Telecom
Telcos Rue 3.3m Lines Lost Due to NIN-SIM Link Directive
Federal government’s directive to stop registration and activation of new Subscribers Identification Module (SIM) cards in the country might have resulted in the loss of about 3.3 million subscribers to telecom operators in December 2020, according to the Guardian.
Latest subscription statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for December 2020 showed that active telecoms subscribers fell by 3.3 million.
Specifically, as at November 2020, there were 207.9 million active users, but by the end of the year, the figure dropped to 204.6 million.
This also impacted the nation’s teledensity, which lost 1.74 per cent. It fell from 108.92 per cent to 107.18 by December 2020.
Analysis of operators’ performance of the NCC data showed that Airtel lost more subscribers within the period.
It had 57.2 million subscribers in November 2020, but dropped to 55.6 million and lost 1.5 million active users, followed by MTN, which lost 1.25 million consumers.
It had 82 million subscribers in November, but the figure fell to 80.7 million at the end of 2020.
Globacom lost 249,194 subscribers. It had 55 million users in November 2020, but it dropped to 54.8 million by December, while 9mobile, which had 13.2 million users in November 2020 lost 206,510 subscribers at the end of December 2020.
In spite of the losses, MTN remained the largest operator with 39.5 per cent penetration, followed by Airtel with 27.2 per cent, Globacom retained third position with 26.8 per cent, while 9mobile came fourth with 6.36 per cent market share.
Federal Government directive, which took effect from December 15, 2020, hindered telecom operators from activating new SIM cards and even affected SIM swaps.
Subscribers, who lost their telephone lines during the period were finding it difficult to retrieve their lines, as most users have not registered for their National Identification Number (NIN), while those with NINs were yet to link them with their SIMs.
The statistics further showed that the country lost 563,837 Internet subscriptions as users dropped from 154.4 million in November 2020, to 153.8 million in December, while broadband subscription also fell by 89, 940 from 86 million in November to 85.9 million in December.
NCC’s report on QoS from January to July 2020 showed that 9mobile and Globacom failed to meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in 19 states of the federation, while Airtel failed to meet the KPI in Ogun State, but MTN met its KPIs in all states of the federation.
It indicated that the other telcos failed in Dropped Call Rate, Call Setup Success Rate, Standalone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion Rate and Traffic Control Channel Congestion Rate.
The states with poor telephony services during the period under review are Nassarawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Yobe, Kwara, Kebbi, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Taraba, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Gombe, Osun and Ogun.
Giving insight into the drop in active subscriptions and poor QoS, Olusola Teniola, Nigeria coordinator, Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), said the dip showed strong correlation between the SIM registration directive and impact on SIM subscription numbers.
“However, the more relevant and measurable data is the drop in voice due to migration to OTT voice application and waning consumer spending as a contributor,” he said.
Also, Ajibola Olude, executive secretary, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said it was evident that reduction in active subscribers was due to many factors, among which are, the COVID-19 pandemic and directive on linkage of NIN with SIM.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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