Telecom
NITDA Partners Mass Challenge to Enhance Economic Development
In order to help entrepreneurs in Nigeria grow their brands and initiatives locally while having easy access to the global ecosystem, the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) has forged partnership with MassChallenge by offering support with the purpose of creating jobs and wealth for the Nation.
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, NITDA, who was represented by the acting National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovations, Mr Yakubu Musa expressed his optimism at the collaboration during a virtual meeting with the MassChallenge Global Partnership Manager, Kevin O Reilly.
The DG stated that, as part of efforts of the Agency in implementing the promotion of indigenous content, a strategic pillar of the Agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2021-2024, the MassChallenge Nigeria will help create and further promote a vibrant start up ecosystem which can create lasting solutions to some of the economic challenges being faced currently.
He stated that nnovation is a prominent way of creating prosperity for all and lifting countries out of poverty.
The NITDA boss disclosed that the MassChallenge Nigeria competition will identify and accelerate top startups in Nigeria while exposing them to NITDA’s facilities and connecting them to the global network.
“Startups participating in the program will have access to facilities such as our National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for their prototyping”, Abdullahi noted.
He further promised the Agency’s facilitation of incentives for startups participating in the program such as experienced mentorship from multinationals.
He averred that the product support teams from these multinationals will help the startups develop technical marketing which will help in building their businesses.
MassChallenge Product Manager, Mr. Reilly while giving his presentation earlier said that the MassChallenge looks forward to working with NITDA to continue to support and grow the Nigerian innovation ecosystem.
He stated that all startups participating in the MassChallenge Nigeria 2021 will have access to tailored mentorship and coaching from NITDA and MassChallenge mentors.
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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