progressively to N9.48 on December 31, 2010; N8.84 on December 31, 2011 and N8.20 on December 31, 2012, from which date all termination rates will be symmetric.
But Alastair Macpherson, partner, strategy consulting at the London based PWC who conducted a study on the Nigeria mobile market interconnection rates regime, noted that their study was based on asymmetric rates for the industry adopted by the NCC.
Macpherson stated that ‘asymmetry was the big issue and said they looked at the cost and scale of operation of each operator based on their capacity.
Their study, he noted was based on a ‘hypothetical operator’ which doesn’t represent any real operator in the country. “It only shows the level of termination regime that should be in operation” and added: “it is not essentially the number of sites (an operator owns) but its operational efficiency.”
Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman & CEO of the NCC said the interconnection rates were reviewed every three years since 2006.
“The Commission reviewed the interconnection rates by applying multiple rates for mobile and fixed voice services in recognition of far-end and near-end calls termination principles.
“Notably, the subsisting 2009 Glide Path interconnection rates for voice services is the first time the Commission implemented the glide path asymmetric rates for the industry. This was in recognition of late entrants and the commencement of the unified service licensing regime in order to create an enabling environment for healthy competition in the telecommunications markets among the active players.”
But Macpherson noted that the Nigerian market still has a lot of “growth expectation, especially in GSM voice for 2013.”
He said most 3G networks were essentially urban based and stated that in reviewing the Nigeria interconnection rates regime, comparative analysis was made with countries like Tanzania, South Africa and Ghana.
According to Macpherson, Tanzania does a periodic review, South Africa like Nigeria was in the process of reviewing.
The rates operating in Ghana, he noted were lower than what obtains in Nigeria.
But as if in a rehearsed unison, operators and major industry players queried the PWC methodology used at arriving in their conclusions.
Uche Ojo, director at Visafone, Nigeria’s leading code-division multiple application (CDMA) operator insisted that the PWC presentation didn’t represent their market share of the industry.
“I’d first of like to acknowledge that you guys did a good job, but in doing so I am also going to express my disaffection that you did not represent our (CDMA) operations.
Ojo stated what the Nigerian market environment indicates is that from the very beginning, the GSM operators have ‘marked out’ the CDMA firms.
He stated that it was easy for smaller operators to survive under the current regime; hence their peculiarity should have been factored into the findings.
Steve Evans, CEO, Etisalat Nigeria, which has really captured the imagination of Nigeria mobile consumers with their innovative offerings and managed in the process of garner about 15 million customers in less than five years, said PWC did a good job.
He however noted that the ‘hypothetical’ research methodology adopted by PWC was faulty.
“First, I’d say you did a very good job. Asymmetry is a healthy option, but hypothetical option is vague, because it represents a smaller factor than some real-time operators like mine (Etisalat). There should be symmetry in two or three variances like the small, medium and larger operators,” said Evans.
While agreeing with the Visafone director, Evans noted that “it’s very clear that smaller operators are competing at a very big disadvantage. We pay more to MTN in interconnect rate than we made for ourselves even with our 15 million customers.”
Uche Onwudiwe, chief operating officer of Interconnect ClearingHouse also faulted the PWC report stating that their operation was not factored in the study.
Osondu Nwokolo, director government and regulatory affairs at Airtel Nigeria also noted that PWC should have segmented their asymmetric study into three principal market regimes: ‘very large, 2nd set and 3rd set.”
Rather, he noted that “your presentation reflects on two-lines of operators: dominant and other GSM, plus the CDMAs.”
Reacting swiftly, Ms. Oyeronke Oyetunde, general manager, regulatory affairs at MTN Nigeria said: “asymmetry should look at operational cost and not necessarily size of operator. Care should be taken in terms of segregation.”
She implored the industry regulators, NCC to give operators time to study the review model presentation and revert at a later date.
Mohammed Buhari, senior manager, Interconnect & Carrier Services at MTN also raised objections to comparisons between Ghana and Nigeria.
He stated that Ghana’s system is sync with the global voice growth (GVG) regime, which means “it has a separation of termination rate.
In Nigeria, such doesn’t exist because it is the NCC based fixes our interconnection termination rate.
“If all of the West African countries are placed on the international rate, then you would discover that what obtains in Nigeria should be far cheaper than in Ghana, or elsewhere in the region.”
He also faulted another aspect of the report which mentioned operators having one alternate power generating set at a BTS.
“In Nigeria, no BTS can be served on one generator. Your analysis should be two generators by BTS because that is what obtains in this market,” said Buhari.
Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO of Medallion Communications, queried the non-factorisation of fixed wired/wireless operators into the study.
He noted that the new policy thrust of the NCC which gives preference to broadband connectivity implies that fixed operators would become essential market elements.
Macpheson in a bid to save his study said that the study was essentially based on Nigerian market factors with mobile operators has dominant factors.
Starting February 2027, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has mandated mobile network operators and other communications service providers to notify it within four hours of detecting any cyberattack.
This is aimed at strengthening the protection of telecom infrastructure and subscriber data.
The directive is contained in the Cyber Resilience Framework for the Nigerian Communications Sector (CRF-NCS) released by the NCC last month.
According to the NCC, the rule will take effect in February 2027, giving operators a year to put in place the necessary monitoring and reporting systems.
Under the framework, telecommunications companies must alert the regulator within four hours of detecting a cyber incident and continue to provide updates every four hours until the situation is contained.
Operators are also required to submit a confirmation report within 24 hours through a dedicated reporting portal.
The commission said the framework is designed to strengthen cybersecurity oversight in a sector that handles vast volumes of sensitive consumer and national infrastructure data.
Cyber threats targeting telecom networks can lead to service disruptions, data breaches affecting subscriber information, malware infections and other attacks capable of crippling communications systems, according to the regulator.
By introducing faster reporting timelines, the commission said it hopes to improve sector-wide situational awareness and ensure quicker response to threats before they escalate into major outages or data compromises.
The framework also requires telecommunications companies to establish dedicated Security Operations Centres (SOC) to monitor networks continuously for suspicious activity and cyber threats.
These centres are expected to detect and report malicious activities promptly while coordinating responses internally.
In addition, each operator must designate a cybersecurity lead responsible for working with the commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) to share intelligence and coordinate responses to incidents affecting the communications ecosystem.
The NCC said the new framework forms part of broader efforts to strengthen resilience across Nigeria’s communications infrastructure and promote a unified cybersecurity posture in the sector.
The measures come amid growing global and domestic concern over data breaches and cyber intrusions targeting companies that manage large volumes of digital information.
Telecommunications companies, which serve as gateways for internet traffic, mobile banking, messaging and other digital services, are increasingly seen as critical infrastructure vulnerable to cyber threats.
Nigeria’s telecom regulator has in recent years tightened rules around data protection and network security as the country’s digital economy expands.
A United States federal court in the Southern District of New York has comprehensively dismissed all claims against Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by registered users, in a high-profile lawsuit under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Binance
The 62-page decision represents a decisive legal victory, rejecting allegations from 535 plaintiffs who claimed the platform provided material support linked to 64 terrorist attacks.
The court meticulously examined and dismissed every central allegation, ruling that plaintiffs failed to establish Binance assisted terrorists, associated itself with the attacks, participated in or sought to advance them, or engaged in any conspiracy with terrorist organisations.
This full dismissal underscores the absence of evidence supporting the claims, affirming Binance’s long-standing position that the suit was meritless.
Binance General Counsel Eleanor Hughes described the outcome as “a complete vindication of all false allegations.” She emphasised: “The court has unambiguously rejected the false and damaging narrative that Binance assisted terrorists.
“We have always maintained these claims were without merit, and today’s ruling confirms that. We will continue to defend ourselves aggressively against any litigation or reporting that misrepresents who we are and how we operate.”
While the ruling grants plaintiffs 60 days to file an amended complaint in light of a recent appellate decision, Binance expressed strong confidence that no revisions can remedy the “fundamental deficiencies” identified by the court. The exchange views this as a thorough examination and rejection of the underlying assertions.
Binance reaffirmed its commitment to industry-leading compliance infrastructure, proactive regulatory engagement, and robust legal governance worldwide.
The company stressed that its operations do not support, facilitate, or enable terrorism in any form, and it plans to maintain constructive dialogue with regulators while pursuing vigorous defences against misleading narratives.
This development bolsters Binance’s position amid ongoing global scrutiny of crypto platforms, highlighting its operational integrity in a sector often targeted by unsubstantiated claims.
TikTok has announced an additional $200,000 investment in AI media literacy initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa during its third annual Safer Internet Summit in Nairobi, underscoring the platform’s push for safer online spaces amid rising digital challenges.
TikTok
The two-day event, themed #SaferTogether: ‘Innovation and Safety’, gathered government officials, regulators, safety partners, and industry leaders from the region. It builds on prior summits in Ghana (2024) and Cape Town (2025), focusing on collaborative solutions for online protection.
TikTok’s Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Tokunbo Ibrahim, stated: “Our mission is clear: to share learnings, tackle challenges, and advance actionable solutions that protect citizens online. By uniting policymakers, innovators, and creators, we ensure all-inclusive conversations for a resilient digital landscape.”
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Hon. William Kabogo, who opened the summit, added: “This reflects our commitment to collaboration, sector growth, and a safe digital space. We must advance digital innovation, responsible AI governance, and strong regional partnerships.”
Boosting AI Literacy with Local Partners
A summit highlight was TikTok’s expanded $2 million AI Literacy Fund, launched globally in November 2025. The new $200,000 in ad credits targets local organisations to combat misinformation and empower users.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, initial grantees include:
Mtoto News (Kenya): Producing content to help youth engage responsibly with AI.
Africa Check (Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya): Enhancing fact-checking against AI-generated deepfakes.
CJID/DUBAWA (West Africa): Amplifying truth via independent fact-checking to fight information disorder.
Valiant Richey, TikTok’s Global Head of Partnerships, Elections & Market Integrity, said: “We partner with trusted locals because their expertise makes AI literacy impactful, empowering communities as viewers or creators.”
Transparency and Moderation Advances
Delegates explored TikTok’s AI-driven safety measures, including mandatory labelling of AI-generated content (AIGC), advanced detection, and partnerships like the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) for watermarking.
With over 100 million daily uploads, AI aids proactive moderation: Q3 2025 data shows 14 million videos removed in Sub-Saharan Africa, 96.7% via automated tech, complementing human oversight.
The summit ended with pledges for ongoing digital safety efforts across the region.
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