Telecom
Mobile Payment: Potential and reality for Nigeria
The ability to pay for goods and services without having to carry cash or cards has universal appeal. In Africa it is being driven by the need to reduce the risk of theft. The mobile is ideal because it is cheap and ubiquitous and can authenticate the payer and payee and record the transaction. The recent re-awakening of initiatives in the mobile and financial industry on mobile banking and payment services is causing a stream of field trials and potential new revenue streams and customers for the financial services sector.
The mobile payment industry will change the way consumers interact with financial services and make payments. Mobile financial services will include consumer accounts information, updates, alerts, bill payments, person to person transactions and remittances.
The mobile will play a key part in the foundation of sustainable development in Nigeria. In a country where electricity and transportation are unreliable, the mobile phone is a driving force for change – and not just for voice calls. Mobile phones can address one of the biggest cost barriers in the value chain.
The success of M-pesa in Kenya has demonstrated the strong compelling need for a platform that can empower Africans to make transaction cashless and without need to visit a Bank. Nigeria’s seeming slow uptake of mobile payment presents a huge opportunity that can revolutionize the payment world, create new set of mobile entrepreneurs and new Business models with strong value realization in a market of 54 million mobile subscribers and an addressable market of 140 million people.
The mobile phone is a powerful channel for developing business. The Banks can still not yet win the youth segment accounts because they are approaching them via traditional channel and not what they always have with them, the mobile phone. The youth segment will most likely adopt mobile payment faster than the older segment because they are early adopters of technology and the good news is that they constitute a large segment in the mobile subscription pyramid in Nigeria and still largely unbanked or under-banked. Simple arithmetic from total subscriber base in Nigeria, shows that 54 million mobile subscription base is twice the Bank account holders of about 24 million, this clearly shows a huge 30 million people out there with mobile phones but without a Bank account.
Nigeria financial industry players seeks elusive mobile technologies and standards but slow progress is being made towards achieving interoperable and transparent standards for mobile payments. The process is complicated by the large number of stakeholders involved, in addition to the challenge of integrating various business models and technology layers into one platform. Even the term ‘mobile payments’ has different definitions. While some Banks currently offering Mobile Banking are erroneously classifying their service as mobile payment even when the subscribers cannot do more than check account balance or transfer money between self account in same Bank.
Wizzit in South Africa, M-pesa in Kenya, Gcash in Philippines are country with similar demographics with Nigeria are examples of very successful mobile payments deployments.
Mobile operators are known not to be very adept in providing core payment and financial services, hence there is need for cross industry collaborations like what we have seen in the Glo / First bank cash card and the MTN / UBA x-change cards. Such collaborations is paying off in the mobile Banking arena in South Africa’s MTN and Standard Bank’s partnership. In South Africa, MTN, launched a SIM-based m-banking service with Standard Bank in a 50:50 joint venture, MTN MobileMoney. The Y’ello Bank, as it is often referred to after MTN’s pan-regional Y’ello branding campaign, operates as a separate division of Standard Bank, and as such is regulated under Standard Bank’s banking licence which brings compliance and interoperability to the rest of the payment infrastructure.
Many Nigerian Banks are evaluating different mobile payment systems from offshore providers but they are yet to learn from Africa’s own painful experiences in wap Banking. Offshore transfer of WAP banking technology was a disaster because an internet-based technology was applied to the mobile phone, resulting in an experience that was slow, unreliable and costly for consumers in a continent with expensive mobile internet cost, poor coverage, hand set limitations and inadequate customer education. Simpler technologies would have achieved more.
SMS text messages will continue to be the dominant channel for mobile payments, although take-up of WAP, USSD and near field communications (NFC) contactless services will also grow. NFC technology seems to be attracting attention of players in Nigeria because of its ease of use and the European Hype but they are not factoring the end user into the plan at this early stage. The main draw back for NFC is that users will require acquiring NFC enabled handsets and that will be a major obstacle in a economy where income per head is low and average Hand set replacement rate is four years.Near sound Data transfer technology of the likes of Tag attitude of France are clear bridge gap measures not requiring any form of new hand set acquisition from the end user and it is immediately compatible with all Phone models.
Already, informal exchanges of Mobile Airtime locally in Nigeria accounts for over 5 percent of airtime purchases and Banks might start losing market share if people find it more convenient to move money around and repay their debts, send little amounts to friends and relatives via this informal channel for small value payments.
A mobile payment system therefore needs to adapt its technology and business model to its specific target demographic and not the other way around. The potential for mobile payments, especially in emerging markets where many people are unbanked and few other payment options exist, is obvious. In developed countries, on the other hand, these types of services will likely appeal more as a matter of convenience and extension of the other payment options available, rather than as a replacement bank.
Mobile payment is not a problem of technology. It is the management of the ecosystems of players like Banks which lack the technology, telcos industry non collaborative positions and inadequate understanding of financial matters and lastly, regulations which does not take into consideration, the speed of technology innovation that will hinder the growth of the sector that is already striving underground though not illegally but informally.
Telecom
NCC Expands IPv6 Board with the Appointment of Olusola Teniola, Funke Opeke Others

Olusola Teniola, ipNX Director has been named to the newly inaugurated IPv6 Council Board by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as part of a broader industry effort to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).

The inauguration, which took place in Ikeja, Lagos, underscores the Commission’s renewed commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s transition to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), a critical enabler of the country’s digital future.
Mr. Teniola joins a distinguished group of industry leaders, including Funke Opeke, Muhammed Rudman (Chairman), Chris Uwaje (Vice Chairman), Mary Uduma, Gbenga Adebayo, Lanre Ajayi, and Latif Ladid, alongside representatives from key regulatory and government institutions.
Speaking on his appointment, Teniola expressed appreciation to the NCC for the opportunity to serve and reiterated the importance of collaborative action in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“The transition to IPv6 is no longer a future consideration; it is an immediate priority for Nigeria’s digital economy. As data consumption grows and emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, and AI become more pervasive, we must ensure that our underlying infrastructure is scalable, secure, and globally competitive,” he said.
He further emphasized that achieving meaningful IPv6 adoption will require strong alignment across stakeholders, including telecom operators, internet service providers, enterprises, academia, and government.
“This is a collective responsibility. We must invest in capacity building, drive awareness, and create the right policy and regulatory environment to accelerate adoption. Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind in an increasingly connected world.”
The IPv6 Council Board has been tasked with developing and overseeing the implementation of a national IPv6 strategy, monitoring progress, and providing periodic updates on adoption levels across the country. The Council will also play a key role in addressing infrastructure challenges, strengthening technical expertise, and recommending policy incentives to support nationwide deployment.
Teniola’s appointment reflects ipNX’s continued commitment to shaping Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and advancing the development of resilient, future-ready network infrastructure across the country.
Telecom
QNET, Manchester City Host Football Clinic for Young Talents in Ghana

In a transformative initiative focused on youth empowerment, talent development and community impact, QNET, an international wellness and lifestyle company and a decade-long Official Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City , has successfully hosted an elite football clinic in Accra for 25 promising young Ghanaian footballers aged 7 to 11.

QNET
Delivered by official Manchester City coaches from 21 to 24 May 2026, the football clinic brought together talented young boys and girls from different communities across Ghana at AIS School Park, East Legon, for a unique opportunity to receive world-class football coaching, mentorship and life-skills training inspired by one of the world’s leading football clubs.
For many of the participants, the experience represented more than football. It was an opportunity to dream bigger, build confidence and believe that through hard work, discipline and determination, young Ghanaians can achieve their full potential both on and off the pitch.
Football holds a special place in Ghanaian culture and identity, inspiring generations of young people across the country. Through this initiative, QNET and Manchester City Football Club aimed to contribute meaningfully to the future of youth development in Ghana by creating an inclusive platform where children can learn, grow and thrive regardless of their background.
Trevor Kuna, Chief of Network Development at QNET said, “Football does something that few things can — it cuts across language, background and circumstance and gives young people a common language of ambition. When you watch these children on the pitch, you see not just their talent but their hunger to grow, to prove themselves, to be seen. At QNET, we believe that hunger deserves to be met with opportunity, and that is exactly what this clinic is about.”
The clinic focused not only on football skills and tactical development, but also on teamwork, leadership, discipline, perseverance and self-belief, values that are essential both in sport and in life.
Cherif Abdoulaye, QNET’s Deputy Regional General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, said,“,“When QNET took this initiative to Nigeria in 2023, we saw first-hand what happens when young people are given access to world-class coaching in their own communities — it shifts something in how they see themselves and what they believe is possible. Bringing it to Ghana felt like the natural next step. Ghana has a football culture that runs deep, and a new generation ready to carry it forward. We are proud that QNET and Manchester City can be part of that story.”
Philipa Harrison, Partnerships Marketing Manager for City Football Group’s MENA region, said “Over the past few days, we have witnessed tremendous passion, energy and commitment from these young players. This football clinic is about helping young people develop their abilities, enjoy the game and believe in what they can achieve in the future. We are proud to partner with QNET to bring this experience to young players in Ghana.”
For more than 10 years, QNET has been the Official Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City Football Club. QNET has also maintained a longstanding partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), supporting major African interclub competitions including the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
These partnerships reflect QNET’s broader commitment to youth empowerment, community engagement, and the development of sports across Africa.
Beyond its sports and community initiatives, QNET continues to champion ethical business practices, transparency and public education across its markets while working closely with stakeholders and authorities to address the misuse of its brand by unauthorised individuals.
Telecom
Telcos Mull Calculator to Address Data Depletion Complaints

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) may introduce data calculator to enable users to measure their data usage and address complaints of rapid data depletion.

Data depletion is the rapid exhaustion of your internet data bundle before its expected expiration.
The data calculator is a tool that will show subscribers how their data is used daily.
Telecom operators, largely the MNOs, are already providing subscribers a daily report of data used the previous day, as part of directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to drive transparency.
According to a report by Nairametrics, an industry source confirmed the new measure, noting that subscriber complaints over data depletion have now become a major concern in the industry, as it undermines trust.
“An average subscriber believes their service provider steals their data once their data is exhausted before time or depletes faster than they expected, which is not true.
“Over the years, we have tried to enlighten subscribers on factors that could lead to the fast depletion of their data, which include smartphone functionality, among others.
“And now, we are looking at tools that could show the subscribers not just what they have used, but also how they have used it to further promote transparency,” the source said.
According to the source, operators are also intensifying their sensitisation campaigns to help subscribers understand why their data can run out quickly.
Recall that NCC carried out an audit about 24 months ago across the mobile networks and found out that there was “no major” issue of data depletion, contrary to claims and complaints by subscribers.
Findings showed that the major issue still concerns the types of mobile phones and the activities users perform on them.
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