Telecom
Telecom Stakeholders’ Forum to focus on Consumer Protection
This year’s Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) organized telecom stakeholders forum will focus on the protection of the telecom consumer in the growing global Information and Communications Technology market place.
The forum which is coming under the aegis of the Stakeholders’ Forum initiated and managed by Africa’s foremost ICT magazine, IT & Telecom Digest, the event will bring together operators, equipment manufacturers, government officials, consumers and other interested parties, essentially to find ways to better protect the consumer in the emerging convergence in the industry.
Hence, the theme of the fourth Stakeholders’ Forum, which is scheduled to take place on March 24, 2009 at the Golden Gate Restaurant in Ikoyi, Lagos, is “Protecting the Consumer in an era of ICT Convergence.”
It is expected to attract the key industry players, companies and individuals in the support industry like power, software, equipment suppliers, as well as the academia and consumer advocacy groups, among others.
Coming at a time when the industry is under pressure from the global economic meltdown, this year’s edition of the Stakeholders’ Forum initiated by IT & Telecom Digest back in 2006 as an annual platform for finding solutions to problems in the ICT sector, will be used keenly by the Consumer Affairs Bureau of the NCC as a medium of reaching out to operators and the various businesses that have developed around the increasingly successful ICT industry in Nigeria. This is with a view to getting them all serve the consumers best in an atmosphere free of rancour in the emerging global village being further brought about by convergence in the ICT industry.
While most operators around the world are contending with the biting crunch of the economic downturn, the NCC has severally assured that the Nigerian industry is insulated by the government’s continued protection of the consuming public through deliberate policies.
People oriented government policy is part of the mandate of the regulator of the industry and in the last eight years, the NCC has introduced innovative consumer protection programmes which has served as an interface between them (consumers) and operators such as the Consumer Parliament.
Therefore, the idea of discussing the place of the consumer in the growing convergence of the ICT industry in Nigeria and by extension the rest of the world is appropriate and is in direct consonance with the government set objective.
Reacting to the theme of this year’s Stakeholders Forum, Mr. Mkpe Abang, Editor-in-Chief and chief executive of IT & Telecom Digest magazine, described the NCC choice of subject as, “most apt and timely, especially at a time like this when the world is in turmoil over the economic indices that continue to plummet. For the Nigerian consumers, they should count themselves lucky given the kind regulator that the NCC is and indeed, the other government agencies that recognises their roles at a time like this.”
Speakers at the Forum this year like in other years would be drawn from operators, equipment suppliers, alternative services providers like the power sector, computer, Internet Services Providers and some concerned consumers of these services. They are expected to deliberate and seek for ways of improving the growth that the industry has already experienced.
It would be recalled that the NCC in the last couple of years have dictated the direction of regulation among other countries of the world especially in Africa where fellow African countries have adopted most of its programmes to affect their regulatory environment.
The Stakeholders Forum is one of such programmes that the agency have used over the years to feel the pulse of the industry and enrich its own regulatory functions. This year however, the focus is not strictly limited to telecommunications as the industry with its massive expansion has influenced the other components of the general ICT industry.
Nigeria with over 60 million active telephone subscribers is dominating the African continent and is one of the world’s fastest growing telecom countries. In the wake of the global economic meltdown, the country leading the rest of Africa has become one of the havens for investors seeking alternative and stable environments to do business.
At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.
Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.
During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”
The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.
They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.
The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.
The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.
The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.
As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.
MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.
According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.
If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.
Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.
Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.
MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.
“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.
Netflix has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in Spanish film and television productions over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to Spain as a key creative hub in Europe.
The announcement was made by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos at an event held at Netflix’s production studios near Madrid, celebrating the company’s 10-year presence in the country.
Sarandos emphasized that the investment would contribute significantly to Spain’s economy, create jobs, and enable the streaming platform to produce more local content. He was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in unveiling the initiative.
Netflix first established its international production studios in Madrid in 2019, following the success of the Spanish-language hit series Money Heist.
Since then, its 22,000-square-meter facility has become one of Netflix’s major production centers within the European Union.
The company currently supports over 20,000 jobs in Spain, highlighting the nation’s growing influence in global entertainment.
The investment reflects Netflix’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in European markets through original content and local talent.
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