Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has decried persistent challenges such as vandalism, high operating costs, and regulatory bottlenecks threatening service delivery despite recent improvements in investment inflows.

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, warned that the continuous attack are putting strains on Nigeria’s telecom sector which serve as the backbone of the country’s economic and digital systems,

Adebayo, speaking in an interview on ARISE News, described telecommunications as the critical foundation supporting all sectors of the economy.

“Telecom operators are the infrastructure of infrastructures that supports all other sectors,” he said, stressing that the industry remains central to power, transport, security, and financial services.

Adebayo noted that the recent 50% tariff adjustment has helped restore investor confidence in the sector after years of underinvestment.

“It has restored confidence in the sector… we are seeing investment, we are seeing now the impact of that investment,” he said, adding that the sector is now beginning to recover gradually.

But, he warned that improvements in service quality remain constrained by multiple external challenges, including vandalism, insecurity, and regulatory bottlenecks.

“Things can be better… but there are also other external factors… vandalism, behavior of public actors, behavior of non-state actors,” he explained.

Adebayo highlighted the scale of infrastructure damage, particularly on fibre networks, noting a major disparity between international and domestic connectivity routes.

“The fiber optic in the Atlantic… has witnessed probably one outage in two years… the one running from Lagos to Kano, we record an average of about 40 cuts a day,” he said.

He explained that such disruptions significantly increase operating costs and affect service quality across the country.

Beyond vandalism, he pointed to theft of telecom equipment such as batteries and generators, as well as security challenges that prevent timely restoration of services in some regions.

“Issue of security… people are stealing batteries, they’re stealing generators,” he said, noting that some areas remain inaccessible during outages until security conditions improve.

Adebayo also called for urgent reforms in right-of-way charges and taxation policies, arguing that telecom infrastructure should be treated as essential national infrastructure.

“Right of way should become free of charge across the country… issue of multiple taxation… it has to be a thing of the past,” he stated.

On rising energy costs, he said operators are gradually adopting hybrid and renewable energy solutions, although the transition is slow and still exposed to vandalism risks.

“We are doing a lot on renewable energy and providing hybrid solution… but that takes time,” he said.

Adebayo concluded that while policy support and investment inflows are improving the outlook of the sector, sustainable progress will depend on stronger protection of telecom infrastructure and coordinated action among government, regulators, and communities to address vandalism, insecurity, and regulatory inefficiencies.

Ride-hailing company Uber has introduced a new feature that allows users to book hotel rooms directly through its app, as part of its strategy to evolve into a broader lifestyle and services platform.

Uber announced that the hotel booking service is being launched in partnership with Expedia Group, giving users access to more than 700,000 hotel properties worldwide.

The company said the collaboration is also expected to expand in future to include short-term rental listings from Vrbo.

According to Uber, the hotel booking tool offers features similar to traditional online travel platforms, including destination search, maps, and filters based on pricing, amenities and guest ratings.

Users can also complete bookings using payment information already saved on the app.

Speaking during a presentation in New York City, Uber Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, said the company was broadening its offerings beyond transportation and food delivery.

“We’re no longer just an app for rides, or even a family of apps for rides and eats. Uber is now an app for everything,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Expedia, Ariane Gorin, said the partnership was aimed at simplifying travel planning for users.

“Together, we can reduce the number of steps, save people time and money,” she said.

Uber’s latest move builds on its expansion strategy which began with the launch of Uber Eats in 2014.

Initially focused on food delivery, Uber Eats has since expanded into retail services, allowing customers to order products such as cosmetics, groceries and electronics.

Industry analysts say the development reflects the growing global trend toward “super apps” — digital platforms that combine multiple everyday services within one ecosystem.

This model is already widely adopted in markets such as China, where platforms like WeChat and Alipay integrate messaging, payments, travel bookings and e-commerce services.

Competitors are also broadening their offerings.

For instance, Airbnb has expanded beyond accommodation to include bookable local experiences, wellness services and mobility options.

Uber also disclosed plans to integrate more artificial intelligence-powered tools into its platform.

The company said upcoming features would enable users to plan meals, generate shopping lists and arrange deliveries through conversational prompts, while a voice assistant is also in development to support hands-free navigation within the app.

National Economic Council (NEC) of Nigeria has officially approved 112 as the unified, toll-free national emergency number to streamline responses to security, medical, fire, and natural disasters.

It is part of measures to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency lifeline and build a unified and coordinated national response to emergencies.

NEC also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee and programme coordination led by the Office of the Vice President and the National Communications Commission (NCC).

The approval was part of decisions taken at the 157th meeting of the NEC held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Shettima said the 112 emergency lifeline had become necessary to prevent delay caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks, noting that what the citizens seek urgently when confronted by a natural disaster or insecurity is an urgent response and not bureaucracy.

“This is not only a technical reform. It is a test of the state’s humanity. In moments of fire, accident, robbery, medical emergency, flood, violence, or panic, citizens do not need bureaucracy.

“They need a response. They need to know one number to call, one system to trust, and one coordinated chain of action that moves quickly enough to save lives,” he stated.

He explained that while Nigeria is not beginning from zero, as the emergency number had been in existence, what is required at the moment “is coordination, adoption, standard operating procedures, public awareness, institutional ownership, and trust”.

The vice president described NEC as the nation’s economic engine room, where the federal government and the states must convert the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu into practical outcomes.