Telecoms & IT
From The Report: Nigeria 2016
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Even amid the macroeconomic uncertainty of 2015 and the first half of 2016, the performance of Nigeria’s telecoms sector was marked by steady subscriber growth, a renewed regulatory mandate and continued infrastructure development. By July 2016 the country was home to 150.3m active telecoms subscribers, according to the federal telecoms regulator. This user base represents 81.7% of the total population of 184m in 2016, with the mobile segment accounting for more than 99% of subscriptions. Over the course of 2015 and 2016 the ICT industry has developed rapidly on the back of state-led growth initiatives and also, increasingly, as a result of rising levels of private sector activity. According to estimates compiled by the Federal Ministry of Communications, in 2015 ICT-related activities accounted for nearly 11% of GDP, up from 6% in 2012 and less than 1% as recently as 2001. The rapid uptake of mobile data subscriptions over the past few years, plus the steadily rising number of smartphone handsets in circulation indicate significant unmet demand for digital products and services.
This chapter contains interviews with Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications; and Issam Darwish, Executive Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, IHS Towers.
Articles from this Chapter
High-capacity market: Expansion and investment have continued swiftly, despite tightening economic conditions
High-capacity market: Expansion and investment have continued swiftly, despite tightening economic conditionsOBGplus
Even amid the macroeconomic uncertainty of 2015 and the first half of 2016, the performance of Nigeria’s telecoms sector was marked by steady subscriber growth, a renewed regulatory mandate and continued infrastructure development. By July 2016 the country was home to 150.3m active telecoms subscribers, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the federal telecoms regulator. This user base represents 107.3% of the total population in 2016, according to the IMF, with the mobile…
Speeding up: Investments in 4G LTE have the potential to rejuvenate the sector’s performanceOBGplus
In 2015 and the first half of 2016 mobile data moved to the front and centre of Nigeria’s telecoms sector. In recent years the country’s four established mobile operators – namely the local firm Globacom, the UAE’s Etisalat, South Africa’s MTN and India’s Airtel – have ramped up investment in the development of high-bandwidth mobile data networks in response to steadily increasing smartphone uptake. At the same time, a handful of new players have moved into the mobile data space. In…
Speeding up: Investments in 4G LTE have the potential to rejuvenate the sector’s performanceOBGplus
In 2015 and the first half of 2016 mobile data moved to the front and centre of Nigeria’s telecoms sector. In recent years the country’s four established mobile operators – namely the local firm Globacom, the UAE’s Etisalat, South Africa’s MTN and India’s Airtel – have ramped up investment in the development of high-bandwidth mobile data networks in response to steadily increasing smartphone uptake. At the same time, a handful of new players have moved into the mobile data space. In…
Communications roadmap: OBG talks to Adebayo Shittu, Minister of CommunicationsOBGplus
Interview:Adebayo Shittu What are the key components of the ministry’s four-year roadmap for the development of ICT? ADEBAYO SHITTU: The Federal Ministry of Communications oversees five parastatals: the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Galaxy Backbone, the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and the National Information Technology Development Agency. Each serves as a focal point for our four-year roadmap. The NCC is our flagship organisation…
Communications roadmap: OBG talks to Adebayo Shittu, Minister of CommunicationsOBGplus
Interview:Adebayo Shittu What are the key components of the ministry’s four-year roadmap for the development of ICT? ADEBAYO SHITTU: The Federal Ministry of Communications oversees five parastatals: the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Galaxy Backbone, the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and the National Information Technology Development Agency. Each serves as a focal point for our four-year roadmap. The NCC is our flagship organisation…
Performance boost: Improving quality of service in telecoms provision has become a national priorityOBGplus
Since Nigeria’s mobile telecoms sector was liberalised in 2001, call quality has improved dramatically, primarily on the back of some $32bn in telecoms-directed investments made by the nation’s four leading mobile operators. This high level of spending has helped turn the 184m-person country into the largest mobile telecoms market in Africa, boasting over 150m active subscribers in July 2016, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the federal telecoms regulator.…
Performance boost: Improving quality of service in telecoms provision has become a national priorityOBGplus
Since Nigeria’s mobile telecoms sector was liberalised in 2001, call quality has improved dramatically, primarily on the back of some $32bn in telecoms-directed investments made by the nation’s four leading mobile operators. This high level of spending has helped turn the 184m-person country into the largest mobile telecoms market in Africa, boasting over 150m active subscribers in July 2016, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the federal telecoms regulator.…
Teaming up: OBG talks to Issam Darwish, Executive Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, IHS TowersOBGplus
Interview:Issam Darwish To what extent do right of way issues stifle operators’ investment in laying fibre-optic cables? ISSAM DARWISH: Right of way requirements stifle investment in laying fibre cables in two ways: by contributing to the prohibitively high cost of laying the cables, and by keeping new players in the market from laying cables at all. In many countries the costs associated with network construction, particularly rights of way and ducts or poles, as well as the costs of obtaining…
Teaming up: OBG talks to Issam Darwish, Executive Vice-Chairman and Group CEO, IHS TowersOBGplus
Interview:Issam Darwish To what extent do right of way issues stifle operators’ investment in laying fibre-optic cables? ISSAM DARWISH: Right of way requirements stifle investment in laying fibre cables in two ways: by contributing to the prohibitively high cost of laying the cables, and by keeping new players in the market from laying cables at all. In many countries the costs associated with network construction, particularly rights of way and ducts or poles, as well as the costs of obtaining…
Switched on: Growing ICT uptake and robust state support point to technology sector expansionOBGplus
Over the course of 2015 and 2016 Nigeria’s ICT industry has developed rapidly on the back of state-led growth initiatives and also, increasingly, as a result of rising levels of private sector activity. According to estimates compiled by the Federal Ministry of Communications (FMC), in 2015 ICT-related activities accounted for nearly 11% of GDP, up from 6% in 2012 and less than 1% as recently as 2001. Indeed, a local news source reported that during the period between 2013 and 2015, ICT’s contribution…
Switched on: Growing ICT uptake and robust state support point to technology sector expansionOBGplus
Over the course of 2015 and 2016 Nigeria’s ICT industry has developed rapidly on the back of state-led growth initiatives and also, increasingly, as a result of rising levels of private sector activity. According to estimates compiled by the Federal Ministry of Communications (FMC), in 2015 ICT-related activities accounted for nearly 11% of GDP, up from 6% in 2012 and less than 1% as recently as 2001. Indeed, a local news source reported that during the period between 2013 and 2015, ICT’s contribution…
Focus on innovation: Both state and private entities are pouring finance into the burgeoning start-up cultureOBGplus
As both the largest market in Africa in terms of value and population, and a major rising player in ICT uptake and investment, Nigeria’s reputation as a centre for technology start-ups and innovation-driven development has progressed rapidly. One of the major drivers for this is the enormous domestic demand. In June 2016 the country was home to 92.3m internet users, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission, the federal telecoms regulator, 99.9% of which accessed online services via GSM…
Focus on innovation: Both state and private entities are pouring finance into the burgeoning start-up cultureOBGplus
As both the largest market in Africa in terms of value and population, and a major rising player in ICT uptake and investment, Nigeria’s reputation as a centre for technology start-ups and innovation-driven development has progressed rapidly. One of the major drivers for this is the enormous domestic demand. In June 2016 the country was home to 92.3m internet users, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission, the federal telecoms regulator, 99.9% of which accessed online services via GSM…
