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Mobile Industry Steps Up Commitment to Delivering Sustainable Development Goals

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A new GSMA study shows increased contribution by the mobile industry against all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) over the past year.

The 2019 edition of the GSMA’s Mobile Industry Impact Report, published today at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, highlights the role mobile technology and connectivity is playing in meeting the targets of the SDGs and transforming the lives of billions around the world.

However, the report warns that progress must be accelerated if the industry is to fully maximise its impact ahead of the 2030 deadline for delivering the Goals.

“Our new flagship report presents a wealth of evidence to demonstrate how mobile is delivering the SDGs by reducing poverty, improving healthcare and education, and driving sustainable economic growth,” said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA.

“This has been achieved by extending mobile broadband networks to all corners of the world, resulting in almost a billion new people connecting to the mobile internet since 2015. But to maximise our impact over the next decade, we need to ensure that the half of the population not yet on the internet is connected affordably, safely and equipped with critical digital skills.”

Since 2016, when the mobile industry became one of the first sectors in the world to commit to the SDGs, around 400 million new people have started using mobile and more than 860 million have started accessing mobile internet services.

The introduction of 5G services is also expected to enable new technologies and innovation around AI, IoT and big data that will further accelerate goals such as greater inclusion and equality across both developed and developing countries.

The study reports that in 2018:

–    Two-thirds of the global population (5.1 billion) are mobile subscribers, and almost half (3.5 billion) are using mobile internet services.

–    The mobile industry contributed $3.9 trillion (4.6%) to global GDP, driven by direct impact and increased productivity across other sectors.

–   Almost 2 billion subscribers use their mobile phone to purchase goods and services (+160 million compared to 2017).

–   1.3 billion subscribers access mobile health services (+230 million compared to 2017).

–  1.4 billion subscribers use mobile to improve their education or that of their children (+140 million compared to 2017).

– Mobile money has helped reduce the financial exclusion gap in low- and middle-income countries, with 866 million registered mobile money accounts at the end of 2018 (+20% compared to 2017).

– 140 million additional people in rural areas connected to the mobile internet for the first time.

– 80% of adult women in low- and middle-income countries now own a mobile phone, which can help them feel safer and more connected – an increase of 250 million over the past five years.

Measuring Mobile’s Impact

The GSMA’s Mobile Industry Impact Report uses a proprietary methodology to assign an ‘impact score’ to measure the industry’s contribution to each of the 17 Goals. Applying this method, the result of the study shows the industry’s most significant impact continues to be on SDG #9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure).

This progress is a result of mobile broadband being built out to cover 90 per cent of the world’s population and connecting more than 5 billion people worldwide. According to the scores, significant progress is reported in 2018 on SDG #4: Quality Education and SDG #6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

The study also highlights the mobile industry’s role in addressing environmental and climate change challenges (SDG #13, Climate Action). This progress is a result of providing the connectivity for digital solutions that reduce energy use, reduce travel and transport, or otherwise reduce GHG emissions. The industry itself is also collaborating on a GSMA-led initiative around climate impact disclosures and emissions target setting1.

Working Towards a #BetterFuture

As part of its #BetterFuture campaign and commitment to the SDGs, the GSMA is working closely with the industry, policymakers, and the international development community to help connect the unconnected. By doing so, new opportunities to leverage and scale mobile-enabled solutions improve people’s quality of life.

This work is being achieved through several ongoing GSMA programmes and initiatives, including Mobile for Development, which identifies opportunities and delivers innovations with socio-economic impact in financial services, health, agriculture, digital identity, energy, water, sanitation, disaster resilience and gender equality; Big Data for Social Good; and We Care.

The 2019 edition of the Mobile Industry Impact Report, is authored by GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSMA. The report provides summaries on mobile’s impact on all 17 SDGs and showcases innovative case studies of operator initiatives that support the Goals.


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Glo Boosts Network Capacity for Enhanced Customer Experience

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Globacom is rolling out extensive network improvements to deliver a significantly better experience for its customers. These proactive measures are designed to ensure subscribers continue to get excellent value, particularly following recent tariff adjustments.

The ongoing upgrade involves a widespread deployment of new base stations, expanding coverage to previously underserved areas, and strengthening existing coverage in growing population centres. This strategic densification will guarantee superior network quality for both voice and data services across the entire country.

In a significant investment, Globacom is also re-routing its fibre infrastructure in several locations where road construction has compromised the fibre, including vital routes like Auchi-Okene and Benin-Ekpoma, Lafia-Akwanga, Minna-Abuja, and Funtua-Gusau.

“We decided, at a huge cost, to relocate the fibres, many of which had been vandalized in several places by uncoordinated road construction activities, in order to bring best-in-class services to customers”, the company disclosed.

Customers can look forward to brighter days ahead as Glo completes the deployment of hundreds of new sites nationwide. This year alone, thousands of 4G LTE sites have been activated in key cities, with additional hundreds of new sites are currently being deployed to further boost connectivity. These efforts are supported by massive upgrades of backhaul capacity (microwave and fibre) and a seamless improvement in the core network.

Globacom assured its subscribers that these ongoing initiatives will translate to enhanced service delivery, expanded coverage, faster data speeds, and overall improved network performance. The company plans to add over a thousand new sites in the next year, prioritizing LTE expansion to deepen its reliable data reach and extending fibre to more hub sites for greater service robustness.

Furthermore, Glo is committed to minimizing its carbon footprint by expanding hybrid power solutions and relying more on battery power across its sites, representing another substantial investment.

Despite these positive developments, Globacom continues to highlight the challenge of deliberate sabotage of network equipment, even with its designation as critical national infrastructure, emphasizing the need for stronger protective measures.


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MTN’s Uto Ukpanah Becomes 30th ICSAN President, Reinforcing Female Leadership in Governance

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L-R: Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria; Uto Ukpanah, President, ICSAN and Company Secretary, MTN Nigeria, and Aniekan Ukpanah, Managing Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie at the Investiture Ceremony of Uto Ukpanah as ICSAN 30th President, held in Lagos on Wednesday, July 23, 2o25.
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Nigeria’s corporate landscape is witnessing a significant transformation, with women increasingly occupying leadership positions and reshaping the narrative at the highest levels. A striking example of this shift unfolded recently as Mrs. Uto Ukpanah, FCIS, Company Secretary of MTN Nigeria, was inaugurated as the 30th President and Chairman of Council of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).

L-R: Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria; Uto Ukpanah, President, ICSAN and Company Secretary, MTN Nigeria, and Aniekan Ukpanah, Managing Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie at the Investiture Ceremony of Uto Ukpanah as ICSAN 30th President, held in Lagos on Wednesday, July 23, 2o25.

Historically, ICSAN was led exclusively by men for nearly 57 years. However, the trend began to change in 2023 when Mrs. Funmi Ekundayo broke barriers as the Institute’s first female president. In 2025, her successor and former vice president, Mrs. Ukpanah, has now become only the second woman to assume the presidency, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s governance sector.

This development aligns with the broader momentum for women’s leadership across Nigeria’s business ecosystem. MTN Nigeria stands out as a champion of gender diversity. The company’s 2024 Annual Report reveals that women now constitute 41.4% of the workforce, a marked increase by 3% compared to 2023.

Among executive management, women hold 34.7% of positions, while female board representation stands at 21.4%. MTN’s deliberate drive, bolstered by initiatives such as the Women in Tech programme and the Y’ello Mums Internship, is fostering a pipeline of female talent across all tiers.

Female leaders at MTN are shaping strategy and impact on multiple fronts: Dr. Mosun Olusoga chairs the MTN Foundation; Odunayo Sanya serves as the Executive Director, MTN Foundation; Dr. Omobola Johnson contributes as a Non-Executive Director of the Board of Directors; and a host of others including Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Esther Akinnukawe, Ugonwa Nwoye, among others, lead critical business functions.

MTN’s policy of inclusion is reflected not just in numbers, but in recent recognitions. In 2024, Odunayo Sanya was named CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards, and Josephine Sarouk, Managing Director of Bayobab Nigeria (subsidiary of MTN), received the Woman in Telecoms Award in London.

Mrs. Ukpanah herself was honoured as the first-ever African recipient of the Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award by the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA), a testament to her pioneering leadership.

Ukpanah’s investiture as ICSAN President was held on July 23, 2025, in Lagos, attracting an array of dignitaries, government officials, and business leaders. Chaired by Prof. Hakeem Belo-Osagie, with a keynote delivered by Dr. Omobola Johnson, the event saw the full support of MTN Nigeria’s top brass, including CEO Karl Toriola and Board Chairman Dr. Ernest Ndukwe. In his goodwill message, Dr. Ndukwe remarked:

“This honour is a fitting recognition for Uto’s distinguished career, unwavering professionalism, and deep commitment to the principles of good governance. Uto has consistently exemplified the values that I believe ICSAN upholds, and we are confident that her leadership will further strengthen the Institute’s aspirations towards promoting excellence in governance.

“At MTN Nigeria, we are proud of her achievements and reaffirm our full support as she embarks on this important assignment. We look forward to the positive impact her tenure will bring to ICSAN.”

Also, her husband, Aniekan Ukpanah, Senior Partner at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, described her as “a passionate steward, rooted in family, bound by purpose, and committed to legacy.” Outgoing ICSAN President Mrs. Ekundayo added that Ukpanah is “astute, visionary, and principled.”

Mrs. Ukpanah’s ascendancy to ICSAN’s top office, and MTN’s visible support, do more than celebrate personal or organisational victories; they signal a new era, one in which women are not just present, but are key architects of governance and future prosperity for Nigeria.


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NIMC Warns Nigerians Against Selling NIN Data Amid Rising Identity Fraud

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued a stern warning to Nigerians over the illegal sale of personal data, including the National Identification Number (NIN), amid reports of a growing underground market targeting unsuspecting citizens.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Commission expressed deep concern following revelations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that young Nigerians are offering between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000 to individuals in exchange for their NIN and other sensitive details. These details are then allegedly resold to certain fintech platforms for as much as ₦5,000.

“This is not just a case of minor fraud, it’s a threat to national security and personal safety,” said Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC. “When you hand over your data to unknown agents, you are essentially handing over control of your identity.”

The Commission reiterated that it will not be held liable for any misuse of personal data shared voluntarily by individuals or through third parties for financial gain or inducement.

NIMC further cautioned service providers to ensure that every NIN presented for services is properly verified using approved channels before access is granted.

To safeguard personal identity, Nigerians are encouraged to download the NINAuth App, available on Apple iOS and Google Play Store. The app enables users to manage, secure, and control access to their NIN data.

“The story of your identity should be written by you, not sold for a quick payout,” the Commission stated.

NAN reports that the NIMC’s advisory comes amid rising concerns over digital identity theft and the misuse of personal data in Nigeria’s expanding fintech ecosystem.


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