Telecom
NITDA Urges Computer Manufacturers to Improve Quality & After-sales-Support
Mallam KashifuInuwa Abdullahi, director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called on the Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria (CCMON) to improve in quality and synergy to ensure devices meet the minimum requirements and that OEMs ensure sufficient after-sales-support of these devices.
The DG made this call during a virtual meeting held between National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria (CCMON) to discuss issues affecting the increasing adoption of indigenously assembled devices in Nigeria and possible ways of moving the country’s ICT hardware sub sector of the economy forward through adequate implementation of local content policy.
Mallam Abdullahi in his welcome remarks commended CCMON for its partnership with NITDA as a critical stakeholder for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, he however encouraged them to be competitive in terms of price and to also set their target as the public and not just government.
The DG also directed that a joint committee be created between CCMON and NITDA to ensure all concerns are addressed and a strategic direction agreed. The committee will be chaired by the National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT (ONC) and will submit its committee report in a month for consideration and action by the Agency
Earlier, Engr Adenike Abudu, president of CCMON while speaking during the meeting noted that comparative patronage of Nigerian OEMs was relatively low and that investments made by Indigenous OEMs was still underutilized, adding that several Government Agencies still did not patronize Indigenous OEMs as required by the Guidelines for Nigerian Content and Executive Orders 003 of the President.
She however, identified gaps in communication between NITDA and association, noting that there is a need to improve communication between NITDA and the association.
She said the purpose of the meeting was to see how they can partner with NITDA to ensure implementation of policies that will help OEMs to thrive, OEMs being in business in turn retains and creates more jobs, she said.
In his response, Barr Kasim Sodangi, the National coordinator Office for Nigerian Content (ONC), said that NITDA has been engaging MDAs through the IT project clearance channel and has mandated a lot of purchases of OEMs.
He said the challenges are, NITDA cannot be everywhere, but NITDA has insisted that IT procurements should state that preference must be given to indigenous manufacturers, which is the content of Executive order 003.
Responding to issues raised by association on poor sales the NC admonished OEMs to do their marketing and promote their products as he mentioned that MDAs buying in trickles has led to the conversation on where do we go on aggregation.
Reacting to what Sodangi said, CCMON explained that the issue of specification is complex because the components of hardware are the same. The only difference is the processor and there over 10 different type of processors. And because of the capacity of the OEMs it is not possible to stock up one type of processors so they work with the requested specifications at every given time.
Further discussions were held on the certification requirements of NITDA, quality of devices, stock availability, after-sales-support, the need for a streamlined specification of devices and the need to deepen business development and marketing
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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