Telecom
Microsoft Once Again Backs Data Science Nigeria’s Artificial Intelligence Bootcamp 2019

For the second year running, Microsoft through the 4Afrika initiative, is the lead sponsor of the 2019 Data Science Nigeria (DSN) Artificial Intelligence (AI) bootcamp, an all-expenses-paid learning bootcamp that builds Nigeria’s capacity in the use of advanced machine learning and deep learning concepts and drives the application of AI for socio-economic development.
The bootcamp will be held between 19 and 24 November 2019 in Lagos and will focus on the use of modern tools, particularly Microsoft Azure in Deep Learning, applied to concepts including convolutional neural networks, cognitive systems and natural language processing.
The bootcamp is driven by a broader strategic intent to accelerate Nigeria’s development through the solution-oriented application of machine learning to solve social and business problems, and to galvanise a data science knowledge revolution improving employability, technological innovations and sustainable socio-economic development.
This reinforces the DSN’s vision to create one million new jobs in the next ten years through world-class knowledge and best practices applications.
To support developers at the bootcamp, international software and structure engineers from Microsoft will be on-ground to share knowledge and practical experience.
Selected under the volunteering programme, MySkills4Afrika, these leading experts will have the extended opportunity to train and mentor students on the day, helping to build the capacity of local AI developers.
Ryno Rijnsburger, head of Skills Development, Microsoft 4Afrika, said “We were so impressed by the talent at last year’s DSN, which tasked developers with creating solutions for financial inclusion, and look forward to collaborating with DSN again this year.
“To ensure everyone in Africa benefits from technology and the fourth industrial revolution, we need locally-relevant solutions that address African challenges.
“These solutions sit in the hands of our developers, which is why we’re empowering them to create and excel.”
Microsoft 4Afrika has been aggressively upskilling the African developer community in their use of modern technologies, and equipping them to innovate in the fields of healthcare, education, finance and agriculture.
Through its 19 SkillsLabs), Interns4Afrika, MySkills4Afrika and startup/ISV development programs, Microsoft has paired developers with technical experts to gain real-world experience in cloud computing, secure coding, machine learning, and data analytics.
The bootcamp will be heralded by a one-day industry stakeholders’ seminar on the theme, ’Artificial Intelligence for Socio-Economic Development’, on Tuesday, 19 November 2019 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The first artificial intelligence textbook for Nigerian primary and secondary schools written by the convener Data Science Nigeria, Bayo Adekanmbi, will also be unveiled at this event.
The 2019 Artificial Intelligence bootcamp is fully residential, with free meals, accommodation and travel grants to all qualified candidates, who have gone through the intensive Kaggle competition and all the pre-study activities.
The bootcamp learning sessions will be enriched by 25 leading experts from different parts of the world, including Margaryta Ostapchuk,
Technical Evangelist, Microsoft Canada; Sabrina Smai, Software Engineer, Microsoft Canada; Tom Dietterich, Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University and founder of BigML; Dr. Nnana Orieke, Cloud Solution Architect, Microsoft; Kris Sankaran, of the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms, Canada and Anima Anandkumar, Professor of Computing, CalTech, USA.
Others are; Kathleen Siminyu, AI4Development, Kenya; Dr. Stephen G. Odaibo, CEO, RetinaAI, USA; Samuel Edet, founder of Colloq Initiative; Wale Akinfaderin, Senior Data Scientist, Duke Energy; Emmanuel Doro, Data Science Director, Walmart, USA; Uzo Mkparu, Group Head, CRM, Customer Analytics & Insights FCMB; Pascal Bernard, Head of Data Science, OneFi; Elaine Nsoesie, Assistant Professor, Boston University; Kunle Olukotun, Professor at Stanford University; Nicholas Litombe, Data Scientist and Physicist; Robert John, Data Science Officer, EnterFive; Dr. Sakinat Folorunsho, Lecturer, Computer Science, OOU; Olubayo Adekanmbi, Convener of Data Science Nigeria and Chief Transformation Officer, MTN Nigeria, among others.
Participation in the 6-day AI bootcamp is based on pre-competition Kaggle qualification at https://www.kaggle.com/c/intercampusai2019 and 100 Days of Machine/Deep learning classes at https://t.co/wBm6Qsul6b
Data Science Nigeria is a non-profit initiative of MTN’s Chief Transformation Officer, Bayo Adekanmbi, spurred on by a compelling drive to raise a new generation of data scientists and knowledge entrepreneurs who will lead high-impact artificial intelligence research for socio-economic development, transformational innovation, and the economic prosperity of Nigeria and the African continent at large.
Telecom
Mafab Gets 0724 Number Series, Launches Mcom 5G Brand

Mafab Communications, operating under the brand Mcom, has officially activated its mobile service infrastructure and commenced offering telecommunications services — including voice, data, and SMS — with new number range, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can report.

Dr. Musbahu Bashir, founder Mafab, owners of Mcom
Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has also confirmed the entry of Mcom which listed 0724 as officially assigned to Mafab.
An insider at Mafab told this reporter that “ We are Nigeria’s first 5G standalone network provider, revolutionizing the telecommunications landscape. We are driven by a vision to foster a world where possibilities know no bounds with the power of technology”
Recall that the original 5G licence was awarded to Mafab in 2021, with an expectation that rollout would have fully commence by August 2022.
MTN Nigeria, the other winner of the license adhered to this timeline and deployed its 5G across major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
Mafab on the other hand, requested and was granted an extension of time, which it have finally taken advantage of by the recent launch.
Mafab Communications is owned by Dr. Musbahu Bashir, who is also the founder and chairman of the company.
He is the individual behind the Mcom 5G brand and has been instrumental in launching the company’s 5G services.
Telecom
NCC to Name, Shame Telecom Infrastructure Vandals

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has vowed to intensify its collaboration with security agencies to arrest and prosecute individuals vandalising the country’s Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).
Auwal Abdullahi, head of Quality of Service at the NCC, said this during a media engagement held in Abuja.
The move comes on the heels of the recent signing of the “Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024” by President Bola Tinubu.
The Order is aimed at protecting essential digital and communication systems from cyberattacks, vandalism, and related disruptions.
Speaking on the development, Abdullahi said: “The Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Act has provisions for prosecution, and the operationalisation of CNII falls under the purview of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). Anyone found liable for damaging or disrupting CNII will be prosecuted going forward. We are working with relevant agencies like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to tackle these problems and prosecute offenders.”
He recounted that some telecom operators recorded significant financial losses two years ago, largely due to exchange rate pressures and infrastructure vandalism.
“About two years ago, we noticed a situation where some of our key telecom operators were recording massive losses. Despite increasing revenues, they were struggling with heavy forex-related obligations that ate into their revenues. This led to poor quality of service,” he said.
According to him, the recent tariff adjustments have placed the industry back on a path to profitability and renewed investment.
“As a result, they are able to reinvest in their networks, which will lead to better quality of service and experience. We expect investments in the industry to increase significantly this year, more than what was seen in the last two years. The Nigerian telecoms industry has great promise, evident in its revenue growth and service delivery, despite the recent challenges,” he added
Also speaking at the event, Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman and CEO of the NCC, reassured stakeholders that the Commission remains committed to driving improvements in network quality across the country.
Represented by Mrs. Nnena Ukoha, acting head of Public Affairs, Maida challenged journalists to act on the knowledge shared at the forum.
“This is not for you alone. You now have this information, do not just sit on it. For instance, you were given figures on fiber cuts and thefts affecting NCC. Who is responsible for those infrastructures? The NSCDC. Ask them: ‘Of all these incidents, what are you doing about them? How many people have been prosecuted?’ Every state has legal departments. Go and ask them: ‘What are you doing to protect critical infrastructure?’ he queried.
Telecom
USSD: 13 Banks Clear Debts – ALTON

Association of Licensed Telecommunications Companies in Nigeria (ALTON) has revealed that 13 commercial banks have fully settled their outstanding Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) service debts to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON
The remaining three banks are nearing completion of their payments, having cleared over 95% of their respective debts, according to Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON.
This resolution paves the way for a new billing system for USSD banking transactions.
Going forward, charges for these services will be debited directly from customers’ airtime accounts.
The update on debt settlements and the upcoming billing model were discussed , during the ‘ASK the Exec’ online meeting anchored by MTN.
Participants included Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief enterprise business officer at MTN and Adebayo.
According to the ALTON Chairman, there has been substantial progress in resolving the long-standing debt issue.
“As of January, the outstanding debt from banks to MNOs for USSD services was N180 billion. Of the 17 banks with pre-API outstanding payments (excluding Heritage Bank, which is insolvent), 13 have fully settled their debts, and the remaining three are in the final stages of installment payments, with over 95% of the debt cleared”, he explained to journalists present at the call.
The clearance of historical debt is crucial as the industry moves to a new operational model.
“Banks with outstanding debts will not be excluded from the new system; they can either migrate to end-user billing once their debts are cleared or choose to remain on the old corporate billing model, provided they settle their outstanding obligations”, Adebayo pointed out.
Since 2021, collaborative efforts between the telecommunications and banking industries, supported by their regulators, have aimed to standardize charges for USSD banking transactions, resulting in a unified fee of N6.98 per transaction.
Saint-Nwafor, explained the upcoming change: “The most significant change is the transition to end-user billing, where customers will now be billed for USSD transactions directly from their airtime accounts instead of their bank accounts. This means deductions will no longer occur from bank balances but from airtime balances held with MNOs.”
Previously, banks directly debited customers’ bank accounts, a system that presented challenges regarding transparency and control.
To address this, an Application Programming Interface (API) was developed, granting banks full control over their USSD channels. For instance, a bank like GTBank with the USSD code *737# can now ensure a customer’s number is accepted by the bank before a transaction proceeds, after which the bank applies the N6.98 charge.
MNOs like MTN simply facilitate the connection, earning their N6.98 fee for providing the channel.
To ensure a smooth transition and consistent experience, a standardized process for end-user billing has been implemented across all operators and banks: Consent Message: Customers dialing a bank’s USSD code will receive a clear consent message informing them of the N6.98 deduction from their airtime and requesting acceptance.
Aggregator Communication: Upon acceptance, the MNO will contact a USSD aggregator to confirm the bank’s availability, preventing billing for unfulfilled services. Transaction and Billing: Once the bank confirms readiness, the MNO connects the customer and bills the airtime account.
All MNOs have also unified their messaging to customers, providing consistent communication on service levels and transaction outcomes, clarifying if a transaction failed due to issues on the bank’s end or the telco’s side.
Crucially, telco service purchases (airtime and data) from banks are zero-rated when customers use direct strings (e.g., dialing *737*10000# for N10,000 airtime instead of the generic *737#).
This informs both the MNO and the bank of the specific intent, making these transactions free.
Customers are strongly encouraged to use these direct strings to avoid charges, and extensive communication campaigns are planned. Any instance of double deduction (from both airtime and bank accounts) should be reported to the customer’s bank.
Adebayo addressed several key questions, reassuring the public about the implications for consumers and businesses.
He noted that for consumers, the shift to end-user billing has a zero net effect on cost, as they were already paying the N6.98 fee, albeit from their bank accounts.
Transparency and accountability are enhanced through standardized consent messages, inter-industry agreements, and MNOs’ commitment to provide monthly performance statistics to regulators.
“If a transaction fails due to MNO network issues, the customer will not be billed, or any deduction will be reversed. However, if the failure originates from the bank’s end (e.g., insufficient bank balance, bank system downtime), the customer will still be billed, with the reason for failure communicated”, ALTON Chairman explained.
The concern about USSD usage limiting access for those in unbanked areas or without airtime was also addressed.
“The N6.98 charge is considerably lower than alternative transport costs to physical banking points. Furthermore, customers can purchase airtime from their bank accounts at zero cost using direct strings, even if they have no airtime, as long as they have funds in their bank account. USSD is seen as a convenience channel, with all stakeholders contributing to the cost of providing financial services”, Adebayo stated.
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