Telecom
PAPDAN Showcases Best of Mobile Innovation at PEN 2014 Show
The Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDAN) has announced plans to showcase the best of mobile innovation at the Phone Expo Nigeria 2014 (PEN 2014) planned to gather the Nigerian mobile ecosystem next December in Lagos.
Mr. Iyke Nwosu, chairman of PAPDAN, announced in Lagos, that the influential trade group of phone dealers in the country would leverage PEN 2014 to bring the best in mobile handsets, devices and technologies “under one roof for the benefits of Nigerian consumers.”
PEN 2014 produced by Technology Times Events will feature exhibitions of latest mobile technologies and co-locate unique events at the annual gathering of the Nigerian mobile ecosystem.
PEN 2014, which takes place December 2-6, 2014 under the theme, “Next Frontiers of Connected Nigeria” will hold at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka in Yaba, Lagos.
The chairman of PAPDAN commended the PEN 2014 initiative saying that it will offer members of the association a platform to connect directly with consumers.
“We also believe that PEN 2014 will enable PAPDAN to promote the mission of the association to promote the interest of Nigerian mobile consumers”, Mr. Nwosu said.
Market information by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows growing telephony subscriptions reached 33,282,003 active lines and 94.42% teledensity across the country by August 2014.
Within the same period, Nigeria also recorded 72,566,791 Internet subscribers, according to the telecommunications industry regulator.
The Chairman of PAPDAN said that the association has become a critical catalyst in the growing mobile telephony ecosystem in Nigeria.
PAPDAN, headquartered in Ikeja Computer Village, Nigeria’s biggest technology market, now has over 5000 members employing more than 25,000 people across the mobile value chain, Mr. Nwosu said.
According to the chairman of PAPDAN, in Computer Village alone, members of the body recorded in excess of four million units of monthly sales of diverse handsets and devices to consumers coming from across states in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
“PAPDAN has been crucial to the growth of the mobile telephony market in Nigeria as our members were the first to introduce dual-SIM phones. The big brands were cynical at the time but they are all now playing catch-up to gain market share in the country”, Mr. Nwosu added.
Commenting further, he said that, “when we introduced dual-SIM phones, people were laughing but you can see that today, a lot of the established brands are also playing catch-up”
Mr. Nwosu said that insights gained from mobile phone market trends in Nigeria show that consumers needs and preference continue to grow for latest technologies and innovative products.
“One factor that drives everybody is pricing. The market is highly price-dependent and driven but consumers still want phones with lots of functionalities. Most of the consumers are looking for cheap phones and brands within the N5000 to N15000 price range are the market leaders that we have seen”, the PAPDAN chairman explained.
He said that consumer preferences are also shifting towards Android devices that “allow them to do a lot of things” while there is increasing demand for bigger screens that allow them to watch videos on the devices.
Based on market insights, the PAPDAN chairman said that consumers still ask for established global brands but several relatively newer players are recording impressive performance in Nigeria because they bundle good features and also compete on “good price points.”
According to him, brands that have been able to fit into the “affordable” device segments of the Nigerian market include Tecno, Gionee, Maxtel, G-Tide, Gowin, M-Horse, among others due to compete features and pricings.
Mr. Nwosu of PAPDAN said that Nokia is witnessing a Nigeria market rebound as the number one in the device market with growing demand for its cheaper phones like the Nokia X, which bundles Windows Phone and Android OS.
According to him, “Nokia is now doing very well and has become number one because most of their sales are coming from the low-end phones.”
Tecno is considered number two in the mobile device segment because the brand fits very well within the affordable phones category ahead of Samsung, he said.
According to him, Samsung is number three and has gained market traction with an aggressive marketing and introduction of new brands.
Mr. Nwosu believed that Gionee ranks fourth in Nigeria driven by price advantages, features and local “market consistency.”
He added that, “PAPDAN activities in the areas of combating counterfeiting has increased consumer confidence and that is part of the message that we are bring to the PEN 2014 Show.”
PAPDAN has prevailed on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to improve on the standards of phones shipped into Nigeria and establish Service Centres to provide support to consumers, he added.
“So far, PAPDAN has registered 46 brands that have met the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) standards for certification and packaging”, the Chairman of PAPDAN said.
Mr Shina Badaru, founder/group CEO of Technology Times Media Limited, producers of PEN 2014 Show said the partnership with CAPDAN aligns with the vision to create the nation’s largest marketplace of the Nigerian Mobile Ecosystem where attendees will learn about the latest technologies and market trends.
“More importantly the partnership with an influential trade group like PAPDAN will let us connect buyers and sellers under the same for five exciting days to discover and own new technologies”, according to Mr. Badaru.
He added that, “PEN 2014 will gather the mobile ecosystem across Nigeria, Africa and beyond to showcase, learn and share ideas about the next frontiers in technologies, innovation, solutions and services for today’s Connected Nigeria.
According to him, the PEN 2014 Show will bring attendees in contacts with the industry ecosystem players like:
Starbase Technologies has launched Yolly, a new social entertainment platform designed to reward users for watching, streaming and creating content while promoting wholesome digital engagement.
Starbase Technologies
The company said the platform was developed to redefine participation in the digital economy by enabling viewers, creators and brands to earn value from meaningful online interactions.
According to Starbase Technologies, Yolly introduces a reward system powered by Stars, its native digital rewards currency, which users accumulate through activities such as watching videos, live streaming and creating content.
The company said the initiative was built on the belief that everyone contributing to the digital ecosystem should have the opportunity to benefit from the value they help generate.
Unlike conventional social media platforms where monetisation is often restricted to creators with large followings, Yolly allows creators to begin earning from their first stream without meeting follower thresholds.
The platform also provides emerging creators with features including gifting, Boosts and a Founder Creator badge to help them grow their communities from the outset.
Viewers are also eligible to earn Stars through the platform’s Watch+ feature, which rewards users for watching content from their first session.
For brands, the company said Yolly offers an alternative to traditional impression-based advertising by providing verified engagement metrics, real-time performance dashboards and brand safety controls to improve campaign measurement and audience interaction.
Speaking on the launch, the Head of Business at Yolly, Emeka Okenwa, said the platform was designed to create a more inclusive and rewarding creator economy.
He said the rewards ecosystem prioritises wholesome content and genuine community engagement rather than content driven solely by algorithms or viral trends.
“The platform has been developed on the premise that the future of the creator economy should be more inclusive, more rewarding and built around genuine communities rather than algorithms alone,” Okenwa said.
He added that Yolly was created to encourage family-friendly content while providing viewers, creators and brands with a trusted environment to connect, create and grow.
According to the company, the platform features content across entertainment, sports, lifestyle, education, technology and live events.
Starbase Technologies said the launch forms part of its broader vision of connecting creators and innovators through technology solutions that expand opportunities within the global digital economy.
Mcebisi Jonas, Chairman of MTN Group, has called on African leaders and businesses to deepen regional cooperation, warning that no country on the continent can achieve lasting prosperity in isolation.
Mcebisi Jonas, Chairman of MTN Group
Jonas made the call during the MTN Y’ello Chair event held on Aug. 2, where he urged Africa’s largest economies to work together to unlock the continent’s economic potential.
He said the fortunes of businesses operating across Africa were closely linked to the continent’s overall economic performance.
“Our fortunes as MTN are intertwined with the fortunes of the continent. If the continent goes down, we go down. If the continent is lifted up, we also are lifted up,” he said.
According to him, corporate success cannot be sustained where regional economies remain weak or fragmented.
Jonas cautioned major African economies, particularly Nigeria and South Africa, against adopting inward-looking economic policies, stressing that their long-term prosperity depends on stronger collaboration with neighbouring countries.
“If the continent is to be propelled beyond where it is, trade between South Africa and Nigeria must improve.
“If the big economies of the continent are not working together, are not aligned in terms of agenda and are not trading with each other, then you have a problem,” he said.
He advocated the creation of a pragmatic coalition of Africa’s leading economies, comparable to the Group of Seven (G7), to coordinate economic priorities, strengthen regional integration and accelerate development across the continent.
Jonas also called for increased investment in cross-border infrastructure, including energy, transport, logistics and financial systems, to facilitate trade and improve economic resilience.
According to him, Africa’s long-term growth will depend on its ability to function as a cohesive and interconnected economic bloc.
Recent trade figures indicate growing commercial activity within the continent.
According to the African Trade Report 2025 published by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), intra-African trade increased by 12.4 per cent to 220.3 billion dollars in 2024.
The report showed that South Africa remained the continent’s largest intra-African trading nation with 42.14 billion dollars in trade, while Nigeria’s intra-African trade rose significantly to 18.43 billion dollars, from 8.1 billion dollars recorded in the previous year.
Despite the progress, Jonas noted that regulatory bottlenecks, infrastructure deficits and other cross-border barriers continued to limit the full potential of trade among African countries.
He urged governments to pursue policies that encourage greater regional integration, describing continental cooperation as essential for sustainable economic development.
Court filings in multiple legal disputes arising from the 2023 acquisition of Pan African Towers have raised questions about corporate governance, board oversight and executive independence, with the company’s Board Chairman, Adefolarin Ogunsanya, featuring prominently in the proceedings.
The disputes, currently before Nigerian courts, stem from the acquisition of Pan African Towers by Development Partners International (DPI), Verod Capital Growth Fund III LP and African Development Partners International LLP.
According to documents filed before the Federal High Court, former Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Towers, Azeez Amida, played a central role in identifying and engaging prospective investors after the company’s shareholders decided to sell the business.
The filings stated that negotiations led by Amida culminated in the acquisition, which was later recognised as the African Deal of the Year.
However, less than three years after the transaction, the acquisition has become the subject of three separate court cases challenging aspects of its governance and implementation.
According to the court filings, a proposed Management Incentive Plan (MIP) formed part of the negotiations leading to the acquisition.
Amida alleged that he informed prospective investors that management would retain a minimum five per cent equity stake following the acquisition, an arrangement he said distinguished the successful consortium from competing bidders.
The pleadings further alleged that the consortium accepted the proposal through the MIP and related term sheets.
Among the exhibits before the court is an email attributed to Ogunsanya forwarding a document titled “PAT – MIP analysis.xlsx,” described as an analysis of the proposed incentive scheme.
According to the claimant, the proposed equity participation could have generated returns exceeding 30 million U.S. dollars, but the arrangement was allegedly not implemented after the acquisition.
He is consequently seeking damages exceeding 30 million dollars in a separate action before the Federal High Court.
The filings further alleged that governance dynamics changed significantly after the acquisition, with shareholder representatives and board members becoming increasingly involved in operational matters ordinarily handled by executive management.
The defence claimed that disagreements arose over procurement processes and commercial negotiations, including sourcing decisions involving companies in which some directors allegedly had interests.
The filings identify Ogunsanya as one of the directors involved in those discussions.
The allegations remain disputed and are yet to be determined by the court.
Another issue raised in the defence concerns the company’s financial approval procedures.
According to the filings, following the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Amida deliberately withdrew from final expenditure approvals because of governance concerns.
The defence maintained that expenditures subsequently challenged in the litigation were processed through the company’s established approval procedures, involving reviews by relevant departments and final authorisation by the CFO.
It also argued that the CFO responsible for the approvals remains employed by the company and has since been promoted.
The defence further contended that the disputed hospitality, investor engagement and related business expenses passed through internal approval processes and were reflected in the company’s audited financial statements before becoming the subject of litigation.
Internal emails, approval workflows, WhatsApp communications and financial records have been listed among the evidence expected to be presented during the trial.
The court filings also noted that Ogunsanya participated in negotiations surrounding the Management Incentive Plan, signed an October 2024 query issued to Amida before a Mutual Separation Agreement and later declined a request for an amicable settlement in a separate matter before the National Industrial Court.
Amida further alleged that a subsequent Federal High Court action instituted by Pan African Towers was retaliatory and intended to exert pressure in connection with his earlier legal action against DPI, Verod and other parties involved in the acquisition.
The allegations remain contested, and the parties are expected to present their respective cases before the courts.
As of the time covered by the filings, the defendants had not filed substantive defences to some of the claims referenced by the claimant.
The matters remain pending before the courts, and no judicial determination has yet been made on the merits of the allegations.
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