Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Connect with us

Telecom

Rack Centre, PwC to Chart the Way Forward on Digital Infrastructure in a Webinar Series

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Rack Centre, West Africa’s largest Carrier Neutral Tier III Data Centre, in collaboration with the leading professional services firm PwC, will, on 16 September 2021, explore how Africa can leverage the digital revolution as it runs the second in the series of its webinars on ‘Africa: The Next Digital Frontier’ with focus on digital infrastructure as a key enabler for growth.

With Africa accelerating towards an inevitable digital future, it will only realize the opportunities for growth and developments across macroeconomic levers through deliberate investments in digital infrastructure that is connected in the future.

World Bank Insights note that digital innovation is creating unprecedented opportunities for Africa to grow its economy, create jobs and transform people’s lives, offering a chance to unlock new pathways for rapid economic growth, innovation, and access to services that would have been unimaginable only a decade ago.  The webinar is timely and will drive critically digital innovation conversations.

Mr Andile Ngcaba, the Chairman and Founder of Convergence Partners, a globally respected investment management firm focused on Technology, Media, and the Telecoms sector in Africa, is the keynote speaker and will give a pan Africa overview.

As in the previous series, the webinar is attracting technology and business leaders as speakers, including Mr Lanre Kolade, the Group CEO of CSquared, an African centred technology company that provides broadband-enabling infrastructure throughout Africa;  Mr Norman Albi, CEO of AFR-IX telecom, a global Internet Service Provider; Susan Mulikita, Chief Regulatory Officer of  Bandwidth & Cloud Services Group (BCS), Dr Ayotunde Coker, CEO of Rack Centre and Femi Osinubi, who is Partner and West Africa Technology Leader for PwC Nigeria with the seminar moderated by Elmo Hildebrand PwC South Africa Partner &  Africa Technology, Media & Telecommunications  Leader.

Dr Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer, Rack Centre, said the forthcoming webinar would build on the success recorded in the previous one.  The population in African is predominantly youth, and technologically savvy, so planning has to consider this strategic demography dividend.

Besides, the rate of Internet penetration is expanding among the general populace, digital startups are springing up, so there is a growing need to develop and position digital Infrastructure, sharpen skills, and nurture entrepreneurship in the digital space.

“Rack Centre and PwC considering our leading roles in our areas of specialisation, believe we can broaden the conversation and chart a course forward as Africa takes its rightful place in the development of digital Infrastructure”.

Femi Osinubi, Partner and West Africa Technology Leader for PwC Nigeria stated that “Technology and digitisation is a major part of PwC’s new strategy known as The New Equation.

“Through the disruption of the past 12 months, organisations have had to transform their digital capabilities – from getting their people to work remotely to moving sales and services online. This means that organisations must continue to embed the changes made and progress the transformations.  Infrastructure therefore, will play a major role in this evolution.

“Our collaboration with Rack Centre provides a platform to discuss these changes and the implications for business and society ultimately leading to sustainable outcomes – a key component of PwC’s New Equation.

“The New Equation is about a future that is human-led and tech-powered. It’s about how human ingenuity combines with technology innovation and experience to deliver faster, more intelligent and better outcomes while building trust and ensuring quality across the value chain. “


Kindly share this post

Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Telecom

GSMA, Mobile Industry Call for Strengthened Action to Advance Child Online Protection in Africa

Published

on

Kindly share this post

The GSMA, in partnership with the mobile industry, is calling for strengthened collective action to protect children online across Africa. Building on insights from a high-level roundtable convened at the Ministerial Programme during MWC25 Barcelona, the GSMA yesterday released a new whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa outlining key recommendations to guide governments, regulators, industry, civil society, and youth stakeholders as they work together to create a safer digital environment for children.

With Africa’s digital transformation accelerating, the number of children accessing the internet is rising rapidly – often through mobile devices, as the region remains mobile-first.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) set out the fundamental rights of all children, both of which provide a critical foundation for ensuring that children’s rights are fully respected, protected, and fulfilled in the digital age. Mobile technology holds enormous potential to help advance these rights, as explored in the GSMA-UNICEF report Enhancing Children’s Lives through Mobile.

While published in 2019, the report’s principles and mapping remain highly relevant today, reflecting the GSMA’s longstanding commitment to this area. We continue to work closely with UNICEF, and as a next step, GSMA and UNICEF will co-lead a new regional taskforce to help drive forward the recommendations from this whitepaper and strengthen cooperation across governments, industry, and civil society.

Mobile can open doors to education, social connection, and development. But as connectivity expands, so too do the risks: children are increasingly exposed to cyberbullying, harmful content, and online exploitation. Recognising both the opportunities and challenges of the digital environment, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child dedicated the 2023 Day of the African Child (DAC) to this important theme – reinforcing the urgent need for cross-sector cooperation.

The GSMA and its members in Africa have worked together to highlight shared challenges, amplify the voices of young people, and identify areas where governments, industry, and civil society can strengthen coordinated efforts.

Key recommendations from the whitepaper include:

  • Ensuring child- and youth-centred approaches in policy and programme development
  • Strengthening national frameworks in line with the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Strategy
  • Expanding digital literacy and awareness initiatives for children, parents, and educators
  • Building stronger public-private partnerships to scale resources, tools, and services across the region

Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at the GSMA, said: “Protecting children online is a responsibility shared across governments, industry, civil society, and families. By working together, we can ensure the digital environment becomes a place of opportunity – not risk – for Africa’s children. This whitepaper is an important step in supporting stakeholders across the region as they advance this urgent agenda.”

Nankali Maksud, Regional Advisor for Child Protection at UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa, added: “Children and young people under 18 make up half of Africa’s population. Protecting their safety online is not only about safeguarding rights, but about investing in Africa’s human capital and future leadership.

This whitepaper helps elevate African voices, African leadership, and African solutions for protecting children in the digital space. We at UNICEF look forward to co-hosting a taskforce for GSMA to take forward the recommendations emerging from this whitepaper”.

The whitepaper integrates regional data, including findings from IPSOS research commissioned by MTN Group, as well as insights from youth advocate Jemima Kasongo, 19, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who opened the roundtable during MWC25 with a powerful call to action on behalf of young people across the continent.

The GSMA reaffirms that child online protection is a global priority, with efforts underway worldwide to strengthen safer digital environments. Initiatives such as the GSMA Mobile Alliance to Combat Digital Child Sexual Exploitation bring together international mobile operators to drive good practice and coordinate global responses.

While this new whitepaper focuses on Africa, it builds on the GSMA’s broader global commitment, including newly published guidance on incorporating young voices into digital policy and solution design. The GSMA encourages all stakeholders to engage with the recommendations and join the ongoing dialogue to help ensure a safer digital future for Africa’s children.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Telecom

Crypto Exchange MEXC Rolls Out P2P Support for Naira, Birr, and Rupee

Published

on

Kindly share this post

In a strategic move to deepen its presence in emerging economies, global cryptocurrency exchange MEXC has launched peer-to-peer (P2P) trading support for three new fiat currencies — the Nigerian Naira (NGN), Ethiopian Birr (ETB), and Pakistani Rupee (PKR). This expansion reflects the company’s increasing focus on localising crypto access in high-growth, underbanked regions.

The addition of NGN, ETB, and PKR to MEXC’s P2P platform enables users in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Pakistan to trade major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC) directly with their local currencies.

The trades come with zero transaction fees, in line with MEXC’s strategy to lower entry barriers for users and encourage grassroots participation in the digital asset economy.

The update is more than a technical expansion — it underscores MEXC’s recognition of Africa and South Asia as rising crypto frontiers. Nigeria, often cited as one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets, and Ethiopia, where digital finance is beginning to surge amid reforms, represent key territories for crypto adoption. Similarly, Pakistan’s growing youth population and fintech appetite offer strong potential for crypto-enabled financial inclusion.

To support the rollout, MEXC is actively onboarding new merchants to its P2P platform. Merchants benefit from zero transaction fees, dedicated customer support, a special verification badge, and invitations to exclusive community events. The goal is to nurture a local network of verified sellers and buyers who can facilitate seamless and trusted crypto trades.

P2P trading — which allows users to transact directly without third-party intermediaries — is especially relevant in markets where banking infrastructure is either insufficient or heavily regulated. By bypassing traditional systems, P2P provides a lifeline for users seeking stablecoins, alternative stores of value, or more flexible remittance solutions.

This latest expansion signals MEXC’s intent to compete aggressively for market share in underserved territories while enabling more users to access and benefit from Web3 technologies. As global exchanges race to localise their services, MEXC’s early moves into fiat integration may prove pivotal in shaping the next wave of crypto adoption across the Global South.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Telecom

MTN Nigeria Unveils CPaaS Platform to Transform Business Communication

Published

on

Kindly share this post

At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.

Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.

During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.

Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”

The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.

They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.

The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.

The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.

The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.

As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending