Telecom
“We Remain Committed to Driving Innovative Solutions at all levels” – MTNF Executive Secretary, Odunayo Sanya
Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation, has stated that MTN remains committed to driving innovations at all levels. She made this statement at the Alliance for African Partnership [AAP] panel discussion at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation
The conversation which was centred around Innovating Solutions to African Challenges, was attended by different stakeholders from all over the continent such as Professor Titulaire des Universités, Ahmadou Aly Mbaye; the Director, Ford Foundation, West Africa, Catherine Chinedum Aniagolu-Okoye and Director, Partnership and Communications, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Somachi Chris-Asoluka.
Speaking on the role of the private sector in facilitating transformative change, Odunayo states that the private sector is aware of its benefits, and more importantly its responsibility to drive innovation. She reinforces MTN’s belief that everyone deserves the benefit of a modern connected life, therefore lifting people and connecting them to their dreams.
She stressed the importance of creating inclusiveness at all levels, outside the classroom as we strive to solve these problems.
“We need to drive a bit more unstructured innovation. We need to drive innovation at all levels, not everyone will end up in the four walls of a university. And that one doesn’t get into a university doesn’t mean they cannot create innovation. I think we need to be able to target innovation at different levels.”
Beyond academia, Odunayo identifies the need to be able to transfer skills to the recipients of the scholarship that the Foundation facilitates, which is very important. She attest that the universities’ curriculum is a bit inadequate.
She said, “A lot of students pass through universities, without engaging in adequate research. Dissertations are usually not geared towards innovation, so they struggle by the time they come out of school.
“To address this, MTN Foundation collaborates with its ecosystem partners; Google, Microsoft, IBM, and recently Meta, to train beneficiaries of MTN Scholarships on the needed ICT and Business skills for the labour market.
“These graduates are also trained to be entrepreneurs enabling them to create jobs and wealth for themselves.” On entrepreneurship, Odunayo aslo noted that MTN has recently launched Y’ellopreneur which is a women-targeted funding and skill training program.
Odunayo maintains that other key roles of the private sector in driving innovations are in the areas of funding and influencing policies. MTN Foundation partners with The Bank Of Industry to give out loans at 2% interest to young university undergraduates, to help them through school.
She points out that private sectors are policy influencers that birth policies that makes things easy for all the stakeholders contributing to the sustainability of innovation.
Founded by Michigan State University in 2006 in collaboration with African colleagues, the Alliance for African Partnership [AAP] is an Association of the MSU committed to working in equitable partnership to transform lives and address global challenges.
Their priority areas include Agri-food systems, Water, energy and the environment, Culture, Youth empowerment, Education, Health and Nutrition.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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