Telecom
Thumbs Up for Starcomms’ iZAP
Starcomms Plc., the only telecommunication company in Nigeria quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange has cut a niche for itself in the data segment of the telecom market. The company has adopted the performance competition strategy to delight the market and thus lead in the provision of internet access to telecommunications subscribers.
Starcomms is aware of the challenges that data subscribers go through and have worked hard to satisfy its own subscribers better. By providing good products and services, the company endeavours to lead the pack of telecom data providers. Marketing and making the customers aware of their products and company is also done to improve their business performance.
Companies engaging in performance competition are always aware of their competition and their position in the marketplace, so they simply try to do their best to meet their customers’ needs.
Starcomms responds swiftly to new technologies, bringing innovations to the Nigerian subscribers from time to time. From 2006 when the company introduced EvDo services to the market, it has mainly been competing with itself in the data segment having revolutionized it through the introduction of new devices from time to time.
Therefore, internet access subscribers who desire fast internet browsing resort to Starcomms iZAP, the award winning internet service of Starcomms. This has helped the company to seek every way to delight its data subscribers.
Recently, the company reinvented an old marketing strategy to relieve data subscribers who have been struggling with the internet service they had been getting from their telecommunication companies, including Starcomms, because of the fact that their data modems are getting out of step with fast moving technology.
Starcomms began to offer an exchange service in which subscribers can trade in any old internet modems for new ones on Starcomms network. With this plan, Starcomms has been receiving old modems of any kind and replacing them with Starcomms state-of-the-art iZAP modems for half its price. Internet service subscribers who had been using lower grade or old models of modems now upgrade to Starcomms iZAP, an enhanced version of Rev. A EvDo internet USB modems at such affordable cost.
For Sakina Bello, an Abuja based subscriber who swapped her GSM based modem for Starcomms iZAP, the exchange has been a blessing. “Although I have been too busy to browse these days but I must tell you that I noticed a lot of improvement from what I used to have. iZAP is a lot better.
The modem trade-in offer is not limited to any particular device. Subscribers exchanged PCIMCIA cards, USB modems or Express cards for the sleek new Starcomms iZAP USB Rev.A modems. These modems are compatible with any computer and are in plug-and-play mode without any need for complicated installation.
This is one of the things that thrilled Ruth Edeh, a Lagos based subscriber who changed her medem from another CDMA network. According to her, “The service I get now is better than what I used to get from my former provider, In fact I am going to change my payment plan at the expiration of this one to get more browsing experience from it than what I get now. I am subscribed to only night browsing.”
According to Tushar Maheshwari, Starcomms Chief Commercial Officer, “The incredible offer is being made so that Nigerians can experience the best of Starcomms iZAP, which is revolutionizing broadband internet connectivity in Nigeria. Data subscribers now have the opportunity to move up to the upgraded version of 3G Rev. A broadband internet facility. Starcomms has stocked state-of-the-art devices to meet the yearnings of people in the area of internet access.”
By upgrading to Starcomms iZAP, subscribers enjoys high speed internet experience as high as 3.1 mbps (in an ideal condition) and flexibility in access plan as well as in payment options. This has really endeared the service to Igboko Ochibuto, another Lagos based subscriber who migrated to iZAP from a CDMA network to Starcomms.
“I cannot compare what I used to have to what I now have. iZAP gives me a better service. I wish I had it all along.”
“We consider the data services that we offer very important and we are aware of the yearnings of people to get the most effective data service available. Starcomms prides itself in the culture of bringing excellent innovative products and services to its subscribers at affordable prices as a continuing business strategy. It has been our plan in Starcomms to make the best of broadband internet access available to everybody,” said Maher Qubain, Starcomms CEO.
The telecommunication sector of the Nigerian economy, having gone through a rebirth about a decade ago has witnessed tremendous growth. The sector suddenly became one of the most active both because of the relevance of the products and services on offer to people’s daily lives and because of its dependence on changing technology.
Gradually, companies, which have been so strong on voice communication, increased competence in data provision because of the increasing demands of subscribers for internet access. Nigerians who used to be holed up for hours on end for slow internet connection in cyber cafés are now been offered opportunity for fast internet connection which portable and personal.
Meanwhile, the data segment of the telecommunication market is still going through a lot of perfection. Telecommunication companies have been engaging in a lot of innovation in product design, customer relations and market strategies to be on top of the data game.
Some companies engage in a lot of publicity and marketing stunts to push their data products and services to the market. But the experience of consumers in the use of these products and services different from what is touted by them. Frustration overwhelms many a data subscriber either as a result of dissatisfaction in what they get in return for their money or as a result of difficulty they go through to get the services.
MTN Foundation has been spotlighted as a model for private sector-driven healthcare development in Nigeria, following commendations at the 6th Arthur Mbanefo Lecture held at the University of Lagos, Akoka.
Themed “A Healthy Nation is a Wealthy Nation: The Role of Impact Investments and Sustainable Financing in Nigeria,” the lecture featured Dr. Tolulope Adewole, Managing Director of NSIA Advanced Medical Services Limited (MedServe), as keynote speaker.
Dr. Adewole praised the Foundation’s strategic investments, noting that MTN commits 1% of its profit after tax annually to development sectors. “They’ve invested ₦31.75 billion, reaching over 32 million Nigerians. Though only 25% went to health, it accounted for 51% of all lives impacted. That’s catalytic,” he said.
He cited MTN’s dialysis centre programme as a transformative intervention for patients with kidney disease, and highlighted community-focused initiatives like the Y’ello Doctor mobile scheme and ‘What Can We Do Together’ (WCWDT) programme, which revitalised 164 Primary Healthcare Centres, including 44 in 2024 alone.
Executive Director of MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, reflected on the COVID-19 pandemic’s exposure of systemic health vulnerabilities. “When COVID hit, we realised a health emergency is also an economic and social emergency,” she said.
Sanya revealed that of the 52 PHCs remodeled in 2024, only one had clean water. “I’m not a doctor, but I know you can’t live a good life without clean water,” she added, reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to bridging healthcare gaps in underserved communities.
Hundreds of university students across Africa are set to benefit from a new gamified learning experience on digital rights and inclusion launched by the leading pan-African non-profit organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN).
The Digital Rights and Inclusion Board Learning Experience (DRIBLE) is a game developed by Paradigm Initiative with support from the Open Society Foundations (OSF). The custom-designed board game provides young individuals with a fun and engaging entry point into digital rights and inclusion conversations, training sessions and storytelling tools.
The board game aims to build digital literacy, deepen understanding of online safety, and introduce young individuals to the organisation’s tools of impact. Currently being piloted in three universities: University of Lagos, Nigeria, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya and the Dakar American University of Science and Technology (DAUST) in Dakar, Senegal, it will enhance interactions and create a holistic experience.
Speaking at the event launch at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Paradigm Initiative’s Executive Director, said: “PIN’s vision is to reach 20 million people through our Digital Inclusion and Digital Rights interventions. From Lagos, to Dakar, to Nairobi.. we will use the vehicle of our new Digital Rights and Inclusion Board Learning Experience (DRIBLE) which entails using gamification, training, multimedia materials, tools and other interventions to connect African youth with digital opportunities and protect their digital rights.”
‘Gbenga gave the keynote address on “Digital inclusion at PIN, our Past, Present and Future” and Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer, said the goal of the learning experience would be instrumental in raising awareness of digital rights among the youth, building their capacity to address digital rights and inclusion issues in their communities. Prof. Olunifesi Adekunle Suraj shared a goodwill message with the students and other stakeholders.
Paradigm Initiative, which has been operational since 2007, started in a tiny cybercafe in Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria. Today, the organisation has expanded its wings to cover six African countries; Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe, impacting the livelihoods of over 150,000 young Africans.
The launch of DRIBLE builds on the progress the organisation has made over the years in tackling the challenge of digital exclusion across Africa.
Paradigm Initiative’s tools of impact include Ripoti, a platform that enables individuals to report digital rights violations, Ayeta, a platform that provides digital security resources for stakeholders, more so human rights activists, defenders, journalists and other vulnerable groups, and the organisation’s latest short film, Whispers in the Wires.
Targeted at students, PIN rolled out a Campus Tour in the three universities on the continent starting July 15th, 2025.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has intensified its crackdown on fake accounts and spam, announcing it removed over 10 million fake profiles and roughly 500,000 spam accounts in the first half of 2025.
The sweeping purge is part of Meta’s broader effort to combat impersonation, fake engagement, and content duplication, aiming to elevate authentic creators and improve the quality of content across its platforms.
In a blog post, Meta said: “We’re making progress. In the first half of 2025, we took action on around 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behaviour or fake engagement. We also removed about 10 million profiles impersonating large content producers.”
Meta stressed that accounts which primarily repost or recycle content without meaningful edits will face penalties such as reduced reach and the loss of monetisation tools.
The company also warned that repeatedly sharing unoriginal content — whether videos, photos, or text — undermines the platform’s integrity by crowding out genuine voices and making it harder for new creators to grow.
To support authentic creators, Meta is rolling out new tools that automatically trace reposted content back to its original source. The company says this will help ensure rightful credit and give higher visibility to original posts.
“Pages and profiles that post mostly original content tend to enjoy wider distribution across Facebook. Simply stitching clips together or adding a watermark will no longer count as meaningful editing. Content that provides real value and tells an authentic story is likely to perform better,” Meta explained.
Creators are also being cautioned against uploading content that includes watermarks from other platforms. Such posts could see their reach restricted or lose monetisation privileges altogether.
As part of its latest update, Meta introduced post-level insights on the Professional Dashboard, allowing creators to monitor how individual posts perform. They can also check their Support Home screen to see if their content or earnings are facing restrictions.
In a parallel development, Google’s YouTube updated its monetisation guidelines, stating that content deemed mass-produced or excessively repetitive will no longer qualify for ad revenue. The announcement initially sparked concern among creators, who feared it was a blanket ban on AI-generated content. YouTube later clarified:
“We welcome creators using AI tools to enhance their storytelling, and channels that use AI in their content remain eligible to monetise.”
Both tech giants say these new policies are aimed at raising content standards and safeguarding genuine creators in a crowded and rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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