Technology

Navigating the Path to Sustainable Telecom Services for Subscribers

Published

12 months ago

03/01/2025

By Dinesh Balsingh

As Nigeria continues its journey towards becoming a digitally driven economy, reliable telecommunications services remain the backbone of our collective progress. At Airtel Nigeria, we are committed to delivering world-class connectivity to millions of Nigerians, enabling economic growth, empowering businesses, and enhancing lives.

We understand that the future technology needs of the country, as ushered in by the highspeed 5G era of AI, Cloud computing, Data science applications, and Blockchain, should be directing significant investments towards building a resilient network. However, the industry faces significant challenges that require a closer look as we strive to maintain the high standards that our customers deserve.

Increased Intensity of Investments: The increasing demand for digital services across sectors such as education, media, banking, transportation, and manufacturing has come with an increased demand for telecom capacity.

Upgrading networks to deliver more data capacity is key to a sustainable future. To help ensure that the Nigerian economy keeps pace with the global improvements in technology and communications while supporting the aspirations of consumers, we also take on the responsibility of executing new technology and system upgrades as well as improved security. Data security is now more than ever a priority as more and more people upload personal information online.

All of these require significant investments which are sourced from the international markets at costs denominated in US Dollars. In the past three to four years, for instance, the dollar has gone from exchanging for about N500 to over N1,600. This more than three-fold increase in foreign exchange conversion exponentially increases the cost of investments required to run a good quality network.

In addition to this unprecedented hike in capital expenditure, the operating costs have surged dramatically, with operating expenses rising by over 300% in the last 18 to 24 months alone.

While several critical areas of the business are impacted, I would, for expediency, focus on three of those areas: Rising Energy Costs, Infrastructure Challenges, and a Commitment to Quality Service.

Rising Energy Costs: Powering telecommunication infrastructure requires significant energy resources. Energy is the single largest operating cost for running a network. With increasing global energy prices and while efforts are ongoing to fully stabilize the power supply in Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria and other operators in the sector are incurring soaring costs to keep networks running seamlessly.

Infrastructure Challenges: The industry continues to grapple with rampant fibre cuts and vandalization of critical infrastructure. These incidents not only disrupt services but also demand substantial investments to repair and maintain facilities.

Commitment to Quality Service: Despite these challenges, Airtel Nigeria has remained steadfast in ensuring quality of service. From expanding 4G and 5G networks to meeting growing demand in urban and rural areas, we have painstakingly absorbed the rising costs of these obligations to avoid compromising the customer experience and ensuring Nigerians, regardless of their location, have access to mobile communication and remain connected to the digital economy.

Telecommunications operators have worked tirelessly to sustain services despite keeping tariffs unchanged for the last 10 years. While tariffs have remained static for over a decade, the economic realities necessitate a review to ensure the sustainability of services hence our recent application to the government for tariff adjustment which if approved will be a step towards addressing this imbalance. It is not a decision taken lightly but one borne out of the need to guarantee continued investment in network expansion, technology upgrades, and improved service delivery.

The telecommunications sector is pivotal to Nigeria’s ambition to become a digital economy leader in Africa. Meeting this aspiration requires operators to make substantial investments in network infrastructure, spectrum acquisition, and innovative solutions. These investments come at a cost, one that must be shared proportionally to ensure long-term viability.

At Airtel Nigeria, we remain resolute in our commitment to:

Delivering Quality Services: The government continues to monitor operators’ compliance with service quality standards. Airtel is dedicated to surpassing these benchmarks, ensuring customers experience uninterrupted and superior connectivity.

Driving Economic Growth: By expanding our network and enhancing digital inclusivity, we are enabling the government’s economic turnaround agenda and fostering opportunities for all Nigerians.

Being a Reliable Partner: Despite industry challenges, we are steadfast in our role as a trusted partner in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

While significant tariff adjustments have become warranted for the sustainability of the industry, Airtel has always been sensitive to affordability and understands that the price adjustments must be done gradually to support our customers’ financial positions. We believe that approval of revised tariffs will empower operators to invest in capacity, expand coverage to underserved areas, aim for advanced security on the networks, and improve service quality and network availability while ensuring that Nigeria remains competitive in the global digital landscape.

As we navigate the present imperatives together, we urge all stakeholders, including customers, regulators, and partners to recognize the importance of building a resilient telecommunications ecosystem. Airtel Nigeria remains committed to delivering unmatched value while supporting the nation’s economic development.

Dinesh Balsingh is the Managing Director/CEO of Airtel Nigeria

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Technology

Simplify Your Mobile Life with eSIM and Virtual Numbers

Published

2 days ago

15/12/2025

Dipo Olowookere

Managing phone numbers used to be a constant hassle. Between personal lines, work numbers, online registrations, and international travel, people often juggled multiple SIM cards, devices, or expensive roaming plans just to stay reachable. Today, eSIMs and virtual phone numbers offer a smarter way to handle communication. One device can manage multiple lines, switch between them instantly, and keep work and personal contacts separate—all without a physical SIM. For travelers, remote workers, and tech professionals, this setup offers efficiency, control, and flexibility that traditional SIM cards simply cannot match.

A virtual phone number is a digital line that exists independently of any physical SIM. Calls and messages are routed through the cloud, meaning the same number can function across multiple devices: smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can pick a local number in another country without actually being there, or maintain separate lines for freelance projects while keeping your personal number private. Virtual numbers also help protect privacy and streamline online activity. They are perfect for temporary projects, online sign-ups, or situations where you do not want to share your main number.

When paired with eSIM technology, virtual numbers become extremely convenient. Platforms like eSIM Plus let users download multiple numbers onto a single device, switch between them instantly, and manage personal and business lines without touching a physical SIM card. Travelers can maintain local numbers abroad, freelancers can manage multiple client contacts, and tech-savvy users gain complete control over their connectivity. eSIM Plus simplifies this process, allowing for seamless integration of digital numbers and minimizing the complications associated with traditional SIMs.

Businesses also find virtual numbers invaluable. They enable companies to create a local presence in multiple regions without the need for physical offices. Calls can be forwarded to employees anywhere, while integration with CRM tools allows monitoring and analytics of communication. For individuals, virtual numbers enhance privacy and simplify digital life. Whether signing up for online services, running a side business, or protecting personal information, virtual numbers provide flexibility and control that traditional numbers cannot offer.

Everyday Scenarios for Virtual Numbers

Virtual numbers are not just a tech gimmick—they solve real problems.

International Travel: A traveler can maintain a local number in multiple countries, avoiding expensive roaming fees while staying reachable by family, friends, and colleagues.
Remote Work and Freelancing: A consultant or freelancer can separate client communications from personal calls without carrying multiple phones. Multiple virtual lines can support different projects simultaneously.
Privacy Protection: Individuals can use temporary numbers for online registrations, dating apps, or marketplace accounts, significantly reducing spam and unwanted contacts.
Small Businesses and Startups: Companies can create local contact points in different regions, forward calls to employees, and integrate with communication software for better workflow management.

With eSIMs, managing these numbers becomes effortless. Instead of swapping physical SIM cards, users download the eSIM profile to their device, and virtual numbers become instantly available. This combination provides unparalleled flexibility for modern digital lifestyles.

How Virtual Numbers Work

Getting a virtual number is straightforward. Providers allow you to select a number online, link it to your smartphone or VoIP service, and manage it through an app. Common features include:

Call forwarding to any device
Text messaging and multimedia messaging
Voicemail management
Temporary numbers for short-term projects or verification purposes

When integrated with eSIM, the activation process is even faster. Download the eSIM profile to your device, and all your virtual numbers are ready to go. This approach is ideal for travelers, remote workers, and anyone managing multiple lines on a single phone without extra hardware.

Leading eSIM Providers

Several providers lead the market in combining eSIM technology with virtual numbers:

eSIM Plus: Offers digital SIMs integrated with virtual numbers, allowing multiple lines on one device. Users can manage personal, business, and international numbers seamlessly, making it perfect for remote workers, travelers, and freelancers.
Truphone: Provides global coverage with quick activation. Users can switch numbers without changing SIM cards, ideal for business professionals moving across regions.
Airalo: Focused on international travelers, offering cost-effective eSIMs for data and voice in over 190 countries. Airalo simplifies connectivity for tourists and remote workers abroad.
GigSky: Offers pay-as-you-go and subscription eSIM plans suitable for frequent travelers and digital nomads. GigSky supports multiple virtual lines on one device.
Ubigi: Enterprise-focused, enabling companies to deploy eSIMs and virtual numbers to distributed teams. Employees maintain local numbers across regions without physical SIM swaps.
Nomad: Travel-oriented eSIM provider supporting multiple virtual lines on one device. Ideal for digital nomads, remote professionals, and long-term travelers.

These services show how eSIMs and virtual numbers have evolved from niche tech to mainstream tools for managing modern communication efficiently.

Advantages Over Traditional Numbers

Virtual numbers have several key advantages over regular SIM-based numbers:

Multiple lines on one device: Manage work, personal, and international numbers without carrying multiple phones.
Privacy and control: Easily change or deactivate numbers for temporary projects, online registrations, or spam prevention.
Global accessibility: Make and receive calls from anywhere without costly roaming charges.
Integration with software: Works with VoIP apps, cloud platforms, and CRMs. Supports automated call routing, analytics, and communication tracking.

Traditional numbers cannot match this flexibility, efficiency, or convenience. Virtual numbers are built for modern workflows and digitally connected lifestyles.

Combining eSIM and Virtual Numbers

The combination of eSIMs with virtual numbers creates a flexible communication system. One device can handle multiple lines for home, work, or international use. Businesses can provide employees with local numbers in multiple regions without physical offices. Travelers can maintain home and foreign numbers without swapping SIM cards.

Consider a freelance consultant traveling across Europe: a virtual number in France, one in Germany, and a personal line—all on a single device. Clients reach local numbers, costs are minimized, and management happens from one interface. This setup highlights the efficiency eSIMs and virtual numbers provide.

Real-World Examples

Remote Work Across Time Zones: An employee in Asia receives calls from North American clients using a local virtual number, avoiding international fees. eSIM profiles allow switching lines based on work hours.
Maintaining Local Presence While Traveling: A business owner visiting multiple countries can maintain virtual local numbers. Clients call local numbers, but calls are forwarded seamlessly.
Privacy and Online Security: Individuals use temporary virtual numbers for online registrations, reducing spam to their primary number.

These examples show why eSIMs combined with virtual numbers are essential for modern digital workflows.

The Future of Connectivity

With the rise of 5G, cloud communications, and AI-powered tools, eSIMs and virtual numbers will become increasingly integral to daily life. Expect tighter integration with business applications, enhanced security features, and instant switching between personal and professional lines.

For travelers, remote workers, and anyone managing multiple contacts, eSIMs paired with virtual numbers are more than a convenience—they’re a smarter, more efficient way to control communication in today’s digital world.

Technology

Lagos’ Team Nevo Wins 3MTT Southwest Regional Hackathon

Published

6 days ago

10/12/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Lagos State’s representative, Team Nevo, won the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) South-West Regional Hackathon, on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

The host state took the victory defeating pitches from other south west states, including Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States.

This regional hackathon was a major moment for the 3MTT Programme, bringing together young innovators from across the South-West to showcase practical solutions in AI, software development, cybersecurity, data analysis, and other key areas of Nigeria’s digital future.

Launched by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, the hackathon brought together talented young innovators from across the Southwest region to showcase their digital solutions in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning, software development, data analysis, and cybersecurity, among others.

“This event not only highlights the potential of youth in South West but also advances the digital economy, fosters innovation, and creates job opportunities for our young people,” said Mr Oluwaseyi Ayodele, the Lagos State Community Manager.

Winning the hackaton was Team Nevo, made up of Miss Lydia Solomon and Mr Teslim Sadiq, whose inclusive AI learning tool which tailors academic learning experiences to skill sets of students got the top nod, with N500,000 in prize money.

Team Oyo represented by Microbiz, an AI business tool solution, came in second place winning N300,000 while Team Ondo’s Fincoach, a tool that guides individuals and businesses in marking smarter financial decisions, came third with N200,000 in prize money.

Others include The Frontiers (Team Osun), Ecocycle (Team Ogun), and Mindbud (Team Ekiti).

Speaking to Business Post, the lead pitcher for Team Nevo, Miss Solomon, noted, “It was a very lovely experience and the opportunity and access that we got was one of a kind,” adding that, “Expect the ‘Nevolution’ as we call it, expect the transformation of the educational sector and how Nevo is going to bring inclusion and a deeper level of understanding and learning to schools all around Nigeria.”

Earlier, during his keynote speech, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Sterling Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, emphasised the need for Nigeria’s budding youth population to tap into the country’s best comparative advantage, drawing parallels with commodities and resources like cocoa, soyabeans, and uranium.

“Tech is our best bet to architect a comparative advantage. The work we are doing with technologies are very vital to levelling the playing field.”

Technology

re:Invent 2025: AWS Excites Tech Enthusiasts With Graviton5 Unveiling

Published

1 week ago

08/12/2025

Aduragbemi Omiyale

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

One of the high points of the 2025 re:Invent was the unveiling of Graviton5, the fifth generation of custom Arm-based server processors from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Many tech enthusiasts believe that the company pushed the limits with Graviton5, its most powerful and efficient CPU, frontier agents that can work autonomously for days, an expansion of the Amazon Nova model family, Trainium3 UltraServers, and AWS AI Factories suitable for implementing AI infrastructure in customers’ existing data centres.

Graviton5—the company’s most powerful and efficient CPU

As cloud workloads grow in complexity, organizations face a persistent challenge to deliver faster performance at lower costs and meet sustainability commitments without trade-offs.

AWS’ new Graviton5-based Amazon EC2 M9g delivers up to 25% higher performance than its previous generation, with 192 cores per chip and 5x larger cache.

For the third year in a row, more than half of new CPU capacity added to AWS is powered by Graviton, with 98 per cent of the top 1,000 EC2 customers—including Adobe, Airbnb, Epic Games, Formula 1, Pinterest, SAP, and Siemens—already benefiting from Graviton’s price performance advantages.

Expansion of Nova family of models and pioneers “open training” with Nova Forge

Amazon is expanding its Nova portfolio with four new models that deliver industry-leading price-performance across reasoning, multimodal processing, conversational AI, code generation, and agentic tasks. Nova Forge pioneers “open training,” giving organizations access to pre-trained model checkpoints and the ability to blend proprietary data with Amazon Nova-curated datasets.

Nova Act achieves breakthrough 90% reliability for browser-based UI automation workflows built by early customers. Companies like Reddit are using Nova Forge to replace multiple specialized models with a single solution, while Hertz accelerated development velocity by 5x with Nova Act.

Addition of 3 frontier agents, a new class of AI agents that work as an extension of your software development team

Frontier agents represent a step-change in what agents can do. They’re autonomous, scalable, and can work for hours or days without intervention. AWS announced three frontier agents—Kiro autonomous agent, AWS Security Agent, and AWS DevOps Agent. Kiro autonomous agent acts as a virtual developer for your team, AWS Security Agent is your own security consultant, and AWS DevOps Agent is your on-call operational team.

Companies, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, SmugMug, and Wester Governors University have used one or more of these agents to transform the software development lifecycle.

Unveiling Trainium3 UltraServers

As AI models grow in size and complexity, training cutting-edge models requires infrastructure investments that only a handful of organizations can afford.

Amazon EC2 Trn3 UltraServers, powered by AWS’s first 3nm AI chip, pack up to 144 Trainium3 chips into a single integrated system, delivering up to 4.4x more compute performance and 4x greater energy efficiency than Trainium2 UltraServers.

Customers achieve 3x higher throughput per chip while delivering 4x faster response times, reducing training times from months to weeks. Customers including Anthropic, Karakuri, Metagenomi, NetoAI, Ricoh, and Splash Music are reducing training and inference costs by up to 50 per cent with Trainium, while Decart is achieving 4x faster inference for real-time generative video at half the cost of GPUs, and Amazon Bedrock is already serving production workloads on Trainium3.