Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Connect with us

Telecom

Zoom Mobile, Starcomms, Others Were Programmed to Fail

Published

on

Eugene Juwah, EVC, NCC
Kindly share this post

Nigeria mobile code-division multiple application (CDMA) mobile sectors is going through tough times and there appears no end in sight soon since government is not forthcoming with either a bail-out plan nor working out any mergers/acquisition scheme for the ailing firms.

Collins Onuegbu, a systems analysts and managing director of Signal Alliance Ltd, a full IT services company in Lagos told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that the CDMA sector was programmed to fail when the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) initially adopted regional licensing for the CDMA operators; while opening up the market of universal licensing for the GSM mobile operators.

“The CDMAs are failing because their business model was flawed from the beginning. From the very beginning when the NCC decided to give them regional licences and the GSM operators were offered universal licence, it was evident the CDMAs will fail.”

“Nigerians are very mobile people and the very essence of the mobile phone is for you to connect wherever you go and there is no way you’d buy a phone that guarantees you connection only in Lagos and whenever you’ re out of town, you needed another system. So why not buy the one that connects you continually and leave the other one out of budget? So you see, the CDMAs cannot compete with that model of business in an environment like ours,” said Onuegbu.

He stated that elsewhere where copper (cables) are used to connected fixed lines, the model for regional licensing could work, but not in Nigeria where all the cables have either been dug up through road constructions or stolen by vandals.

Onuigbo noted that since the GSM operators had a heads-start, it opened windows of financing for them too which the CDMAs were shut out from.

“The CDMAs because of their regional operating licence couldn’t access bank financing or further investment for expansion and the resultant effect is that they’re dying one after the other.”

Starcomms PLC, the only telecom operator on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), is also not spared the meltdown as they struggle to remain afloat.

A recent attempt to merge with three other operators to form a medium size CDMA operator appear also to have hit a brick wall.

“I think Starcomms went to the stock market rather too early. They hadn’t spent enough time in the market to authenticate their real value. They needed to have been tested and trusted by investors. So that affected their market value and capitalization drive,” Onuegbu enthused.

Signal Alliance also has strategic affiliation with Microsoft, SAP, Cisco, CA Technologies and was recently rated the 27th fastest growing (non-listed) company in Nigeria by Michael Porter’s All World Network Nigeria Fast Growth 50 list.


Kindly share this post

Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Telecom

Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Airtel Nigeria has restated its commitment to transparency, customer safety, and regulatory collaboration following recent regulatory enforcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

The NCC had served Airtel Nigeria a notice of sanction over some alleged SIM infractions in Kano State and consequently slammed a fine of N104 million on the telecommunications firm.

NCC had in  a letter, addressed to Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, dated May 26, 2025, signed by Chizua Whyte, head, Legal and Regulatory Services, and Mohammed Dari, acting head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement,  on behalf of Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC,  titled: ‘Notice of Sanction: Non-Compliance with SIM Registration Directive in Kano,’ where the infractions were spelt out.

According to NCC, Airtel infractions include unauthorised SIM registrations using 198 unapproved devices, resulting in 8,275 registrations outside the 281 verified Airtel shops; premature activation of 63 MSISDNs prior to proper SIM registration, contrary to the provisions of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022; failure to conduct effective eyeballing, leading to 407 fraudulent SIM registrations with multiple NINs, contrary to the provision of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and failure to provide satisfactory explanation for SIM registrations conducted between 12.00 a.m and 6.00 a.m.

On the matter, the letter revealed that there were some letter exchanges and subsequent meetings on the infractions between the telecom regulator and Airtel, starting from January 12, 2025, March 19, 2025, March 24, 2025, and March 27, 2025, respectively.

Apparently, after investigations and responses from Airtel, the NCC was not satisfied and this led to the fine of N104 million, which was to be paid within seven days from the date the letter was issued.

Specifically, NCC fined Airtel N5 million, N12 million, N81.4 million and N5 million for the infractions respectively.

Reacting, Airtel, expressed appreciation to the NCC for uncovering the infractions, describing the development as a critical opportunity to strengthen internal processes and further align with national security and regulatory expectations

“We thank the NCC for its vigilance and continued support in protecting the integrity of the telecoms ecosystem. Airtel takes these findings seriously and is already implementing corrective measures,” a spokesperson for the company said.

Only recently, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO recently announced that the company is doubling its investment in the country, focusing on network expansion, fiber-to-the-street rollout, 4G/5G deployment, customer care upgrades, and digital infrastructure security.

These investments reinforce Airtel’s long-term vision of building a resilient and forward-looking telecom network that meets the evolving needs of Nigerians.

“Our systems are constantly evolving to stay ahead of scammers and malicious actors,” the spokesperson added. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about our responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who rely on Airtel daily.”

Airtel Nigeria says it will continue to work closely with the NCC and other arms of government to ensure high standards of service and safety for all telecom users nationwide.

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Telecom

Kenya Beats Nigeria As the Most Progressive ICT Regulation in Africa

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Kenya is celebrating its regulatory ecosystem being ranked as the most progressive in Africa. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked the East African country first in its most recent ICT Regulatory Tracker.

ITU’s ICT Regulatory Tracker is an evidence-gathering tool for decision-makers and regulators. It demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory systems in the age of technology.

The ITU evaluates the design of the national regulatory authority, the scope of the regulatory mandate, the obtaining regulatory environment, and the robustness of the competition framework in member countries.

Kenya received 93 points, up from 92 in 2023, and now leads the continent in best practices for ICT regulations.

Nigeria and South Africa finished second and third, with 92 and 88 points respectively. Malawi, Egypt, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal complete the top 10 list.

Globally, Kenya was ranked 20th out of 194 countries covered.Italy led the rankings, with 100 points.

The regulator, Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, said the achievement underscored Kenya’s commitment to creating a robust, technology-neutral regulatory environment that supports innovation, affordability and access.

Steve Isaboke, permanent secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, visited CA Centre in Nairobi following the announcement on Thursday.

“The ranking is a clear testament of the excellent work that CA has done in spearheading Kenya’s digital transformation and driving digital access for all,” he said.

“After 25 years, CA’s regulatory regime has attained maturity, and gained global recognition. This ranking shows that the CA staff and leadership are executing their work diligently.”


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Telecom

MTN’s Female Leadership Surges to 41.4%, Doubles Industry Average

Published

on

MTN
Kindly share this post

MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced a significant increase in female representation within its leadership, with women now making up 41.4% of its workforce, a notable rise from 38.7% in 2023.

MTN

This figure reportedly doubles the industry average, positioning MTN Nigeria as a frontrunner in gender diversity within Nigeria’s ICT sector.

The company’s recently released 2024 Annual Report highlights its sustained commitment to workplace inclusion and gender equality, aligning with its “Ambition 2025” strategy. Female representation within the executive management team has reached approximately 46.7%.

MTN Nigeria attributes this progress to dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering women professionally. These include the “Women in Tech” programme, which provides targeted upskilling in high-demand fields such as Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, and Cyber Security.

The “MTN Y’ello Mums Internship Programme” also supports young mothers in their transition back into the corporate world after career breaks.

Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, was recognised as the CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA), further underscoring the company’s impactful social initiatives.

Additionally, Uto Ukpanah, the company secretary, received the inaugural Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award from the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).

Speaking at a recent conference, Odunayo Sanya, emphasised the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation, saying, “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders.”

Uto Ukpanah, added, “Showcasing our corporate values and ethos to the world opens the door for greater collaboration with other organisations, as we believe there’s a lot to learn when we all come together. Governance continues to evolve. The challenges today are not the same as they were 10 years ago. Greater accountability is expected, and companies can only continue to do better.”

The company’s broader efforts in diversity and inclusion have been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the Corporate Responsibility Award. MTN Nigeria also received the “Employer of the Year” award at the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Employers’ Excellence Awards.

Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, in the report, reiterated the company’s commitment to building a purpose-driven organisation, emphasising that its success is intrinsically linked to its people and their dedication to a shared vision.

“Since we initiated our culture transformation journey in 2021, our culture transformation has significantly enhanced employee engagement and organisational cohesion. It’s directly strengthened our ability to deliver outstanding business performance and drive sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending