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Survey Shows 58% of IT Decision Makers in Nigeria view Shortage of IT Skills Threat to their Business

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As part of the Equinix 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey, 100 business leaders in Nigeria were interviewed about the opportunities and challenges their organizations are facing – and their plans for the future.

As Equinix’s survey data highlights, there are huge opportunities for Nigeria’s businesses to successfully expand into new markets and reach new customers.

The survey in Nigeria revealed that 54% of respondents are planning on expanding in an existing country in the next 12 months, 34% into a new region and 33% into a new country.  And that 93% of IT leaders in Nigeria said enhancing customer experience is a priority.

However, a number of potentially limiting factors were identified by businesses when it came to global growth including concerns and challenges in supply chain, cyber security, and staff retention and recruitment.

Supply Chain Challenges

55% said their business was plagued by global supply chain issues and shortages, while 50% specified the global microchip shortage as a threat to their business.

Cyber Security

There remain significant concerns around cybersecurity in Nigeria. Ensuring expansions are supported by resilient digital models is business-critical, particularly at a time of increasing volatility and emerging global threats.

As part of their digital-first strategies, 85% of respondents in Nigeria confirmed a key priority is improving cybersecurity. 88% said complying with local market data regulations is critical, while 85% highlighted the need to futureproof their businesses. According to IT specialists in Nigeria, the most feared threats were cyberattacks (73%), security breaches and data leaks (68%).

Staff retention and recruitment

Despite having one of the youngest populations and workforces in the world, 58% of IT decision makers in Nigeria view a shortage of personnel with IT skills as one of the main threats to their business.

The survey showed that among the most common concerns for businesses in Nigeria are candidates with the wrong skill sets applying for jobs (56%), pay and compensation (49%), changing expectations around ways of working (41%), and the retention of current talent (38%).

Additionally, In Nigeria, the most in-demand tech employees are those with skills in areas such as AI/machine learning, data analysis, cloud computing specialists, data protection, security software development, IT technicians and security analysis

Tools to Grow Businesses

To help grow their businesses, 77% of IT leaders in Nigeria said they plan to move more business functions to the cloud including business-critical applications and security functions.

Hybrid cloud models were the preferred approach for 36% of respondents in Nigeria, although 18% still rely on a single cloud provider and 2% not using the cloud at all.

40% in Nigeria said they plan to facilitate global expansion plans by deploying virtually via the cloud, with over a quarter (26%) – 21% among IT decision-makers in Nigeria – doing so using a bare metal solution.

Meanwhile, 47% globally (46% in Nigeria) said they expect increased spending on carrier-neutral colocation solutions to facilitate the planned rise in digital deployments, while even more (59% at global level, 70% in Nigeria) said they intend to increase investment in interconnection services as they plan to progress digital transformation and build resilience.

COVID accelerates digital evolution

The pandemic also continues to have a significant impact on businesses’ digital strategies. More than half of IT leaders in Nigeria (64%) say they are accelerating their company’s digital evolution because of the COVID-19 crisis.

Indeed, over half (64%) confirm their IT budgets have increased as a direct outcome of its legacy—an insight into the now broadly acknowledged necessity for robust digital infrastructure to pivot to evolving business needs in an instant. Furthermore, almost three-quarters of respondents (73%) believe the technology changes and investments implemented during the pandemic are here to stay.

Funke Opeke, Managing Director, MainOne, An Equinix Company said: The acceleration in digital transformation in Nigeria reinforces the need for businesses to have access to single points to interconnect locally. Increased speed of connectivity, increased flexibility of connectivity, and reduced cost of connectivity were identified by IT decision-makers in Nigeria as the most beneficial aspects of interconnection.  MainOne provides a rich interconnection ecosystem that allows customers connect to each other multiple telecoms networks, and Cloud, Payment and Content Providers in a single location.’’

 


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FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

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Federal government has abolished the five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services, a levy that had long sparked public concern over rising costs for subscribers.

FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

Pic credit… Itedgenews

Aminu Maida,  executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced the development during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

Maida explained that the duty, which was earlier suspended, had now been completely removed by President Bola Tinubu under the new tax legislation.

“The excise duty, it was the 5 per cent or so, that is no longer there. Before it was suspended, but now the president has been magnanimous to remove it entirely. I was in a room when it was raised, and he said, No, no, no, we cannot put this on Nigerians. I was very pleased when the bills came out and we saw his words were followed through,” he disclosed.

Maida stressed that eliminating the charge would ease cost pressures on subscribers and enable wider industry growth.

He added that reforms within the sector were now guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and stronger consumer protection.

The EVC revealed that the regulator was moving beyond traditional rule-based supervision to incorporate behavioural economics, which includes providing more information for consumers and operators to make informed choices.

According to him, one key initiative is a nationwide public map of network performance, expected in September, that will provide independent data on download speeds, latency, and other service indicators.

“There will also be a quarterly network performance report based on user data. It extends accountability beyond mobile operators to also include infrastructure providers who play a critical role in reliability,” he said.

The NCC boss further emphasised the importance of corporate governance as a tool to attract investment and improve industry efficiency. He noted that the ultimate goal is to nurture a telecom company that is wholly Nigerian-owned, well-structured, and globally competitive.

He listed some of the NCC’s recent achievements, including the conclusion of the NIN-SIM audit, settlement of USSD debt disputes, transition to end-user billing, and the launch of a Major Incident Reporting Portal.

On call tariffs, he pointed out that competition had helped keep rates low, with the highest in the market today at about N18 or N19 per minute, compared to N50 per minute two decades ago.

Addressing frequent consumer complaints, he disclosed that the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had developed a new framework to standardise electronic recharge processes. In addition, Tier-1 audit firms were hired to investigate billing systems after reports of unexplained data depletion.

The results, he said, showed no systemic manipulation. Instead, factors such as background applications, device settings, and complex tariff plans contributed to user dissatisfaction.

“We are not trying to punish anyone. We want the industry to grow, so consumers are happier, operators perform better, and the government benefits from a broader tax base,” Maida added.

 

 

 

 

 


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Roqqu, SiBAN Unite to Drive Blockchain Innovation Across Nigeria

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In a strategic move to propel the Nigerian blockchain ecosystem, Roqqu, a prominent digital finance and blockchain solutions provider, has officially partnered with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN).

This new alliance will leverage the combined expertise and resources of both organizations to foster innovation, drive development, and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across Nigeria.

The partnership comes shortly after Roqqu was welcomed into the SiBAN network as a corporate member, solidifying a joint commitment to building a more credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem.

The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.

In a statement, the organizations detailed a range of initiatives to be launched as part of this collaboration, all aimed at promoting financial inclusion and responsible innovation.

Key initiatives to be carried out by the two organisations include jointly hosting events to educate both the public and industry professionals on blockchain technology, developing training programs to equip developers and the public with the skills needed to thrive in the blockchain space and actively engaging with regulators and policymakers to help shape a more informed and compliant blockchain community in Nigeria.

“We are delighted to have this collaboration. Our collective strength lies in the diversity and commitment that we both bring to the table and ultimately, contribute to the growth of the blockchain ecosystem,” said Obinna Iwuno, President of SiBAN in the statement.

Roqqu has seen remarkable growth in recent years, establishing itself as a leading force in making cryptocurrency and digital finance accessible. With a focus on providing fast, reliable, and user-friendly services, the company has expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria into other key African markets, including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This expansion, along with a virtual currency license to operate in the European Economic Area (EEA), positions Roqqu as a truly international fintech company.

Reacting to the partnership, the Chief Compliance Officer of Roqqu, Roimot Ajiboye-Ibitoye, said partnering with SiBAN is a natural step to make blockchain technology and digital finance accessible, safe, and beneficial for everyone, insisting that together, the two organisations are not just talking about blockchain adoption. Rather, actively building the frameworks, trust, and education needed for it to thrive responsibly in Nigeria.

“This collaboration represents a united front between innovators and industry advocates to create a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By combining our expertise with SiBAN’s strong advocacy and regulatory engagement, we are setting the stage for a future where blockchain becomes a trusted driver of financial inclusion and economic growth across the globe,” he said.

This partnership highlights a shared vision between Roqqu and associations like SiBAN that play a crucial role in bridging the gap between industry innovation and responsible adoption to ensure the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience, creating a safer and more robust future for digital finance in Nigeria.

SiBAN as a body provides a platform where stakeholders can share knowledge and experiences, where companies can engage in constructive policy discussions with regulators, where communities can learn about safe, responsible participation in the blockchain space and where businesses can collaborate on solutions that serve both economic and social development goals.

Industry watchers believe that this partnership highlights a shared vision of creating a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By working together, Roqqu and SiBAN aim to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, ensuring that the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.


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NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it has successfully eliminated users of unregistered subscriber identity modules (SIM), from the Nigerian telecommunication network, a development that can boost national and cyber security.

NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC,

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC, who disclosed the information at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, said, however, that it was beyond the scope of the agency to control the names with which some customers used in registered their SIMs.

The NCC CEO pointed out that while the commission had successfully removed unregistered SIMs from its network, some strange names being attached to some of the subscribers reflect what the owners used while registering with their operators.

“No unregistered SIM is operating on the network as of today, but there may be people using names they did not register with, apparently to mask their identities. We cannot control the names attached to each SIM, as they reflect what the owners used at the time of registration with their respective operators,” the EVC said.

“While NCC cannot control that behaviour, it is to be noted that it is an offence to use fake names to make or receive calls in Nigeria,” Maida warned.

The EVC, however, said that the commission has put necessary measures in place to ensure sanity and stability in the industry so that every user can determine the best network operator to patronise based on performance, service delivery and charges.

He said the commission would, in September this year, launch a public map to show subscribers which of the telecoms networks provides the best service and tariff plan to determine which to patronise based on their locations.

Mr. Maida said for the industry to make the required progress and serve the interests of the people, there is a need for a fresh injection of capital from outside the industry, adding that the commission had already revised a series of good governance guidelines to guide operators in the industry.

According to him, the guidelines are aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and boosting investors’ confidence and customers’ trust in the industry.

He said, “The need for good corporate governance guidelines requires that operators in the industry must provide audited reports to boost investors’ confidence and earn the trust and confidence of their customers”.

The ECV explained that the commission approved the recent tariff hike for the industry due to the fact that there had not been any cost-reflective tariff adjustment for a decade, adding that the commission was mindful of the need to protect the interests of both the operators and Nigerian subscribers.

On the issue of threats to telecoms infrastructure nationwide, the EVC announced that he would soon meet with governors to discuss the need for them to team up with NCC to protect telecoms infrastructure in their domains and to also eliminate multiple taxes on the operators so as to improve service delivery and ensure national security.


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