Page 128 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

percent. "This is not the right time to increase the cost trusted US technologies to advance the country’s digital
of making calls," 51-year-old trader Adebisi Olanrewaju priorities.” (January 15, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com
told AFP. "Things are very expensive and this increase
will only add to our problems." The increase will push The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
the minimum price of telephone calls to 9.6 naira (about says internet subscribers increased to 134.78 million
$0.0062) per minute from 6.40 naira. "The approved in October. 2024KANO FOCUS reports that the figure
adjustment is aimed at addressing the significant gap is higher by 1.88 million compared to the 132.9 million
between operational costs and current tariffs while subscribers recorded in September 2024. In its industry
ensuring that the delivery of services to consumers report published recently, the NCC said out of the
is not compromised," the NCC said in a statement on total figure in October, mobile (GSM) accounted for
Monday. Telecommunications companies in the west 134.27 million subscribers – leaving the remaining
African country had initially proposed a 100-percent subscribers under fixed wired and VoIP. The NCC said all
tariff increase in the face of rising operational costs. telecommunication companies recorded a significant
(January 23, 2025) www.barrons.com increase in internet subscriptions — except for 9mobile
— in the period under review. In October, MTN Nigeria’s
Nigeria and the US Trade and Development Agency internet subscribers rose by 1.13 million to 69.52 million
(USTDA) have announced the award of a USTDA grant from 68.39 million in September. According to the report,
to Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Airtel was next as its internet subscriber base increased
Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) for a by 678,219, from 44.79 million to 45.47 million. The NCC
feasibility study to support internet access for 12 said Globacom gained 184,887 internet subscribers in
million people through the deployment of new fiber the reviewed period, raising its data users from 16.92
optic backbone infrastructure across the country. million in September to 17.10 million last month.
FMCIDE says it has selected US-based HIP Consult, However, internet subscribers for 9mobile dropped by
an independent management consulting firm with a 125,780 — from 2.29 million to 2.16 million. In terms of
specialization in ICT, to conduct the study. The study subscribers for telephony services in October, the NCC
will support Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan 2020- said it recorded 157.37 million, representing an increase
2025, particularly its targets to increase the country’s of 2.69 million compared to 154.9 million in the previous
broadband penetration rate from the current 42.27% to month. Out of the total industry telephony subscriber
70% and to ensure that at least 90% of the population base, MTN accounted for 80.37 million in October, with
has access to affordable, reliable broadband coverage. Airtel, the second largest telco, recording 54.44 million.
The study will assess the deployment of at least 90,000 Next was Globacom (19.10 million) and 9mobile (3.33
kilometers of new fibre optic backbone infrastructure million). The NCC industry data also showed that
along existing routes of the national power grid, broadband penetration increased from 41.56 percent
railways, roads, and oil and gas pipelines. It will identify in September 2024 to 42.24 percent in October 2024.
gaps in the backbone infrastructure market and Broadband penetration is the number of subscriptions
develop strategies to bridge those gaps to strengthen to fixed and mobile broadband services divided by
connectivity across Nigeria, including to underserved the number of residents in a country. The telecoms
and hard-to-reach communities. Enoh T Ebong, USTDA’s regulator also said data usage climbed to 870,398.28
Director, says: “As Nigeria and the United States deepen terabytes – up from 850,249.09 terabytes in September.
our cooperation in the technology sector, USTDA is The commission said in terms of generation, 5G, 4G,
proud to partner with FMCIDE to deliver concrete action and 3G usage rose by 2.33 percent, 46.27 percent and
in support our shared digital infrastructure goals. This 9.40 percent, respectively.
project will help expand connectivity to Nigeria’s urban (December 27, 2024) www.kanofocus.com
and rural communities while opening opportunities for

The Office of Electronic Communications has launched reduce restrictions on the free development of digital
a consultation on a new Frequency Plan for the 174- terrestrial radio broadcasting (hereafter ‘NRC’), to
230 MHz band. This is the VHF band occupied by MUX- reduce the likelihood of interference in the network
8 terrestrial digital TV and possibly additional DAB+ of DAB+ broadcasting stations taking into account
Poland multiplexes in the future. "For the time being, I can the market demand for local NRC multiplexes," UKE
President Jacek Oko wrote in the announcement.
confirm that Emitel will take part in the consultation,"
says Agnieszka Sobucka, the company's spokeswoman, (February 25, 2025) www.worlddab.org
to Wirtualnemedia.pl. "The consulted project aims to

128 JAN-FEB 2025