General News
Telecom Revolution is Key Driver of Development-Ndukwe
Ernest Ndukwe, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is a professional engineer with over 28 years of local and international experience. The NCC he is leading has completely transformed the country’s telecom landscape with the now world famous revolution which ahs placed phones on the hands of Nigerians and connected many nconnected. He spoke about the revolution and next big thing in this interview with Ken Nwogbo.
Prediction on Telecom Revolution
Looking back, nobody could have predicted the amount of success that has been recorded in the industry. Remember that we started from a very low level and almost zero-subscriber level compared to what we have today. We had just over 20,000 wireless mobile line and 200,000 fixed lines – hardly anything for anyone to care about. But over the years, we have seen this growth to the level that by the end of July, 2008 we have netted 58 million connections and there was no way we could have predicted this in 2001 when this journey started. But it has been a pleasant development and we thank God for his favours and for what He has enabled us to do in this area.
Growth in Subscriber Base and Capacity
The capacity is also growing. The problem actually comes from where we started. Most countries that transited from wireline infrastructure as their base and moved to mobile already had very good wire line infrastructure. That is why I laugh when people compare Nigeria with places like the UK, the U.S and some European countries. These are countries that had very good landline infrastructure. The incumbent operators in those places had obligation to make sure that lines were available to all people in the country no matter their location. But the situation we found ourselves in here in Nigeria from 1960 at independence until recently was that lines were growing in the country at an average of 10,000 lines per annum. Today we are talking about 1.2 million lines per month, so you can see the difference. In terms of capacity, let me say that all the operating companies are installing capacities at such a fast rate and within the possibilities available to the environment. One of them recently said that in the month of July, they had about 150 base stations – that is definitely a record. Most people do 30, 50, at the best, 100 – that will show you how much capacity that is put into the network in order to enhance it. I am sure what you will also be saying is that they do not have headway in their capacity to be able to take anything that is out of the ordinary and I will agree with you on that. That is why when they try to offer free calls at a particular weekend, the whole network gets jammed. So if we start from a very shallow base and start building the network to what it is today, for the whole country to be covered, for enough base stations to be available everywhere and for us to now have that critical headway that will make it possible for us to handle extraordinary occurrences so that networks are not thrown into any form of confusion. But today, capacity is growing rapidly.
Broadband and Mobile Growth
It would never be possible for broadband and fixed lines to keep pace with the mobile growth. I say that because when you look at what happened in the years when fixed lines infrastructure was in vogue – in the 60s, 70s and 80s before mobile services became widespread, Nigeria did not take advantage of that period and most of Africa did not. Today, to build a landline infrastructure, you need permission; you need approval from local and state government and that may be delayed. Secondly, it takes more time to build a fixed line infrastructure unlike that of mobile. For fixed line/wire line, you have to draw cable on individual basis to the various targets where you have your customers. So, it is a difficult thing to do in a fast manner. That is why I said it would be impossible for fixed lines to catch up with mobile lines because of the nature of deployment. What we should be talking about is how much we can improve on it. Even in this age of fixed mobile substitution, you find some people (especially young people) abandoning the fixed lines in preference for the mobile lines, so that they can stay connected in their offices, homes, anywhere they are without restrictions. I think the challenge from your question is – how do we further improve the penetration of broadband in Nigeria? We are working on that and companies are gearing up to provide broadband internet services in the country.
Impact of Financial Sector in Telecom Revolution
The telecom revolution has been a major driver of development in the country in the past seven years. It has affected nearly all other sectors of the economy – the financial sector, business community, government services, security services, medical services, legal services. All these have been impacted positively by the telecom industry. The advertising companies have never known it so good, telecom has suddenly become a major (if not the primary) contributor to advertising in the country. When we look at the ordinary businessman, people are able to use their phones to reach their customers and run their businesses more efficiently. It has improved commerce and industrial development; it has improved interactions – doctors today do not need to be glued to a particular location when they are on call; they can be on the move and still be on call in a hospital and can attend to emergency cases regardless of their locations. So all these have been major contributions of the telecoms industry, a major facilitator of growth in the national economy.
Revenue from in 7 Years
What I can say is that investment in the industry is over $12 billion. I mean all forms of investment in the telecoms industry – licensing, roll out of networks, investment in various companies. So it is over $12 billion.
Consumer Parliament as Alternative Dispute Resolution
The consumer parliament has been a major factor on the Nigerian telecoms scene. What it has done is empower the consumer more. We pride ourselves for raising consumer awareness to a higher level in the country today. Before the telecom parliament, most consumers in the country were basically left in the dark and not used to complaining. We have demonstrated that we can transparently meet the consumers and discuss with them on the issues and problems they have. This was never happening in this country, most people hardly complained – they did not have a say. But the consumer parliament and consumer-based programmes have given the consumers a new voice and we very happy for that. Right now, we are looking at bringing out the education part of the consumer parliament because what people don now is just come and make complaints and their complaints are discussed; we listen to their grievances. But we want to go beyond that; we want to use it as a platform for consumer education and awareness as a veritable tool in the hands of the consumers to be able to assist them evaluate services offered by operating companies and be able to make fine decisions on their own. So that is what we want to do with parliament.
Addressing Issues of Quality of Service
Yes, the quality of service situation has been topical because of this consumer awareness that we have instilled. In terms of quality, the commission has done a lot in addressing the issue of getting quality of service here to meet international standards. That is why recently, we published a few things on key issues in the industry addressing questions like congestion, call related problems and others. Operators of telecoms should ensure that they meet minimum quality of service requirements and we have also committed that when they fail, we will ensure that they pay the consumers in compensation. If you noticed, for the first time in the African continent, the telcos are paying compensation to the consumers for poor service rendered. So we are working hard at it and we hope that they continue to improve in quality. The heat is on and we know that there is a lot of installations going on in the various networks and this will over time enable them provide an optimum quality of service in the environment.
Hosting Commonwealth Telecom Organization Forum
The Commonwealth Telecom Organization normally has annual meetings and the venue moves from one country to another. The one two years ago was in Malta, last year’s was in Jamaica. It was during the Jamaican conference that Nigeria indicated interest in hosting this year’s Annual General Meeting. So, it is something that countries hold on rotational basis. CTO has been an important organization in developing ICT across the Commonwealth countries. Apart from the Annual General Meetings which is usually a one day or two day affair, CTO’s tradition has it that together with the AGM is a forum which targets discussions on very topical issues in the ICT industry. So, the CTO forum will hold from the 6th – 9th of October and then on the 10th, we will have the Annual General Meeting. It is an important event and we will be hosting a number of ministers from various Commonwealth countries. The acting chairman of CTO is a regulator from Uganda. Usually, CTO is headed by chief executives of various regulatory bodies around the Commonwealth. The organization is solely handled by the Commonwealth Telecom Organization office but here, there is also a local organizing committee that would see to the preparations – It is going to be a major event.
Next Big Thing in the Industry
We have not really done enough in the broadband area so; the next big thing for this country is broadband where we will good Internet connectivity in the country. We are licensing some companies to roll out broadband services in the State capitals and commercial centers across the country. Another big thing is to ensure that services are extended to rural areas – reaching the unreached.
Association of Set-Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria (STBMAN) has accused the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) of sidelining indigenous manufacturers and flouting a subsisting court order in its push to launch a new satellite-driven Digital Switch Over (DSO) scheme, tagged ‘The Big Picture’.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC
The group is calling on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene.
STBMAN, in a statement issued by Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, its chairman, described the NBC’s approach as “incoherent and unfair”, alleging a consistent pattern of disregard for existing agreements and stakeholders.
“It is becoming routine for the Commission to embark on a course without the slightest consideration to agreements and for key stakeholders in the DSO ecosystem,” the group stated.
The manufacturers expressed concern over NBC’s plan to import five million hybrid set-top boxes from China, despite a presidential executive order promoting local content in procurement.
They argue this move contradicts the “Nigeria First Policy” and undermines years of local investment.
“NBC should therefore be a promoter of economic activities and not a destroyer of ideas and investments,” STBMAN said, highlighting that its members still hold unsold boxes manufactured to NBC’s original specifications.
READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW:
PRESS RELEASE BY THE ASSOCIATION OF SET TOP BOX MANUFACTURERS OF NIGERIA, ON THE JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY THE DIRECTORS GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMMISSION (NBC) AND NIGCOMSAT ON THE UNVEILING OF SATELLITE DRIVEN DIGITAL SWITCH OVER (DSO) TAGGED ‘‘THE BIG PICTURE’’.
The Association of Set Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria (STBMAN)is once again compelled to issue a statement on the very incoherent and unfair practices being pursued by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)in its implementation of the FGN’s policy on the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting. Regrettably, it is becoming routine for the Commission to embark on a course without the slightest consideration to agreements and for key stakeholders in the DSO ecosystem.
The public is invited to note that STBMAN is a body of technology driven businesses and is not averse to the introduction and use of new technologies.
Similarly, it should be noted that the Association is not alluding to any inference that it should be the ultimate determiner of how the project is implanted.
For any keen follower of the DSO since its conception by the DigiTeam, it is not far- fetched to recall its decision on the adoption of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) option as against the DTH on grounds of the cost that will be difficult to bear by the larger part of the TV viewing population.
Secondly, as at today the Federal Government of Nigeria has spent close to over N60Billion on DSO program, excluding Millions of Dollars spent by Broadcast Signal Distributors, local DTT factories and other stakeholders who have deployed DTT Infrastructure. This is not minding the over 10 million Poor Television Households that will be impacted by mindless action of hybrid box.
As we are not averse to any change of any government policy, it is on record that STBMAN at various times have encouraged NBC to partner with NIGCOMSAT to provide the necessary signal transmission/ coverage to ameliorate the heavy cost that was being paid to foreign satellite distribution/ carriers but the NBC outrightly refused to consider this.
It is heart-warming to note finally that NIGCOMSAT is now the latest and best to provide signal coverage.
Curiously, the Press Release stated that local manufacturers would be engaged to produce hybrid compliant reception devices yearly, yet there has been no form of engagement with the 13 licensed STB manufacturers who have committed huge financial cost in the manufacture of DTT boxes specifically ordered and made to specifications provided by the NBC/ Digiteam.
It is imperative for the public to note that the STB manufacturers have toiled and sacrificed for the success of the DSO but at each turn, there appears to be deliberate and calculated move to scuttle their efforts and investments.
For almost 10 years, members of STBMAN have been left with scores of boxes in their warehouses without being able to sell because of NBC’s inability to deliver on its obligations and contractual agreements.
The least that any well-meaning governmental body that cares for the growth of its economy should have done, would have been an engagement with the existing licensed manufacturers to work out an acceptable arrangement, considering the financial investments as well as the changes in technology that have become necessary to undertake.
The public is invited to note further that it was on grounds of this and NBC’s attempt to undermine the agreement and the exclusivity granted the pioneer manufacturers that the Association took out a Writ of Summons in Suit No: FCT/HC/GAR/CV/442/2024 to protect its interest by seeking Court intervention to stop any attempt at licensing new manufacturers of STBs. It is *instructive to emphasis here that on the 11th day of September 2024, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Abuja made interim orders restraining NBC from taking any further step in relation to the reliefs being sought by the Claimants.
Notwithstanding the fact that NBC is not only seized of the pendency of the case/ action but has joined issues with the Claimants, it has chosen the path of contempt to short circuit the ends of justice.
An order of court, whether valid or not must be obeyed if it is subsisting by all no matter how lowly or lightly placed in society until it is set aside. This is what the rule of law is all about.
As if NBC is running a different Government, in the press release, they intend to import 5,000,000 Hybrid/DTH Set Top Boxes from China, in total disregard of the Presidential Executive Order “The Nigeria First Policy’ which makes it mandatory, that Nigeria comes first in all procurement processes.
No foreign goods or devices that are already produced locally will be procured without a clear justified reason. Accordingly, the policy reflects the vision of President Ahmed Tinubu GCFR in industrializing Nigeria, shielding the economy from global shocks and building sustainable local capacity. NBC should therefore be a promoter of economic activities and not a destroyer of ideas and investments.
In the light of the foregoing, we call on Mr. President, Alh. Bola A. Tinubu GCFR to urgently wage in and stop this rather dangerous trend sought to be perpetrated by the NBC leadership and its advisers.
Thank you.
For: ASSOCIATION OF LICENCED SET TOP BOX MANUFACTURERS OF NIGERIA. (STBMAN)
SIR GODFREY N. OHUABUNWA
CHAIRMAN
Jumia, Africa’s e-commerce platform, is celebrating 13 years of transforming the way Nigerians shop. Since its launch in 2012, Jumia has evolved into more than just an online shopping destination. It has become a catalyst for economic growth, digital inclusion, and everyday convenience for millions of Nigerians.
From small business owners and rural consumers, Jumia has played a key role in shaping a more inclusive digital marketplace. Over the past decade, the platform has helped hundreds of local and international brands reach customers across the country, while also supporting thousands of sellers with tools, training, and access to logistics and digital payments.
To commemorate this milestone, Jumia is launching the 2025 Anniversary Campaign under the theme “Enjoyment Overload”, running from June 2 to June 22. While the campaign will feature attractive deals from Nivea, Xiaomi, Itel, Diageo, Ecoflow, Skyrun, Oraimo, Adidas, Reebok, Unilever, Reckitt, and more, it also reflects a deeper celebration of the brand’s enduring impact.
“We are proud of the journey so far, not just in terms of business growth, but in the real-life stories of empowerment and access that Jumia has made possible. With this anniversary campaign, we’re pulling out all the stops to create a celebration that rewards loyalty, excites new users, and showcases the very best of what e-commerce can offer.
This is our way of saying thank you to the millions of Nigerians who have grown with us, challenged us, and inspired us every step of the way,” said Sunil Natraj, CEO, Jumia Nigeria.
“Beiersdorf Nigeria owner of Nivea Brand, is proud to partner with Jumia as the Platinum Sponsor for the 2025 Jumia Anniversary Celebration. This three-week event allows us to showcase our commitment to skincare innovation and reward consumers nationwide.
“NIVEA will highlight key innovations, including our new NIVEA SUNSCREEN – UV Face, re-launched Deep Maxx Tech Body Lotion, and Radiant & Beauty Even Glow, specially designed to meet the unique skincare needs of African skin.
“Through this partnership, we’re bringing trusted skincare solutions to more Nigerians, with exclusive discounts and a 4.5 million Naira grand prize for the top shoppers,” said Dele Adeyole, Country Manager, Beiersdorf Nivea Consumer Product Limited.
Shoppers can look forward to daily flash deals, brand days, games, treasure hunt, and exciting giveaways from Jumia and partner brands.
As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to evolve, Jumia remains committed to simplifying daily life through technology, innovation, and a customer-first approach.
Kaspersky has released its annual report on children’s digital interests, with the analysis covering the period from May 2024 to April 2025. It reveals a growing fascination with artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbots, the viral rise of Italian brainrot memes like “tralalero tralala”, and growing attention to Sprunki — a rhythm-based game combining music and motion. YouTube remains the most popular app among children globally, while WhatsApp overtook TikTok for second place.
In today’s interconnected world, children are engaging with digital technology more than ever before. Recent studies indicate that 8-10-year-old children spend an average of six hours daily on screens, while preteens (ages 11–14) average about nine hours per day.
With such a significant portion of their lives unfolding online, it becomes especially important for parents to understand what captures their children’s attention in the digital space — what they search for, what platforms they use, and which trends influence their interests and behaviour.
Every year, new digital trends shape the way children explore the world. In this year’s report, Kaspersky found a surge of interest in AI tools. While no AI apps appeared in the Top 20 most-used applications in 2023-2024 time period, “Character.AI” has now entered the list, showing that children are not only curious about AI but are actively integrating it into their digital lives.
More than 7.5% of all search queries were about AI chatbots, led by well-known names like ChatGPT, Gemini, and especially Character.AI — a platform that lets users create or interact with bots mimicking fictional or real characters. This marks a sharp rise from last year: in the 2023–2024 report, AI-related queries made up just 3.19% of all searches, increasing more than twice this year.
However, not all chatbot interactions are risk-free. Some bots may expose children to emotionally intense content, misinformation or age-inappropriate themes, especially when created or customised by other users.
Since these platforms often rely on user-generated content and may lack strict moderation, it’s crucial to talk openly with children about how they use AI tools — and to set up apps for digital parenting, such as Kaspersky Safe Kids, that help families stay aware, involved and protected.
In Nigeria, the top 5 of the most popular Android apps were WhatsApp (28,42% – the amount of time spent on the platform), YouTube (17,41%), Chrome (11,29%), Snapchat (10,33%) and Free Fire (5,16%).
While memes made up a small portion of searches this year, they still reveal another layer of children’s digital culture. Many of the most popular memes fell into what’s called “brainrot” — a kind of absurd, deliberately chaotic humour that spreads through short videos.
Among the most searched were the Italian phrase “tralalero tralala” and a meme track called “tung tung tung sahur”. These phrases may sound random to adults, but for many children, they represent shared jokes that move quickly from platform to platform.
Among the newcomers that caught analysts’ attention was Sprunki — a rhythm-based browser game that blends music and visual interaction. Players must hit beats in sync with fast-paced audio, making the experience both immersive and physically engaging.
Its bright, cartoonish design and addictive gameplay have made it increasingly popular with younger audiences. This is reflected not only in Google searches but also on YouTube, where Sprunki entered the top five most searched gaming topics, standing alongside long-time favourites like Brawl Stars and Roblox.
At the same time, more familiar habits remain strong. The most common online activity among children was searching on Google for streaming platforms — almost 18% of all queries were related to watching videos. Unsurprisingly, YouTube remains the clear favourite Android app, growing from 28.13% to 29.77% over the past year.
WhatsApp rose to second place with 14.72%, overtaking TikTok (12.76%), while Snapchat and Facebook continued to decline. This shift may reflect evolving communication habits — children are using chat apps more frequently to share links, memes and short videos with friends.
Video content and games also remained popular topics in children’s search behaviour. Platforms like Netflix, Twitch and Disney+ held strong — a trend that also echoed findings from Kaspersky’s recent streaming report, which highlighted how entertainment platforms often become targets for cybercriminals. At the same time, in the gaming world, children continued to favour Roblox, Minecraft and increasingly, the browser-based portal Poki — a portal offering hundreds of free games, often simple, fast-paced and instantly accessible in a browser.
“This year’s trends show just how fast children’s digital culture is evolving — one day they’re chatting with AI bots, the next they’re all humming an Italian meme song you’ve never heard of. But behind every trend is a chance for connection.
“When parents take time to understand what their children are watching, playing or searching for, it opens the door to meaningful conversations — and helps build safer, more trusting digital habits. Apps for digital parenting can be a helpful tool in this journey — not only to protect, but to stay involved,” comments Anna Larkina, privacy expert at Kaspersky.
To keep children safe from online threats, Kaspersky recommends the following:
- Maintain open communication with children about potential online risks and establish clear guidelines to ensure their safety.
- Secure gaming experiences by installing a trusted security solution, such as Kaspersky Premium, to prevent malicious file downloads.
- Stay informed about emerging threats and actively monitor children’s online activities in order to create a safer digital environment.
- Introduce children to cybersecurity basics using educational tools like the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Alphabet — a free downloadable book that explains key concepts, cyber hygiene rules, and how to avoid fraud.
. Use digital parenting apps like Kaspersky Safe Kids to protect children both online and offline, manage screen time, block inappropriate content, and track their location for greater peace of mind.
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