Category: e-Business

Small, medium enterprises (SMEs) are considered engines of growth for modern economies because of their numbers, job creation and value addition to national gross domestic product (GDP). LUCAS AJANAKU reports on how digital tools could boost their productivity on a sustainable basis.

According to Meta’s Global State of Small Business Report released at the twilight of last year, during the last six months of the year, five per cent of small business owners in Nigeria were compelled by economic realities to reduce the size of their workforce by five per cent while in Ghana, the percentage job cut was 16 per cent.

Meta, which is Facebook’s parent company, said as the pains of COVID-19 pandemic wanes, the most significant challenges SMBs face now is the current parlous state of the economy, supply chain disruption, inflation, fear of economic recession as well as skyrocketing production costs.

According to a 2022 report by Data Objects, hundreds of SMEs were asked about the digital tools used for their businesses and 67per cent of participants said they use social media tools.

MTN initiative

MTN Nigeria however said it has unveiled MTN Thryve Ads, for SMEs to aid their social media marketing efforts.

With the launch of MTN Thryve Ads, SMEs can now efficiently run social media advertising campaigns. Thryve Ads is optimised to enable businesses successfully schedule and track Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns while taking advantage of seamless support throughout the ad campaign life cycle.

Using social media as a marketing strategy can help small businesses or start-ups accelerate their businesses, access new markets, and scale quickly and efficiently. However, now and again, Nigerian small businesses need help placing digital ads on social media platforms. MTN Thryve Ads is a solution that seeks to eliminate these challenges. Additionally, it includes features for tracking and optimizing ads for successful impact.

Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN Nigeria, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, said:  “Social media has proven to be a useful marketing tool for SMEs as they focus on creating access to new markets leveraging digital channels. We, at MTN, recognise these SMEs as the backbone of our economy. Therefore, as part of our commitment to drive digital access, adoption and transformation across industry verticals, we are excited to be an enabler for SMEs to access new markets leveraging digital advertising inventories. Whether they are early or late adopters of social media, the rich offering of MTN Thryve Ads helps SMEs drive their customer acquisition and retention strategies successfully and seamlessly.”

With plans from as low as N1,500 and 30-day validity, Thryve Ads is open to all MTN prepaid subscribers and business owners. MTN subscribers can also activate the service via the USSD channel by dialing *460*3*3#.

AT3 digital marketing bootcamp

 A consultancy firm, AT3 Resources, said it has discovered a communication gap in the operation of SMEs and the dearth of digital marketing skills in the country.

It said to mark its fifth year anniversary it announced a week-long digital marketing bootcamp for SMEs with ‘Leveraging Possibilities for SMEs in The Digital Age’ as theme.

The bootcamp which is the first edition is designed to empower SMEs to use the growth opportunities presented by the digital era. During the bootcamp, participants will be armed with the best digital marketing tools, tips, trends, tactics and strategies from leading industry experts that will support them in their quest to actualise their full potential as well as shape how they connect with their target audiences.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AT3 Resources, Tosin Adefeko said: “In the course of our journey, we frequently encounter small medium businesses which desire communications interventions but do not have the requisite knowledge or resources to support their growth. We decided to lend our support to the growth of small businesses in tune with our belief that SMEs are the lifeblood of our economy.”

The digital marketing bootcamp will enable SMEs take advantage of growth prospects in the digital media era. The bootcamp will include a deep dive into areas like, online reputation management, communications strategy, digital marketing, brand and visuals, and the ‘Always on’ Entrepreneur.

 Meta free digital skills

Corporate Communications Manager for Anglophone West Africa at Meta, Oluwasola Obagbemi, said:  “At Meta, we are committed to empowering SMBs with free skills and resources to help them build thriving businesses, develop meaningful connections, and unlock economic potentials so they can continue making a positive impact across the world.  This festive season, we seek to spotlight and tell the stories of SMBs with unique gifting ideas and provide SMBs with access to tools, support, and solutions needed to grow thriving businesses while reinforcing our continued support of small businesses to ensure they have a voice and ensure the right customers find their good ideas.”

According to Meta, when surveyed, 49 per cent of SMBs in Ghana reported using digital tools for advertising and 59 per cent of SMBs in Nigeria reported generating at least 25 per cent of their sales through digital channels in the past 30 days. It was also revealed that 46per cent of operational SMBs in Nigeria on the Facebook app reported having sold their goods or services to customers in other countries in the past five years. This compares to the global average of 30per cent. These discoveries have been made possible through the provision of digital tools for SMBs to ensure they are found by the right customers.

Through this campaign, Meta continues to support and give a voice to more than 200 million businesses using Meta technologies to ensure their good ideas are found.

Mrs Adefeko said the bootcamp will be facilitated by a blend of digital marketing and communications experts such as Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, Founder, The Lighthouse Network; Frankline Ozekhome, Pop Culture Strategist; Rufai Oseni, Global Speaker & Development Expert; Ugochukwu Obi-Chukwu, Founder, Nairametrics and Oluwasola Obagbemi, Corporate Communications Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta among many others.

To enrich the learnings, 10 business leaders/corporate titans and accomplished entrepreneurs are lined up to share their personal ‘Recipe for Success’ nuggets with the participants. On the line up are Aishah Ahmad, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria; Asue Ighodalo, Founding Partner, Banwo & Ighodalo; Austin Okere, Founder, CWG Plc; Dr. Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman, Troyka Holdings Limited; Dimeji Salaudeen, Partner, KPMG; Folake Soetan, CEO, Ikeja Electric; Ibukun Awosika, Founder/CEO, The Chair Centre Group; Osayi Alile, CEO, ACT Foundation; Steve Babaeko, CEO/Chief Creative Officer X3M Ideas, President, AAAN; and Tara Fela-Durotoye, CEO, House of Tara International.

Original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Tecno Mobile, has expressed optimism of improvement in the global economy and positive impact on the sale of its product in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Its Marketing Manager, Attai Oguche, during an interactive media session in Lagos, said having finished strong last year, in spite of crushing inflation that reduced the value of peoples per capita disposable incomes, the company could only hope for better days ahead.

 He said the company remained resolutely committed to its vison to “Become the most admired stylish smartphone and AIoT brand in global emerging markets. (Style meets Innovative Technologies)”

Oguche said last year, the company launched the new telescopic macro lens technology, adding that the company continues to strengthen the power of mobile cameras through innovation and provides users with technology upgrades comparable to professional camera lenses.

“The new telescopic macro lens features an industry-first 5x telescopic macro lens that is handy for users to capture zoomed-in shots from a close range distance, equivalent to the quality of the main camera taking pictures 20cm away.

“The telescopic macro lens is a 2.5 times upgrade compared to the average industry mobile camera zoom distance. This capability is an essential factor enabling users to capture beautiful candid images without interrupting nature’s flow and dynamics,” he said, adding that the OEM was among the first to make Android 13 Beta available.

He recalled that at the Google I/O 2022 held between May 11 and 12 last year, Google officially unveiled Android 13 Beta 2, the new generation operating system.

“As a global pioneer in electronic technology, we were amongst the first smartphone manufacturers to join the Android 13 Beta Program. The CAMON 19 Pro (5G) runs on Android 13 Beta, delivering both superior performance and privacy and security to users. This is in line with our mantra of making our users the early adopters of the latest system and cutting-edge technology breakthroughs with the freshest product experience,” he explained.

He also said Tecno and Google entered into a partnership to upgrade user experience through a strategic three year partnership on software that will further enhance the user experience and bring new dynamics to the smartphone market. The partnership, he said,  ‘will bring an optimized user experience for our smartphones, where TECNO mobile devices will be at the forefront of delivering latest Android updates, as well as power more seamless cross-device experiences’.

Oguche said during the year, the company unveiled industry’s first Eagle Eye Lens for smartphones paired with the biggest angle of tilt capability technology that delivers true artificial intelligence (AI)-tracking shooting through rotation of the dual prisms.

“The Eagle Eye Lens delivers an advanced video stabilization and works unanimously with an optical stabilizer, allowing users to capture impeccable images even when shooting moving objects; ultimately, granting users the freedom to capture indefectible images in extreme conditions such as scenarios of F1 racing,” he said.

On its impacts on customers, he cited the “Show me love promo” which he said was extended to Kaduna State which he said was opened to both online and offline fans. An online fan

“Williams Negedu” tweeted that he wished TECNO would show love to an orphanage he holds dear to heart. We walked our talk as we showed love to an orphanage home called Adonai Orphanage in Kaduna. The kids at Adonai Orphanage were elated to receive such gifts from the smartphone brand. The excitement on the children’s faces was mixed with chants of “TECNO is my Valentine”, he recalled, adding that the company would strive to do more this year.

A proposed bill to repeal the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Act, No 28, 2007 is generating furore, not only about its duplicity, but also because of its tendency to usurp the powers of other agencies and imperil the ICT ecosystem, writes Lucas Ajanaku.

When the President, Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), Prof Adesina Sodiya, was called for his reaction to some of the provisions of the National Information and Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Bill 2021, which sought to repeal the NITDA Act 28, 2007 by The Nation in August 2021, he expressed shock that he had not seen the draft of the proposed law. 

It was a rude shock to the industry, too, because Sodiya, as a member of NITDA Board, is supposed to have first-hand knowledge about the Bill. At least, such a weighty document ought to have been discussed at one of the board meetings. It was strange that a decision as serious as repealing the enabling law of the agency could be done through the backdoor.

A copy of the proposed law seen by our correspondent, then, seemed to have re-awaken the quest by NITDA, then under the Minister of Communications and Digital economy, Prof Ibrahim Pantami and Director-General to usurp the powers of NCS to register information technology (IT) practitioners.

This attempt was resisted by the NCS then, while Pantami seemed to have acceded to the group’s right to register IT professionals.

Specifically, in Part V of the bill seen then, under Licensing and Authorisations,  Section 20: Requirements for Licences, Registrations and Authorisations, stated that: (1) the Agency shall by Regulation issue licences and authorisations for operators in the information technology and digital economy sector, and such regulation shall provide for licensing and authorisation criteria including renewal, suspension, and revocation conditions to promote free market operation and competition, among others; (2) the agency shall determine and register operators in the information technology and digital economy sector. Such a register shall be published; (3) any person or body corporate who operates an information technology or digital economy service, product or platform contrary to the provisions of this Act commits an offence.

Part IV of the proposed law which had Financial Provisions in Section 13 with Establishment of The National Information Technology Development Fund as subject matter, also made provision for the creation of a development fund.

“There is established a Fund, which shall be known as the National Information Technology Development Agency Fund (in this Act referred to as (“the Fund”) and shall be used for the advancement of the country’s digital economy objectives and related purposes; There shall be paid and credited into the Fund: A levy of one per cent of the profit before tax of companies and enterprises enumerated in the Third schedule to this act with an annual turnover of N100 million and above; b grants-in-in-aid  and assistance from bilateral and multilateral agencies,” the Bill had stated.

Since last year when the contentious Bill has become a public document, stakeholders, operators, start-ups, and others, have at different fora, kicked against some provisions of the proposed law, which are objectionable because of its ambiguity, overlapping and overbearing and could cause deep frictions within the ICT/telecoms ecosystem. They argued that the bill required wider consultation before being allowed to become law.

A cursory look at the bill showed that it sought to usurp the powers of other sister-regulatory agencies such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria) (CPN), Galaxy Backbone, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the National Universities Commission (NUC). 

NITDA had no powers; its roles are basically to develop the IT sector. The functions increased from 14 to 24 in the new Bill.

Indeed, in March 2021, NITDA Director-General, Inuwa Kashifu-Abdullai, presented a proposal for the realignment of the NITDA Act 2007 with the principles of the Nigeria Digital Economy Policy Strategy and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to the committees of the National Assembly.

He had explained to the lawmakers that an urgent review of the laws was needed to keep abreast of the accelerating changes within the global IT-driven ecosystem and properly position the country as Africa’s leading digital economy and a major player. 

The proposed Bill, expected to repeal the NITDA Act 2007, is aimed at creating a regulatory framework for the development of the Nigerian IT sector and digital economy. 

Kashifu-Abdullahi early last year said to keep up with the pace of innovation that has swept the country, there should be a realignment of the Act with “tenets and ideals of the Fourth Industrial Revolution” and Nigeria’s Digital Economy Policy.

NITDA is the Federal Government’s agency tasked with planning, research, development, standardisation, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices in Nigeria. NITDA is a developmental agency.

The agency is under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Digital Economy. As part of its mandate, it provides regulations regarding data protection, registration of domain names, IT Clearance, among others.

Objectionable provisions

If this proposed bill is anything to go by, NITDA appears to be gearing up for a more active, albeit forceful reign, which would see it usurping the authorities and powers of other regulatory agencies in the country.

 In the planned bill, Sections 6, 13, 20, 21, and 22, which cover NITDA’s power, classes of licenses and authorisations, and offences and penalties, among others, are the most contentious provisions causing apprehension within the sector in Nigeria.

Section 6 proposed new powers to be given to NITDA. Also, a new subsection also gives the agency the power to “enter premises, inspect, seize, seal, detain and impose administrative sanctions on erring persons and companies who contravene any provision of the Act subject to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

NITDA will also have the power to “fix licensing and authorisation charges, collect fees and penalties as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions under this Act.”  This bill would also introduce a new regime of licences and penalties.

 Section 20 would give NITDA power to issue regulations regarding licences and authorisations for operators in the information technology and digital economy sector — which the agency is to determine.

These licences are classified into three categories: Product Licence, Service Provider Licence, and Platform Provider Licence.

Bill encroaches on NCC powers

The NCC appears to be one agency whose regulatory powers will be eroded or whittled down by the NITDA Bill 2021. Specifically, Sections 1, 2, 9, 10, 16, 26, 28 and 33 are at variance with functions of the regulator.    

Section 1 (Objectives of the Bill), states: “The purpose of this Act is to create an effective, impartial, and independent regulatory framework for the development of the Nigerian information technology sector and digital economy”, meaning an attempt to convert NITDA from an IT Development Agency to a regulator. 

While the NCA Act 2003 gives NCC the responsibility of encouraging and promoting infrastructure sharing amongst licensees and providing regulatory guidelines thereon; and carrying out type approval tests on communication equipment and issuing certificates therefor based on technical specifications and standards prescribed from time to time by the Commission, the NITDA Bill is seeking powers to test, and approval of the use of IT infrastructure services before adoption in Nigeria.

Under NCA Act, NCC is saddled with preparation and implementation of programmes and plans that promote and ensure the development of the communications industry and provisions of communication services in Nigeria; and implementation of all government general policies on communications industry and execution of all such other functions and responsibilities as are given to the Commission under the Act or are incidental or related thereto, NITDA Bill is seeking the implementation of all government policies on information technology and digital economy.

NCC is mandated to encourage local and foreign investments in the Nigerian communications industry and the introduction of innovative services and practices in the industry in accordance with international best practices and trends. 

However, the inclusion of the concept of ‘Digital Economy’ as part of its regulatory purview tended to have expanded its frontiers to matters within the exclusive regulatory mandate of the NCC. This will impact on the Commission’s functions in Section 4 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003; that empowers the Commission to regulate communications services that drive the digital economy.

It should be noted that is already a department in NCC that is concerned with cybersecurity, named New Media and Information Security while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NCC and other stakeholders are at the vanguard of the digital economy push of the Federal Government while the proposed law is seeking to promote digital skills, job creation, government digital services, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, and local content development.

NCA Act gives NCC power to represent Nigeria at proceedings of international organizations and fora on matters relating to regulation of communications and matters ancillary and connected thereto a general responsibility for economic and technical regulation of the communication industry while NITDA is also seeking powers to represent Nigeria at international proceedings and meetings of international organizations’ relating to information technology and digital economy.

A sector analyst said NITDA just looked for a copy of NCA 2003, changed Communications to Information Technology to usurp NCC powers and functions.

Section 2 (Application of the Bill) – This Act applies to the provision, deployment and use of information technology systems, practices, and digital services within Nigeria, or on a ship or aircraft registered in Nigeria. The NITDA 2007 Act does not have such provision. This is an attempt to replicate the provisions of Section 2 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 that provides: “This Act applies to the provision and use of all communications services and networks, in whole or in part within Nigeria or on a ship or aircraft registered in Nigeria.”  

The Draft Bill envisages communications services through digital services and it conflicts with the intendment and provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 that mandates the Commission to exclusively regulate and manage all communications services in Nigeria.

Sections 9  (d, e, h, I, l, p, s, v, w), dealt with the functions of the agency. It noted that NITDA shall-

(a) develop a framework for regulating the use, development, standardization, research, and application of information technology, emerging technology and digital services, activities, and systems in Nigeria.

Checks showed that this is a reflection of the provisions of Section 4 (1) (h) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 that mandates the NCC to develop and monitor performance standards and indices relating to the quality of telephone and other communications services and facilities supplied to consumers in Nigeria having regard to the best international performance indicators.  

Therefore it could be deduced that this section will create a regulatory overlap for matters that relate to setting standards for communications services in Nigeria.

  Section 10 (c) pointed to the fact that NITDA shall have powers to issue regulations, standards, and guidelines with respect to the use of information technology and digital services in every sector of the economy in pursuance of the objectives and functions of the Agency. This was not in the earlier provisions.

Analytically, this draft provision will empower NITDA to become a regulatory agency and have enforcement powers on matters related to ‘digital services’ across all sectors of the economy.

Legal perspectives

Experts have equally picked holes in the proposed NITDA (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2021, describing it as infiltrating or attempting to unnecessarily duplicate the regulatory powers of some existing government agencies in the country.

The legal experts made their positions known during a webinar on ‘Stakeholders’ Engagement for Legal Practitioners in Nigeria on National Information Technology Development Agency Bill.

The webinar put together by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), in collaboration with the NITDA and Farisad Investment Limited (FIL), was attended by stakeholders within the legal ecosystem, who critically dissected the new provisions in the proposed bill.

Firing the first salvo during the webinar anchored by the Chief Executive Officer of FIL, Sanusi Musa, was the NBA President, Olumide Apata, who, after his brief remarks, raised three fundamental concerns on the proposed Bill, which, he said, should be looked into by stakeholders at the webinar. Apata was represented by the ICT Committee, NBA-SBL, Rotimi Ogunyemi.  

The three concerns raised by Apata, were around how the Bill will align with the Startup Bill then pending before the National Assembly; how the NITDA Bill intends to navigate its way within the broadband context of other regulatory functions of other regulatory agencies to avoid overlapping of functions; and what will be the implications of the harsh penalties for violation of certain sections of the Bill on the ICT business environment.

NITDA reacts

Kashifu-Abdullahi said the scope of ICT has widened over the years with a lot of convergence and expansion in technology platforms being used by businesses and governments for delivery services. “Considering that the NITDA Act is almost 16 years old, we consider it necessary to keep the Act up-to-date with the current reality in the Nigerian digital economy space,” he said.

In his earlier remarks providing information on the new provisions in the proposed NITDA Act 2021, Director, Legal Service Department at NITDA, Emmanuel Edet, stated clearly “we know that some of the areas we would like to be regulating fall into the existing regulatory functions of some agencies.” He said this informed why NITDA’s emphasis would be on collaboration.

Further responding to a question raised on over-regulating the ICT ecosystem, Edet said “It is better to over-regulate than to under-regulate, saying that NITDA’s vision is to evolve into a “development/ regulatory agency.” 

He said while the major challenge identified so far by stakeholders has been the issue of regulatory overlap, NITDA would take a look at this and also put all the observations, comments and inputs by stakeholders into consideration on further work on the proposed law.

Analysts are unanimous that usurping the functions of existing regulatory agencies in the ICT industry is an ill wind that will scuttle regulatory certainty and hurt the contributions of the sector to the national gross domestic product (GDP) and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow.

By Bode Monogbe

A digital platform has been launched by Radioadverspread.com to create and manage radio advertisements across Nigeria.

At the launch in Lagos, which had “Radio advertisement goes digital” as theme, the Chairman, Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria and President, Silverbird Group, Mr. Guy Murray Bruce, said: “We are all aware, technology is the future and it is important that a cutting-edge digital platform that takes the media industry from traditional, digital and rigorous processes to full automation is activated.”

 According to him, the platform will enable business owners, advertising agencies and marketing managers to easily create and manage radio advertisements remotely and connect with radio stations across Nigeria from anywhere in the world and from the comfort of their offices and homes.

 He added that one of the key advantages of radio advertising is its ability to reach a wide audience. “Radio reaches more than 90 per cent of the population making it an effective way to get your message out to a large number of people. Digital marketing has become important in recent years. Radio advertising remains an effective way to reach the large audience and create an emotional connection with potential customers,” he added.

Radioadverspread.com platform which is a digital platform for advertisement booking will give local radio stations exposure to a global advertisement marketing.

The CEO MegaLetrics, Mr. Chris Ubosi, said if advertisement on digital can be upgraded, everybody will gain from advertising, starting from agents, advertiser and radio stations.

The President, Media Independent Association of Nigeria Mr. Femi Adelusi, said the adoption of digital technology to automate media buying process has grown significantly in recent years.

 Another guest, Mr. Tunji Idowu assured the clients of their availability with any radio stations for attention both morning, afternoon and midnight with the production crew.

Present at the event which took place at Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Miss Olamide Alaba.

Global tech company, Meta, has restated its commitment to the development of Nigeria and the entire sub-Saharan Africa.

Country Director SSA, Meta, Enitan Denloye, gave the commitment during the release of its `2022 Africa Year in Review which captured some of the company’s investments and initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa across innovation, SMBs support and creators as well as its work connecting communities.

The report was showcased through an infographic and short video, it highlighted Meta’s ongoing milestones and successes across the region, whilst reinforcing its continued investment and commitment to Africa.

Denloye  said: “We remain invested in Africa and the various communities we support here in the region. Our work continues to be rooted in giving people the power to build community, whilst bringing the world closer together – whether as SMBs, creators or tech innovators. We believe Africa, and the immense talent this region holds will continue to play a key role in Meta’s journey.”

During the year, it unveiled Facebook Reels across 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to help creators monetise their crafts, connect with, and discover new audiences in News Feed and Groups. Another was the roll out of Facebook Protect in Mauritius and South Africa, a programme designed to provide increased protections around the world for journalists, activists and human rights defenders

The #StaySafeOnInstagram in Ghana and Nigeria, an education campaign focused on enabling users to take steps to protect their accounts from phishing and hacking was also launched.

On its economic impact training, it trained over 107,000 SMBs and non-profits across Sub-Saharan Africa through Meta’s Economic and Social Impact Programmes, including Meta Boost, SheMeansBusiness and Meta Nonprofit Training Programme.

During the year, it unveiled WhatsApp’s first-ever global brand partnership with Nigerian-born NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, this featured a short film about his Nigerian roots – titled ‘Naija Odyssey’

‘Future Africa: Telling Stories, Building Worlds’ – In partnership with Africa No Filter, announced the six finalists of the programme aimed at boosting the use of Virtual Reality in Africa’s storytelling;  #ReelAdventures – created #ReelAdventures aimed at highlighting adventure-focused groups in Kenya who use reels to express themselves and share their travel experiences.

#NoFalseNewsZone was launched as a campaign and comic books across Ghana and Francophone Africa, aimed at helping people to think critically about the messages they see and read online.

Made in Africa, Loved by the World was unveiled in international campaign aimed at celebrating Africa’s ongoing growing cultural impact on the world, whilst spotlighting eight amazing creators and innovators from across the continent, including rolling out Africa’s first Instagram #AfricaMade Reels challenge

Similarly, No Language Left Behind was as single AI model that translates over 200 languages, including 56 African languages while Creators of Tomorrow – Spotlighted and celebrated emerging talent from around the world who are inspiring a new movement of creative content online, including here in Africa

The 2Africa Deployment Genoa Landing, alongside eight local and global partners, announced the landing of the 2Africa subsea cable system to Genoa, Italy which connects three continents — Africa, Europe, and Asia, making it the longest subsea cable system ever developed at more than 45,000 kilometres.

Others are AMBER Alerts in Nigeria – In partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), launched AMBER Alerts, a programme aimed at helping to find abducted children by sending AMBER Alerts to the local Facebook and Instagram community;

Launched ‘My Digital World’ in Cameroon – Rolled out a digital literacy program aimed at educating users on responsible social media usage and how to stay safe online;

NFT Digital Collectibles expansion across sub-Saharan Africa on Instagram – Enabled creators to share their digital collectibles on Instagram, including how to leverage their fanbase to monetise their craft;

AR/VR Africa Metathon – Partnered Imisi 3D and Black Rhino VR to launch an AR/VR Africa Metathon across Africa, aimed at supporting African XR talent to build innovative solutions;

Flex Naija – Launched ‘Flex Naija’ – Meta’s first campaign in Africa, inspiring Nigeria’s creators to be amongst the first to flex in the metaverse; and digital literacy trainings for over 80,000 participants (youth, educators and the general public) through ‘My Digital World’, Meta’s Flagship Digital Literacy Program for responsible and safe use of digital platforms in over nine countries.

As days pale into weeks and months into year, the five-month grace period granted Mafab Communication Limited to roll out services on the fifth generation (5G) spectrum in the country ends this year, reports LUCAS AJANAKU

By the end of this year, the timeline extension granted to the second winner of the 3.5GHz spectrum for offering 5G services, Mafab Communication Limited by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would lapse.

 The NCC had slated August 24, 2022 as the timeline for the two carriers to roll out services in line with the information memorandum (IM) of the licensees.

 Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the NCC, Prof Garba Danbatta who gave the timeline in Lagos had said the deployment of 5G will open a new vista of opportunities for economic development.

 MTN Nigeria had since rolled out services as scheduled in the IM for the spectrum auction.

 An industry source at the weekend said it is most unlikely that the company will meet the extended rollout deadline set by the NCC.

 The source who craved anonymity at the weekend said: “There is nothing to show that the company will roll out services after the five month granted by the Commission. Do they have a network already running, offering services which they intend to take advantage of? The telecom industry is the only industry I have known. You cannot build something on nothing. Have you heard about their sealing deals with any equipment vendors such as Huawei, ZTE, Nokia and others? How many base transceiver stations do they have on ground?

 The source added: “They had August 24 to start rolling out services. They could not meet up? After the extension, what else have you heard?”

 Efforts to get the reaction of Mafab proved abortive as media enquiries sent to its website in the absence of any other means of reaching out to the telecoms firm was not acknowledged.

 Mafab is said to be bankrolled by Alhaji Musbahu Mohammad Bashir, an evasive Kano billionaire.

 The company with its head office at No 8a Ibiyinka Olorunibe Close, off Amodu Ojikutu Street, Victoria-Island, Lagos was incorporated on July 8, 2020 and licensed by the NCC to provide and operate local interconnect and international carrier services.

  According to the NCC, it operates under three licences: Interconnect Data Exchange (IDE); International Data Access (IDA), and Value Added Service (VAS).

 According to the rollout timetable for 5G, the operators were expected to complete band clearance and commencement of rollout. By June 2023, operators were expected to roll out service in at least two cities in each geo-political zone while in June 2024, they were expected to roll out service in at least six states in each geo-political zone. In June 2025, roll out is expected to have been achieved in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

 As at last year, China led other 10 countries with the largest number of connected cities to 5G with 376 while the United States followed with 284. The Philippines followed with 95 cities while South Korea had 85 cities. Canada had 81 cities running on 5G while Finland had 72. The others are Spain with 68, Italy-60, United Kingdom-56, Saudi Arabia 37 and Australia 37.

 Nigeria completed 5G trials in November 2019 while in December last year the country auctioned two lots of 100 megahertz (Mhz) frequencies in the 3.5Ghz Spectrum (C-Band) for commercial 5G deployment.

 The two lots ranges from 3500Mhz – 3600Mhz and 3700Mhz – 3800Mhz while both companies completed full payment of the final bid amount ($273.6million) per lot before the end Feb 24, 2022, which was the date line issued by the Commission.

 Prof Danbatta said the goal of the Commission is that Nigeria becomes one of the leading nations with 5G technology deployed in a manner that is beneficial to all stakeholders and contributes maximally to the Digital Economy Policy of the Federal Government.

 Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC, Bako Wakil, however identified challenges facing the nation as well as the industry to include inflation and foreign exchange rate volatility, quality and adequate power supply as the world moves to go green, devices affordability and many others.

 He said the inability of the between 500 and 1,000 megabytes per second (Mbps) capacity from traditional microwaves to meet the 20 gigabytes per second (Gbps)demand of 5G calls for stepping-up into the E-band spectrum.

 Wakil said in order to fiberize the towers/base stations, the issue of Right-of-Way (RoW) must be well addressed, adding that subjecting the barrage of IoT devices to the Type Approval process within a limited timeframe is another daunting challenge.

 Allaying the fears of people who think 5G will disenfranchise them from the network, he said the 5G network will co-exist with its predecessor generation of wireless networks.

 “In most parts of the world, the successor generation of mobile networks does not supplant the predecessor generation networks, until when it becomes very necessary to decommission the oldest generation network. While 4G is H2M interaction, 5G is M2M interaction.

 He said 1ms latency is a unique feature of 5G when compared with the human brain that takes 10ms to process information. For example, he said doctors can do a CT scan remotely, users watching AR/VR based entertainment while it is good for factories using instant data to tweak production processes.

 Driverless cars, he said, can avoid obstacles almost instantly with the technology.

 According to Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), more than 18 African countries are either evaluating/testing/trialing or deploying a 5G network as of 2021.

 South Africa was the first African country that launched a commercial 5G network while Kenya has completed 5G trials and launched commercial 5G last year. MTN Uganda had demonstrated the 5G network in January 2020.

Some of the major issues bothering subscribers with the deployment of the fifth generation (5G) technology are fast data depletion, accessibility and affordability of compatible devices. But Ericsson Nigeria Country Manager Peter Olusoji Ogundele says subscribers will have the freedom to manage their data usage. He says 4G serves as the bridge for 5G, implying that access will not be a big issue. He speaks on emerging technologies, digitisation push, technology, and climate change with LUCAS AJANAKU.

The unique thing about 5G is speed. Will this not lead to faster subscribers’ data depletion?

The premise of 5G is to handle data much more efficiently and effectively to free up bandwidth for more connected devices as will be needed seeing the connectivity trajectory in Nigeria. Of course, subscribers will always have the option to enable and disable 5G on their devices, but our research shows that consumers expect 5G to offer a steep change in network performance, relief from urban network congestion and more home broadband choices as near-term benefits.

There are fears that the 5G services will remain elitist because of the high cost of accessing compatible devices, what is your reaction to this?

5G is one of the most inclusive technologies available to us. Rolling out 5G networks will in no shape or form exclude non-compatible devices. I would like to reassure everyone that smartphones that are not compatible with 5G will not become obsolete or unusable due to the technology. We are still in the early stages of 5G and most of 5G deployment is done through a non-standalone approach, where 4G is acting as the middleman between the mobile phone and network before allowing the user to jump onto a 5G connection. This approach helps communication service providers roll out 5G more quickly and efficiently than flipping their entire networks with new hardware.

What are your views on 5G and local content creation in the ICT sector?

5G and immersive technology are fundamentally changing the way we live, work, and consume information and different types of media. The physical and digital worlds are bridged, starting with artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and the Internet of Things. In short what 5G really means for media consumption is ‘no lag time’! For instance, it makes augmented reality in gaming more mobile and immersive on a totally secure connection.

IoT is similarly being supercharged by 5G for industries too. In ports, for instance, the connections the IoT is creating between all port assets – vessels, containers, cranes, etc.  combine to create truly smart ports, paving the way for even more automation. IoT platforms for industries can also help determine how real-time data analytics will bring new opportunities and greater knowledge to benefit an ever-growing connected society. The possibilities throughout every industry sector are endless.

We’ve already witnessed several immersive experiences use cases and business models which are already transforming industry and enterprises, unlocking untapped value for all players across the entire ecosystem.

How much of technology evolution has Nigeria witnessed?

There’s no denying that Nigeria has and is witnessing exponential technological growth, and there is tremendous potential to accelerate digital adoption and advance into a new era of socio-economic prosperity. Many indicators demonstrate that mobile broadband can support sustainable growth; in fact, a 10 per cent increase in mobile broadband adoption will lead to a 0.6-2.8 per cent increase in economic growth.

Besides providing the infrastructure, we’re also very keen to support operators down to improved consumer experience. To that end, we had announced plans to create an Automation Hub in Nigeria last year to support this evolution.

Ericsson Automation Hub is an open innovation platform, inspired by lean start-up methodology in which the Ericsson team works in close dialog with customers, users, and partners to showcase and reach the high potential that network automation allows in configuration, provisioning, assurance, and orchestration of network services. This will enable service providers to gain the ability in their environments to govern, manage and orchestrate hybrid networks holistically and in real time and as a result, offer an enhanced consumer experience.

Through this Hub, we remain committed to providing the right tools and services for ICT prosperity in Nigeria.

Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and machine learning are taking centre stage globally. How are tech firms helping local operators to leverage these?

Our AI solutions target service providers are to address their challenges to maximise efficiency and end-customer experiences and create new revenue streams. They are embedded throughout the network, built by people with extensive AI and telecom expertise, and with an AI-first mindset and technology in every product or service.

As 5G and IoT gain traction, the shift that transforms industries and enterprises becomes a reality. It also brings new complexities of network operations – co-existing of new and legacy technologies, hybrid networks, a variety of frequency bands and spectrums, and an abundance of connected devices. In addition, new requirements from IoT and industrial use cases require further performance enhancements and optimisation of the network. This is the context for our efforts in AI and we use it to cut through the complexity, address requirements of new technologies and use cases, increase network performance, and enable network automation.

SMEs are said to be the engine room of modern economies. How can they leverage AI to grow their businesses?

As 5G networks continue to rollout, businesses within all industries will begin their digitalisation journey. For SMEs in particular, AI can indeed help grow their business and compete against larger corporations through simplified operations, scalable solutions, and speed of adaptation to fast-paced industry developments.

Reliable connectivity will, thus, be crucial to scale-up and improve offerings, products, services, and customer support. In short, digitalisation underpinned by connectivity can give SMEs a competitive edge as they grow.

What opportunities and challenges do you see in achieving a digital economy in a country like Nigeria?

ICT development is already well under way in Nigeria and has already made significant advancements. As mentioned earlier, the opportunities for exponential growth lay ahead if all aspects of the digital development are looked after.

However, it is important to understand that there is no sustainable growth without digital literacy.

As part of our plans to support regional talent, we ran the Together Apart Hackathon in Nigeria earlier this year with the objective to identify innovative solutions using technology and connectivity, creating tomorrow’s solutions from today’s challenges, and was inspired by Nigeria’s 5G deployment. The hackathon will inspire innovations that assist in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey amid a burgeoning Nigerian entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem playing to Nigeria’s technological evolution.

In the population demographics of Nigeria, youths have the largest. How could this be turned into an opportunity?

With a youth population reaching 200 million, the country is home to half of West Africa’s youth between 15 to 35. What this means is energetic and resourceful assets to spur economic and technological growth.

According to Ericsson’s latest mobility report, the Middle East and North Africa region is forecast to reach nearly 200 million 5G subscriptions in 2027. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 4G subscriptions grew by 26 per cent in 2021 and strong growth is expected to continue during 2022. Data traffic in sub-Saharan Africa is also forecasted to maintain an upward trajectory, as mobile broadband-capable devices become more accessible.

The promise of accessible, affordable, and inclusive healthcare and education for instance have come within reach for the first time. However, its acceleration is critical to empower people – from unemployed youth to vulnerable and uneducated aged. With it comes the need to upskill millions of professionals and teachers to ensure parity with global skillsets and access to the latest methodologies for service delivery, a process widely facilitated by connectivity through remote learning and remote working. Information and Communications Technologies have long played an important role in social inclusion, improving employment outcomes, and enabling greater access to education and skills acquisition.

Nigeria is on the threshold of auctioning another two slots of 5G spectrum and MTN is bracing to take part. Are we not preparing the ground for a monopoly?

In 5G, the radio spectrum that’s used defines the service characteristics each option can support.

The architecture and technology choices in a 5G network are about delivering the right connectivity where users need it, while maximizing the available spectrum assets: services on low- and mid-bands can be delivered from existing macro towers and can also serve indoor environments from outdoor radios.

Delivering services on high-bands relies on a combination of radios on towers and small cell poles to cover outdoor areas, while indoor coverage is achieved by deploying indoor small cell solutions. 5G services will be seamlessly delivered over all three bands as they become increasingly available over time.

I am confident this is promising news for enterprises and individuals alike.

How can technology help to fight climate change in Nigeria?

Climate action will rely on technology, innovation, and cross-industry collaboration. With global collaboration and digital innovation, we believe ICT solutions can enable a reduction of global carbon emissions by up to 15per cent by 2030.

In particular, the ICT sector has the unique potential to enable other industrial sectors to move towards a low-carbon economy. Technologies such as 5G, AI, and IoT are being utilized today as essential drivers of decarbonization.

Many operators have set climate and Net Zero Ambitions. Solutions like Ericsson’s Energy Infrastructure Operations help operators to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions through artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics. With networks driving the bulk of operators’ carbon emissions, such solutions help them meet take steps to tackle climate action without affecting performance and user experience.

For service providers specifically, we are helping them break the energy curve by developing innovative solutions that will enable them to meet current and future network demands, while

simultaneously addressing the energy and carbon emissions challenge. By innovating our intelligent RAN energy-saving software features, for example, we are already helping operators to significantly reduce energy consumption. We have also committed to developing a 5G product portfolio that is ten times more energy efficient (per transferred data) than the current 4G portfolio.

Moreover, minimizing waste is key to a circular economy. We know that high reuse and recycling rates start with smart product design. Businesses should look for opportunities to adopt this philosophy in their operations and seek partners who also uphold these values. At Ericsson, we are working actively to address this troubling e-waste trend and are helping others to do so. We use a life-cycle approach to product design to ensure that we address environmental aspects including responsible materials selection and effective resource use. At the end of product life, we offer our customers a complete take-back service that includes secure data destruction. Through our product take-back programme, we recycle over 98% of end-of-life equipment successfully, recovering energy and valuable components which reduces demands to mine new metals, thereby reducing environmental impacts.

How can Ericsson help countries such as Nigeria to achieve UN's Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) using technology?

Sustainability and responsible business practices are fundamental to Ericsson’s strategy and culture. With sustainability being central to Ericsson’s purpose, we are committed to conducting business responsibly and delivering solutions for climate action.

Technology-driven solutions can help Africa leapfrog many of the socio-economic and environmental challenges it faces and can help us realise all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

We’ve made a long-standing commitment to the goals to support humanitarian efforts, advance financial and digital inclusion, improve access to education and health and contribute to

overcoming global environmental challenges.

Our core contribution is to create positive impact at scale, primarily through SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the goals). We believe these goals help us create positive impact at scale and address a number of global challenges.

Digital inclusion is about ensuring that everyone has access and can benefit from being online and can fully participate in the global economy. This is fundamental for the continent, to ensure everyone has access to opportunities and are empowered to improve their lives. We aim to enable internet for all globally by rolling out mobile broadband to connect additional 500 million people by 2024

The long-term ambition for our own operations is reflected in the target of becoming carbon neutral in 2030. As we show in our 2021 Sustainability report, we are well on track to achieving this. In 2021 we achieved energy savings in the Ericsson Radio system of 36 per cent (compared to energy performance of the legacy portfolio, surpassing our Science-Based Target of 35per cent one year ahead of schedule.

We believe that closing the digital divide is fundamental to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to participate in and sustainability is critical to our long-term business success. We want to create value for the future, and we are convinced that long-term success will drive value for all our stakeholders – from our customers and employees to our partners and shareholders.