Telecom
MTN Receives EDGE Certificate for Gender Inclusion
MTN Nigeria, Leading ICT company has received the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) MOVE certification from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) at their headquarters in Lagos.
MTN Nigeria is the first technology company in Africa to be awarded this certificate, as a testament to its commitment to identifying and addressing gender disparity in the workplace.
The ICT firm joined over 250 organisations across 57 countries and 27 industry sectors, including institutions like the World Bank Group, Deloitte Switzerland AG, UNICEF, among others in September 2023.
Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria said, “This certificate further underscores our commitment to bridging gender gaps. The female representation in our workforce has grown by 2.7% in the past year (now 38.3%) showing pleasing progress towards our 2030 goal of 50%. We have a firm belief in gender inclusion at the workplace”.
Dahlia Khalifa, IFC’s Regional Director, Central Africa, and Anglophone West Africa, said “Women are still underrepresented in the workforce and the economy, thus limiting economic prosperity. Actions that promote women’s equal participation as employees and entrepreneurs are crucial for the private sector to address gender gaps and benefit from the dividends of gender equality.
“Through IFC’s advisory support to MTN Nigeria under the Nigeria2Equal gender program, the company has prioritized diversity and inclusion within its leadership and workforce, and attaining this certification attests to that.”
Accepting the certificate, Chief Human Resources Officer, Esther Akinnukawe highlighted recent developments in MTN to promote gender inclusion in the workplace. “Some of our gender inclusion initiatives such as the Women at Y’ello network and the HeforShe Initiative have contributed to making MTN a great place to work.
“The EDGE MOVE certification establishes us as trailblazers, making MTN Nigeria the pioneering telecom company in Africa and the second in Sub-Saharan Africa to attain this.”
Aniela Unguresan, Founder and Member of the EDGE Certified Foundation Board added “Receiving their first EDGE Certification at the EDGE Move level is a significant achievement for MTN Nigeria Communications PLC, highlighting their strong commitment to workplace gender equity.
“This certification not only recognizes the progress made by the organization but also emphasizes the ongoing commitment of its leadership team to advancing a culture of inclusivity.
“Genuine transformation in workplace culture can only be realized when leaders recognize the imperative for change, thereby paving the way for diverse and inclusive experiences for all.”
MTN Nigeria continues to demonstrate its commitment to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity and champions gender equality.
Telecom
Report Says 71 Percent of Nigerians Don’t Have Access to Regular Internet
A recent report by the Groupe Special Mobile Association (GSMA) revealed that a significant 71% of Nigerians do not have regular access to mobile internet.
“While 29 per cent of Nigerians are regularly using mobile internet, there remains untapped potential; 71 per cent are not accessing these services regularly. An improved policy environment has the potential to help the industry boost coverage and adoption, resulting in 15 million additional internet users by 2028.
However, the sector faces challenges to infrastructure deployment,” the report stated.
The details of the study were disclosed during the report’s launch in Abuja, highlighting a critical gap in digital connectivity amidst ongoing discussions about possible tariff increases by Nigerian telecom operators.
The telecom industry is currently advocating for an increase in tariffs to counter various operational challenges. However, the government is pushing for alternative solutions rather than price hikes.
The GSMA report underscored the challenges hindering the expansion of telecom coverage, which include cumbersome and costly rights-of-way acquisition processes and a complex tax environment. These factors collectively make it difficult for the industry to sustain investment levels.
Despite these hurdles, the report optimistically noted that Nigeria could add 15 million internet users by 2028 with appropriate policy adjustments. It emphasized that achieving universal access to digital connectivity hinges on a wider digital transformation of the Nigerian economy.
The report details the sector’s challenges, stating that “An improved policy environment has the potential to help the industry boost coverage and adoption, resulting in 15 million additional internet users by 2028. However, the sector faces challenges to infrastructure deployment.”
The report also identified key obstacles, such as the rigorous process of securing rights of way and a layered tax regime, which together increase operational costs and stymie sustainable investments. Added financial pressures from rising fuel prices and increased governmental fees further strain telecom operators’ ability to maintain healthy investment flows.
The GSMA report recommended several policy measures to foster a more enabling economic and regulatory environment for the mobile industry.
These include establishing a legal framework to protect critical national infrastructure, simplifying rights-of-way issuance, reducing the tax burden, and cultivating a regulatory climate conducive to robust investment.
“Future policies should be geared towards reducing the cost and complexity of infrastructure rollout to encourage investment and boost the adoption of mobile broadband,” the report advised.
It further highlighted the far-reaching implications of such policy enhancements, noting, “The impact of such actions would go far beyond mobile, driving productivity gains across the economy and creating millions of new jobs in Nigeria.”
Telecom
MTN Group Weighs Down by Nigerian Operations
MTN Group (MTNJ.J), Africa’s biggest telecoms operator, reported on Tuesday an 18.8 per cent fall in first-quarter service revenue, weighed down by the performance of MTN Nigeria
MTN, with 288 million subscribers in 18 markets across Africa, said its reported group service revenue fell to 42.9 billion rand ($2.34 billion) in the quarter ended March 31, from 52.8 billion rand in the same quarter last year.
In constant currency, service revenue, which excludes device and SIM card revenue, rose by 11.1%.
MTN’s service revenue from South Africa surpassed that of Nigeria, its biggest market by revenue, growing marginally by 3% to 10.4 billion rand, while Nigeria tumbled by 52.8% to 10.2 billion rand.
“The macro environment in the first quarter of 2024 remained challenging with ongoing high inflation as well as local currency devaluations in some of our key markets,” Ralph Mupita, group president and CEO said in a statement.
Mupita also cited global geopolitical tensions as a factor impacting the operator’s performance, including the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which severely affected network availability and revenue generation in that business.
MTN was also impacted by subsea cable cuts that resulted in downtime.
Overall reported group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell by 28.7% to 17.2 billion rand and rose by 3.9% in constant currency.
Reported EBITDA margin declined by 5.8 percentage points to 37.9% due to rising costs and currency depreciation mainly in Nigeria.
The group revised down its anticipated capital expenditure (excluding leases) deployment for 2024 to about 28 billion rand to 33 billion rand from a target of 35 billion rand to 39 billion rand, largely due to a reduction in expected spending by MTN Nigeria.
Telecom
Airtel Excites Business Owners with Unlimited Speed Plan
Telecommunications network, Airtel Nigeria has introduced a groundbreaking new service for business owners called the Enterprise Business Broadband (EBB) Speed Based Plans 3.0. This specially designed plan offers unparalleled connectivity and flexibility with unlimited monthly plans.
Tailored to meet the diverse needs of enterprises, the new EBB plans feature unlimited internet connectivity options, providing the opportunity to without data limitations. Customers also get a chance to select from three dynamic options, from as low as N20, 000 to N60, 000.
The N20, 000 monthly subscription delivers internet speeds of up to 20Mbps, the N35, 000 subscription offers up to 40 Mbps, and, with the N50, 000 monthly subscription users can experience ultimate reliability and speeds of up to 60Mbps, which is perfect for large organizations with high bandwidth requirements.
Speaking on the new unlimited plan, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja emphasized the transformative impact of the new unlimited plan.
“We have seen the early adopters of the Speed Based Plans 3.0 express their satisfaction after using this service and we are confident to say that the uninterrupted internet service is a game-changer for business owners.
“We are committed to continuously providing innovative solutions that empower businesses to thrive in the digital landscape, ensuring unparalleled connectivity and reliability for our valued customers,” he said.
According to Airtel, customers get a complimentary router upon purchase. The speed plan also allows customers to have the flexibility to set data usage limits and control access to specific websites on the router, promoting responsible internet usage.
- Telecom2 days ago
Glo to Unveil Innovation Hubs to Drive Digitalization – Bella Disu
- Telecom2 days ago
Global Tech OEMS Partner Konga Group for Tech Month with Huge Discount
- E-Business2 days ago
NIMC Uncovers Syndicate Issuing Fake NINs to Nigerians
- News2 days ago
Clean Technology Hub, FCT Launch Climate and Change Youth Movement in Abuja Secondary Schools
- Telecom2 days ago
FG to Prioritise Satellite Technology for National Development– Keyamo
- News2 days ago
Dr Aina Tasks FinTechs on Corporate Governance
- E-Business2 days ago
Rising above the Noise: Differentiating Your Brand for Success
- News2 days ago
Excitement as NASENI Unveils New Products with Orders Pouring in Droves