Telecom
Telecom Regulator, NCC, Digital Encode, AfriGoPay Support eBusinesslife Girls In ICT Campaign
The nation’s telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring that the gender disparity in the ICT career sector is bridged.
eBusinesslife
This statement was made with its backing of the 2026 edition of the International Girls in ICT Day campaign being organised by eBusiness Life Communication Limited.
The event which will hold at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on Thursday June 25, 2026 is part of an annual campaign initiated by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to sensitise and encourage young girls to delve into ICT and related careers, which is seen to have been dominated by the male gender. The 2026 theme is “AI For Development: Girls Shaping The Digital Future”.
Digital Encode Limited, an award-winning, cybersecurity consulting and integration firm has also indicated interest in being part of this year’s campaign.
Digital Encode specialises in enterprise network security, digital forensics, and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). The firm is well-known for its vendor-independent approach and for providing digital trust and threat mitigation solutions across Africa
The firm is a trusted advisor for many organizations in Africa, offering a broad suite of information security services.
Digital Encode Founder and Chief Visionary Officer (CVO), Dr. Obadare Peter Adewale had been an advocate of youth skills empowerment, and the chairman, Advisory Board of Cybersafe Foundation, promoters of Cyber Girls Initiative.
AfriGOpay Financial Services Limited has also joined the partnership train.
AfriGOpay Financial Services Limited is the company behind AfriGO, Nigeria’s first domestic card scheme, launched by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS).
The domestic card scheme is designed to provide secure, cost-effective, and localized payment services, including debit, credit, prepaid, and virtual cards.
By processing transactions locally, AfriGO ensures “data sovereignty,” meaning Nigerian payment data remains within the country, which improves security and reduces dependency on foreign exchange.
With the support for girl in ICT, AfriGOpay has committed to ensuring that the gender disparity in ICT career is bridged.
Citing ITU’s estimate of skills shortfall of over two million jobs in the ICT sector by 2030, Convener, Girls-In-ICT/CEO, e-Business Life Communication Limited, Mrs. Ufuoma Emuophedaro (‘Daro), said girls and young women who learn coding, apps development and computer science will not only be well-placed for a successful career in the ICT sector, but ICT skills that are rapidly becoming a strong advantage for students in just about any other field they might choose to pursue. “Girls with ICT skills can expect to earn good salaries and enjoy plenty of career opportunities.
Girls in ICT Day reminds us that ICTs help to improve the lives of people everywhere – through better health care, better environmental management, better communications, and better educational systems that transform the way children and adults learn.”
Referencing the 2026 theme, Mrs. Daro noted: “Artificial Intelligence, in all of its forms, is the development vehicle. While there is a gender gap in every industry, the largest gaps are found in the STEM fields.
Women in ICT often find themselves in junior or support roles rather than in managerial roles, with little opportunity for advancement.
They are also less likely to hold an executive position, become ICT entrepreneurs, or be represented among science and technology policymakers.
To thrive in STEM, girls and young women must be exposed to women in leadership positions, fostering inspiration and breaking down barriers that hinder their progress.
The Girls in ICT Day 2026 theme aims to address these challenges, encouraging empowerment and skills development for a more equitable future in STEM.”
The 2026 International Girls in ICT celebration event will feature different competitions among female students from widely selected private and public secondary schools.
These include STEM Quiz and practical tech competitions. Other features of the day will include Student’s Roundtable Discussion; interactive and motivational talk from renowned women ICT professionals.
Awards and gift prizes will be given to winning schools and students of the Quiz and Tech competitions. Also Awards will be given to deserving women that have exemplified themselves in the ICT industry.
The International Girls in ICT Day is an initiative launched through ITU Resolution 70 with the idea of creating a global environment that will empower and encourage girls and young women to consider careers in the field of information and communication technologies.
The Union declared the 4th (fourth) Thursday in April every year as a day to highlight the annual campaign to encourage girls and young women to consider careers in ICT, and society is reminded to support them in their choice.
At the end of the event, it is expected that the young students should be able to introspect and pursue any desired career path in ICT, technical or not, without bias, or being gender conscious.
This year’s event will have top government and private sector executives in attendance.
MTN Group has moved a step closer to taking full ownership of telecommunications tower operator IHS Towers, after shareholders of the infrastructure company approved the proposed acquisition at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).
The telecommunications group announced that IHS shareholders voted in favour of the transaction by the required two-thirds majority at the EGM held on 4 August, satisfying one of the key conditions precedent to the deal.
MTN first announced in February that it had entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining shares in IHS, a move that would give the mobile operator full ownership of one of Africa’s largest independent tower companies.
The acquisition forms part of MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, which aims to strengthen the group’s digital infrastructure capabilities and diversify revenue streams as demand for connectivity, cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow across the continent.
“The approval by IHS shareholders is an important step toward completion of the transaction,” says Ralph Mupita, MTN Group president and CEO.
“Within our Ambition 2030, the three-platform strategy, towers are a critical value-creation driver that will strengthen MTN’s strategic and financial position for the future, in a world where digital infrastructure and AI are becoming increasingly essential to Africa’s growth and development.”
Tower infrastructure has become increasingly strategic for mobile network operators as demand for high-speed mobile broadband, cloud computing and AI-powered services drives the need for expanded and more efficient network capacity.
The proposed acquisition is expected to strengthen MTN’s position as it continues expanding its digital ecosystem across Africa, where it serves more than 300 million subscribers.
IHS is one of the world’s largest tower companies, with nearly 29 000 towers in Africa serving various mobile network operators in five key MTN markets.
According to the mobile operator, the proposed transaction, which follows discussions noted in February, marks an important step to unlock compelling value for MTN, and strengthen and reintegrate its ownership of critical digital infrastructure across Africa.
For IHS shareholders, MTN notes, it provides an attractive opportunity to crystalise value.
The funding for the proposed transaction of the remaining shares MTN does not already own, for a consideration of $2.2 billion (R35 billion), will be through cash of approximately $1.1 billion on IHS’s balance sheet, along with available liquidity and debt from MTN.
MTN has approximately 24.7% shareholding in IHS, and as part of the transaction, it intends to take the company private through the acquisition of all outstanding shares it does not own, pursuant to a cash merger.
By reintegrating the tower assets, MTN says it will be able to internalise the margin currently paid to IHS, benefit from current and future incremental third-party revenues, improve cost predictability and unlock significant long-term value embedded in its existing investment.
The transaction remains subject to the receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals, which MTN says are still in progress. No timeline has been provided for the completion of the acquisition.
Telecommunications services provider Airtel Nigeria has further extended its national retail footprint with the rollout of 350 out of a planned 500 premium experience centres, which are designed to bring faster, more convenient service closer to millions of Nigerians.
The new retail shops, officially unveiled at a symbolic launch at City Mall, Onikan, Lagos, mark the latest phase in Airtel Nigeria’s grand retail strategy. They significantly expand the company’s extensive network of over 9,000 exclusive shops across every local government area, more than 350 premium experience centres, and over 73,000 retailers in all top towns and cities nationwide.
Built as compact, high-efficiency touchpoints, the newly launched shops are designed to enable subscribers complete all transactions such as Home Broadband, Fiber and Outdoor Units Subscription, Postpaid Plan Subscription, Enterprise Applications Enquiry and Subscription, as well as Prepaid Product services such as SIM registration and Data Plan purchase, other enquiries and comprehensive account support.
Simultaneously, several shops commenced operations at Purple Mall, Lekki; Marina, Lagos Island; Magodo, Lagos; Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta; Trend Setter Mall, Benin; Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Kano City Mall, Kano; Carpenters Mall, Gwarinpa, Abuja; and other parts of the country.
The rollout emphasises the company’s continued investment in customer experience and responds directly to feedback from customers seeking quicker access to everyday services without the longer waiting times that may be associated with larger retail centres.
Speaking on the company retail objectives, Joypratip Sengupta, Director, Sales and Distribution, Airtel Nigeria, explained that quality retail experience ultimately drives customer satisfaction. “Our goal is to demonstrate our dedication to exceptional quality of service, and these new shops, by their design, location, and equipment fit right within our goal to deliver superior service to every one of our customers,” he said.
He added that the expansion reflects Airtel Nigeria’s belief that excellent customer experience goes beyond technology to ensuring customers can receive support whenever and wherever they need it.
“Our business at Airtel is to ensure that we bring our services closer to our customers, and everything we do is centred on putting the customer first. These experience centres are open to help customers carry out their transactions faster and with greater ease. Whether you want to replace a SIM, purchase one of our routers, recharge airtime or data, or resolve any service issue, you can now do so more conveniently and closer to where you are,” he said.
He explained that the initiative represents a significant update to Airtel’s retail strategy, placing greater emphasis on accessibility, speed, and convenience.
“These express shops are designed to reduce traffic at our larger shops while giving customers faster access to the services they need. More importantly, they reinforce our vision of building the most accessible customer service network in Nigeria. As the telecom operator with the country’s largest retail footprint, we will continue expanding into more neighbourhoods, making it easier for customers to connect with Airtel wherever they are,” Sengupta noted.
In her remarks at the launch, Lynda Amechi, Head, Shops and Retail Postpaid Business, revealed that the new retail model was born from listening to customers and reimagining how Airtel delivers its services.
She said, “At Airtel, some of our best ideas come directly from our customers. One of the recurring concerns we received was the time customers sometimes spent waiting at our larger experience centres, even when they only needed simple transactions completed. We listened carefully and realised that many of these requests could be resolved within minutes if we brought our services closer to the communities where customers live and work.”
These new shops are also integrated into Airtel Nigeria’s broader customer experience agenda, which have seen the company continue to invest in digital self-service platforms, AI-powered customer support, nationwide customer forums, and significant network expansion across the country.
With this phase of shop launches, Airtel Nigeria has expanded customer access across the country while integrating digital innovation into physical touchpoints.
Dimension Data has said that the proceeds from its Series 1 corporate bond, will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
This followed the successful subscription of the corporate bond.
Recall that Dimension Data Limited said that it has completed the signing ceremony for the issuance of N4.05 billion (approximately US$2.9 million).
This sum marks the first tranche of a N20 billion (US$14.7 million) bond programme announced earlier this year.
The bond programme was raised under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc, following approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria.
The company says the proceeds will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.
Speaking at the ceremony, Olugbenga Olabiyi, managing director of Dimension Data Limited, said the investment reflects the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.
The planned investments will fund the continued expansion of Dimension Data’s fibre network, supporting increasing demand from financial institutions, fintechs, enterprise customers and other technology-driven sectors.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Johannesburg, the company has grown its footprint across the Middle East and Africa.
Today Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Ltd Group, one of the world’s leading technology companies.
As cloud adoption, digital financial services and data-intensive applications continue to grow, the company believes resilient fibre infrastructure will remain a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.
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