Economy
Nigerian Telecoms Sector Viable for More Operators, Investments
The consumption levels of data for Internet connectivity and financial transactions are increasingly mounting pressure on telecoms infrastructure in Nigeria.
The growing smartphone adoption coupled with increasing demand for high-speed Internet is a challenge for operators to reimagine their operations as it holds business prospects for existing and new investors.
Absa, a leading pan-African Corporate and Investment Bank notes that the low Internet penetration rates in Nigeria in the midst of rising demand for data present a huge opportunity for increased investment in Nigeria’s telecoms industry.
The number of active Internet subscriptions has exceeded 143 million as of February this year, as broadband penetration stands at 40.9 per cent for a population of about 216 million people.
Sadiq Abu, CEO of Absa Nigeria, said, “The outlook for growth in Nigeria’s telecoms industry is strong. The gaps in last-mile telecoms infrastructure are largely untapped. The current momentum of emerging technologies and financial services delivers boundless growth horizons for telcos to upgrade their infrastructure and expand their reach.
“The telecommunications industry is generating interest from local and foreign investors. The telcos are already strategically developing useful business vehicles to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the industry.”
The relevance of telecoms industry to the economy became prominent during the pandemic as the connectivity operators offer turned out to be a key tool for business continuity, driving human interaction and keeping people up-to-date on vital health and safety information.
People relied on bandwidth-heavy activities for entertainment and learning. Activities around remote learning and gaming grew intensely. More people used videoconferencing for meetings as well as national, regional and global conferences.
In as much as the industry was a major driver of economic growth during that challenging period, the ineptitude of the available infrastructure became glaring as it exposed the huge digital divide and many regions that have no connectivity.
Africa has the lowest number of Internet connections with only 22 per cent of the continent having access, indicating that the continent has the largest potential for growth, according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Hasnen Varawalla, the Co-head of Investment Banking Origination for Absa, said the listing of two prominent telecommunications companies in Nigeria on the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX) has boosted the sector and the capital market and they both contribute 54 per cent to the capital base of the market.
He explained that the sector powers other critical sectors of the economy, drives fintech businesses, supports government revenue collection drive, security, e-commerce services and smart city plans.
According to him, “Absa is a significant capital provider to the entire telecoms sector in Africa. Our role is not limited to providing capital though; we are amongst the most active advisers to telco/telco infrastructure companies having led and/or participated in many landmark transactions across the continent, including the £595 million Airtel IPO on the NGX, the sale of 9mobile to Teleology, Vodacom IPO on the Tanzania Stock Exchange, the $378 IHS IPO on the NYSE, the acquisition by IHS of MTN’s tower portfolio in South Africa, amongst others.
“We continue to make available our deep telecoms sector expertise to help telcos take advantage of emerging opportunities that will fast track the timely achievement of their growth aspiration,” Varawalla said.
With the Nigeria Communication Commission’s ongoing implementation of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, which aims to increase broadband penetration to 70 per cent by 2025, now is the time for investors to align with this plan, take informed risks on innovation, network expansion and infrastructure upgrades.
Internet traffic has been on the rise, with more than 70 per cent coming from mobile devices, making the switch from 3G to 4G and 5G inevitable. Also, many technologies that will ride on the infrastructure going forward are limitless.
Embracing new business models and expanding into new industries, such as fintech, TV and the stock market will accelerate operators’ growth aspirations. Many mobile network operators in Africa have already recorded tremendous reach with mobile financial services on the continent due to their large customer base, existing distribution network and mobile phone penetration. The telecommunications services industry hold potential for fibre, telecommunications towers, active networks, mobile and fixed broadband, data centres and e-commerce investor, among others.
Indeed, Absa’s invaluable role in providing capital for telecoms expansion in Africa and offering advisory services has led to many innovations and landmark transactions across the continent.
Absa offers investment banking and market products through various Nigerian registered subsidiaries, namely Absa Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Absa Capital Markets Nigeria Limited, and Absa Securities Nigeria Limited.
By Dipo Olowookere
The bulls regained control of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Friday after surrendering power to the bears a day earlier as a result of mild selling pressure.
Yesterday, the Nigerian bourse rebounded by 0.54 per cent, mainly due to the gains recorded by First Holdco and others.
Data harvested by Business Post indicated that the industrial goods and energy sectors were flat, while the banking index chalked up 3.13 per cent. The insurance space expanded by 1.08 per cent, and the consumer goods counter rose by 0.21 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 1,316.52 points to 243,462.13 points from 242,145.61 points, and the market capitalisation grew by N850 billion to N157.057 trillion from N156.207 trillion.
The market breadth index was bullish during the last trading session of this week, printing 31 appreciating stocks and 23 depreciating stocks, representing strong investor sentiment.
First Holdco led the advancers’ log after it climbed 9.97 per cent to N95.95, Haldane McCall appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N3.65, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank soared by 9.73 per cent to N3.72, LASACO Assurance jumped by 5.26 per cent to N2.00, and Thomas Wyatt gained 5.10 per cent to quote at N3.09.
On the flip side, Red Star Express declined by 9.50 per cent to N20.00, Omatek slipped by 6.08 per cent to N1.70, C&I Leasing shrank by 5.93 per cent to N5.55, Jaiz Bank crashed by 5.03 per cent to N8.50, and Livestock Feed fell by 3.89 per cent to N8.65.
As for the activity chart, market participants bought and sold 685.9 million equities for N42.7 billion in 44,134 deals on Friday versus the 498.5 million equities worth N34.9 billion traded in 39,484 deals on Thursday, implying a rise in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 37.59 per cent, 22.35 per cent, and 11.78 per cent, respectively.
Investors’ darling for the day was First Holdco, with a turnover of 225.9 billion units valued at N21.0 billion, Guinea Insurance sold 53.4 million units for N45.2 million, Zenith Bank traded 41.5 million units worth N4.7 billion, Access Holdings exchanged 29.1 million units valued at N720.6 million, and UBA exchanged 27.5 million units for N1.2 billion.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has appealed to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to deepen its sensitisation on the newly introduced Green Tax Surcharge Policy.
The chairman of APFFLON, Mr Akeem Ayobiojo, made this plea on behalf of his colleagues on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at the Customs House in Abuja, during a stakeholders’ engagement with the agency.
He also called for improvements in the administration of Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports and Post Clearance Audit and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Mr Ayobiojo stated that freight forwarders were happy to work with the customs, commending the organisation for implementing Chapter 99, describing it as a major relief for manufacturers.
He, however, emphasised that a deeper understanding of the new tax was necessary for his members, saying more predictable procedures would reduce delays and unexpected costs for importers and freight forwarders.
In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, assured manufacturers, freight forwarders and other players in the nation’s trade sector that the NCS would continue to engage them on fiscal policies affecting their businesses, saying sustained dialogue remains key to resolving implementation challenges and improving the country’s trading environment.
He also promised them the service’s resolve to enhance and facilitate trade, acknowledging that, “Your feedback is important because it helps us understand what is happening in the field, and where necessary, we will take your concerns to the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant government institutions.”
Speaking about Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), Mr Adeniyi further explained that Nigeria would not lower the standards required under the Authorised Economic Operator Programme as the initiative is guided by global benchmarks established by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
On her part, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for Tariff and Trade, Ms Caroline Niagwan, clarified that electric vehicles can be imported without payment of duty only by holders of Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
She also urged importers facing classification disputes to take advantage of the Advance Ruling system, noting, “Once an Advance Ruling is issued based on genuine documentation, importers have certainty on classification, valuation or origin before the goods arrive, thereby reducing unnecessary disputes during clearance.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira appreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, July 17, by N1.35 or 0.07 per cent to N1,380.18/$1 from N1,381.53/$1.
It also improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment during the session by N11.75 to trade at N1,854.42/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,866.17/£1, and gained N5.69 against the Euro to sell at N1,576.99/€1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,582.68/€1.
In the same vein, the Naira chalked up N1 against the United States currency yesterday at the GTBank forex desk to quote at N1,388/$1, in contrast to the preceding day’s N1,389/$1, but closed flat at the black market at N1,405/$1.
The appreciation of the Nigerian currency on Friday came amid fresh signals that Nigeria is building its external reserves for protection against shocks and excessive currency volatility.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, said the country’s gross reserves had risen above approximately $52 billion by 15 July, while net reserves had increased from about $3 billion when the current CBN leadership took office to more than $40 billion.
Mr Cardoso linked the increase in reserves to reforms that had restored greater confidence in the foreign exchange system. He also pointed to efforts to diversify foreign currency inflows, including policies designed to increase remittances through official channels.
He noted that monthly diaspora remittances had risen above $600 million and the CBN expected them to reach approximately $1 billion by the end of 2026. The target is part of a broader effort to grow reserves through recurring inflows rather than temporary measures.
The improvement, he argued, had strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to respond when unexpected events threatened market stability.
The apex bank has also launched a new digital platform that will track every foreign exchange transaction involving Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, marking a major step in its efforts to improve transparency and strengthen oversight of Nigeria’s retail forex market.
As for the crypto market, prices were up as markets overlooked geopolitical developments and macro forces weighing on the whole market ecosystem rather than anything crypto-specific, with Cardano (ADA) up by 4.6 per cent to $0.1661.
Bitcoin (BTC) jumped by 1.8 per cent to $63,968.32, Ethereum (ETH) improved by 0.9 per cent to $1,843.88, Dogecoin (DOGE) also rose by 0.9 per cent to $0.0723, Solana (SOL) soared by 0.6 per cent to $74.90, Ripple (XRP) also appreciated by 0.6 per cent to $1.08, and Binance Coin (BNB) advanced by 0.1 per cent to $567.32.
However, TRON (TRX) depreciated by 0.2 per cent to close at $0.3218, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
