France’s largest telecom company, Orange is reportedly eyeing an entry into the Nigerian and South African telecom markets in the coming months, with possible interests in its blossoming payments sect…
Telecoms
From telco data wars, to 5G, Techpoint Africa brings you the latest update on connectivity, telecom companies, Internet service providers, Internet infrastructure among others.
Nigeria’s tax regulator wants to digitally verify taxes paid by telcos
Nigeria’s taxman, FIRS, has finalised plans to integrate a technology solution (API) that will verify the accuracy of taxes paid by telecom operators. What could this mean for businesses in the …
Ghana wants to break MTN’s market dominance, but will its new policies suffice?
Ghana’s National Communication Authority wants to implement new pricing measures, that will reduce MTN’s dominance and promote competition in the country’s telecom space.…
Danbatta reappointed as executive vice-chairman of Nigeria’s telecom regulator
The Nigerian federal government, has re-appointed Umar Garba Danbatta as Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission. A look back on milestones from his previous tenure.…
Nigeria’s mobile internet market in Q1 2020: Glo wins data battle by a wide margin
Going by Q1 2020 figures, Nigerian telco, Glo might be winning the data war, far ahead of its closest competitors, Airtel and MTN. But what does the bigger picture look like for Nigeria’s Intern…
9mobile completes transition from ‘Etisalat Nigeria’ with appointment of its first CEO
Nigerian telecom company, 9mobile, formerly Etisalat, has appointed a new CEO, Alan Sinfield. This will be 9mobile’s first confirmed CEO since it began its torrid transition from Etisalat in 2017.…
Why your data bundle finishes quickly and what you can do about it
If you’ve been using the Internet during the lockdown, you may be wondering why your data does not seem to last, especially on a smartphone and sometimes, your PC. We dive into the issues behind this …
If you live in these Nigerian states, calls and data are about to get cheaper
Five Nigerian states have drastically dropped or waived right of way charges for fibre connections. Nigerian telcos and ISPs discuss the implications for these states and Nigeria’s National Broadband …
Facebook to build $1 billion undersea Internet cable for faster Internet in Africa
Global social media giant, Facebook in partnership with major telecom companies, is building a 37,000-kilometer undersea internet cable to bring faster connection to Africa, Europe, and the Middle Eas…
Ekiti crashes RoW charges by 96% to improve broadband penetration in state
Before now, the Nigerian federal government’s directive on Right of Way charges for laying of broadband cables has been largely floundered by state governments. Ekiti state sets the pace in adhe…
Q1 2020 report: For MTN Nigeria, voice revenue remains king over data
MTN Nigeria maintained its usual dominant position at the top of Nigeria’s telecom market in 2020, but here’s how global disruptions and domestic policies affected its major revenue streams in Q…
11 burning questions about 5G answered
Given the rise of speculations on 5G and its role in the current global pandemic, we answer some questions on what exactly 5G is, its current state in Nigeria, and its health implications relating to …
Nigeria wants to achieve 90% 4G/5G coverage by 2025
With ambitious goals of reaching a 4G/5G population coverage of 90% by 2025, Nigeria’s new national broadband plan still faces its predecessor’s roadblocks, and for it to succeed all hands must be on …
The COVID-19 effect: Should Nigeria expect another data war?
As the COVID-19 outbreak forces isolation and remote work, and the internet becomes more important, should Nigerians expect a data price battle between telcos, or brace themselves for poor connectivit…
Nigerians may have a hard time meeting new SIM registration requirements in 2020
Here’s why Nigeria’s flawed database system might make it hard for subscribers to meet the new prerequisites for SIM registration before the December 2020 deadline…
Nigerians should prepare for another SIM card registration exercise in 2020, this time with new requirements
Following a recent order given to NCC to review the SIM card registration policy, we suspect network providers will soon call for yet another registration process. Here’s what you should know…
‘Detty’ December: Glo, MTN, and Airtel gain 3.2 million Internet subscribers to mark festive period
After a surprisingly heavy loss in November, Glo made a humongous comeback during the festive season, and with equally large gains from MTN and Airtel, Nigeria gained more Internet subscribers in 2019…
Airtel’s review of out-of-bundle browsing tariffs for Kenyans and what it means for telco competition in the country
Out-of-bundle browsing tariffs don’t always match Internet data packages, but Airtel Kenya is changing this narrative with a downward review of charges. We look at what may happen if its compet…
Damage to undersea cables disrupts the internet for millions of MTN subscribers across West Africa
If you’ve been having challenges connecting to the internet via MTN since Thursday evening, you are not alone. It’s the same for many across West Africa. Here’s what we know so far a…
Here is why telcos recycle phone numbers
With more cases of people getting into distressing situations for acquiring recycled phone numbers, Techpoint gets the standpoint of a network provider representative on the need for recycling and how…