Telecom
Pantami Praises MTN for Appointing Nigerian CEO
Dr. Isa Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, says the government is pleased with the appointment of a Nigerian to lead MTN Nigeria, the country’s leading provider of telecommunications and ICT services, as well as the second largest company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Pantami said this during a courtesy visit by Ernest Ndukwe, chairman, MTN Nigeria; Karl Toriola, CEO-designate, and Tobechukwu Okigbo, chief corporate services officer.
The primary aim of the visit was to officially introduce the CEO-designate to the Minister, as well as demonstrate commitment to the MTN Nigerianization Agenda – an initiative of the MTN Group, which is geared at increasing local participation in the company’s top management as well as promote local content.
MTN currently employs over 19,000 Nigerians and contributes at least 4.5% to the country’s GDP, according to its 2018 financial reports.
According to Ndukwe, plans are underway to give Nigerians more access to the MTN opportunity.
“In spite of the current limitations, we are working with stakeholders to increase local ownership of MTN Nigeria and at the same time increase equity in Nigeria’s capital markets,” he added.
Pantami also praised MTN Nigeria for its corporate social investment activities through the MTN Foundation, which has transformed several lives and communities. MTN Foundation has invested over 22 billion Naira in several initiatives across the country in 16 years.
The Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government towards providing an enabling environment for the telecommunications sector to thrive, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the satisfaction of Nigerians.
He stated, “The priority of this government is the security and welfare of its citizens and as much as we are committed to making our economy business-friendly for investors, we will always put the satisfaction of our citizens as priority”.
In response, Toriola, a graduate of Electronic and Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University who has spent 14 years at MTN and was until recently Vice President for West and Central Africa, praised the Minister for his leadership and innovation in the telecommunications sector which has seen to the development of the National Broadband Plan 2020 – 2025 and the Digital Economy agenda.
He restated MTN’s commitment towards complying with the policies introduced by the government and maintaining continuous partnership with relevant stakeholders for the advancement of the digital economy.
“We will key into any government policies and initiatives and are willing and open to any collaborations and partnerships that will further advance the digital economy cause,” Toriola stated.
Spacecoin, US-based, has announced the signing of recent agreements with local authorities and operators to launch satellite connectivity pilot projects in Africa.
The initiatives, focused on Kenya and Nigeria, aim to serve areas where terrestrial networks remain limited or unavailable.
n Kenya, Spacecoin has obtained a transmission license from the Communications Authority, allowing it to test satellite-based solutions for connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas with limited internet access.
According to the Kenyan regulator, internet penetration remains below 50% of the population, despite mobile penetration exceeding 130%.
In parallel, the company is continuing operations in Nigeria under an existing license issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This authorization supports initiatives aimed at delivering affordable broadband connectivity to isolated and underserved communities.
Spacecoin’s approach is based on a decentralized satellite network using nanosatellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Combined with blockchain-based protocols, this architecture is intended to offer more flexible and cost-effective connectivity services than traditional networks, while also enabling the integration of IoT solutions for a range of uses, from smart agriculture to infrastructure monitoring.
These projects are part of a broader strategy to help narrow Africa’s digital divide, where a significant share of the population still lacks access to reliable internet services.
Satellite technology is increasingly viewed as a complement to terrestrial infrastructure, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where deployment costs and geographic constraints remain high.
Beyond Africa, Spacecoin is also running pilot projects in Asia, working with local partners to test the viability of its model across different regulatory and geographic environments.
According to the company’s management, growing interest from regulators reflects a shift toward solutions capable of reaching populations that have long been excluded from internet access.
AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, driving digital transformation and sustainability, today announces the appointment of Khaled Salah, 37 years old, as Vice President of Africa.
Khaled Salah
In this new role, he will be responsible for about 30 employees to ensure the successful implementation of AVEVA’s growth strategy. Khaled Salah will report directly to Jesus Hernandez, SVP of the EMEA region.
A 15-years + career across different industries and domains
With a MBA in management from the Warwick business school, UK, and a master’s degree in engineering from Ain Shams university in Egypt, Khaled Salah is an active advocate for driving sustainable progress in the industrial sector. With Sustainability in mind, Khaled is keen on making a positive business impact, while fostering progress for people and the planet.
He started his career at Schneider Electric, in 2013 in the global supply chain and evolved through various roles such as Europe procurement and supply chain strategy Manager, and Global Commercial strategy Director for the industrial automation business. Khaled Salah has developed a strategic understanding of all those fields.
After 12 years in Schneider Electric, Khaled joined AVEVA in 2022 to lead AVEVA and Schneider Electric global strategic partnership, across all industries managing a team of 30 people.
He has led the introduction of new AVEVA software solutions to initiate and develop significant growth areas across all Schneider Electric verticals.
Ambitious plans for AVEVA in Africa
In addition to his current role as AVEVA and Schneider Electric partnership Vice-President, Khaled now takes over the management of AVEVA’s activities in Africa.
Jesus Hernandez, SVP of the EMEA region says: “Africa is a strategic region for AVEVA. In this major industrial market, customers, world leaders in the fields of Energy, Metal & Mining, Chemicals, and Water, are looking for AVEVA’s expertise to accelerate and drive their digital transformation and sustainability strategies, as well as their energy transition projects.
“Khaled Salah’s qualities of leadership in a global environment will benefit his team spread across 12 countries including Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.”
Motivated by the prospect of capitalizing on the talent of his team to strengthen AVEVA’s presence in Africa in the years to come, Khaled Salah says: “Helping my team realize their professional potential is close to my heart.
“We will work together to support and accelerate the digital transformation of industries in Africa, in particular through CONNECT, our industrial intelligence platform, with the support of our ecosystem of partners. »
A Google-Ipsos report reveals Nigerians topping global AI usage at 88%, surpassing the 62% worldwide average, with sharp rises in education and business applications.
“Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the hands of more people” shows 93% of Nigerians using AI for learning complex topics versus 74% globally, 91% for work assistance, and 80% for new ventures—nearly double the 42% global rate.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, stated: “Nigerians are creatively using AI to unlock opportunities for learning, growth, and economic empowerment, shaping their future with technology.”
Key findings highlight 91% viewing AI positively for learning access, 95% expecting benefits for students and educators, and strong optimism—80% excited versus 20% concerned, compared to global 53%-46% split. Frequent users show 90% excitement
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