Telecom
NCC Accelerates Broadband Deployment with New Measures
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has outlined measures to accelerate nationwide fibre penetration; non-discriminatory and open access; optimized deployment strategy; and co-operation of existing operators.
The Commission said that in order to achieve the nation’s economic transformation blueprint crystallized vision 20:2020, need has risen for a long term widespread deployment of a robust nationwide comprehensive backbone and metropolitan fibre infrastructure hence it mulls a typical Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN) deployment to drive broadband growth.
Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, extolled the measure, stressing that a robust national broadband policy is a sure means of sustaining investments and ensure greater penetration of broadband in the country.
She said that they are her Ministry is working harmonise and reduced Right of Way (ROW) cost charges across states through the National Economic Council and the Presidency.
“We have made enough impact as an industry, in the last 10 years, but if we can deliver broadband it will spur greater growth in areas like e-commerce, agriculture, health; in fact, every sector of the economy will feel the impact. And that is why our broadband plan is very clear.
Highlighting on the backgrounds of the new model, Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman of NCC, said that the Commission is committed to putting in place a new broadband deployment environment through an ‘Open Access Model’ in line with the National Broadband Plan.
“The ‘Open Access Model’ has been examined as the model for optic fibre transmission network deployment to bridge the current gap and deliver fast and reliable broadband services to households and businesses. The model is also envisaged to address the challenges of congested and unplanned towns, the challenges around infrastructure sharing and other issues such as high cost of Right of Way,” he said.
Under the new model, a typical NBN network and services infrastructure shall be segregated into three main layers including Passive Infrastructure layer comprising those responsible for the design, build and operation of the passive NBN infrastructure (e.g. rollout of fibre, maintenance of ducts, handholes and manholes).
Others are Wholesale layer who are involved in the design, build and operation of the active NBN infrastructure (e.g. terminal equipment, optic fibre electronics, routers, switches, data centers). And Retail Service Providers (RSP) that purchase bandwidth connectivity from wholesale operator (s) and compete with each others in providing competitive and innovative services to end-users.
The proposed industry structure, thus consists of InfraCos (Layer 1B and Layer 2); Licensed InfraCo(s) that are geographically focused.
Juwah explained that InfraCos would provide wholesale Layer 2 transmission services on a non- discriminatory, open access, price regulated basis, among other functions.
Mr. Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said that the model is a welcome development, although the Association members would debate on the nitty-gritty of the implementations plans.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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