Telecom
The Way Forward for CDMA in Nigeria
Akin wove his way through the bustling Lagos traffic and finally arrived at the client’s office for the scheduled debrief session just 10 minutes ahead of time.
He hoped to use the few spare minutes he had to do some due diligence to the project at hand and proffer some tips to the client on the mode of execution during the meeting.
He brought out his USB device to surf the internet only to discover there was still no internet connection. Few weeks ago, it was announced that his internet provider had been acquired by a giant GSM operator, he thought that meant the services could be spread to a wider coverage area as he usually had limited coverage when he travelled out of town.
He had subscribed for the annual plan as he had been doing for the past three years and it helped to ensure stability for his consulting business which depended largely on internet access.
He would have to tether his phone and use his GSM phone internet connection which bills him for every kilobyte and has proved to be a very expensive option.
Akin and several other young people like him across Nigeria who have active subscriptions on their CDMA network have been left to wonder if the news of their provider’s acquisition means a sudden termination to their services or if the discourse on the total dearth of CDMA in the country is one to believe.
CDMA which stands for Code Division Multiple Access is a mobile communication technology where several transmitters can send information simultaneously over a single communication channel.
CDMA uses spread spectrum technology allowing many users to occupy the same space time and frequency allocations in a given band/space.
CDMA has been globally acknowledged as a better technology compared to alternative technologies such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and is also believed to be more cost effective for operators as the CDMA capacity advantage leads to lower tariffs.
Interestingly, the first set of Private Telephone Operators (PTO) in Nigeria offered services via the CDMA technology. Multilinks was the first to begin operations in 1998 while the likes of VGC Communications, Intercellular, Mobitel and EMIS were the preferred networks of many Nigerians in the early days of the telecom revolution when the new GSM entrants had exorbitant call rates with SIM cards being sold as high as N30, 000 upon entry.
During the period of its dominance, CDMA provided excellent voice clarity for both local and international traffics while its data quality has often been described as first rate yet it is still unknown why the CDMA sector in Nigeria is nearly extinct.
A close look at the Nigerian Telecommunications industry, one can deduce that the business model of the average Nigerian CDMA operator made it unable to compete on the same platform with GSM service providers. Almost all the CDMA operators where locally developed, with no international investors or technical partners involved in the management of their service.
GSM providers like MTN, Airtel (formerly Econet), Globacom and Etisalat due to their size and international affiliations were able to attract financing and support from foreign banks and international finance brokers.
Another factor that could have worked against the CDMA operators could be there network spread, most of them were located in urban cities like Abuja and Lagos, extending their services to other regions or cities meant going back to the regulator for additional spectrum which usually came at a cost. The guidelines on their licensing hindered their spread.
This inability of CDMA operators to spread massively in the beginning compared to their GSM counterparts is probably the major impediment to growth in that sector.
Stiff competition and the tough business landscape in Nigeria made co-location impossible in the early day thus operators had to build and maintain their telecom infrastructure across the country.
The announcement earlier in January 2016 that the only standing CDMA operator in the country, Visafone Communications Ltd. had been acquired by mobile network giant, MTN put the current count of CDMA operators in the country at zero. At the time of its acquisition, Visafone had about 2 million active subscribers who are currently in limbo on the status of their services after the acquisition.
“I hope the government through the NCC can give the CDMA operators a favourable licensing environment so as to continue operations, Akin said, “Because there have been at least six CDMA operators in Nigeria from Multilinks to Starcomms who have either exited the market or folded up citing unfavourable business conditions as a cause. To paint a clearer picture, in 2001, there were 12 CDMA operators in the country and at 2016 there is none.”
Perhaps due to the highly competitive environment among the GSM operators that causes them to churn out varieties of exciting products for their subscribers, at the same time lowering call tariffs and cost of SIM cards.
This could have taken its toll on the CDMA operators who continued to lose subscribers and at a time when the GSM operators had about 148 million active lines, the CDMA operators could only boast of 2 million.
While the over 2 million subscribers like Akin are in an indeterminate state as to what will become of their subscriptions, the more nagging concern is of what the future holds for CDMA operations in the country and the telecommunications sector at large where the GSM operators are the ones who have the major control of the market.
It has been predicted that in the near future, mobile operators on different platforms including GSM and CDMA will migrate to the Long Term Evolution (LTE). With LTE operators will get a speed of up to 37.5MB per second on the device as against the 3.1MB that is currently available on the 3G networks.
Observers are of the opinion that MTN acquired Visafone to access the 800 MHz spectrum band, which will enable it provide 4G LTE services.
Earlier in 2007, MTN bought VGC Communications Limited (VGCCL), a Lagos-based Private Telephone Operator licensed by NCC to provide cabling and radio, telephone services nationwide and had laid extensive fibre optic cables, and Internet service provision.
This places MTN in a position to be a single dominant player in the voice and data markets in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
The question in the minds of many in the light of recent developments is ‘how will the CDMA sector thrive if it is not proactively encouraged by the NCC to do so?”
Pundits however believe that there is hope for CDMA because 3G technology performs better on CDMA while the Point of Sale (POS) Terminals, the key driver of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cashless policy initiative works better with the CDMA technology than with the GSM technology.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that compensation of subscribers for poor service quality, such as persistent network outages or failed calls is automatic.
This initiative aims to ensure fairness by mandating that operators provide automatic compensation, such as airtime credits, for failing to meet regulatory Quality of Service Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
According to the NCC, operators are required and mandated to identify affected subscribers and provide compensation directly.
In a framework for compensation of consumers published on its website, NCC said that it has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to compensate subscribers affected by prolonged or repeated poor quality of service experience within specific Local Government Areas where operators fail to meet regulatory Quality of Service Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The NCC also stated that the directive does not replace existing consumer protection mechanisms.
The NCC, said the directive adds a direct compensation mechanism for affected subscribers and aligns with measures set in existing legislations such as the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2024 and the Quality of Service Regulations 2024.
This directive applies to only Mobile Network Operators licensed and operating in Nigeria that have failed to meet their Key Performance Indicators on Quality of Service. For Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operating in Nigeria, a compensation framework is already in place.
To be eligible to receive compensation
. You experienced poor network service in an affected Local Government Area; and
- You made at least one outgoing revenue generating event (billed call, SMS, or data session) during the relevant period.
The compensation covers service failures affecting voice, data, or SMS services.
Operators are required and mandated by existing regulations to monitor their network performance across locations and service disruptions against Quality of Service KPIs.
This enables them to identify affected subscribers without the need for individual complaints.
Only service failures that fall below the defined thresholds set by the Quality of Service Regulations issued by the NCC will qualify for compensation.
Short, isolated interruptions and immediately remedied interruptions may not qualify
Compensation will be provided in the form of airtime credits.
This airtime credit will not have utilisation restrictions, and subscribers will be able to use it for voice calls, USSD sessions, data subscriptions, etc on the operators’ network.
Federal Government has announced plans to deepen collaboration with private sector players and other stakeholders in a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity architecture and response systems.
NDPC
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed this in a recent press statement, noting that the government is considering the establishment of a Cybersecurity Coordination Council.
According to the minister, the proposed council is aimed at enhancing national cyber resilience and ensuring a more coordinated response to emerging cyber threats across public and private institutions.
Tijani emphasised that cybersecurity must be treated as a collective responsibility involving government, industry, and civil society.
“Cybersecurity is a shared national responsibility. Protecting Nigeria’s digital economy requires strong partnerships, trusted collaboration, and collective vigilance across government, industry, and civil society,” he said.
He added that through sustained collaboration, Nigeria would strengthen its capacity to detect cyber threats early, respond effectively, and build a resilient and trusted digital ecosystem.
The minister also called for increased stakeholder participation in shaping a sustainable, partnership-driven cybersecurity framework capable of deterring cybercriminal activities and safeguarding citizens, businesses, and critical digital infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has commenced an investigation into an alleged data breach involving Remita Payment Services Ltd., Sterling Bank, and other entities.
In a statement signed by its Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, Babatunde Bamigboye, the commission said notices of investigation were issued to relevant parties on April 1, 2026.
The NDPC noted that affected organisations and individuals are currently providing information to aid its inquiry into the incident.
“The aim of the investigation is to ensure that data subjects are protected with appropriate technical and organisational measures,” the statement read.
It added that the probe would examine the types of personal data involved, the scope and nature of the alleged breach, potential risks to data subjects, and mitigation steps taken where breaches are confirmed.
The commission further disclosed that its National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Olatunji, has directed a broader review of organisations operating digital payment systems.
According to the NDPC, entities found to be non-compliant with provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, particularly regarding technical and organisational safeguards, would be scrutinised as part of efforts to maintain the integrity of the nation’s data protection ecosystem.
Sunil Mittal led Bharti Airtel has crossed the 650-million customer mark globally, fortifying its position as the world’s second-largest telecom operator by mobile subscriber base, as per a regulatory filing by the telecom operator.
“According to GSMA Intelligence, Bharti Airtel is ranked second globally by mobile customer base, with operations spread across India and Africa,” the filing said.
Commenting on this milestone, Gopal Vittal, executive vice chairman, Bharti Airtel, said: “Achieving the milestone of 650 million customers to be the second largest operator globally is a great responsibility for us to serve our customers better every day,”
He added that the telco strives to raise the bar on innovation, reliability, and experience so that every customer interaction is an opportunity to earn trust and deliver value connection.
Currently, Airtel India serves around 368 million mobile customers, meanwhile over 179 million users have been plugged into its subsidiary Airtel Africa spread across 14 countries.
Its mobile money platform, Airtel Money reached more than 52 million customers.
Additionally, the telco serves around 13 million homes with high-speed internet services and over 15 million through its Digital TV offering.
With operations spanning 15 countries and network coverage reaching over two billion people, analysts say that the latest milestone is a testimony to the natural curve of evolving from a telecom operator into a broader digital services provider.
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