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Nigeria’s ICT Industry Growing in Leaps and Bounds – Pantami

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Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has told the global digital community that Nigeria has been witnessing phenomenal growth in its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, thus enabling socio-economic development in Nigeria and across the African continent.
Pantami stated this at a tea break hosted by Nigeria on the sideline of the 2022 International Telecommunication Union’s World Telecommunications Development Conference (ITU-WTDC) which started in Kigali Rwanda on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.
The tea break was attended by senior officials of the ITU, including the Secretary General, Houlin Zhao, as well as representatives and heads of delegations from different countries attending the annual conference.
Addressing delegates on behalf of the Minister, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ubale Maska, said that Nigeria had continued to record impressive growth in its ICT sector and acknowledged the support of the ITU in Nigeria’s strides in ICT.
“Nigeria has utilized ICT as a driver of socio-economic development not just for herself, but also for the benefit of the sub-region and continent, given its role as a founding member and strategic sponsor of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA),” Maska said.
Providing latest growth statistics in terms of the telecoms segment of the Nigerian ICT industry, Maska said in the last 20 years, Nigeria has achieved robust growth in its telecoms industry where it went from less than half a million connected telephone lines to over 200 million active mobile lines as at April, 2022. Importantly, the broadband penetration in Nigeria is now 42.79 per cent.
“As a country, we have grown from Second Generation (2G), to 3G, 4G and now the 5G is about to come on board after conducting a globally-acclaimed transparent auction and awards of two 5G licences. Also, the country has implemented vigorous financial inclusion initiatives riding on robust digital infrastructure,” he said.
Engr. Maska said many achievements of Nigeria in the area of ICT development have been possible through the successful launch and implementation of policies that foster use of ICTs across all sectors to enhance a digital economy.
Meanwhile, as a long-standing member of ITU Council, Maska said Nigeria has been playing remarkable roles in ITU, such as its chairing the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2022; chairing the World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) 2015; and chairing of ITU Council Standing Committee on Administration and Management (SC-ADM) in 2019 and 2022.
He said Nigeria has also chaired the Ad-hoc Committee on ITU Regional Presence; served as chair and vice chair of several study groups; and provided financial support to the ITU headquarters.
Maska assured the participants that Nigeria hopes to have the privilege and honour to continue to serve in the forthcoming ITU Council cycle (2022-2026).
Maska commended the government of Rwanda for hosting this year’s edition of the conference on behalf of the African continent.
In his speech during the brief event, the ITU Scribe, Houlin Zhao, extolled Nigeria’s role and contributions as a member of ITU Council.
He used the opportunity to seek the support of the other member countries for Nigeria’s membership in the next cycle, 2022-2026.
Maska, who participated as a panelist at the Partner2Connect Development Roundtable High Level Panel 8, warmly appreciated the ITU officials and delegates from other countries for honouring Nigeria’s invitation to the tea break to have important deliberations at the development conference.
Focused on “Connecting the unconnected to achieve sustainable development”, WTDC is a unique opportunity to develop innovative approaches and new models of collaboration for connectivity and digital solutions in this final ‘Decade of Action’ to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The WTDC, taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 6 to 16 June 2022, features the Partner2Connect Digital Development Roundtable from 7 to 9 June. It was preceded by the Generation Connect Global Youth Summit from 2 to 4 June.
The ITU, through its Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), organizes the WTDC in the period between two Plenipotentiary Conferences (the supreme organ of ITU which takes place every four years), to consider topics, projects and programmes relevant to telecommunication development.
The WTDC sets the strategies and objectives for the development of telecommunication and ICT, and provides future direction and guidance to the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D).

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PalmPay Supports Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Walk

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Chika Reginald Nwosu, Managing Director, PalmPay at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) during its Cybersecurity Awareness Walk held in Abuja, recently.
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PalmPay, a Nigerian leading digital banking platform, supported the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) during its Cybersecurity Awareness Walk held in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Themed “Secure Our World,” the event brought together key stakeholders from law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and the private sector to promote public awareness on cybersecurity, financial fraud prevention, and safe online practices.

PalmPay joined other participants in advocating for stronger public vigilance and safer digital engagement, reaffirming its commitment to supporting national efforts that enhance cybersecurity and consumer protection.

Speaking during the event, PalmPay’s Managing Director, Mr Chika Reginald Nwosu, commended the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) for its efforts in combating cybercrime and protecting consumers. He emphasised the need for continued collaboration across sectors to build a safe and secure payment ecosystem for all Nigerians.

“We commend the NPF-NCCC for its proactive leadership in driving cybersecurity awareness,” said Nwosu. “At PalmPay, we are committed to supporting initiatives that promote digital safety and foster trust in Nigeria’s growing digital economy.”

At the event, PalmPay was commended for its outstanding efforts in strengthening regulatory engagement and advancing consumer protection initiatives across the fintech industry.

The partnership underscores PalmPay’s ongoing commitment to promoting cybersecurity awareness, consumer protection, and fraud prevention as part of its mission to create a safer digital financial ecosystem in Nigeria.

PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.

PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.


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Fidelity Bank Salutes Air Peace for Flying Nigeria’s Flag to Heathrow

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Fidelity Bank Plc has congratulated Air Peace on the successful launch of its maiden direct flight from Lagos to London Heathrow, describing the milestone as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a testament to the power of indigenous partnerships.

Fidelity Bank Salutes Air Peace for Flying Nigeria’s Flag to Heathrow

 

The commendation was delivered by Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director of Fidelity Bank, during a special event held in Lagos to celebrate the airline’s expansion into the European market.

“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a win for Nigeria,” Onyeali-Ikpe said. “It reflects the strength of home-grown businesses and the impact of strategic financial support in enabling national champions to thrive on the global stage.”

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that Fidelity Bank has played a pivotal role in Air Peace’s growth, providing early financial backing and advisory services that helped the airline become the largest carrier in West Africa. The bank continues to support Air Peace through payment processing and other financial services

The launch of the London route marks a new chapter for Air Peace, which now joins a select group of African airlines operating direct flights to Heathrow.

The development is expected to boost tourism, trade, and connectivity between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Speaking at the event, Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, expressed gratitude to Fidelity Bank for its unwavering support and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to excellence and service.

“This partnership has been instrumental in our journey,” Onyema said. “We are proud to fly the Nigerian flag across international skies.”

Industry stakeholders present at the event praised the collaboration between the two companies as a model for sustainable business growth and national development.


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After MultiChoice Buyout, Canal+ Eyes Full Ownership of Showmax

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Canal+, French media giant, is reportedly eyeing the full takeover of Showmax, the African streaming platform jointly owned with MultiChoice Group.

After MultiChoice Buyout, Canal+ Eyes Full Ownership of Showmax

This followed its recent push to expand across the continent’s digital entertainment market.

The move comes after Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice to strengthening its hold on Africa’s pay-TV and streaming ecosystem.

With Showmax being a key growth asset under the partnership, industry analysts say a full takeover could give Canal+ end-to-end control of content production, distribution, and subscription revenue in multiple markets.

The acquisition would also align with Canal+’s broader strategy to rival global streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video by leveraging African content demand and localized storytelling.

According to RipplesNigeria, Ayo Balogun, Media and Telecoms Analyst, CardinalStone Partners, while reacting to the move, said: “Canal+’s full acquisition of Showmax would mark a decisive step in consolidating Africa’s digital media value chain.

“With MultiChoice now under its control, Canal+ can fully integrate content, distribution, and streaming into a single monetizable ecosystem—something we’ve not seen before on this scale in Africa.”

Thandiwe Mokoena, Senior Media Strategist, Johannesburg, added: “This move gives Canal+ strategic dominance in both the pay-TV and OTT spaces. It positions them not only as a regional player but also as a continental gatekeeper for premium African content. The competitive pressure on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in Africa will rise sharply if this takeover goes through.”

Financial markets are closely watching how the potential consolidation could reshape Africa’s media landscape, particularly in terms of valuation, competition law, and licensing rights.


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