Telecom
Stakeholders at PMI Africa Conference Call for Collaboration, Inclusion and Diversity to Boost a Sustainable Future for Africa
Experts and stakeholders in the project management ecosystem have said that diversity, inclusion and collaboration are some of Africa’s leading catalysts for economic growth.
L-R: Paul Omugbe, President, PMI Nigeria Chapter; George Asamani, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Project Management Institute (PMI) and Joe Cahill, Chief Customer Officer (CCO), Project Management Institute (PMI) at the 7th annual PMI Africa Conference in Lagos.
This was the highlight of the first day of the 2022 Project Management Institute (PMI) Africa Conference currently being held in Lagos. Connecting ideas, peoples and projects.” The three-day event will include roundtable dialogues, exhibition visits, networking opportunities and panellists’ sessions where front-burner issues and challenges in project management will be discussed.
George Asamani, MD, Sub Saharan Africa, PMI, who opened the conference, said, “Countries, companies and communities who succeed do so by applying the practice of project management.
“In the new normal, when the resources are stretched, project management becomes even more critical to maximise return on investment and deliver results.”
The conference is hosted annually by Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading association for project professionals, which gave insights into delivering exceptional projects for business transformation and Africa’s development.
Founder of SHEngineers, and senior civil engineer, Innocentia Mahlangu, emphasised the need for organisations to reform their workplace policies to reflect diversity and inclusivity during her closing keynote talk.
In her address themed, ‘Boosting the role of women in Africa’s project economy’, she remarked that, like many technical professions, project management still remains male-dominated. Citing an article she co-authored in Financial Times, she said, “by 2030, there will be a global demand for about 25 million project professionals.”
Reflecting the sentiments of UN Women, she pointed out that gender equality is one of the best ways of solving some of these 21st-century challenges.
“Women are not only more affected by these problems, but they have ideas and leadership to solve them. Gender discrimination which is still prevalent, not only holds too many women back but also the world. Inclusion is not only a human resource or company policy issue.
“It’s an opportunity for new ideas and leadership styles to emerge and solve our current challenges to make the world a better place.”
“There are conscious biases and stereotypes which may hamper opportunities for women to take up careers in the project economy. Diverse teams and inclusive environments produce positive results. We must reflect the people we deliver projects for,’’ she said.
While speaking on the theme “Achieving Organizational Strategic Objectives Through Project Portfolio Management (PPM),” Taopheek Babayeju, CEO iCentra identified bad execution as a leading cause of failure of many organisations and projects.
“At the project level, all you try to do is to do the work right. Ensure that timelines are followed, and the costs are controlled. At the portfolio level, what organisations do to succeed is to do the right work by selecting their priorities.
“This is where organisations fail. No organisation has infinite resources. You are always struggling with what is right; what is going to align with the strategic objectives of that organisation,’’ he observed.
During his talk, President, PMI Nigeria Chapter and Business Director, Astridia Global, Paul Omugbe, pointed out agility’s role in a dynamic and volatile work environment.
He said, “As a project manager, you have to be able to deal with the changes both outside and within the project that you are working on. You have to be able to adapt to change in your environment.”
While mulling the ways of transforming challenges into opportunities, Ella Naiman, Partner, Empower, who is also the Co-founder of Generation Empower and President PMI Tanzania Chapter, observed that the current world of work is complex and diverse. For her, organisations need to be more inclusive, acquire people skills and manage varied perspectives.
“To have a diverse team means more innovation and creativity, setting the stage for many more interesting changes.
“However, the challenge on the flip side is that we have these different perspectives that sometimes can cause tension. In terms of my experience, it is really about understanding and hearing different views, adapting and learning how to integrate.”
Experts at the conference agreed that the government has a role to play in collaboration. If a private company is successful in its project, it will improve the country’s economy.
Hence, the government should be inclusive in the process of making legislation by adopting a collaborative approach with the stakeholders, including the community where projects are domiciled.
In addition, the panellists pointed out that influencing government policy, personal development, and citizen education are great goals toward a better project economy in Africa.
As part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and accelerate the country’s push towards a $1 trillion digital economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a new Spectrum Roadmap for 2026–2030, alongside draft guidelines for opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz bands.
Stakeholders in the telecommunications sector on Monday converged in Abuja for the Consultative Forum on the Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 and the Guidelines for Opening the Lower 6GHz and 60GHz Bands, where the Commission presented the proposed policy frameworks and sought industry input.
Speaking at the Forum, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, described spectrum as an invisible but indispensable national resource that powers mobile communications, broadband networks, satellite services, financial platforms and smart technologies across the country.
Represented by the Head of Spectrum Administration, Engr Atiku Lawal, the EVC said rising demand driven by data-intensive applications, cloud services, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things has made forward-looking spectrum planning inevitable.
“The Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 is about creating a transparent, predictable and enabling regulatory environment that supports investment, encourages innovation, expands access and improves service quality for all Nigerians,” Maida said.
He explained that the roadmap is designed to give industry players confidence to invest and the flexibility to innovate, while ensuring that Nigeria’s digital growth remains inclusive, sustainable and aligned with national development priorities.
On the draft guidelines, Maida said the proposed opening of the lower 6GHz band for Wi-Fi 6 and the 60GHz licence-exempt band for multi-gigabit wireless systems marks a bold step towards expanding spectrum available for unlicensed use.
“These bands will significantly expand the spectrum available for high-speed, affordable and reliable connectivity, enabling faster Wi-Fi and innovative services across homes, schools, businesses, healthcare facilities and public spaces,” he noted.
The EVC added that with Wi-Fi carrying a large share of global internet traffic, opening the new bands would help Nigeria prepare for future data demands, not only on mobile networks but also across campuses, enterprises and public infrastructure.
Linking the initiative to national policy, he said the roadmap and guidelines support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.
In a keynote address delivered by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr Abraham Oshadami, he said the engagement reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that spectrum resources benefit every community.
Represented by the Head of Fixed Networks and Converged Services at the NCC, Engr Gidado Maigana, Oshadami described spectrum as the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy and a scarce national asset that must be managed with transparency, prudence and collaboration.
“The way we plan, assign and regulate spectrum will determine our ability to achieve national targets, stimulate innovation and strengthen global competitiveness,” Oshadami stated.
While acknowledging progress in mobile broadband penetration, 5G deployment and quality of service, he warned that rising data demand from fixed wireless access, real-time applications and emerging technologies requires deliberate and forward-looking planning.
He said the Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 provides clarity, predictability and transparency, while aligning spectrum management with national priorities such as bridging the digital divide, enhancing quality of experience, promoting innovation and encouraging market-driven investment.
On the opening of the lower 6GHz and 60GHz bands, Oshadami said the move would help ease congestion on existing Wi-Fi bands, with the lower 6GHz offering wider channels and higher data rates, and the 60GHz band enabling multi-gigabit wireless connectivity for advanced use cases.
According to him, the draft guidelines clearly outline deployment scenarios, power limits, interference mitigation measures and compliance frameworks to ensure efficient and safe use of the bands.
Both speakers stressed that the success of the proposed frameworks would depend on sustained collaboration with industry stakeholders, noting that feedback from the consultative process would shape the final policies.
“The decisions we make today will shape Nigeria’s digital trajectory for years to come,” Oshadami remarked.
Lebara Nigeria has launched the Agent Registration Portal (ARP), a new digital onboarding platform designed to accelerate the expansion of its retail and point-of-sale (POS) network nationwide.
Through the Agent Registration Portal, Lebara aims to create awareness, build trust and credibility within the retail channel, create opportunities for Nigerians to register and become Lebara partners, and position the brand as a modern, digitally driven, and opportunity – focused telecom operator.
With the introduction of the Agent Registration Portal, alongside its earlier customer-focused digital tools, Lebara Nigeria is designed to empower SMEs, independent distributors, SIM sellers, and retailers nationwide by removing traditional barriers to entry and enabling compliant, digital-first onboarding at scale.
Also, positioning itself as a digitally driven telecom entrant, focused on speed, compliance, and nationwide reach as it prepares for full-scale operations across the country.
The rollout comes as part of a national onboarding campaign running from January to March, 2026, targeting both low-scale retail agents and high-scale distributors.
Through the portal, Lebara aims to rapidly grow its digital and physical presence across Nigeria while ensuring all partners meet required compliance and verification standards
The Agent Registration Portal is accessible via the Lebara Nigeria website and allows prospective agents and distributors to complete the entire onboarding process online.
Once approved, partner locations are activated as Lebara POS outlets, trained and authorized to sell Lebara starter packs, data bundles, vouchers and other Lebara Nigeria products and services.
The launch builds on Lebara Nigeria’s earlier digital initiatives ahead of its full market entry.
Prior to the Agent Registration Portal rollout, the company introduced a Number Registration Portal, enabling prospective customers to select and reserve preferred phone numbers before the network goes live.
The service allows users to secure personalised numbers such as memorable dates, culturally significant digits, or easy-to-recall patterns through a simple online process, giving customers early control over their mobile identity.
The Agent Registration Portal onboarding process follows a structured flow from account creation and document upload to compliance checks, verification, approval, and activation. Applicants are required to submit details such as National Identification Number (NIN), valid government-issued ID, Tax Identification Number (TIN), and address information. Where all documentation is complete, onboarding can be completed within 30 minutes, after which applicants receive email confirmation and next steps.
Commenting on the launch, Mary O. Akin-Adesokan, Chief Operating Officer of Lebara Nigeria, said the portal is central to the company’s operational and growth strategy in the country.
“The Agent Registration Portal is a key part of our strategy to scale Lebara’s retail presence nationwide. It allows us to onboard partners faster, ensure full compliance, and provide both small retailers and large distributors with a transparent and reliable way to do business with Lebara.
“Together with our earlier Number Reservation Portal, it demonstrates our commitment to using digital innovation to simplify access, empower partners, and enhance the overall telecom experience,” she said.
MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola has declared that the era of outsiders telling Africa’s story is over, positioning the continent as a global powerhouse of authors, architects, and innovators.
MTN Nigeria
Toriola made the remarks while accepting the ‘CEO of the Year’ award at the 2025 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Recognition Ceremony in Lagos.
“For decades, stories about Africa were told about us, but rarely by us,” he said, rejecting outdated narratives of conflict and need. “We are no longer the subjects of the story; we are the authors. Africa’s time is now.”
He spotlighted African talent now leading global organisations, alongside Afrobeats and art reshaping world culture, drawing the Diaspora home with investments, not just emotions.
Toriola anchored his vision in MTN Nigeria’s journey, recalling a time when Nigeria’s 120 million people shared fewer than 500,000 telephone lines. “When MTN entered in 2001, analysts said Nigerians were too poor for mobile phones. They were wrong. They underestimated the Nigerian spirit,” he said.
From that first call in May 2001, MTN has connected over 84 million subscribers, building Nigeria’s “digital nervous system.”
He described Nigeria as uniquely investable due to its resilience and scalability, dedicating the award to MTN’s “real heroes”—engineers scaling masts and frontline customer service staff.
As MTN marks 25 years in 2026, Toriola pledged: “We are going nowhere. We are rooted in the soil of Nigeria and Africa.” He urged global elites to become the continent’s “Most Impactful Builders.”
Cybersecurity Firm Detects a Wave of Crypto Phishing Following BlockFi Bankruptcy
NCC Unveils Spectrum Roadmap to Power Nigeria’s $1tr Digital Economy
Universal Insurance to Raise N15bn to Meet Capital Rules
New Horizons Invests N50m to Empower Almajiris with Skills
IMF Upgrades Nigeria’s 2026 Growth Projection to 4.4%
Banks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
FIRS says NIN, CAC Numbers to Serve as Tax IDs from 2026
FIRS Declares NIN, CAC Numbers as Tax IDs from 2026
US Begins Partial Visa Ban on Nigerians January 1
Galaxy Backbone Tops FG’s Website Performance Ranking
E-Financial1 day agoHere Are Nigerian Banks That Have Secured Their Licences
E-Financial1 day agoZenith Bank Top Nigerian Bank Pick Ahead of GTCO, AccessCorp
Telecom1 day agoMTN CEO Toriola Hails Nigeria’s Telecom Transformation at MIPAD
News1 day agoICPC Charges Ozekhome with Forgery, Corruption Over London Property
E-Financial1 day agoNigeria Processed $92.1Bn Crypto Transactions in 12 Months — PwC
Telecom1 day agoLebara Launches Agent Registration Portal
E-Financial1 day agoHow Crypto Criminals Stole $700m from People – often Using Age-Old Tricks
E-Business1 day agoElon Musk Seeks $134Bn from OpenAI, Microsoft for ‘Wrongful Gains’