Telecom
NCC May Intervene over Telcos’ Debt to VAS Licensees
Licensees in the Value Added Service (VAS) market segment of the nation’s ICT industry have sent ‘Save our Soul’ letter to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the increasing debts owed them by telecom operators.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the debt profile running in billions of naira has forced about 30% of the licensees to close shop.
Thus, they are crying to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC’s) to replicate its interventional efforts that led to the payment of N10 billion owned to their counterparts in the interconnect segment by same telecom operators.
Meanwhile, there are indications that NCC may step in to resolve the matter as the Professor Umar Danbatta, the EVC in his speech at the recent TERF 2016, admitted that “On the VAS segment, we believe that the absence of detailed regulation with appropriate market segmentation is responsible for interconnect disputes”.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek’s investigations show that telcos indebtedness to these content providers has been skyrocketing since 2013.
In the VAS market, there are both operators and licensees. While the operators focus on special numbering, the licensees focus on content provisioning using short codes and they are the worst hit following inadequacies in the market.
The licensees numbering over one hundred have in the past sought the intervention of the Value Added Services Providers Association of Nigeria (VASPAN) and the Association of Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ATCON) with tones of letters written in that regard.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek recalled that in 2013, NCC took first step to put in place, regulatory framework to protect consumers and also create revenue streams for service providers in the industry.
The exponential growth in the Nigerian telecoms industry gave rise to the evolution of VAS, where its operators provide support communications services to subscribers, via the smartphone.
They provide plethora of services such as news breaks, ring back tunes, telemarketing, mobile entertainment, flight information, among others. But such services are becoming a nuisance to telecoms subscribers as they constitute unethical practice, forcing unsolicited text messages on subscribers and compulsorily billing them for the services.
Revenue Sharing Formula
Till now, there has not been regulatory intervention to decide the revenue sharing formula hence it has been a business agreement of the telecom operator and the licensee involved.
It was discovered that the sharing formula varies depending on the bargaining powers between a licensee and the telecom operator. While some agree for revenue sharing on 40:60 percent with the telco taking the lion’s share, the least ratio is 15:85 per cent.
For instance, in pre-licensing era, Econet paid 60% of generated VAS revenue to the licensee. The peak of the market was between 2012 and 2013 but has been on downward trend since 2014.
The operators are also complaining that since revenue on voice calls started dropping, it has also affected the VAS segment, but the licensee have argued that they should be allowed to leverage on the data segment to shore up the revenue.
The debts are building up that a lot of VAS companies are folding up.
A particular VAS licensee which generated over one trillion naira for a big telco between 2014 and first quarter 2016, with a substantive agreement to be paid 20% of the revenue, has yet to receive any payment.
Even when the operator later agreed to pay, with a credit note, several months after the agreement is yet unfulfilled.
According to one of the licensees, “Some other operators if they agree to pay you they slash the percentage to their satisfaction, telling you they deducted commissions”.
When contacted on the matter, Mr. Hyacinth Anucha, coordinator, Value Added Service at ATCON, said that available documents show some discrepancies in the system requiring NCC’s regulatory intervention to sanitize the sub-sector.
“Although I cannot categorically say that this operator owns this VAS licensee this amount or the other, but there is need for regulatory intervention to make all parties feel fulfilled. If we should say NCC should intervene this year that means next year they are still going to intervene in the market. But if there is policy document in place it will deter anyone from owing while the VAS licensees leave up to their expectations too.
Speaking on the implications of the debts on the industry, he said, “Today we talk about local content and there is a framework for it. Then, we are not paying the people that are providing the content, of course we are sending them out of the market; that will also amount to job lose, sending a lot of people back to the labour market and encouraging crime. The youths are innovative. There must be a policy that supports them. If not, the smaller businesses will die. That is why believe there should be a policy to ensure the bigger players so not kill the smaller players”.
He however admitted that NCC has made efforts in the past to ensure the debts are recovered. “But what we are saying is that instead of intervention policy, there should be a regulatory policy on ensure these debts are not continued to be owned.
Recounting the number of VAS licensee that have closed shop due to stifle market forces, “About 30% of them are off. If you check you will not see them again”.
Meanwhile, Professor Umar Danbatta, EVC of NCC represented by Engineer Ubale Maska, executive commissioner (Technical Services) at the Commission gave some regulatory insights into VAS and Interconnect markets at TERF 2016.
He said that the Commission’s approach to interconnect and VAS debts in the telecom industry is persuasive.
The EVC said, “The regulator is not interested in micro managing financial and relationships between, and among service providers, that have been substantially protected by subsisting commercial agreements.
“Interconnect debts have not been really a big issue in the industry except in cases of disputes. But there have been cases of interconnect fees disputes between service providers. In such cases, the regulator has intervened. In the past one year, such intervention has resulted in payments of about N10.5 Billion from about reported N17 Billion disputed interconnect debts. Agreements have also been reached for the settlement of outstanding debts.
“On the VAS segment, we believe that the absence of detailed regulation with appropriate market segmentation is responsible for interconnect disputes. We have received reports, especially from the VAS providers, of alleged exploitation by the big operators. On the other hand, the service providers have complained about the parasitic nature of this service. There is also a fusion of roles between the identified market segments, resulting in distortions in the market”.
Prof. Danbatta added that the Commission has conducted a consultative process and is about concluding arrangements for introduction of a regulation to guide the activities of the VAS market. This will substantially address the issues arising from VAS interconnect debt.
Airtel Africa Foundation, through Airtel Nigeria, has marked International Volunteer Day 2025 by celebrating the impact of the Employee Volunteer Programme (EVP), a flagship initiative by which employees volunteer their time, expertise, and personal resources to advancing the Foundation’s mission across 14 African markets.
The celebration brought together volunteers at the Airtel Nigeria Headquarters in Lagos for moments of team bonding activities, testimonials, and volunteer spotlights. The event also served as a call to action, encouraging more employees to register for EVP activities and join the volunteer community.
The EVP has become a cornerstone of Airtel Africa Foundation’s community impact, empowering employees to drive local CSR initiatives and champion causes that promote education, digital skills, environmental responsibility, and youth empowerment. Through the programme, volunteers have contributed significantly to initiatives such as the International Day of Education Essay Competition, Teacher-for-a-Day sessions, beach clean-ups, market sensitisation exercises to reduce plastic waste, and the Airtel-3MTT NextGen Fellowship for young Nigerians.
Speaking about the celebration, Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, said, “International Volunteer Day reminds us that real impact begins with people who are willing to show up and serve. Today we honour the incredible dedication of Airtel employees, whose selfless commitment of time and talent is the engine behind our progress. Their contribution is the backbone of our work and the reason we continue to transform communities across Africa.”
Over the years, the EVP in Nigeria has delivered tangible outcomes through numerous impactful initiatives such as financial donations to the Lagos State Government COVID-19 control efforts. In 2025 alone, volunteers have contributed more than 200 hours of service, reaching over 100,000 beneficiaries.
Commenting on the commitment of Airtel Nigeria’s employees, Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, said, “Volunteering is at the heart of who we are. Behind every empowered learner, every restored environment, and every connected community is an individual who believed in making a difference, and we are thankful for your participation. Our mission remains clear: to use technology, resources, and our collective humanity to build a digitally inclusive, socially responsible, and sustainable Africa.”
International Volunteer Day provides a global moment to honour volunteers whose contributions often go unseen but deliver lasting impact. As its EVP continues to grow, Airtel Africa Foundation remains committed to expanding access to education, digital literacy, environmental care, and opportunities for underserved communities across the continent.
Nigerian creators have emerged dominant at the 2025 TikTok Awards for Sub-Saharan Africa, winning six of the ten categories at the ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
TikTok Sub-Saharan Africa Awards
The awards, themed “New Era, New Icons”, celebrated outstanding creativity across the continent, with Nigeria’s victories underscoring its growing influence in digital culture and entertainment.
Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim, known as @diaryofanortherncook, from Sokoto, won the prestigious Creator of the Year Award, recognised for her cinematic storytelling of Northern Nigerian cuisine. Abuja-based Brian Nwana (@briannwana) clinched Storyteller of the Year, while Izzi Boye (@izziboye) was named Education Creator of the Year.
Other Nigerian winners included Belove Olocha (@beloveolocha) for Entertainment Creator of the Year, Dejoke Ogunbiyi (@noositiwantiwa_) for Social Impact Creator of the Year, and Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi (@theycallmeshallipopipp), who took home Artist of the Year.
Shallipopi, whose hit track “Laho” dominated African soundwaves in 2025, thanked TikTok for supporting upcoming artists and providing a platform to shine. “When Nigeria creates, the world moves,” he told fans during his acceptance speech.
TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, praised the winners, noting that Nigerian creators had redefined what it means to be a digital storyteller. “Tonight’s ceremony was a gathering of trailblazers who turned short video clips into cultural movements,” she said.
Other winners from across the continent included Tanzania’s Fanuel John Masamaki (@zerobrainer0), who won Video of the Year, Kenya’s @tunero_animations as Rising Star of the Year, South Africa’s @malumfoodie for Food Creator of the Year, and Kenya’s @zozasportscast for Sports Creator of the Year.
The ceremony, supported by brands such as NIVEA, Coca-Cola, PEP, inDrive and Dis-Chem, will be broadcast exclusively on TikTok LIVE on Dec. 11 at 19:00 WAT via the @tiktok.africa account.
MTN Nigeria has announced the winners of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge, a national innovation programme delivered in partnership with Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through its local partner, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria.
L – R: Promise Ogochukwu, OneGrid Energies; Emmanuel Ezea, OneGrid Energies, Lantana Elhassan, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, UNDP Nigeria; Valentine Nnamani, OneGrid Energies; trio winner of the MTN 2025 Pachipanda Challenge, held at MTN RoofTop Plaza, Ikoyi.
The competition attracted over 2000 applications from young innovators across the country and concluded with a 3-day sprint event that featured masterclasses and pitch presentations at the MTN Rooftop Event Centre, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos. Ten finalists, comprising seven individuals and three teams, competed for top honours following a rigorous multi-stage screening process.
Team OneGrid Energies emerged overall winner for its solution that addresses energy access in underserved communities. The team of Emmanuel Ezea, Ogochukwu Ogene, and Valentine Nnamani upcycle plastic bottles and e-waste lithium ion batteries to create affordable lanterns for households without reliable electricity. The team also introduced smart solar-powered charging stations operated by rural women, creating economic opportunities and supporting environmental impact.
Joshua Ndaman secured second place with his innovative solution, BuyScrap, a tech-driven platform that streamlines the collection and recycling of electronic waste. By ensuring that discarded electronics are ethically reused and repurposed, BuyScrap supports a circular economy and provides a reliable link between households and processors in the e-waste value chain.
Divine Peter secured third place with HopeForge Engineering, an initiative that designs and produces affordable recycling equipment for green businesses using recyclable materials. His focus on automating traditional manual equipment aims to increase productivity and make sustainable tools more accessible for small and medium-sized enterpriOlayinkases.
The winners received ₦3,000,000, ₦2,000,000, and ₦1,500,000 respectively. They will now represent Nigeria at the Africa PachiPanda Challenge where they will compete against champions from across the continent.
Tobe Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, emphasised the importance of youth-led innovation in advancing climate action and community resilience. “Innovation should go beyond solving problems; it should be bankable and sustainable, ensuring long-term value for both society and the innovators themselves,” he noted.
Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director-General of NCF, praised the creativity of the finalists, stating, “Every finalist here is a winner, and we will continue to work with partners like MTN, UNDP, and WWF to nurture these ideas and build a better future for Nigeria.”
Representing UNDP Nigeria, Lantana Elhassan, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, described the potential of the finalists’ solutions to inspire systemic change across Africa’s innovation landscape. She highlighted the role of tech tools in helping participants improve their prototypes and scale their solutions.
During the event week, finalists received tailored training through masterclass sessions that enhance their business skills and strengthened their solutions. Facilitators included Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC); Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder & CEO, Instollar; Nifemi Oluboyede, Chief Product Officer, Credit Direct; and Uche Aniche, Founder, Rebel Seed Capital & Convener, Startup South.
Judges comprised experts in sustainability and innovation including Dr. Tiwalade Adeniyi, Head of ESG, Solon; Dr. William Tsuma, Chief Innovation Officer, UNDP Nigeria; Maximus Ugwuoke, Country Director, Carbon Craft Africa; Peju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation; Temitope Okunnu, Founder, Fabe International; and Yewande Adeyi, Senior Manager, ESG Advisory Services, KPMG West Africa.
The Africa-wide finals will bring together leading innovators from across the continent to showcase their work to industry experts and investors.
For more information and updates on the winners’ journey, visit https://www.mtn.ng/sustainability or contact [email protected]
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