Telecom
Softcom Advocates for Human-Centred Technology to Meet SDGs in COVID-19 Era
Softcom Limited, an indigenous and innovative technology company, has recommended the use of human-centred technology to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in this COVID-19 era.
Omoseindemi Olobayo, chief operating officer, Softcom, Stated this at a webinar on “Achieving Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Leveraging Technology”. hosted by softcom, over the weekend in Lagos.
The event had in attendance the Senior Special Adviser to The President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, as the keynote speaker and other VIPs in the SDGs & Development sector such as UNICEF’s Judith Giwa Amu, The World Bank’s Ubah Thomas Ubah, and UNDP’s Amarakoon Bandara.
The event which had in attendance over 300 virtual participants explored contingency plans on surviving the COVID-19 pandemic and how new technologies can be used to mitigate the challenges of access, implementation and reach of development programmes.
Olobayo in his address said, “Attendees will get the opportunity to explore existing technological innovation and solutions that can help to fast-track the achievement of Nigeria’s SDGs. Softcom’s innovations are guided by our human centric beliefs and values.
“We are invested in inclusive solutions and the SDGs align with our goals. We are honoured to have hosted the webinar which offered unique insights on how to leverage technology to achieve sustainable development”.
Princess Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, senior special adviser to The President on SDGs, said, “the SDGs cannot be achieved at the federal level alone, but requires participation from all stakeholders/state actors, which includes sub-national governments, local governments, NGOs, development partners etc. I thank Softcom, the conveners of this webinar, for hosting this important conversation.”
In a highly engaging panel discussion, the holistic impact of COVID-19 on the existing operations of organizations, the pandemic’s impact on education and learning systems in underdeveloped areas, expanding financial inclusion, livelihood programmes and food security, the need to deliver value to people in need and promote social inclusion through digital identities and how human-centred technology can influence delivery and efficiency for development programmes were critically examined and solutions preferred.
Dr. Amarakoon Bandara, senior economic advisor and head of strategic policy & Inclusive Growth Unit at The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, in response to a question on if the UNDP had identified any local solutions for cash transfers in Nigeria that can be scaled for use in other parts of the world, particularly Africa, said: “Nigeria already has a system in place to directly transfer money to mobile wallets. The national social registry has a very comprehensive data base which allows us to identify beneficiaries.
“This also allows us to identify sectors as well as their professions such as farmers, MSMEs and SMEs.
“I have seen a smart card system (like a debit card) in Zimbabwe which allows them to use it to purchase food items. That’s probably a better approach”, he concluded.
Also speaking after the event, Yemi Onagoruwa, vp, Softcom Public Sector said, “the webinar served as a great opportunity to assemble some of the best minds in the developmental and humanitarian sectors to explore solutions that can help us make strides during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was an occasion to reimagine the current initiatives in ways that can propel us away from over-reliance on archaic techniques towards innovative modern technological systems.”
COVID-19 has had a devastating global impact on all spheres of life, industries and nations were shut down over night, not only disrupting the movement of people but global supply chains that are crucial to the delivery of vital humanitarian assistance.
This is a major downtime for the humanitarian and development sectors in Nigeria. There is a worldwide food, health, economic and social crises and COVID-19 can exacerbate the existing socio-economic burdens and double the number of people suffering by the end of 2020.
Softcom says these challenges don’t have to spell an end. If we lean on the energy and support that we have seen across all sectors, we can begin to realize that the crises create an opportunity for bold solutions that could help transition us from archaic methodologies to new possibilities.
In the light of this approach, it is possible to rise from this crisis with resilience – resilience and strength to not only thrive during future shock waves but also help us be better positioned to achieve future SDGs.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has announced the formation of Airbel Ventures, a new humanitarian impact investing fund aimed at accelerating the introduction and scaling of breakthrough technologies in crisis-affected communities.
The fund will invest in companies whose ideas have the potential to change humanitarian response, including digital infrastructure for frontline health systems and climate-resilient agriculture.
The launch of Airbel Ventures follows a period of rapid innovation at the IRC, despite the humanitarian sector facing record funding cuts.
In the past year, the IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab has advanced more than twenty Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology initiatives—from anticipatory action tools powered by climate and vulnerability data, to frontline service delivery using safe, orchestrated AI systems, to breakthrough diagnostic tools for emerging diseases.
Airbel Ventures’ first impact investment is in Signalytic, a company delivering solar-powered computing devices that ensure reliable electricity and connectivity for remote health facilities.
Following the investment, the IRC will pilot Signalytic’s technology with its Nigeria Health team, demonstrating the viability of next-generation digital infrastructure in humanitarian settings.
“We know breakthrough solutions already exist—what’s missing is the path to scale in humanitarian contexts,” said Dr. Jeannie Annan, Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation at the IRC and head of the Airbel Impact Lab.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecommunications operator, recorded a historic surge in network disruptions in 2025, suffering 9,218 fibre cuts as of December 31, alongside 211 base station sites affected by theft and vandalism, incidents that disrupted mobile and data services relied upon daily by millions of Nigerians.
The data was revealed by Dr Karl Toriola, chief executive officer/managing director, MTN Nigeria via a social media post titled ‘MTN Nigeria 2025 Wrapped’.
The scale of the damage highlights the growing vulnerability of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure, which has come under increasing pressure from road construction activities, cable theft and deliberate acts of vandalism.
MTN said 5,478 fibre cuts occurred within just the first seven months of 2025, with 760 incidents recorded in July alone, underscoring the intensity of the challenge.
Some of the incidents had wide-ranging consequences, knocking out connectivity across multiple states simultaneously and affecting voice calls, data services, digital payments and enterprise operations.
The company described the situation as a national infrastructure problem, rather than an isolated corporate issue, given the economy’s deep dependence on mobile networks.
“These gaps were shaped by real operational challenges such as fibre cuts, theft, and vandalism. Their impact is felt directly by customers and reflected in what they tell us,” Toriola,
The disruptions were reflected in customer feedback volumes, as MTN handled an unprecedented number of complaints during the year. The operator said it resolved 1,624,263 customer complaints in 2025, spanning call centres, social media platforms, emails and physical service centres nationwide.
Despite the setbacks, MTN pointed to signs of operational resilience. The company retained its ranking as Nigeria’s best network by Ookla, returned to profitability after a challenging period, declared an interim dividend, and expanded its subscriber base to over 85 million users by September 2025.
The figures show that while Nigeria’s telecom operators continue to invest heavily in network expansion and customer service, infrastructure sabotage remains a major drag on service quality and operating costs.
MTN acknowledged that performance improvements remain a work in progress. “We are not where we want to be yet. We see you. We hear you. We exist because of you. And we will get better,” Toriola said.
As the company enters its 25th year of operations in Nigeria, Toriola said MTN is doubling down on customer-centricity, treating every piece of feedback as a guide for improvement, while also stepping up engagement with government agencies.
The CEO renewed calls for stronger regulatory and legal protections for telecommunications infrastructure, urging policymakers to classify fibre cables, base stations and other critical assets as national infrastructure and criminalise vandalism to deter repeat attacks.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted operating licences to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), effective January 1, 2026, raising the total number of authorised ISPs in the country to 231 from 225 recorded in December 2025.
NCC
The newly licensed firms are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited.
Five of these companies are headquartered in Lagos, while Granet Technologies Limited operates from Owerri in Imo State, highlighting the persistent concentration of broadband infrastructure in major commercial hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
This development intensifies competition in Nigeria’s broadband market, which faces pressure from dominant mobile network operators such as MTN and Airtel, alongside rapid expansion by satellite providers like Starlink.
Traditional ISPs continue to grapple with shrinking customer bases, aggressive data pricing from telcos, and satellite disruptions, even as NCC data from Q2 2025 showed Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne controlling about 65 per cent of the 313,713 active ISP subscribers.
The inclusion of Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited marks a significant entry of global satellite broadband competition, building on Nigeria’s recent approvals for other low Earth orbit providers to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.
Industry analysts view the licences as a strategic push to improve internet quality amid rising demand for digital services, though geographic clustering underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges outside urban centres.
NCC’s move aligns with broader efforts to foster a competitive telecoms sector critical to Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
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