Telecom
Mobile Devices, A Veritable Tool for Increased Internet Penetration
International Telecommunications Union has put the number of internet users in the country at 24 million, a figure that is low compare to a country with 150 million people. This situation explains why Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has embarked on different regulatory framework as well as initiatives aimed at increasing internet access in the country. Such regulatory framework includes, relaxed regulations of internet service delivery this the commission said is a approach adopted deliberately to ensure that operators in the sector roll out internet service that would help in increasing access to Nigerians no matter where they live. The commission had also initiated such projects as Wire Nigeria project as well as State Accelerated Broadband project which has taken off in some northern states of the federal. All these are efforts by the commission to ensure that internet access is available to all Nigerians and cost effective also with good speed.
Telecommunications experts that spoke to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek are of the view that the best means of delivery high speed internet service is through terrestrial infrastructure such as copper and fibre optic. They decried the peculiarity of Nigeria situation where there is no national fibre optic backbone network required to deliver broadband internet service thereby forcing operators in the industry to use wireless technology, satellite among others.
Lanre Ajayi, managing director, Pinet Informatics, argued that Nigeria cannot wait till the required fibre optic or copper infrastructure is available before people can use internet, which makes the use some mobile internet applications relevant in the effort to make internet accessible to the people.
As technology evolves it improves efficiency as well as capability to deliver added services. This is the case of mobile telecommunications technologies, which has continued to advance to deliver internet service at a good speed.
For instance, GSM technology has advanced from two generation that hardly deliver internet to 3G network that delivers mobile broadband to users, same is the case of code division multiple access (CDMA) from TDMA to 2000 1x and EV-DO Rev A which deliver mobile broadband internet access as well as voice from the same platform.
According to recent findings by Dataxis Intelligence, Mobile broadband subscribers in Africa – users of data cards and USB dongles through cellular 3G networks- reached 4 million milestone in the last quarter of 2011.
In fact, according to Dataxis, mobile broadband adoption grows 2 times faster than fixed broadband with an average net addition of over 400,000 new subscribers on a quarterly basis. This euphoria is mainly due to the flexibility of the service with both prepaid and postpaid offerings marketed by operators as well as its user-friendly aspects -mobility, top-up to name a few.
A simple explanation for Mobile Broadband is that it’s like having your fixed home broadband experience delivered to your mobile device. Mobile Broadband rivals the performance of fixed broadband technologies and is suitable for a broad range of data applications including accessing email with attachments, web browsing, multimedia streaming and file downloads while stationary or on the go.
The last 18 months have seen a huge upswing in the adoption of mobile broadband globally, especially relating to PC connectivity through 3G USB “dongles”, as well as high-end smartphones like the Apple iPhone™, Blacberry among others.
For the mobile industry, Mobile Broadband has been one of the few bright spots, especially in matured markets where the recession (and regulation) has impacted on voice and SMS revenues. There are several technologies competing to deliver commercial mobile broadband services. By far the most successful is HSPA, which has been commercially deployed by over 300 operators in more than 110 countries.
The arrival of mobile broadband has prompted PC notebook manufacturers to embed cellular modems into their products, as they have done with Bluetooth®. Previous 2G and 2.5G mobile technologies were simply not fast or efficient enough to justify being embedded into notebooks. The GSMA designed the Mobile Broadband Enabled Service Mark to simplify customer communication by quickly and easily conveying to consumers that their devices are Mobile Broadband Enabled.
To date, over 2,000 HSPA devices have been launched globally. These devices initially included conventional mobile phones, PC Cards and Express Cards and USB ‘dongles’.
Mobile broadband enabled devices are now available in the market, supporting a vast range of consumer and industry applications. These devices are being used to deliver solutions to people and industry in metropolitan and rural areas to a range of sectors including consumer electronics, clean technology, health care, transportation and utilities. The GSMA Embedded Mobile initiative is a GSMA market-development programme designed to accelerate the adoption of wireless connectivity across these sectors.
In order for operators to deliver the Mobile Broadband connectivity that delivers feature rich applications to consumers and industry it is crucial that they can innovate in a defined and stable environment, confident in the security of spectrum allocations. The GSMA actively lobbies governments to fairly allocate spectrum to operators – including spectrum that has been freed up by the Digital Dividend.
The new operator Capex investment data, compiled by global investment firm Deutsche Bank, reflects the continued consumer and enterprise demand for mobile broadband services and the need for underlying infrastructure, and comes as global HSPA connections reach the 200 million milestone.
GSMA said that mobile technology is revolutionising the lives of millions of people in Africa and will continue to be the primary means for the great majority to access voice, data and internet-based services. Mobile broadband has the potential to improve access to health care and education, create new business opportunities and access to markets, and ultimately to help eradicate extreme poverty.
MTN Nigeria is accelerating investments in network expansion and modernization to address rising demand for mobile and data services across the country.
The operator is deploying additional base stations, upgrading existing infrastructure, and expanding fiber connectivity to improve network capacity, coverage, and service quality.
The investments are designed to support increasing smartphone adoption, higher data consumption, and the growing use of digital services by consumers and businesses.
MTN said the expansion aligns with its long-term strategy to enhance customer experience while strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The company expects the ongoing upgrades to improve connectivity, support economic growth, and enable broader access to reliable telecommunications services as demand for high-speed broadband continues to increase.
Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar, has announced the telco’s commitment to connecting 5,000 schools across its operating countries in Africa to the internet by 2027 through its philanthropic arm, Airtel Africa Foundation, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
So far, the $57m partnership, which was launched in 2021, has cumulatively connected 3,296 schools and provided access to over 2 million learners and about 40,000 teachers. 64 digital learning platforms have been zero-rated thereby enabling more than 11m users to access educational content at no cost.
Speaking during a visit to St. Monica’s Girls School in Lusaka, which is one of the 300 schools already connected to the internet in Zambia, the Airtel Africa CEO stated that the initiative is having a profound impact on the quality of education by expanding access to digital learning resources for African children, in collaboration with governments.
Mr Taldar added: “Students are accessing best-in-class education from the curriculum developed by UNICEF in partnership with various Ministries of Education and provided through Airtel’s connectivity.
“We are also training teachers, so that they deliver digital education effectively. We aim to continue deepening meaningful connectivity in schools by providing free internet access, zero‑rated platforms and training teachers across the continent”.
Expressing her appreciation, the Headmistress of St. Monica’s Girls’ School, Sr Matilda Soloko said: “Being among the first schools connected in the initial stage, our learners have been able to study using the learning portal and their studies have been intensified. We remain grateful to Airtel and UNICEF.”
UNICEF’s Country Representative for Zambia, Dr Saja Farooq Abdullah said: “What this partnership has brought is really bridging the equality gap and the digital divide. It is making sure that every child learns wherever they are. It was exciting and interesting to see and hear from the girls how they can learn at their own pace, how they can review the materials, and how they do their homework with comfort.
The Director of Secondary Education in Zambia’s Ministry of Education, Yvonne Mwemba Chuulu lauded UNICEF and Airtel for the partnership saying: “At the Ministry of Education, we cannot do it alone, and we are grateful for the partnership that we have today.
“Our children are able to learn in a blended fashion, where we have a teacher who is also employing digital devices. We have also heard from the learners that they are able to access the portal when they are at home, which is a good thing because our learners continue to learn in the comfort of their homes”.
The School Connection programme is expanding digital learning to learners in 13 countries: Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. By equipping these schools with internet connectivity and training teachers on using the digital tools, it is providing children, particularly in underserved and remote regions, with the digital tools and skills they need to thrive.
Airtel Africa Foundation is advancing inclusive development across four strategic pillars, Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Inclusion.
MultiChoice has officially become a wholly owned subsidiary of French media company Canal+, marking the completion of one of the largest acquisitions in Africa’s media and entertainment industry.
The integration brings the South Africa-based pay television operator under the full ownership of Canal+, a global media group with operations in 70 countries.
Announcing the completion of the transaction on Thursday, Chief Executive Officer of Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice, David Mignot, described the development as the beginning of a new phase of growth for the broadcaster.
“MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries.
“The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries,” Mignot said.
The acquisition combines Canal+’s international operations with MultiChoice’s extensive footprint across sub-Saharan Africa, where it serves millions of households through its DStv and GOtv platforms, as well as the Showmax streaming service.
According to Canal+, the integration will strengthen MultiChoice’s competitive position by giving it access to broader financial resources, technology, content partnerships and operational expertise.
The company said the combined business would increase investment in local content production, sports broadcasting and streaming services as competition intensifies from global platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
The transaction is also expected to provide MultiChoice with greater access to international markets at a time when traditional pay television operators are adapting to changing consumer viewing habits and the rapid growth of digital streaming platforms.
Canal+ has expanded steadily across Africa over the past decade and now assumes full control of a business operating in more than 45 African countries, further strengthening its position in the continent’s media and entertainment sector.
The acquisition followed Canal+’s gradual increase in its shareholding in MultiChoice, which began in 2024.
After exceeding the regulatory threshold, the company launched a mandatory offer in April 2024 to acquire the remaining shares of the Johannesburg-listed broadcaster.
Following regulatory approvals and shareholder acceptance, Canal+ secured control of MultiChoice in 2025 before completing the process that has now made the company a wholly owned subsidiary.
Industry observers describe the acquisition as one of the most significant media transactions involving an African company, reflecting a broader trend of consolidation as global entertainment firms seek greater scale to compete in the streaming era.
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