Telecom
Many Troubles of CDMA Business in Nigeria
These are not the best of times for code division multiple application (CDMA) operators in Nigeria; they are going through tough times as a number of factors have conspired to ring them into obscurity.
To say that the CDMA sector is trouble is stating it mildly; financial institutions repulsed by the companies’ stinking financial records have turned their backs, preferring to fund global system for mobile communications (GSM) operators with proven corporate practice.
It appears the CDMA service providers were programmed to fail when the initial licensing regime gave it a regional outlook, rather than the universal for its GSM mobile operators.
However, it’s the CDMA who’s ultimately responsible for their troubles with widespread corporate mismanagement, including, but not limited to its non-compliance with laid down internal controls and operation procedures, biased recruitment exercises and general lack luster management practices.
These issues alone are bad enough, however, to make matters worse over the years CDMA operators have regularly and consciously ignored sustained and systematic red flags as their promoters and managers diverted funds meant for expansion into frivolous projects like manufacturing, oil and gas, elections, just to name a few.
The misappropriation of funds and inability of unified license holders to roll out services has not helped matters, fueling subscribers’ preference toward GSM services.
Due to these poor business practices and mishandling of funds some CDMA companies are already dead and decomposing, those remaining have reportedly axed large chunks of their workforce due to their hemorrhaging finances.
The cutbacks will only provide a temporary palliative as government is not forthcoming with a bail-out plan, nor is the industry eager to consummate mergers or acquisitions, making the long term survival of the companies doubtful.
To ensure that the faith which befell CDMA operators do not have ripple effect on the entire telecom industry, it is important to entrench transparency and adequate disclosure of information for the industry.
That is why we welcome the new corporate governance initiative recently introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the internal management of players in the industry.
Bu the commission should ensure tighter supervision of the management of the companies because the consequences of systemic failure in the industry will be far reaching.
Financial institutions should also be compelled to lend preferentially to the CDMA subsector to give them enough funds for expansion.
Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) on Monday commended the Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) for spearheading a new initiative known as ‘Project Bridge’.
Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON, stated in an interview with NAN in Lagos that the initiative aimed to create a robust and resilient telecommunications backbone across Nigeria.
Emoekpere stated that the project was an ambitious public-private partnership designed to connect all 36 states and Abuja, as well as LGAs, via fiber optic cables.
According to him, the initiative is not meant to replace existing infrastructure but to complement it, creating a more resilient network.
“Right now, most of the networks that we have are linear in nature. ’Just imagine, if there’s only one road from Lagos to Ibadan; if anything happens to that road, you would not get to Ibadan.
‘’This project will create alternative routes,” he said.
The ATCON boss stated that the project was modeled after the successful PPP framework in the energy sector, with the government contributing a certain percentage to the Special Purpose Vehicle and the private sector providing the remaining funding.
He stated that the project’s goal was to establish alternative, redundant connections, thereby ensuring that services remained uninterrupted even if one part of the network was compromised.
The president expressed the full support of telcos, noting that the project would enable members to deliver services more effectively in locations where infrastructure was currently a significant challenge.
“With this project, we will have multiple options,” he said.
Project BRIDGE involves building a nationwide fiber optic network to expand digital infrastructure and connectivity, rather than a physical bridge, as part of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan.
The project is a public-private partnership ($2 billion cost) using an SPV to deploy 90,000km of fiber-optic cable to enhance education, healthcare, and the digital economy.
MTN Nigeria has successfully completed a scheduled network maintenance operation that affected 101 sites across 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Adamawa, Borno, and Kano States.
The restoration marks a significant step in the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability in the Northeast region, amidst multiple fibre cuts and vandalism.
The maintenance, which took place on Sunday, August 24, involved the cutover of traffic to a newly installed fiber span along the AFCOT–Bawo Village route in Adamawa State.
This upgrade was necessary to replace a previously damaged section of the network infrastructure. All service maintenance was done within timeframe and restorations before 1 PM on Sunday August 24th.
We can confirm that all impacted sites have been fully restored, and services are now operating normally. We appreciate our subscribers’ patience and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused during the downtime.
The affected services included 2G, 3G, 4G, and enterprise connectivity, with temporary disruptions experienced in LGAs such as Girei, Song, Mubi North, Hong, and Michika in Adamawa; Askira/Uba and Shani in Borno; and Nasarawa in Kano.
The work was scheduled during daylight hours to ensure the safety of field engineers, given the linear and unprotected nature of the route.
This restoration is part of MTN’s broader strategy to strengthen its infrastructure in underserved regions and ensure consistent service delivery across Nigeria, amidst constant fibre cuts and vandalism.
TikTok has launched its music insights platform, TikTok for Artists, in Nigeria to support artist growth and fan engagement across the country’s vibrant music industry.
The platform, which debuted globally earlier this year, provides artists, labels, and management teams with access to daily-updated dashboards and analytics tools to track music performance, audience demographics, and fan interactions.
Toyin Mustapha, Head of Music Partnerships for the UK, Ireland, and Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok, said the initiative was part of the company’s commitment to empowering African creators.
“With the launch of TikTok for Artists in Nigeria, we’re giving artists and their teams access to insights that can help them engage their fans in more meaningful ways and grow their careers globally,” Mustapha said.
The platform offers detailed song performance metrics, including views, posts, and creator engagements per track. It also provides granular post-level data such as likes, comments, shares, and completion rates, alongside demographic breakdowns by gender, age, and language.
In addition to analytics, TikTok for Artists includes educational resources and step-by-step guides to help artists build sustainable careers.
A key feature of the platform is the Pre-Release tool, which allows artists to launch campaigns for upcoming albums and enables fans to pre-save tracks on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
British artist Jordan Adetunji described the platform as a “game changer,” noting its value in helping artists and their teams plan effective campaigns.
TikTok said the rollout reaffirms its investment in Africa’s creative economy and aims to foster deeper connections between artists and fans across the continent.
The platform is now available to all certified TikTok Artist Accounts, with access also extendable to managers and label teams.
NCC, Wikimedia Nigeria Discuss Responsible Access to Creative Works in Digital Space
Interpol Sting Sniffs Out Cyber Crime in Nigeria, Others
ATCON Commends FG for $2Bn “Project Bridge”, Pledges Support
Miden Systems Drags Bank to Court over Alleged Forgery, Misappropriation
MTN Restores Services After Planned Network Maintenance in Parts of Adamawa, Borno, and Kano
E-Business2 days agoNDPC Begins Probe of Banks, Others for Data Breaches
E-Financial2 days agoFBNQuest Merchant Bank Facilitates Landmark ₦5Bn Commercial Paper Programme for Accion Microfinance Bank
Telecom2 days agoDigital Realty Commits to Africa’s Digital Transformation @ Launch of LKK2 Data Center
Telecom2 days agoIntel–U.S. Partnership Reshapes Semiconductor Landscape with Historic Equity Agreement
E-Financial2 days agoUBA to Deepen Financial Inclusion, Boost Savings’ Culture with Super Savers’ Promo
E-Financial2 days agoNigeria Leads Africa in Stablecoin Adoption with $22Bn in Transactions
E-Financial2 days agoFidelity Bank Resumes Intl Transactions on Naira Debit Cards
Telecom2 days agoNITDA Alerts Nigerians to eSIM Security Flaw Deployed to Hijack Devices Worldwide