Industry News

During an inspection visit, Kabogo reviewed the ongoing assembly of 3,000 digital devices at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, with an additional 7,000 devices being assembled simultaneously at Moi University.

Kenya is ramping up efforts to strengthen its digital transformation agenda through strategic partnerships with local academic institutions, according to ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo Gitau. In a recent update, Kabogo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building local technical capacity by collaborating with universities as key implementation partners in national digital projects aligned with President William Ruto’s vision.

During an inspection visit, Kabogo reviewed the ongoing assembly of 3,000 digital devices at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, with an additional 7,000 devices being assembled simultaneously at Moi University. The devices are expected to be completed within three weeks and will be distributed to digital innovation hubs nationwide, boosting infrastructure and access to digital services.

The rollout builds on an existing base of over 20,000 devices already deployed across more than 300 hubs. The government aims to scale this initiative significantly, targeting the establishment of 1,450 digital innovation hubs across the country—ensuring at least one hub per ward. This expansion is expected to enhance digital inclusion, bridge the connectivity gap, and unlock economic opportunities for citizens.

The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with Members of the National Assembly, who are supporting the construction of digital hub facilities through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). This approach is designed to foster local ownership and ensure the long-term sustainability of the hubs.

Key stakeholders present during the inspection included JKUAT Council Chairman Dr. James Micah Onsando, Vice Chancellor Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, and senior university officials, alongside ICT Authority CEO Jessy Kiveu Maruti and representatives from KONZA Technopolis. Their participation underscores the multi-stakeholder collaboration driving Kenya’s digital transformation efforts.

Source : www.techafricanews.com

Building on the success of the MTN Nigeria Media Innovation Programme, the initiative is now being expanded across MTN’s wider African footprint to support media transformation on a continental scale.

MTN Group, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the African Editors Forum (TAEF), has launched the Pan-African Media Innovation Programme (MIP), a continental initiative aimed at strengthening the future of journalism across Africa.

The programme is designed to equip journalists and media professionals with the skills, tools, and networks needed to navigate a rapidly evolving information and information technology landscape. Building on the success of the MTN Nigeria Media Innovation Programme, the initiative is now being expanded across MTN’s wider African footprint to support media transformation on a continental scale.

MIP offers a certified 12-week curriculum that combines online academic learning with immersive, in-person engagement in Johannesburg. Participants, known as fellows, explore key areas such as digital transformation, media sustainability, ethics and law, entrepreneurship, and the impact of emerging technologies on Africa’s information ecosystems.

The programme also includes industry masterclasses, newsroom visits, and innovation-focused projects that ensure practical application of learning. These experiences are designed to strengthen professional capacity while fostering innovation within newsrooms.

As the media industry faces increasing challenges such as misinformation, declining business models, and reduced public trust, the initiative seeks to build resilience within the sector. It aligns with broader continental goals, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision of promoting informed, democratic, and knowledge-driven societies across Africa.

Source : www.techafricanews.com

The Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai, has called for urgent reforms to Ghana’s education system to align learning with rapidly evolving industry demands and technological change.

Speaking as chairperson of the 2026 Public Lecture Series at the University of Education, Winneba, she stressed that a disconnect between academic curricula and real-world skills could have far-reaching consequences for students, employers and the broader economy.

Addressing participants on the theme “Empowering Minds: Rethinking Education for Sustainable Development”, Ing. Obo-Nai warned that the pace of change in technology and industry was outstripping educational reforms, creating a growing gap between knowledge acquisition and practical relevance.

“The skills that industries demand are evolving faster than many academic curricula, and technology is changing faster than policy. If education remains unchanged while everything around it changes, we are creating a gap between learning and relevance, and that gap is costly because students feel it first, employers feel it next and eventually, economies feel it most,” she said.

She underscored the central role of teacher education in shaping future generations, noting that institutions such as UEW carry a unique responsibility in influencing how young people develop confidence, curiosity and ambition.

“You shape how children first learn confidence, how curiosity is formed, and how young people begin to imagine possibilities,” she said, adding that the university’s impact extends far beyond academia into national development.

Ing. Obo-Nai also advocated a collaborative approach to reform, emphasising that no single institution could transform the education system in isolation. Drawing on her industry experience, she highlighted the need for stronger links between classroom learning and practical application, particularly in an era where digital literacy has become essential.

She urged students to adopt a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability, stressing that education should not be seen as a finite process but an ongoing journey.

“Let’s not treat education as something you complete; let’s treat it as something you continue. We are not asking only what students read in school, we are asking how responsible they can lead and how confidently they can solve what has not yet been solved,” she said.

In his keynote address, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, described education as a critical driver of peace and development across the continent.

“Education is the most powerful catalyst for determining the destinies of nations. It is a strategic long-term tool to build a peaceful and prosperous continent by fostering equitable societies where grievances are resolved and justice is upheld,” he said.

Dr Chambas outlined three priorities for reform—relevance, resilience and responsibility—arguing that education systems must be deliberately designed to prepare learners for uncertainty while promoting ethical citizenship.

The lecture series brought together academics, policymakers, traditional authorities and industry leaders for a national dialogue on the future of education, reinforcing calls for closer collaboration between government, academia and the private sector.

Participants agreed that aligning education with the demands of a changing world would be critical to equipping young people with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive global environment.

Source:graphic.com.gh

Stakeholders in the digital financial ecosystem are calling for urgent, coordinated action to combat rising digital fraud as attacks become more sophisticated, interconnected and increasingly organised across platforms.

Chief Executive Officer Mobile Money Ltd, Shaibu Haruna, warned that fraud has evolved beyond isolated mobile money incidents into a broader digital crime environment – making it difficult for any single institution to effectively respond.

Recent data illustrate the problem’s magnitude. Ghana’s financial sector recorded 16,733 fraud cases in 2024, according to the Bank of Ghana; meanwhile, cybercrime-related losses exceeded GH¢19million between January and September 2025, data from the Cyber Security Authority show.

Online fraud remains the dominant threat, accounting for about 36 percent of reported cyber incidents.

“It is not a mobile money fraud issue; this is a digital crime environment,” he said, explaining that fraud now cuts across multiple channels including banking systems, e-commerce platforms and messaging applications such as compromised WhatsApp accounts.

According to him, the nature of fraud has shifted significantly in recent years – moving from opportunistic activity to a coordinated network.

“The fraud we are seeing has moved from being an isolated opportunistic event to

being an organised network… you can even add an industry right now,” he said, noting that emerging technologies are further shaping the threat landscape.

He explained that attack points across the ecosystem are interconnected, allowing fraudsters to exploit weaknesses in one channel to target another, particularly payment platforms.

This, he said, underscores the need for deeper collaboration and integration across banks, fintech companies and mobile money operators.

Haruna made these remarks at Mobile Money Fintech Limited’s maiden Fintech Partner Exchange held in Accra, where industry players convened under the theme ‘Uniting Against Fraud: Strengthening Ecosystem Collaboration.

While acknowledging ongoing efforts by institutions to strengthen systems and educate customers, he maintained that current responses remain fragmented and insufficient against the scale and coordination of emerging threats.

“We cannot fight this industry with a silo approach,” he said, adding that disconnected systems limit the industry’s ability to respond effectively to coordinated attacks.

“We cannot fight this industry with a silo approach,” he said, adding that disconnected systems limit the industry’s ability to respond effectively to coordinated attacks.

He therefore urged regulators, banks and fintech partners to work toward a more coordinated framework anchored on collaboration, shared responsibility and stronger engagement with law enforcement agencies.

Haruna also identified customers as a critical point of vulnerability, noting that fraudsters often exploit human behaviour through social engineering tactics.

A panel discussion held as part of the event reinforced concerns about the scale and complexity of fraud across the ecosystem, with stakeholders identifying social engineering, weak transaction monitoring and low customer awareness as key drivers.

The panel noted that fraud often occurs at the intersection of systems, particularly in transactions between bank accounts and mobile wallets where coordination gaps can be exploited. They also highlighted challenges in tracing transactions, as funds can move across multiple platforms within a short period.

They reiterated that existing collaboration mechanisms remain largely informal, limiting the speed and effectiveness of responses. As such, calling for stronger coordination among service providers, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies to improve information sharing and intervention timelines.

Law enforcement representatives stressed the need for enhanced training cybercrime investigators, improved digital forensic capabilities and stronger institutional support for investigations and prosecution.

Panellists further underscored the importance of prevention, noting that customer education, real-time awareness and stronger security controls remain critical first lines of defence.

Chief Executive Officer-Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) Clara Arthur highlighted the role of interoperable systems in detecting suspicious activity and stressed a need for stakeholders to work together on strengthening trust across the ecosystem.

Chief Executive Officer-Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) Clara Arthur highlighted the role of interoperable systems in detecting suspicious activity and stressed a need for stakeholders to work together on strengthening trust across the ecosystem.

Similarly, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications Sylvia Owusu-Ankomah described the discussions as timely, noting that the scale and coordination of fraud now require a unified industry response.

She echoed deeper collaboration across institutions, strengthened capacity within the ecosystem and improved systems to support fraud detection and prevention.

Stakeholders agreed that while digital financial services continue to expand rapidly, the ecosystem’s sustainability will depend on industry players’ ability to collectively address fraud risks and protect users.

The consensus was that translating discussions into coordinated action will be critical to strengthening resilience and maintaining confidence in Ghana’s digital financial system.

MTN Nigeria has etched its name in telecom history as the first in Sub-Saharan Africa to test a commercial 25Gbps full duplex microwave link on the E-band spectrum, partnering with Huawei to unlock ultra-high-speed 5G connectivity.

Conducted using 1000MHz in the 80GHz E-band, the breakthrough quadruples spectral efficiency over traditional systems, enabling simultaneous two-way data transmission that supports video streaming, AR, and low-latency apps. Chief Technical Officer Yahaya Ibrahim hailed it as a “game-changer,” affirming MTN’s lead in evolving network capabilities for Nigeria’s digital surge.

The tech promises up to 50Gbps via 2000MHz per link in full deployment, boosting capacity, quality, and market edge amid soaring data demands.

Source : www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng

MTN Nigeria has announced a significant breakthrough in telecommunications, successfully testing the first commercial 25Gbps full-duplex microwave link in Sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration with Huawei Nigeria.

Conducted on the E-band frequency spectrum, this innovative test utilised advanced Full-Duplex technology. The microwave link operates at 80 GHz, achieving a remarkable data transmission rate of 25 Gbps through the 1000 MHz E-band spectrum. This represents a fourfold increase in spectral efficiency compared to traditional E-band solutions, setting a new standard for capacity and performance in the region.

This advancement offers a vital opportunity to enhance ultra-high-speed connectivity and advanced mobile services nationwide. Yahaya Ibrahim, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, hailed the 25Gbps full-duplex microwave link as a transformative achievement.

“We take pride in being the first mobile operator within the MTN Group, and across Sub-Saharan Africa, to test this advanced microwave data transmission technology. This underscores our strong commitment to innovation and the continuous evolution of our network capabilities in response to a rapidly advancing digital landscape,” Ibrahim stated.

He further emphasised, “By utilising next-generation solutions and fostering strategic partnerships, we are improving network quality, enhancing customer experience, and solidifying our position for sustained growth and leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.”

With the rising demand for video streaming, augmented reality (AR), and low-latency applications, the need for higher-capacity, faster communication infrastructure is more pressing than ever. The Full Duplex Radio Link solution directly addresses this demand.

Designed for deployment within 5G network infrastructure, this pioneering technology allows data transmission rates of up to 50 Gbps over 2000 MHz per link. This is made possible by its high-isolation integrated antenna structure, advanced spectrum efficiency, and robust interference-prevention algorithms.

The test conducted by MTN confirmed a 25Gbps capacity at 1000 MHz, based on available spectrum resources, marking a substantial advancement for Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. This achievement highlights the country’s leadership in adopting and spearheading cutting-edge digital solutions, further establishing its role as a regional leader in ICT infrastructure across Africa.

Additionally, this milestone showcases MTN Nigeria’s dedication to providing state-of-the-art technology solutions and enabling unprecedented connectivity speeds, thereby accelerating digital transformation for businesses and individuals alike.

By utilising the 70/80 GHz spectrum, the new microwave link ensures unparalleled capacity and performance, facilitating high-efficiency, high-quality, ultra-fast data transmission to support next-generation 5G services.

The Full-Duplex system enables simultaneous two-way data transmission across both frequency pairs in each direction. This is a marked improvement over conventional systems, which typically operate with a single frequency in each direction at any given time. This innovation significantly boosts connection efficiency and speed, fulfilling the demands of 5G communications.

Source : www.news.broadcastmediaafrica.com

Africa Data Centres is part of Cassava Technologies and we’re told it operates the continent’s largest interconnected, vendor- and cloud-neutral data centre platform. The deal will involve Oni-Tel Fibre Networks strengthening connectivity across its Gauteng facilities, and hooking up Africa Data Centres’ Midrand and Samrand campuses through its Infinity fibre interconnection platform.

“Purpose-built for data centre interconnectivity on a resilient network with direct access to Gauteng’s key data centre hubs, this provides customers with fast, high-capacity bandwidth and secure, carrier-grade performance, supporting the levels of uptime required in today’s data-driven environments,” states the release.

The deal is supposed to strengthen its service portfolio by improving performance and expanding connectivity options within its facilities, while customers apparently get greater interconnection choice, high-availability architecture, “seamless” bandwidth, and the ability to scale as infrastructure requirements grow.

Africa Data Centres operates interconnection hubs across Africa, serving enterprises, cloud service providers, financial institutions, mobile network operators, fixed network operators, and other users. The addition of Oni-Tel’s dark fibre solution is specifically about expanding the range of carrier-neutral options available to Gauteng customers, promising improved network speed and performance, we’re told. 

“As enterprises accelerate cloud adoption, AI deployment, and data-intensive workloads, they need dependable, scalable connectivity within trusted local data centres,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Africa Data Centres. “By partnering with Oni-Tel, we’re giving our customers access to enhanced fibre infrastructure that supports their growth and innovation, while maintaining secure, enterprise-grade environments for businesses navigating South Africa’s digital economy.” 

Ellisha Gobind, Chief Commercial Officer at Oni-Tel added: “Our partnership with Africa Data Centres enables us to deliver our premium fibre interconnection solution into some of the most strategically important data centre hubs in Gauteng. Through Infinity, customers benefit from ultra-low latency connectivity, scalable capacity, and secure, carrier-grade infrastructure designed to keep their businesses ahead in an extremely competitive digital landscape.”

Late last year, figures from Dell’Oro estimated global revenue for the data centre server and storage sector rose 40% year-on-year in Q3, as demand for AI accelerators had a trickle-down effect on related components including high bandwidth memory (HBM), back-end network interface cards (NICs), and data storage drives.

Source: www.telecoms.com

Nigeria’s telecom market is entering a new phase of competition, and network capacity, not subscriber numbers, is now what determines who wins.

Airtel Nigeria, the second biggest player, has been building aggressively to compete. By December 2025, it had added 1,561 sites over three years, bringing its total to nearly 17,200. It has also committed $500 million to strengthen its network infrastructure.

The moves reflect how the operator is seeking to close the gap with MTN Nigeria, the country’s dominant operator, by expanding in the cities and corridors where networks are most strained.

“Two years ago, we were operating roughly a 15,000-site network,” Dinesh Balsingh, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, said in a statement to TechCabal. “Today we have crossed the 17,000-site count, and we will continue to invest in building more capacity.”

That shift is critical with the growing internet demand in the market. In February 2026, internet consumption reached 1.26 million terabytes, pushing existing networks closer to their operational limits. For operators, the priority is no longer expansion for growth alone, but preventing congestion in a market where millions rely on mobile data for payments, work, and everyday communication.

Demand is rising faster than infrastructure can be deployed, leaving operators in a constant catch-up cycle. The shortfall is not limited to any single operator. 

Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows 145,141 base stations as of December 2024. On paper, this appears substantial, but against a population exceeding 240 million, it reveals a persistent infrastructure gap.

At roughly 60 base stations per 100,000 people, Nigeria remains under-provisioned for

its current and projected data consumption. Airtel’s reported 46,918 base stations highlight its national footprint, but also raise questions about how evenly capacity is distributed across regions and user segments.

MTN Nigeria remains the market leader, with greater scale and a head start on 5G deployment in major cities. But its most consequential move may be off the network itself. MTN is finalising a $2.2 billion acquisition of IHS Towers, Africa’s largest tower company.

If completed, the deal would give MTN direct control over a significant share of the country’s tower infrastructure,  influencing rollout timelines, site access, and costs in ways that could be difficult for competitors to match.

Airtel’s expansion takes on a strategic dimension beyond capacity building. Its continued

investment acts as a counterbalance in a market where infrastructure control is becoming increasingly concentrated. 

Competition is intensifying across the industry, but not always translating into uniform service improvements. MTN Nigeria continues to push ahead with 4G and 5G rollout, Globacom is upgrading clusters in existing coverage areas, and 9mobile is focusing on high-traffic urban corridors. However, much of this investment remains city-centric, leaving rural and peri-urban regions with persistent coverage gaps.

Even where deployment is underway, the economics remain increasingly strained. A standard 4G site costs between ₦160 million ($115,902) and ₦230 million ($166,609), while 5G macro sites can exceed ₦500 million. These figures are further inflated by currency depreciation, import dependence, and unreliable grid power, which forces operators to rely on hybrid energy systems or diesel generation, adding a recurring operational burden.

At scale, these pressures accumulate quickly. Rolling out thousands of sites can push investment into the trillion-naira range, even before factoring in Right of Way charges, land acquisition costs, and security expenditures linked to vandalism and theft. These constraints raise a central question about sustainability in a market where average revenue per user remains relatively low.

A deeper structural shift is also underway. Nigeria’s telecom networks, once optimised for voice, are now being reshaped by data-heavy applications such as streaming, cloud computing, and fintech. Capacity has replaced subscriber growth as the key competitive metric. 

But that shift is exposing a harder reality that scale alone will not fix Nigeria’s network problem. Without structural changes, cheaper power, lower regulatory costs, and more efficient infrastructure sharing, operators risk pouring billions into a system that still struggles to keep up. 

In that environment, the real contest is no longer just between MTN Nigeria and its rivals, but between rising demand and the industry’s ability to build a network that can sustainably carry it.

Source : www.techcabal.com

• Ericsson’s vision for 6G centres on an “intelligent fabric”.
• Would allow networks to process data and act in real time.

The transition to 6G is becoming clear as telecom companies move beyond early research and begin testing how future networks might work in practice. At Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026, Ericsson outlined its vision for the future: a network built as an “intelligent fabric,” with artificial intelligence embedded in every layer not added on later.

Ericsson is positioning 6G as a system that combines connectivity and AI into one structure. Networks would not move data, but also process and respond to it in real time.

Current networks rely on AI tools that are often added as separate systems. Ericsson’s approach places AI directly inside the network, from radio access to the core, in radios, transport systems, and network management.

This could allow networks to adjust themselves and improve performance, while reducing energy use without constant manual input. It also ties into growing demand from AI workloads, which require faster response times and more efficient data handling.

Ericsson’s roadmap does not jump straight to 6G, but starts with existing technologies like 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced. Such systems act as the base for adding more AI-driven features over time to support use cases like industrial data processing, extended reality (XR), and “physical AI”. These use cases require networks that can handle high data volumes with low latency.

Ericsson’s efforts are closely tied to a wider group of partners. At MWC 2026, the company highlighted work with firms like Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and MediaTek. Work with Intel looks at combining compute and cloud systems for AI-driven networks. Efforts with NVIDIA aim to embed AI in radio and core systems. Qualcomm and MediaTek are involved in testing early 6G device and radio abilities.

Ericsson is also contributing to open-source efforts through the Linux Foundation, where it is helping develop software frameworks for radio access networks.

Early tests and prototypes

At MWC, Ericsson and Qualcomm tested physical-layer features for 6G, including experiments in the 6-8 GHz range. The tests explored how future networks might improve uplink performance. Another demonstration involved Ericsson and MediaTek completing a data call using a 6G test-bed and a prototype device. The test aimed to show how new features could reduce latency and support data-heavy applications like XR.

Ericsson also worked with Apple to demonstrate spectrum sharing between 5G and a simulated 6G system to show how operators might transition between generations without wasting network resources.

A timeline starting to form

Ericsson points to a roadmap shaped in part by a coalition with Qualcomm and other partners, targeting initial commercial systems around 2029 and broader deployment closer to 2030.

The aligns with work by standards bodies like the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), which is expected to release early 6G specifications later in the decade. The work includes testing hardware and refining software, while ensuring systems from different vendors can work together.

As networks evolve, they are not being designed only for communication, but to support AI systems that require constant data processing and fast response times.

Erik Ekudden, Group Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson, described this transition in a statement shared during the event: “We are already on the journey toward an intelligent fabric, and it is happening right now. With clear proof points in the entire network, we are proving that a fully AI-powered network is not a distant ability five years out. By bringing intelligence into every domain today, we are giving the industry the foundation it needs to scale the next generation of AI.”

6G and telecom operators

Preparation for 6G has already begun. Much of the groundwork involves upgrading existing networks to support more automation and AI.

Ericsson notes that technologies like network APIs, 5G Standalone, and 5G Advanced are already part of this process. The systems may help operators move toward more autonomous networks over time. This change raises new challenges. Operators will need to manage more complex systems, handle larger volumes of data, and ensure that AI-driven processes remain reliable.

6G is likely to emerge through a series of upgrades and integrations over the next several years. Ericsson’s concept of an intelligent fabric combines AI and connectivity with compute into a unified system that can respond to changing demands. For now, the work remains in testing and collaboration, with commercial deployment still a few years away

Want to discover how IoT is transforming telecoms and connectivity? Join the IoT Tech Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. Explore how innovations in 5G, edge computing, and IoT are shaping the future of networks and services. The event is part of TechEx and co-located with other leading technology conferences, click here for more information.

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Source : www.techwireasia.com

Helios Towers has completed 133 telecommunications sites under the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF) programme, marking a significant milestone in efforts to expand connectivity to rural and underserved communities across Tanzania.

The milestone was commemorated at an event in Dodoma, attended by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Angela Kairuki.

The newly completed sites form part of a government-led initiative aimed at extending telecommunications infrastructure to areas where connectivity has historically been limited or commercially unviable, enabling more communities to access reliable mobile and data services.

During the event, Helios Towers’ Managing Director for Tanzania, David Dzigba, engaged with stakeholders on the critical role of telecom infrastructure in supporting the country’s digital economy and advancing national connectivity goals.

The company noted that nearly 45 percent of its sites in Tanzania are located in rural areas, reflecting a sustained focus on bridging the digital divide through collaboration with the government and other stakeholders.

Helios Towers said the expansion of infrastructure is expected to support broader access to essential services, including financial services, education, healthcare, and digital government platforms, as Tanzania continues to advance its digital transformation agenda.

Source : www.techreviewafrica.com