Telecom
MTN Media Innovation Programme Fellows Chart the Future of African Media in South Africa
MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) Fellows, Cohort 4 have just concluded a week-long study trip to South Africa, exploring how media, diplomacy, and innovation intersect in shaping Africa’s narrative. The trip, sponsored by MTN Nigeria, provided 20 Nigerian journalists and content creators with opportunities to engage with thought leaders, policymakers, and institutions across Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The journey began with a city tour that offered fellows a glimpse into South Africa’s history and culture, including visits to Constitution Hill, Mandela House, and the Apartheid Museum. These visits provided what David Aflolayan, Editor-In-Chief, TechNext described as “a foundational understanding of the socio-cultural context of South African society,” setting the stage for the discussions that followed.
At the University of Johannesburg, the delegation was welcomed by senior faculty members before participating in the MTN Media Innovation Summit. Professor Admire Mare, Head of the Department of Communication and Media, delivered a lecture on Diplomacy in a Digital Media Context. He highlighted the decline of American dominance in global politics, the rise of new power blocs, and the need for African media to reclaim agency. “Africa must build and control its own digital platforms if we want our voices to matter in global diplomacy,” he said, urging greater investment in digital literacy and local innovation.
The fellows also took part in a panel session titled Headlines and Handshakes: The Role of Media in South Africa-Nigeria Diplomacy. Their presentations offered fresh perspectives on peace, diplomacy, and storytelling in Africa. During the panel, Adeyemi Adebayo, a broadcast journalist at Africa Independent Television (AIT) addressed the dangers of unchecked falsehoods, stressing the role of journalists in safeguarding peace. “Misinformation is a diplomatic risk factor, not just a media issue. Right journalism at the right time can prevent war,” he said, urging colleagues to see themselves as “diplomatic first responders.” His intervention underlined how easily unverified content can inflame tensions between African states, and why the media’s responsibility extends beyond storytelling to crisis prevention.
Blessings Mosugu, a broadcast journalist at News Central TV, addressing journalism and justice, stressed the importance of balance in reporting Africa’s story. “Too often, the story of Africa is told from the lens of conflict. But when we highlight fairness, accountability, and the pursuit of justice, journalism becomes a bridge to prosperity,” she said.
Zainab Yetunde Adam, a broadcast journalist at SMK Radio added a gendered dimension to the conversation, urging greater recognition of women in peace-building. “Women content creators are not just storytellers; they are peace advocates. Their voices bring nuance to conflict reporting and push societies towards reconciliation,” she explained.
The week’s engagements extended beyond academia. The fellows visited the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), where they held discussions with governance expert Steven Gruzd on the state of South Africa-Nigeria relations. They also met with South Africa’sPan-African Media Innovation Programme (Pan-African MIP) and were hosted by the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, HE Alexander Temitope Ajayi, for a session on bilateral ties.
The trip concluded at MTN Group headquarters in Johannesburg, where executives shared insights on the company’s strategy, innovation agenda, and communications priorities. The launch of the Pan-African Media Innovation Programme (Pan-African MIP), in partnership with the University of Johannesburg and the African Editors Forum, was a key highlight, reflecting MTN’s commitment to advancing journalism across the continent.
The South African tour not only deepened the fellows’ appreciation of diplomacy and media innovation but also reinforced the role of African journalists in reframing the continent’s story for a global audience.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has announced the formation of Airbel Ventures, a new humanitarian impact investing fund aimed at accelerating the introduction and scaling of breakthrough technologies in crisis-affected communities.
The fund will invest in companies whose ideas have the potential to change humanitarian response, including digital infrastructure for frontline health systems and climate-resilient agriculture.
The launch of Airbel Ventures follows a period of rapid innovation at the IRC, despite the humanitarian sector facing record funding cuts.
In the past year, the IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab has advanced more than twenty Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology initiatives—from anticipatory action tools powered by climate and vulnerability data, to frontline service delivery using safe, orchestrated AI systems, to breakthrough diagnostic tools for emerging diseases.
Airbel Ventures’ first impact investment is in Signalytic, a company delivering solar-powered computing devices that ensure reliable electricity and connectivity for remote health facilities.
Following the investment, the IRC will pilot Signalytic’s technology with its Nigeria Health team, demonstrating the viability of next-generation digital infrastructure in humanitarian settings.
“We know breakthrough solutions already exist—what’s missing is the path to scale in humanitarian contexts,” said Dr. Jeannie Annan, Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation at the IRC and head of the Airbel Impact Lab.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecommunications operator, recorded a historic surge in network disruptions in 2025, suffering 9,218 fibre cuts as of December 31, alongside 211 base station sites affected by theft and vandalism, incidents that disrupted mobile and data services relied upon daily by millions of Nigerians.
The data was revealed by Dr Karl Toriola, chief executive officer/managing director, MTN Nigeria via a social media post titled ‘MTN Nigeria 2025 Wrapped’.
The scale of the damage highlights the growing vulnerability of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure, which has come under increasing pressure from road construction activities, cable theft and deliberate acts of vandalism.
MTN said 5,478 fibre cuts occurred within just the first seven months of 2025, with 760 incidents recorded in July alone, underscoring the intensity of the challenge.
Some of the incidents had wide-ranging consequences, knocking out connectivity across multiple states simultaneously and affecting voice calls, data services, digital payments and enterprise operations.
The company described the situation as a national infrastructure problem, rather than an isolated corporate issue, given the economy’s deep dependence on mobile networks.
“These gaps were shaped by real operational challenges such as fibre cuts, theft, and vandalism. Their impact is felt directly by customers and reflected in what they tell us,” Toriola,
The disruptions were reflected in customer feedback volumes, as MTN handled an unprecedented number of complaints during the year. The operator said it resolved 1,624,263 customer complaints in 2025, spanning call centres, social media platforms, emails and physical service centres nationwide.
Despite the setbacks, MTN pointed to signs of operational resilience. The company retained its ranking as Nigeria’s best network by Ookla, returned to profitability after a challenging period, declared an interim dividend, and expanded its subscriber base to over 85 million users by September 2025.
The figures show that while Nigeria’s telecom operators continue to invest heavily in network expansion and customer service, infrastructure sabotage remains a major drag on service quality and operating costs.
MTN acknowledged that performance improvements remain a work in progress. “We are not where we want to be yet. We see you. We hear you. We exist because of you. And we will get better,” Toriola said.
As the company enters its 25th year of operations in Nigeria, Toriola said MTN is doubling down on customer-centricity, treating every piece of feedback as a guide for improvement, while also stepping up engagement with government agencies.
The CEO renewed calls for stronger regulatory and legal protections for telecommunications infrastructure, urging policymakers to classify fibre cables, base stations and other critical assets as national infrastructure and criminalise vandalism to deter repeat attacks.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted operating licences to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), effective January 1, 2026, raising the total number of authorised ISPs in the country to 231 from 225 recorded in December 2025.
NCC
The newly licensed firms are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited.
Five of these companies are headquartered in Lagos, while Granet Technologies Limited operates from Owerri in Imo State, highlighting the persistent concentration of broadband infrastructure in major commercial hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
This development intensifies competition in Nigeria’s broadband market, which faces pressure from dominant mobile network operators such as MTN and Airtel, alongside rapid expansion by satellite providers like Starlink.
Traditional ISPs continue to grapple with shrinking customer bases, aggressive data pricing from telcos, and satellite disruptions, even as NCC data from Q2 2025 showed Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne controlling about 65 per cent of the 313,713 active ISP subscribers.
The inclusion of Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited marks a significant entry of global satellite broadband competition, building on Nigeria’s recent approvals for other low Earth orbit providers to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.
Industry analysts view the licences as a strategic push to improve internet quality amid rising demand for digital services, though geographic clustering underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges outside urban centres.
NCC’s move aligns with broader efforts to foster a competitive telecoms sector critical to Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
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