Telecom
Pantami Lauds Airtel on Compliance
Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, the Honorable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has praised Airtel Nigeria for its commitment to compliance over the pursuit of profit.
Dr. Pantami gave the commendation, yesterday (November 2) in his office, when the Group Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa formerly CEO of Airtel Nigeria visited the minister to introduce his successor, Mr. Surendran Chemmenkotil.
The Honorable Minister commended Mr. Ogunsanya for his commitment to prioritise compliance over profit saying that in several interactions with himself as well as the Ministerial Committee, the Airtel Africa Chief never hesitated in restating his commitment to compliance as a critical part of modern business.
According to the Minister, much as we recognise the fact that investors are in business to make profit, it is also an imperative for businesses to comply with the laws and regulations of the industry and I am delighted to say Airtel with the leadership of Mr. Ogunsanya has done very well in this regard.
He regretted the impact of the recent network shutdowns in parts of the North due to military operations saying that it was a temporary measure to secure the country from banditry and insurgency.
He congratulated Mr. Ogunsanya on his deserved elevation to the position of Group Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa stating that his record of consistent high performance and excellent leadership capabilities speak volumes.
He prayed for his success in his new position and welcomed the new CEO of the Nigerian operation to Nigeria, charging him to build on the remarkable record set by his predecessor.
Dr. Pantami also expressed his delight with the tremendous growth that the telecommunications industry has recorded with a resounding 17.5% contribution to the country’s GDP in the second half of 2021.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Ogunsanya had expressed profound appreciation to the Honorable Minister for his support to him personally and Airtel Nigeria as a business.
In his words, “you have done a great deal to support our business and indeed the growth of the telecommunications industry and I pray for your continued success.”
Mr. Ogunsanya, who led Airtel Nigeria for over 9 years, was recently appointed the Group Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, which has operations in 14 African countries.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
MultiChoice is closing its continental streaming platform Showmax after 11 years, notifying subscribers Thursday of the board’s decision to discontinue the service in the near future to refocus on sustainable digital offerings.
MultiChoice
The email assured no immediate disruption: “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.” Showmax, launched in South Africa in 2015 and expanded across Africa, offered movies, series, documentaries, and sports to rival Netflix and others amid rising online entertainment demand.
The shutdown follows Canal+’s approved takeover of MultiChoice last year, with the French giant offering ZAR 125 per share for remaining stakes.
The deal mandates HDP ownership boosts, local content investment, and splitting MultiChoice’s SA broadcasting arm into an independent entity to meet regulations.
MultiChoice prioritised subscribers during the transition, promising advance notice on timelines.
Showmax’s exit signals consolidation pressures in Africa’s cut-throat streaming market, where global players dominate despite local content strengths.
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