Technology
MTN Subscribers Enjoy Best Internet, Lowest Latency
By Adedapo Adesanya
Subscribers of MTN, Nigeria’s largest telco by market share, enjoyed the best average mobile Internet speed of 14 megabits per second (Mb/s) and Internet latency of 128 ms in 2023, research shared with Business Post showed.
The latency describes how responsive an internet connection is and lower latency translates to more immediate interaction with content. Latency is measured in milliseconds (ms). So, users who see a latency of above 101 ms may experience challenges with real-time online interactions.
This showed that despite the 128ms latency, users still faced some struggles with Internet use in Nigeria.
MTN, with 14 megabits per second (Mb/s), was identified as providing the fastest mobile download speeds in Nigeria.
According to the research conducted by nPerf, a French company with over a decade of experience in measuring Internet connections, based on user-generated data from the nPerf mobile app, MTN provided the best streaming mobile video experience in Nigeria with 72 per cent.
The nPerf Score takes into account the measured speeds, the latency and the QoE tests (streaming and browsing). A total of 41,335 tests were carried out by Nigerians with the free nPerf Speed Test app.
The goal of the streaming test is to measure the quality of video viewing on the most popular streaming platform around the world YouTube and gauged that scores between 50 per cent and 75 per cent are adequate for YouTube streaming.
The nPerf test evaluates YouTube streaming quality by conducting assessments at three different resolutions: 360p (Standard Definition), 720p (High Definition), and 1080p (Full High Definition). The overall rating is derived from an average of these three tests, ensuring a comprehensive measure of streaming performance across varying levels of video quality.
The browsing test found that MTN at 39 per cent had an equivalent to an average page load time of 6.1 seconds and emerged as the leading provider for web browsing in the country.
Airtel followed as it offered robust download speeds of 11 Mb/s and upload speeds of 4 Mb/s. Its latency stands at 133 ms, and the network performs well in web browsing and YouTube streaming, with success rates of 36 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.
Globacom, the Mike-Adenuga-owned telco, had download speeds of 5 Mb/s and upload speeds of 2 Mb/s. It has a latency of 138 ms, which is competitive in the market. However, Glo’s web browsing and YouTube streaming rates of 28 per cent and 61 per cent, respectively, indicate areas for improvement.
nPerf said, “In Nigeria, MTN and Airtel lead the telecommunications sector, showing strong performance across the board. Glo, although lagging, plays an important role in providing vital telecommunications services to the Nigerian population.”
“For these operators, continued investments in network infrastructure, technology upgrades and customer-centric services will be key to improving their market position. Competition not only drives improvement in telecommunications services but also fosters innovation, leading to better connectivity and digital services for consumers in Nigeria.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, has reemphasised the need to protect the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure, especially fibre networks, noting that damage to fibre networks carries significant economic consequences.
Speaking virtually at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) in Lagos recently, he described FTTH as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital future.
“FTTH is uniquely positioned to meet Nigerians' next phase of data demand. The quality of our broadband will increasingly shape the competitiveness of our businesses, the growth of our digital industry and the opportunities available to our citizens,” the NCC chief stated.
“We must uphold deployment standards. Nigeria needs fibre that is properly installed, properly documented, and properly protected,” Mr Maida further said at the event themed Fibre to the Home in Nigeria: Addressing Challenges, Strengthening Standards and Ensuring Sustainable Deployment.
During a panel discussion titled Policy, Governance and Regulatory Alignment, the Deputy Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX, Mr Segun Okuneye, highlighted the need for stronger collaboration across the telecommunications ecosystem to unlock the full potential of fibre broadband in Nigeria.
According to him, sustainable fibre deployment extends beyond technology and investment to include policy consistency, stakeholder alignment, infrastructure protection, and shared responsibility.
“Achieving universal fibre connectivity requires more than deploying infrastructure; it requires sustained collaboration between operators, regulators, government agencies and host communities.
“When policies are aligned, deployment standards are consistently enforced, and critical infrastructure is protected, we create an environment where investment thrives and more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, high-speed broadband.
“At ipNX, we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to build resilient digital infrastructure that will support Nigeria’s economic growth for generations to come.”
Earlier in his welcome address, ATCON President, Mr Tony Emoekpere, underscored the strategic importance of FTTH in achieving the country’s broadband penetration targets while calling for greater public awareness around protecting communications infrastructure.
“This forum is critical because Fibre-to-the-Home is the technology that will enable the country to achieve full broadband penetration. We all depend on communication infrastructure, and it must be protected,” he declared.
Drawing a comparison with power infrastructure in the country, he added, “If somebody comes to your neighbourhood to tamper with your transformer or power cables, everybody will come out. The same thing needs to apply for communications infrastructure. When we see people damaging fibre cables, we should raise an alarm.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Thursday, July 23, 2026, provided an opportunity for financial services professionals to converge on Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, to brainstorm on ways to meet the rising customers’ expectations.
The platform used for this purpose was Core by Interswitch. It is part of the company’s broader commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital payments ecosystem by fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and operational excellence across the financial services value chain.
At the event, participants, numbering over 400, also highlighted the growing importance of operational excellence in sustaining resilient payment infrastructure.
As digital financial services continue to expand across Africa, closer collaboration among financial institutions, fintechs and payment service providers will be essential to improving responsiveness, resolving operational challenges more effectively and delivering consistently reliable customer experiences.
The Executive Vice President for Operations and Technology at Interswitch, Mr Babafemi Ogungbamila, said the forum reflects the company’s belief that exceptional customer experiences are built not only on innovative technology but also on the expertise, collaboration and commitment of the professionals who keep payment systems running every day.
“Every successful digital transaction is powered by professionals whose work often goes unseen but is fundamental to building trust in digital payments. Core by Interswitch was created to recognise their contribution, strengthen collaboration across the industry and create opportunities for shared learning that ultimately benefit financial institutions and the customers they serve.
“As digital payments continue to evolve, investing in the people and processes that power the technology is just as important as investing in the technology itself,” Mr Ogungbamila said.
Beyond recognising the professionals whose work often goes unnoticed, the programme underscored the value of creating stronger connections across the payments ecosystem.
By creating a dedicated platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration and professional development, Core by Interswitch aims to build a more connected community of payments operations professionals equipped to respond to the evolving demands of the digital economy.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
WhatsApp has been updated with a web calling feature, allowing users to now make and receive audio and video calls, both one-on-one and group, directly from WhatsApp Web.
A notice from the Meta-owned messaging platform disclosed that this feature works without the need to download any app.
It was disclosed that this update was made to WhatsApp to make it easier for users to make calls wherever they are and on whatever device, phone or laptop.
Users will have access to features available on their other devices, including screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab with full call history and favourites, all from their browsers.
WhatsApp noted that calls from this feature are end-to-end encrypted, with no time limits and at no cost, as it is the same private experience they expect from the platform.
WhatsApp has also been embedded with easy call transfer, enabling the movement of an active group call from one device to another without hanging up. Users can seamlessly transfer calls to WhatsApp Web or Desktop when they arrive home to collaborate on a larger screen – or vice versa.
The platform further said it now has QuickHD, which allows for an improved video experience at the beginning of a call. With QuickHD, users can now enjoy high-definition video immediately in the very first few seconds of the call.
In addition, it has launched noise suppression to remove the background noise around callers so their voices come through clearly to the person on the other end, even in loud or busy environments. This can be managed at any time in in-call settings.
WhatsApp said these features are rolling out gradually and will be available to everyone soon, expressing its desire to make WhatsApp calling simpler to use.
