Telecom
NCC Extols Economic Benefits of AfCFTA Agreement
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other industry stakeholders have extolled the economic benefits accruable to the country from the recently rectified African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
AfCFTA is an initiative of the Africa Union with the main objective of creating a single continental market for goods and services, in addition to facilitating free movement of investment and people across the entire African continent.
Nigeria joined the list of African countries to sign the trade pact when President Muhammadu Buhari on July 7th, 2019,endorsed the AfCFTA Agreement at the AUSummit in Niamey, Niger.
Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman/ceo, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) speaking at a two-day workshop with the theme; “Improving Nigeria’s communication industry competitiveness for the AFCFTA initiative”, was organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiation (NOTN). stated that the AfCFTA Agreement will lead to about 60% boost in intra-African trade by 2022.
Danbatta who was represented by, Alhaji Muhammad Babajika, director of Licensing and Authorization, NCC explained that only 16% of international trade by African countries takes place between African countries, according a study by the African Development Bank in 2014.
He noted that the ongoing workshop is aimed at examining how to improve the competitiveness of the over $70 billion Nigerian Communications sector market for the Continental Free Trade Area.
He said, “The workshop is to draw the attention of industry stakeholders to the need to fully appreciate the business implications of the AfCFTA, promote a deep understanding of the AfCFTA Initiative by industry stakeholders, initiate and lead discussions on areas of comparative advantage for the…
“Nigerian telecoms stakeholders, encourage industry stakeholders on the need to seek and exploit opportunities that will emerge in the operational phase of the AfCFTA and to use the workshops as an avenue for generating feedback, identifying possible areas of interest for industry stakeholders and evolving a Roadmap for the future trajectory of the industry in the context of the Continental Free Trade Area.
“The workshop is a key element of the Governments’ institutional framework for driving Nigeria’s trade policy initiatives the Federal Government’s aspirations to advance Nigeria’s economic development through continuous encouragement of pro-trade, pro-business, pro-investment and pro-export measures are in sync with the mandate of the NCC to stimulate investment and economic activity by protecting the interest of the Government, investors and consumers within the Nigerian Communications ecosystem,” he said.
Earlier, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, chairman, board of Nigerian Communications Commission, said that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) arrangement will extend access of communications services to 1.2 billion people across the African continent.
He said that the agreement is a big deal for the sector hence stakeholders should tap into it.
According to Durojaiye, there is no limit to the achievement by innovative operators/investors in terms of business opportunities with a larger proportion of the population made up of young people, whose hunger for data and mobile services continues to grow.
He noted that in line with the Federal Government’s objectives, NCC is committed to ensuring that the sector continues to improve on its contribution to GDP and by extension the Nigerian economy.
“Through its direct contribution to the GDP and the indirect contribution to the performance of other sectors, the Telecommunication sector is indeed a facilitator of economic development.
“This sensitization workshop is to engage with stakeholders, with a view towards crafting achievable recommendations and solutions that will guarantee positive growth, development and prosperity for our industry, the Nigerian economy, and the African continent.
“Just the way we recognize the opportunities for investors in the African market, we also know that there are challenges not to say threats.
“Operators and investors within the Communications ecosystem must fully appreciate these dynamics, in order to ensure that they prepare adequately for them.
“At the end of the workshops, we expect to come out more informed about the AfCFTA Initiative, and better prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
“We believe that with good planning and implementation, Nigeria and the African continent will be better off with the Continental Free Trade Area arrangement.
“African countries who are signatory to the trade should adopt and evolve our own indigenous programme of development, he said.
Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor, Lagos State, on his part, said the AFCFTA initiative would facilitate free movement of investment and people across the African continent, adding that it would provide the opportunity for Africa to create the world’s largest free trade area.
The Governor, represented by the Hakeem Popoola Fahm, commissioner for Science and Technology, Lagos State, said the trade agreement marks a new dawn to Africa’s economic transformation, explaining that Nigeria’s economy stands to benefit with the creation of this single market.
He urged the Nigeria communication industry to leverage on the provisions of AFCFTA to the advantage of Nigeria’s telecom industry, saying it remains one of the major factors to fully drive the digital economic revolution in the country.
“It is a new hope for boosting Intra-Africa trade across African countries with a combined population of the people.
“The anticipated benefits will only remain a mirage if we fail to prepare adequately by repositioning the key sectors of our economy to be competitive and able to take optimum advantage of the opportunities presented by new market.
“To enhance the sectors competitiveness in the emerging single market, a lot of efforts must be put into improving the efficiency of service delivery,” he said.
Grey, a cross-border payments provider, has rolled out USD business accounts, bulk payments, and USDC stablecoin integration on one platform to streamline international transactions for emerging market firms.
Grey
The upgrade lets businesses open USD corporate accounts, collect from global clients, and execute payouts to 170+ countries—including bulk transfers—in minutes, slashing World Bank-noted 6-7% fees, multi-day delays, hidden charges, and forex opacity.
Idorenyin Obong, Co-founder and CEO of Grey said: “Global banking access lags for high-growth markets; we’re bridging that with faster, transparent money movement regardless of client location.”
COO Joseph Femi Aghedo added: “Unpredictable payments stall growth—Grey cuts friction for payroll, suppliers, and partners, now with USD and stablecoins for broader reach.”
Launched in Africa in 2020 with US, UK, Europe presence and recent Latin America/Southeast Asia expansion, Grey offers multi-currency accounts, cheap transfers, virtual USD cards, expense tools, and strong security.
The GSMA yesterday announced the global launch of a new Innovation Fund offering grants of £100,000 to £200,000 to support small and growing enterprises using mobile and digital technologies to accelerate the green transition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The GSMA Innovation Fund for Green Transition for Mobile (the Innovation Fund), a GSMA-funded initiative supported by its members, builds on the GSMA’s commitment to advance inclusive and sustainable connectivity, and the mobile industry’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions.
The Innovation Fund will support commercially viable innovations that expand access to clean energy and promote circularity in mobile devices – including renewable energy solutions, smart metering, refurbishment models and responsible e-waste management – to advance digital inclusion and industry climate action.
The initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, recognising the critical role of mobile technology in enabling inclusive, sustainable development.
Targeting enterprises operating across Africa, Central and South America, and South and Southeast Asia, the Innovation Fund will focus on solutions that strengthen digital inclusion, affordability and socio-economic empowerment, while delivering environmental impact.
Philippe Bellordre, Acting Head of Mobile for Development, GSMA, said: “Through this Innovation Fund, we are investing directly in enterprises that are using mobile and digital technology to advance digital inclusion and enable a clean energy transition – while also scaling practical, circular solutions that extend the life of mobile devices and make connectivity more affordable for underserved communities.”
Driving circularity and improving handset affordability
Another core focus for the Innovation Fund is extending the lifespan of mobile devices through circular economy approaches, including repair, refurbishment and reuse, reducing e-waste while increasing access to affordable handsets for underserved populations.
The Innovation Fund will support solutions such as take-back and trade-in schemes, leasing models, refurbished device marketplaces, traceability tools, and responsible e-waste collection and recycling. By keeping devices in circulation for longer, these initiatives lower environmental impact while reducing the cost of ownership and expanding connectivity for low-income communities.
Building evidence for industry climate action
Beyond supporting individual enterprises, the Innovation Fund is designed to generate practical insights and lessons that contribute to the mobile industry’s wider climate and ESG priorities. This includes evidence that supports enabling environments for clean energy and circular economy solutions, informs policy discussions, and helps scale sustainable business models across emerging markets.
Who the Innovation Fund is for:
The Innovation Fund is open to for-profit small and growing enterprises with up to 250 employees that are:
- Operating in LMICs across Africa, Central and South America, or South and Southeast Asia
- Using mobile or digital technology as a core part of their solution
- Demonstrating commercial revenue and active users
- Able to contribute at least 25% matching funding
What the Innovation Fund provides:
Selected enterprises will receive:
- Grants of £100,000 to £200,000 over 15-18 months
- Technical assistance
- Support to connect with investors and build partnerships with mobile network operators
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning support
- Visibility through GSMA platforms, publications and industry engagement
Telecom
Prof. Adeyanju is Strengthening Nigeria’s Digital Backbone for a Connected Future in Two Years of Purposeful Leadership
Two years ago, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), appointed a new Executive Management Team at Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) and this marked a defining moment in Nigeria’s digital evolution.
Today, as the organisation marks the second anniversary of the appointment of four distinguished Nigerians; Prof. Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Honourable Olusegun Olulade, Executive Director Customer Centricity and Marketing, Muhammed Sani Ibrahim; Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services and Olumbe Akinkugbe, Executive Director, Digital Exploration and Technical Services to Galaxy Backbone Limited, the story is not one of rhetoric, but of infrastructure strengthened, partnerships deepened, and national capability measurably advanced.
From the onset, the mandate was clear: to anchor Nigeria’s digital transformation on secure, sovereign infrastructure while improving service delivery across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
The Executive team immediately aligned execution with strategy through the launch of the Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS) 2023 to 2028. The focus evolved from simply providing connectivity to leading a digital ecosystem that integrates infrastructure, platforms, policy alignment, value creation, and people.
Within two years, Galaxy Backbone significantly expanded national digital access. Broadband connectivity was delivered to nine underserved Local Government Areas under Project 774, extending inclusion to communities previously beyond reliable access.
Fibre-to-Hostel projects were completed at the University of Lagos, University of Abuja, and University of Jos, strengthening academic research and digital learning environments. Connectivity to strategic national assets, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and key Federal Secretariats, was enhanced to improve operational efficiency and service reliability.
In a major step toward long-term resilience, GBB executed strategic business partnership with one of Africa’s leading provider of inter-connected carrier scale digital Infrastructure Companies, West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), reinforcing Nigeria’s national fibre backbone, improving redundancy, and enabling scalable broadband expansion across more states and underserved communities.
This strategic move significantly strengthened the country’s digital resilience architecture.
Beyond infrastructure expansion, the leadership deepened Nigeria’s sovereign digital capabilities. The 1Government Cloud platform was optimized and expanded to support more MDAs with operational efficiency, secure hosting and shared services.
GovMail, a locally developed email solution by GBB, for Federal Government Public and Civil Servants was birthed and today is enhancing trusted government communication for over 100,000 professionals currently on the platform. Cybersecurity posture was reinforced through 24/7 monitoring and strengthened controls, while colocation services and data centre operations were upgraded for greater resilience. Under this leadership, GBB’s Service desk now operates 24/7, 365 days a year.
The deployment of Government as a Platform (GaaP) framework, improvements to the Government Service Portal, ISO recertification milestones and the implementation of an Integrated Management System (IMS) further institutionalized governance, accountability, and operational excellence.
The journey has not been without challenges. Fiscal constraints, legacy systems, increasing cyber threats, and rising expectations for digital public services required decisive leadership.
Through disciplined financial management, strategic partnerships, stronger stakeholder engagement, and operational reforms, the Executive Management stabilised systems, improved service quality, and positioned Galaxy Backbone as a trusted enabler of public sector transformation.
Support from the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Dr. George Akume who chairs the GBB Board, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson Jack and other top Government leaders across the arms of Government, have all been instrumental in aligning policy direction with execution momentum, ensuring that national priorities translate into tangible digital outcomes.
Over the past two years, Galaxy Backbone has earned over 20 reputable recognitions, including the NET5.5G Pioneer Award, the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Award, the Overall Winner award at the Nigeria @ 65 Independence Kitty, the BPSR Website Performance Award, and Best ICT Provider Company of the Year at the International Standard Excellence Awards and so on. GBB’s MD/CEO, Prof. Adeyanju has also been named as one of the top 100 leading Personalities in the Telecoms Industry in Nigeria.
These honours reflect not just institutional visibility, but measurable transformation in governance standards, infrastructure resilience, and service delivery impact.
Two years on, Galaxy Backbone stands stronger — not merely as an infrastructure provider, but as a strategic custodian of Nigeria’s sovereign digital backbone.
With clarity of vision, disciplined execution, and sustained collaboration across government, the organisation continues to deepen connectivity, strengthen cybersecurity, expand cloud sovereignty, and build a resilient digital foundation for national development.
The progress achieved affirms a simple truth: purposeful leadership, aligned with national vision and supported by strategic partnerships, can translate ambition into enduring capability. Galaxy Backbone remains committed to powering a secure, connected, and digitally enabled Nigeria for generations to come.
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