Telecom
We’ll Provide Enabling Environment For ICT Start-Ups – DG NITDA
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has said that the Agency is currently re-strategising to provide an enabling environment for ICT Start-ups in the country.
Inuwa stated this when he received in audience the leadership of FinTech Association of Nigeria, who were at the Agency to congratulate him and also partner with NITDA in various Information Technology programmes.
He said, “NITDA as the regulator is using its mandate to identify Nigerians who are capable of bringing ideas to the table.
According to him, “It is NITDA’s responsibility to provide enabling environment to Nigerians through capacity building so as to develop Nigeria’s IT ecosystem, while the private sector assist in creating jobs for Nigerians.”
The DG further stated that, “the private companies and organisations also have a role to play for ICT sector to thrive. They should not stay away from us, they are part of us, and we are part of them, while we are working as government agency in charge of regulating and developing Information Technology in the country, the private sector can also invest so as to boost our economy.”
He added that, Nigeria as a country needs everyone, especially IT stakeholders to invest in the industry, according to him, that is the way to develop ICT in the capital market.
He however said that Government is doing its best to make the sector safe haven for all start-ups in the country.
“Nigerian Government has made all available resources for Start-ups to thrive, but that alone cannot turn our dreams to reality. Corporate Entities, Entrepreneurs, Risk Capital, Venture Capital, and Universities also need to play their roles. We can provide the enabling environment while others invest. This will create the right direction towards achieving our goals,” he said.
Inuwa urged FinTech Association of Nigeria to continue the good work it does in connecting with stakeholders in the FinTech community locally, regionally and internationally to establish a critical bridge for the Nigerian FinTech ecosystem and ensure that support systems exist for a more conducive operating environment through collaborative efforts.
Earlier, in his remark, Dr Babatunde Obrimah, Chief Operating Officer of FinTech Association of Nigeria, accompanied by Chairman of ProShare, Olufemi Awoyemi and Damilola Ishie, thanked the Director General of NITDA, and also congratulated him on his appointment as 5th DG of the Agency.
Dr Obrimah also sought for proper collaboration between the FinTech Association and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in moving Financial Technology forward in the country.
He said, “It is crystal clear that the private sector cannot survive without government’s support and intervention, therefore there is need to collaborate with NITDA to drive ideas.”
“We need to come together and get things done. As you can see now, people steal other’s ideas. You brainstorm and come up with something; someone somewhere get away with it.”
“The country is ours. We built this association to grow the best brain in Nigeria and work with government,” he said.
He averred that, “FinTech Association of Nigeria is not here to compete with government. The purpose of building this association is to form harmony between stakeholders under FinTech and the government at large.”
“We are aware of NITDA’s mandate to regulate and develop this sector and that is why we are here. We have so much confidence in you and your leadership.
“We all rely and count on you. We also hope that our partnership will be of benefit to Nigeria and Nigerians economically,” Dr Obrimah said.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
Nigeria’s corporate elite gathered recently to bid farewell to one of the nation’s most influential business titans, Dr. Pascal Gabriel Dozie.
The Nigerian Exchange Group’s headquarters in Marina, Lagos, played host to an ‘Afternoon of Tributes’ that saw industry captains, financial moguls, and family members celebrate the extraordinary legacy of a man who helped reshape Nigeria’s economic landscape.
MTN Nigeria Chairman, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, captured the mood of the gathering when he described the late Dozie as “a visionary leader, a true patriot, and a trailblazer” whose impact continues to reverberate across Nigeria’s business terrain.
“Thanks to his remarkable foresight and unwavering dedication, MTN Nigeria didn’t just find its footing—it soared,” Ndukwe told the distinguished audience.
“Today, it stands not only as the largest telecommunications company in the country but also as one of the most highly valued corporations on the NGX Premium Board.”
The symbolic bell-ringing ceremony—a highlight of the event—paid homage to Dozie’s pivotal role in transforming both Nigeria’s capital market and telecommunications sector.
Speaker after speaker painted the portrait of a man whose influence transcended conventional boundaries. Beyond founding Diamond Bank and steering MTN Nigeria to unprecedented heights, Dozie was celebrated for embodying the rare combination of business acumen and ethical leadership.
Throughout the afternoon, the late business icon was remembered not merely as a successful entrepreneur but as a nation-builder whose contributions spanned critical sectors from banking and telecoms to public policy and education.
More than his corporate achievements, however, it was Dozie’s personal qualities that dominated tributes—his uncompromising integrity, innovative thinking, disarming humility, and lifelong commitment to service.
As the event concluded, it became clear that the gathering was more than a memorial—it was a celebration of possibilities, a testament to what can be achieved when purpose meets passion and when leadership is firmly rooted in service to others.
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