Telecom
Smile Communications Says Nigeria Well-Positioned for Digital Economy
Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, the 4G LTE broadband provider of choice, has described the Nigeria’s digital economy as huge, and will impact virtually all segments of the economy.
‘Digital Economy’ was coined by Don Tapscott in 1995 to imply an economy chiefly triggered by digital computing technologies.
Thus, in the face of dwindling oil revenue with increasingly pressure on the economy evident in budgets deficit, infrastructural deficit, high unemployment rate, harsh business environment, corruption, amongst others, Mr. Michiel Buitelaar, managing director, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, said that leveraging digital economy should be regarded as a sine qua non in sustaining the economy by the incoming administration led by Muhammed Buhari.
Buitelaar who was speaking during a panel discussion at the sixth (6th) Annual Pan-African 1:1 Investor Conference organized by Renaissance Capital in Lagos, identified infrastructural advancement as overriding factor for the immediate expansion of sectors such as agriculture, transportation, banking & finance, health-care/medicine, and education.
He said that Smile Communications aligns itself with the key statistics expected for the Nigerian Digital Economy by 2018 as released by the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, especially for the emergence of an industry that is less fragmented.
According to the country’s target, the industry expects to attain 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018 from the present less than 10 per cent.
The Smile MD said, “There are various advantages the digital economic providers have over the traditional. However, to make this happen faster, there are catalysts required for it to even drive other sectors outside the ICT. Digital economy will be the driver of the agricultural, transport, health-care/medicine, education, banking & finance, among others. In our company, for instance, we are talking to companies in those sectors and one recently said that ‘the software is eating the world’.
“We do believe the new digital ICT will influence other sectors. For example, in agriculture; like I have seen in other countries, the efficiency and productivity is very likely to explode once all the digital economy has entered into their arena. It is also our expectation that the impact will become more pronounced within the next ten years. For emphasis sake, sectors like agricultural, transport, health-care/medicine, education, commerce, in fact, the whole move of digitization will have impact on the emerging economy and Nigeria’s economy is well positioned to make their journey better than many others,” the Smile Communications boss said.
Specifically on expected broadband impact on digital economy, Buitelaar, extolled the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for approving the National Broadband Plan (NBP), expressing confidence in the Buhari government’s compelling posture for firm implementation of the plans.
“I think the Federal Government is doing a quite well, especially, by releasing a National Broadband Plan (NBP), but I will argue that the next Government continues with the plan in an even ‘forceful’ manner. Similarly, spectrum allocations should be looked at too; it is more of technical, but very important in the nation’s quest for more ubiquitous broadband. There are sub-sectors that the broadband availability will immediately impact their operations such as the delivery viz a viz ecommerce, e-payment, education and other clusters of business. These are crucial reasons the digital economy should be allowed to blossom,” he said.
“Having been here for six months, Nigeria is a wonderful country. At the same time, the incoming government should do something as regards the image of the country and perception in the rest of the world. That alone is capable of convincing foreign investors about the country’s business climate. Secondly, on infrastructure, I do believe that the whole country will benefit in smart investments in infrastructure. There are issues in transport, power and payment systems; if these issues can be addressed, with a couple of other commitments, I believe in the next few years the country will be reaping large chunk of benefits from them,” he said.
Buitelaar added that the Company will not rest on its oars until Nigerians have access to qualitative and affordable broadband services.
He said, “From the Smile Communications’ perspective, we have penchant interest in the provision of high quality service. Later this year we will rollout service in a couple of other cities. We are serious about providing superfast broadband, high availability, high-quality and reliable offering, because Nigerians deserve qualitative service. If a small scale business is using your service, they ought to get maximum benefit; that is the way they can grow and employ more people. In that way you have impacted lives and the country’s GDP will feel the boost as well”.
Earlier, the Keynote speaker, Professor Pat Utomi, while addressing investors and captains of industries at the Conference, shared similar views with Mr. Buitelaar.
He said that thrust of the in-coming administration should be centered on making corruption costly and unattractive through public service entrepreneurship and goal oriented; reinvent sectors like mining and building clusters of strong institutions, leveraging ICT, among others.
Also, Global Chief Economist at Renaissance Capital, Mr. Charles Robertson, noted: “We see great long-term potential across Africa, particularly, in Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt.”
“We believe Nigeria will be a trillion dollar economy by 2025 and it will keep doubling in size every 10 years. GDP per capita is likely to reach around $15,000 by 2050. Following the April elections, the new government represents the best opportunity in recent years to push forward reform for Africa’s largest economy,” he said.
The sixth (6th) Annual Pan-African 1:1 Investor Conference organized by Renaissance Capital in Lagos attracted over 150 investors representing both global and frontier funds and 50 companies from across the African continent.
Smile Communications Nigeria Limited was founded in 2007 with the transformative objective of using the best and most innovative technologies to provide its customers with high quality, easy to use and affordable communication services.
Its vision and mission is to be the broadband provider of choice in Nigeria and enable its customers to fully benefit from the Internet world. Smile launched West Africa’s first true 4G LTE network in Ibadan in 2013 thereby revolutionizing the way people access the Internet.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of African technology, few figures bridge the gap between high-level research and grassroots digital execution as effectively as Nnaemeka Ani.
Nnaemeka Ani
As the Founder of MGX Research Center and the visionary behind MexyGabriel, Ani has emerged as a leading protagonist in the narrative of Nigeria’s technological self-reliance.
The Visionary: Founding MGX Research
At the heart of Ani’s philosophy is MGX Research, a center dedicated to “first-principles thinking.” Under his leadership, the center has become a beacon for data-driven innovation, moving beyond the “hype” of the tech world to focus on persistent, localized solutions.
Through MGX Research Center, he is building a multidisciplinary ecosystem that cuts across artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, smart cities, digital identity, e-governance, EdTech, HealthTech, robotics, and automation
Ani’s mantra – “Africa’s rise begins with its own innovation” – is not just a slogan; it is a call to arms for African builders to stop seeking international validation and start authoring their own digital destiny.
As Founder and CEO of MexyGabriel Tech Company, Nnaemeka has driven multiple large-scale technology projects across Nigeria, focusing on digital infrastructure, enterprise solutions, identity and payment platforms, and youth-centered innovation programs. MGX Research Center functions as the research and development arm of this broader ecosystem, providing the thinking laboratory, prototypes, and strategic insights that inform products, policies, and investment decisions.
Nnaemeka is passionate about youth empowerment, innovation, and Africa’s digital future. His work through MGX Research Center aims to position Nigeria not just as a consumer of technology but as a creator of solutions, producing world-class research, thought leadership, and practical tools that can be deployed across states, universities, and private organizations.
He frequently collaborates with universities, government ministries, tech hubs, and global partners, championing a model where research is not locked up in theory but translated into deployable systems, smart policies, and scalable ventures.
Ani has demonstrated a unique ability to turn complex code into commercial and social value. His work has focused on:
- Infrastructure for Good: Developing platforms that bridge the divide between urban tech hubs and rural communities.
- Sovereign Technology: Championing the idea that African data should be managed by African-built systems.
The Public Servant: Digitizing Enugu State
Ani’s influence extends into the corridors of power. Serving as the Special Adviser to the Enugu State Governor on ICT, he has been instrumental in transforming the state into a burgeoning digital ecosystem.
His work in Enugu serves as a blueprint for “Governance-Tech Synergy,” proving that when political will meets technical expertise, public service delivery can be revolutionized.
“We are no longer just ’emerging’; we are competing. Africa will rise by code, by courage, and by us,” said Nnaemeka Ani.
Quick Facts: Nnaemeka Ani
Category | Detail |
Current Roles | Founder, MGX Research; Founder, MexyGabriel; SA on ICT to Enugu State Governor. |
Core Philosophy | “First-Principles Thinking” – Breaking problems down to their core truths. |
Key Advocacy | Digital Sovereignty, Sovereign AI, and localized STEM education. |
Notable Mantra | “By Code and By Courage.” |
Why He Matters in 2026
As Nigeria enters a transformative year marked by the January 1, 2026 Tax Reforms and the push toward 70% Broadband Penetration, Ani represents the “New Guard” of leadership. He is one of the few voices consistently advocating for the Tripod Method, balancing technology, local policing, and traditional authority, to ensure that Nigeria’s digital growth is matched by national security.
Nnaemeka Ani is not just as a “tech guy,” but as a Strategic Reformer. He is a “Leader to Watch” because he understands that for technology to thrive in Nigeria, it must be supported by sound policy and cultural relevance.
Google has unveiled a new feature that allows Gmail users to change their existing email addresses without losing data or access to services, marking a major shift in the company’s long-standing policy.
Gmail
According to an update on Google’s account help page, the new option enables account holders to replace their current @gmail.com address with a new one while retaining all associated data, including emails, photos, and integrations with services such as Google Drive, Maps, and YouTube.
The guidance, however, was first spotted on the Hindi version of Google’s support page, suggesting that the rollout may begin in India or Hindi-speaking markets before expanding globally.
The English-language support page still carries the older advisory that Gmail addresses “usually cannot be changed.”
Google explained that under the new policy, users who update their Gmail address will automatically keep their original address as an alias.
This means emails sent to the old address will continue to arrive in the inbox, and the original address will remain valid for signing in to Google services.
Previously, users seeking a new Gmail address had to create an entirely new account and manually transfer their data, a process that often disrupted third-party app integrations. The new feature eliminates that inconvenience, ensuring continuity for users.
The company further clarified that while users can reuse their old Gmail address at any time, accounts that change their address will face certain restrictions.
These include a 12-month waiting period before another new Gmail address can be created, and the inability to delete the newly chosen address once it has been set.
Google assured users that all existing data would remain intact after an address update, including stored photos, messages, and emails.
The gradual rollout of the feature indicates that full global adoption is expected in the coming months, a move likely to be welcomed by millions of users who have long requested the ability to update their Gmail identities without starting afresh.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that Nigeria’s internet usage reached a record 1.24 million terabytes in November 2025.
According to the latest data from the NCC, the figure rose modestly from 1.235 million terabytes in October, reflecting steady growth in digital activity across the country.
Broadband penetration in Nigeria crossed the halfway mark in November 2025, reaching 50.58 per cent, up from 45.61 per cent in January, the telecoms regulator reported.
The figure, however, falls short of the 70 per cent coverage target outlined in the National Broadband Plan 2020–2025, which expires this month.
The country had roughly 109 million broadband subscriptions by November. Growth has been uneven, hindered by infrastructure and regulatory constraints, including frequent fibre-optic vandalism that triggers 30 to 43 network cuts daily, high right-of-way fees, and declining subscriber numbers earlier in the year.
Expansion of mobile networks, particularly 3G and 4G services, alongside limited 5G rollouts in urban centres, affordable smartphones, and competitive data plans, has driven uptake.
Investments in the National Communications Backbone and private-sector initiatives have also improved access, especially in underserved areas.
While Nigeria is gradually improving digital inclusion, achieving the original broadband plan remains challenging due to high infrastructure costs, coverage limitations, and deployment hurdles.
The NCC maintains that continued investment in mobile networks and broadband infrastructure will sustain gradual growth in the sector.
Commenting on the development, some Nigerian analysts attributed the surge to the broader mobile and broadband adoption and the growing appetite for streaming, online learning and other digital services.
According to the analysts, the figures suggest that internet connectivity is no longer a luxury but a necessity for both business and leisure, underscoring the slow but steady expansion of Nigeria’s digital economy.
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