Industry News

The charitable arm of South African telecom MTN, the MTN Foundation, has launched a new 12-month ICT learnership programme for young people in the country. 

In partnership with independent UK telecom tower company Helios Towers and the development arm of business consulting firm Datacomb, the learnership is aimed at addressing youth unemployment in South Africa by upskilling students towards specialised ICT roles. 

Focus areas of the year-long learnership include modern skills necessary to compete in global digital markets and drive digital transformation. Participants will receive both an academic grounding in ICT skills and practical workplace exposure. 

“Beyond creating a direct route into employment, the learnership forms part of the MTN SA Foundation’s broader commitment to developing specialised digital talent across high‑demand ICT domains,” the Foundation said in an announcement. 

“These include software development, cybersecurity, data science and analytics, artificial intelligence and Machine Learning, and Network and Systems Administration.” 

MTN’s Digital Skills four Digital Jobs initiative, which this learnership falls under, has upskilled more than 3 746 young people and helped them develop ICT and digital acummen. It says this learnership is the next step, ensuring that young people are able to secure employment by gaining experience.

“This learnership is a testament to what can be achieved when committed partners work together with purpose. South Africa needs pathways that translate potential into opportunity, and we are proud to help young people step confidently into the digital future,” enthused Arthur Mukhuvha, MTN SA’s General Manager: MTN Foundation.

“Our commitment is to ensure that every programme we deliver contributes to national development, strengthens communities and supports a more inclusive, skilled and competitive South Africa.”

Source :www.htxt.co.za

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and MTN Nigeria have launched free WiFi services at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 2, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. 

The internet service was launched at MMIA Terminal 2, Lagos by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku who was represented by the Director of Airport Operations, Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood. 

Also present was the Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Nigeria, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, who represented the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Karl Toriola.

The WiFi service, which is free for passengers and airport users, will be extended to the MMIA temporary terminal and other international airports across the country within the next three months. 

Mrs. Kuku in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of FAAN, Henry Agbebire described the launch as a milestone for FAAN and a benchmark for digital infrastructure and passenger experience at Nigerian airports.

She noted that the partnership with MTN Nigeria demonstrates how effective Public-Private Partnership (PPP) alignment can modernise infrastructure and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.

She added that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the transformation drive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. 

The representative of MTN Nigeria, Saint-Nwafor assured that the service would be reliable, secure, and efficient for all users. 

She commended the FAAN management team for its collaboration and foresight in ensuring the successful completion of the project.

source : www.thenationonlineng.net

Ericsson and the University of Toronto have launched a three-year strategic partnership backed by a $1 million investment from Ericsson to accelerate research and development in AI-powered mobile communications technologies.

The agreement formalizes collaboration around next-generation wireless infrastructure, applied AI, and graduate talent development. The deal, marked by a signing ceremony at the University of Toronto, strengthens joint research into AI-powered mobile networks tied to 5G and emerging 6G technologies, while reinforcing Canada’s R&D ecosystem.

“This partnership represents a strategic investment in Canada’s innovation ecosystem—advancing world-class research, developing highly skilled talent, and strengthening the foundation for secure and reliable next-generation wireless technologies,” says Nishant Grover, President of Ericsson Canada. “As 5G continues to transform industries and societies, and as we look ahead to 6G, Ericsson and the University of Toronto are working together to help shape the future of connectivity in Canada and globally.”

Formalizing applied AI research

Daniel Giovannini, Associate Director of MScAC Partnerships at the University of Toronto, posted on LinkedIn that the launch marked “a significant milestone in our ongoing collaboration.”

He wrote: “The University of Toronto and Ericsson are officially launching their strategic partnership today, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing collaboration. The three-year agreement, backed by $1M from Ericsson, opens new doors for collaborative research opportunities in communications technology.”

Giovannini added that through the Master of Science in Applied Computing program, the university had worked with Ericsson since 2024 on applied research designed to bridge academic innovation and industry challenges. He continued: “Our graduate students and faculty advisors have delivered impressive results: building multi-modal AI systems for automated failure detection in radio integration testing, and creating agentic intelligence platforms that unlock Canada’s national radio data through natural language interfaces.”

He described the internships as demonstrating “what’s possible when graduate talent tackles real telecommunications problems,” adding that MScAC collaborations had helped strengthen the broader university-wide research partnership.

The new framework formalizes that work at an institutional level following what Ericsson describes as a formal partner selection process.

Professor Leah Cowen, Vice President, Research & Innovation at the University of Toronto, says: “We’re very proud that U of T has been successful in being selected in this process. We have a long and positive track record of catalyzing next generation technology with Ericsson, and with these types of industrial collaborations in general. 

“It’s a win-win proposition, enabling us to apply the expertise of our researchers, enhance the skills of our students, and elevate the global competitiveness of a major global technology innovator with major R&D operations right here in our own backyard. This strategic partnership is a great opportunity to take things to the next level.”

Industry-linked projects and talent strategy

The partnership includes a strategy to solve real-world research problems through industry-linked projects and to promote research excellence in mobile communications, mobile computing, and machine learning solutions. It also outlines talent development initiatives intended to equip students with skills aligned to current industry needs.

“Ontario is proudly home to a robust sector of researchers whose ground-breaking discoveries cement the province as a global innovator in technology,” says Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Our government proudly supports this partnership between Ericsson and the University of Toronto, which will equip our researchers with the cutting-edge tools they need to design, drive and lead the future of mobile communications technology.”

“This partnership will foster cutting-edge research, develop world-class talent, and support the creation of secure and reliable technologies for the future of wireless communications,” says Marcos Cavaletti, Head of Ericsson’s Ottawa site. “As 5G continues to drive profound changes across industries and societies, Ericsson and the University of Toronto are committed to tackling these challenges together.”

The agreement reflects a wider shift in higher education, where applied AI research and graduate internships are increasingly embedded in multi-year industry partnerships rather than short-term collaboration.

Source : www.edtechinnovationhub.com

Mistral AI and Ericsson today announced a partnership to apply advanced AI to real telecom challenges with a clear goal to make networks smarter, more efficient, and more trusted.

The collaboration combines Mistral AI’s model customization capabilities with Ericsson’s R&D and network expertise, with Ericsson acting as a design partner for the platform. The work targets high-impact use cases that speed software delivery and strengthen network performance, including automation of legacy code translation, AI-assisted development for 6G research, and custom AI agents for complex workflows in Ericsson’s Networks organization.

Mistral AI and Ericsson will jointly research and co-develop AI agents tailored to Ericsson’s data and engineering environments, bringing data closer to AI and enabling faster decision-making in product development and deployment. The companies aim to set new benchmarks for secure, high-performing, and resilient telecom infrastructure, aligning AI innovation with the requirements of carrier-grade networks.

This is a collaboration grounded in complementary strengths, Mistral AI’s cutting-edge foundation models and tooling, and Ericsson’s decades of radio, cloud, and network systems experience, proven at global scale. Together, the partnership focuses on AI for networks, not AI in isolation, to deliver measurable outcomes for customers.

Marjorie Janiewicz, Chief Revenue Officer at Mistral AI says: “This partnership with Ericsson isn’t just about applying AI to telecom, it’s about transforming networks from the ground up. By combining our frontier models with Ericsson’s unmatched expertise in radio, cloud, and carrier-grade systems, we’re customizing models that have deep domain knowledge and accelerate modernization. Together, we’re setting a new standard for what AI can achieve in telecom: networks that are more resilient, more responsive, and ready for the future of connectivity.”

Dag Lindbo. Head of AI & Emerging Technologies, Business Area Networks, at Ericsson, says: “At Ericsson, AI for networks is about precision, not hype. With Mistral AI, we apply advanced models where they matter most. From accelerating code migration to informing 6G research and building trustworthy AI agents, this collaboration helps us improve time to value for customers while strengthening performance and resilience across the network.”

Source : www.ericsson.com

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on interested industry stakeholders to make written submissions to the commission on the ongoing review of National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000.

NCC said the consultation paper had been published on the commission’s website. It set Friday, March 20, 2026, as the deadline for all submissions.

The consultation process, in exercise of the commission’s functions under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003, and upon the activation of the provisions of Section 24 (1) of the Act on conducting consultative processes for the review of policies, is the first step in the public consultation process to guide the review of the subsisting NTP 2000. 

The review of NTP followed the inauguration of a Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) and a Ministerial Technical Committee (MTC) by Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to commence the process of reviewing NTP 2000.

The policy review will also align with the minister’s Strategic Blueprint – Accelerating Our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency – which states that the ministry will drive the review of Telecoms Policy to account for core issues, such as spectrum management, universal access, broadband penetration, net neutrality, and quality of service (QoS).

The consultation process and its outcome will support the work of MSC and Implementation Committee (IC) in coming up with a reviewed policy that will meet the current challenges of the communications sector and keep up with the rapid and dynamic changes since the current NTP was issued 25 years ago.

Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said, in the published consultation paper, that the process will lead to the development of the first draft of NTP 2026 to replace the existing NTP 2000, following 25 years of implementation. 

The draft will also undergo further consultations to enable stakeholders to make more input before a final draft is subjected to the statutory policy approval and validation processes. 

Maida said, “The NTP 2000 has been instrumental to advancing Nigeria’s telecom sector from where it was 25 years ago – from a mere 500,000 lines to almost 180 million active mobile connections as of December 2026.  One of the gaps that the revised policy seeks to address is the increased demand for data services and its externalities.

“This is a first step in the consultation process and there will be other layers of engagements, to ensure that the final draft accommodates varied expertise, feedback and inputs from a cross section of stakeholders.”

Maida implored stakeholders to take the opportunity to participate in developing the policy that will take the communications sector to the next level after the immeasurable successes attained since 2000.

NTP 2000 marked a major progression from older policies, aiming for liberalisation, modernisation, and competition under the then nascent democratic government. NTP replaced the 1998 Policy and successfully paved the way for the growth of mobile telephony and the eventual NCA 2003 by focusing on market deregulation and stakeholder consultation.

source : www.arise.tv

Nigeria’s telecom sector recorded a significant milestone, with total telecom subscriptions hitting over 112 million in December 2025 and internet penetration rising to 51.97%. This marks the first time more than half of the country’s population had active broadband connections, reflecting steady growth in the sector over the past year. Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that broadband subscriptions have grown consistently throughout 2025, rising from 91.5 million in October 2024 to 112.6 million by December 2025. While the month-on-month growth has been gradual, averaging around 2-3 million new subscriptions per month, the overall trend highlights sustained demand for digital connectivity across urban and rural areas. Interestingly, broadband penetration figures have followed a slightly different pattern than subscription growth. The penetration rate, representing the percentage of the population with broadband access, climbed from 42.2% in October 2024 to just under 52% in December 2025. Despite subscription increases, penetration growth slowed at mid-year, hovering around 48% from June to August 2025, suggesting that population growth and uneven distribution across regions may be moderating the pace at which Nigerians gain access to high-speed internet. This growth underscores the role of both infrastructure expansion and policy initiatives in improving internet accessibility. Mobile broadband remains the dominant contributor to these numbers, as telecom operators continue to expand 4G and 5G coverage nationwide. However, the data also signals opportunities for further growth, particularly in rural and underserved regions where penetration lags behind the national average. With Nigeria’s broadband market now firmly above the 50% penetration mark, stakeholders, including policymakers, investors, and tech companies, have a clearer view of the country’s digital readiness. As more Nigerians come online, opportunities for digital commerce, fintech adoption, and online services are set to expand, making broadband not just a utility but a key enabler of economic growth. 

Source: www.independent.ng

MTN Congo has reportedly connected to the 2Africa subsea cable system, bolstering its international connectivity and reducing the risk of future service disruptions. 

The operator has linked into the cable at the port city of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo – enhancing the resilience of its core infrastructure.

Several African markets experienced major connectivity outages in 2024 after an anchor dragged across subsea cables off the coast of West Africa, with the WACS system among the most severely affected. The incident highlighted the risks of relying heavily on a single international route.

By connecting to the 2Africa system, MTN Congo gains a direct link to London as well as two additional international routes via South Africa and Nigeria. The added capacity and route diversity are expected to improve network reliability and service quality, supporting smoother streaming, stronger cloud performance and more stable mobile financial services.

According to Ecofin Agency, Congolese government data shows that 3.5 million of the country’s six million citizens use the internet daily, representing a penetration rate of 58.3%.W

The move follows reports last month that the Congolese government was seeking to diversify the country’s subsea cable capacity, amid concerns over its heavy reliance on the WACS cable, which has suffered multiple outages in recent years.

Source : www.samenacouncil.org

Ghana and Nigeria have agreed to build a formal bilateral cybercrime enforcement framework following a string of intelligence-led operations that resulted in the arrest of at least 242 Nigerian nationals across the Greater Accra Region since December, with Accra making clear it intends to make Ghana structurally unattractive as a base for organised cyber fraud.

Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George met Nigerian High Commissioner Ambassador Ibok Ete Ekwe Iban in Accra on Sunday February 16 to review the outcomes of the crackdowns and agree on practical steps the two countries will take together to protect the digital space. Ambassador Ibok Ete Ekwe Iban expressed concern over the scale of the arrests and pledged Nigeria’s commitment to tackling the root causes of cybercrime, while stressing the importance of protecting law-abiding Nigerians and maintaining the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The diplomatic meeting came after a sequence of escalating operations. In December 2025, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) of Ghana, working with National Security and the Ghana Police Service, arrested 48 suspected Nigerian cybercrime operatives in the Dawhenya area of the Ningo-Prampram constituency. Days later, a second operation resulted in the arrest of 141 Nigerians across Tabora and Lashibi, with investigators recovering 38 laptops and 150 mobile phones believed to have been used in cyber-related financial crimes. A Ghanaian landlord who allegedly housed approximately 100 of the suspects was also arrested.

The largest single operation came on January 16 and 17, 2026, when a joint task force comprising National Security Operations, the CSA, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Ghana Police Service SWAT Unit conducted simultaneous raids at five locations in East Legon Hills, Afienya, Kwabenya, Weija and Tuba, netting 53 Nigerian nationals. Of those arrested, nine were identified as principal suspects allegedly linked to coordinating and executing cybercrime activities, while 44 others were assessed as victims of human trafficking and cybercrime exploitation found operating laptops inside apartments. Searches recovered 52 mobile phones, 62 laptop computers and two pump-action guns.

Minister George disclosed that some individuals arrested in earlier operations have already been profiled by the Ghana Immigration Service in collaboration with INTERPOL and handed over to Nigerian law enforcement at the Seme border, while others currently face criminal prosecution before Ghanaian courts.

The minister has urged foreign nationals to exercise caution before accepting invitations to Ghana from fellow nationals, particularly those promising employment or financial opportunities that have increasingly been used as recruitment tools for organised cybercrime syndicates. Both governments indicated that a structured cooperation arrangement, covering border security, intelligence sharing and cross-border prosecution, is now being developed.

Source : www.newsghana.com.gh

Communications ministry cites national security, competition and market impact concerns

MTN’s bid to acquire IHS Towers will be subjected to a “thorough assessment,” a statement from Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, said on Tuesday.

“Given the strategic importance of telecommunications infrastructure to national security, economic growth, financial services, innovation, and social inclusion, and to ensure strategic actions by private sector operators are in line with the market development agenda under the Renewed Hope policy directions of the President, the Ministry will undertake a thorough assessment of this development in collaboration with the relevant regulatory authorities to review its impact on the sector,” it read.

MTN Group on Tuesday announced plans to complete a full acquisition of the remaining 75% of IHS for $2.2 billion— US$1.1 billion in cash on IHS’s balance sheet, along with available liquidity and debt from MTN. The telecommunications company will pay $8.5 per share, in an all-cash deal that values the IHS Towers at $6.2 billion.

The telco currently owns 24.7% of IHS Towers and intends to take the company private once the transaction is completed. The deal would consolidate ownership of one of the most critical layers of Nigeria’s telecoms value chain under its largest mobile network operator.

IHS Towers is one of the largest independent tower companies globally, operating more than 37,000 towers across Africa and Latin America. Earlier in the day, it disclosed the sale of its Latin American assets to Macquarie Asset Management for approximately $952 million, signalling a retreat from the region and sharpening its focus on core African markets ahead of the proposed buyout.

However, the proposed sale has raised questions in Nigeria, where IHS provides tower infrastructure not only to MTN but also to rival operators, including Airtel Nigeria. With MTN currently controlling about 52% of the country’s mobile market, integrating both network services and tower infrastructure could shift competitive dynamics.

Tower companies typically operate as neutral entities. Any change in that structure, therefore, would need safeguards to preserve fair access, pricing transparency, and service quality across the industry.

The ministry’s review is expected to examine competition concerns, infrastructure sharing obligations, and broader implications for investment and digital inclusion. Regulators may also consider whether additional conditions are necessary to maintain a level playing field.

Source : www.techpoint.africa

• Collaboration simplifies access to advanced money movement solutions for telecom service providers, fintechs and banks
• Strengthens digital ecosystems across emerging and developed markets
• Increases financial digital inclusion for unbanked and underbanked communities

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Mastercard today announce a collaboration to reshape how money moves across the world. By integrating the Ericsson Fintech Platform (Mobile Financial Services) with Mastercard Move – Mastercard’s portfolio of money movement solutions – the collaboration will empower telecom service providers, banks, and fintechs to expand digital wallet capabilities, launch new payment services, and reach unbanked or underbanked communities. 

Ericsson’s pre-integrated application programming interfaces (APIs), cloud-native deployment and compliance-ready infrastructure simplifies fintech connectivity to Mastercard Move.

These capabilities reduce technology complexity, lower operational barriers (by simplifying integration, deployment and compliance) and accelerate time to market for new payment services – all aimed at catalyzing innovation and growth in the sector.

The Ericsson-Mastercard collaboration transforms how financial services are built, delivered and scaled. It creates new revenue streams and strengthens digital ecosystems across emerging and developed markets. 

Financial inclusion and accessibility are key focuses of the collaboration. Mastercard Move enables money movement across 200 countries and territories, connecting more than 17 billion endpoints, and supporting transactions in 150 currencies.

Ericsson’s fintech platform operates in 22 countries, serving more than 120 million active users and processing more than four billion transactions every month across digital wallets, payments, remittances, lending, and loyalty services – all backed by enterprise-grade security.

Mastercard Move’s integration into Ericsson’s Fintech Platform aims to accelerate the adoption of digital payments and expand participation in the digital economy. The global rollout will begin in the Middle East and Africa, where demand for mobile money, remittances and interoperable payment services is particularly strong. 

Pratik Khowala, Global Head of Transfer Solutions, Mastercard, says: “Mastercard Move empowers payment service providers to shape the future of money movement – delivering fast, secure and transparent transfers for individuals and businesses worldwide. By integrating with Ericsson’s fintech platform, we’re opening new pathways for telecom operators, financial institutions and fintechs to scale innovative payment services, reach underserved communities and unlock fresh revenue streams. This collaboration not only meets the rising demand for digital cross-border payments, but also accelerates progress toward a more connected, inclusive and dynamic global digital economy.”

Pavan Bachwal, Head of Mobile Financial Services, Ericsson, says: “Joining forces with Mastercard marks a bold step toward the future of money movement. Combining Ericsson’s trusted, scalable platform with Mastercard Move enables our customers to launch secure and efficient payment solutions faster than we ever have before. Together, we are driving financial inclusion, accelerating innovation, and creating new growth opportunities across the globe.”

Source : www.ericsson.com