Technology
Towercos Assures Nigerians Affordable 5G
By Adedapo Adesanya
Tower infrastructure companies (Towercos) have expressed readiness to help mobile network operators (MNOs) free up some required expenses to ensure the fifth-generation (5G) technology is delivered to Nigerians at a lower cost.
This is as they called for partnerships to bridge Nigeria’s $136 billion infrastructure gap, stressing that if industry collaboration is achieved, more development could be attracted.
This was the talking point at the second edition of the Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PAIFo) organised by BusinessMetrics Nigeria to discuss national policy on 5G themed Ascertaining Full Readiness to make 5G Work in Nigeria.
The operators engaging other stakeholders, including government, regulators and operators said the industry must rally ahead of the 5G rollout in the country.
Speaking on Bridging Telecoms Infrastructure Gaps for 5G: The Imperatives, Brand Manager, Pan African Towers, Mr Okim-Alobi Oyama, explained that 5G needs five times the current number of street furniture sites in dense urban areas and twice the power consumption for each of the sites due to higher computing.
Mr Oyama said the technology also needs edge computing, mandatory fibre connection, massive MiMo antennas and key policy implementation to drive the network.
To get this done, he suggested that the gap in the telecommunications sector should be treated as critical network infrastructure.
Backing his case with statistics, the Pan African Tower chief noted that there are over 195.4 million mobile subscribers in Nigeria while mobile GSM contributes about 99.75 per cent to the total market share with over 141.9 million Internet subscribers.
According to him, broadband penetration was about 40.88 per cent as of December 2021 whereas telecoms contributed 12.45 per cent to Nigeria’s gross domestic product as of the third quarter of 2021.
Mr Oyama said implementing the necessary developments is based on about 32,470 towers infrastructure currently existing in Nigeria, stressing that “there is a network infrastructure gap currently capped at over $136 billion, approximately an additional 40,000 towers to be built to close this infrastructure gap.”
He said that Nigeria has developed a National Broadband Plan (NBP) to achieve deeper penetration but noted that this cannot be achieved as long as some problems exist.
“How can Nigeria implement its NBP and achieve its digital economy status if its Critical Network Infrastructure assets are continually vandalised and stolen?”
On his part, Mr Segun Akintemi, Director, IHS Nigeria, said for 5G to succeed in Nigeria, the necessary infrastructure needs to be in place.
He said infrastructure deployment usually precedes new technology deployment and is highly CAPEX intensive, adding that 5G comes with its unique infrastructure requirements.
He said that towercos will help the MNOs to release capital, stressing that leasing infrastructure from Towercos releases capital for MNOs and frees up investment needed for 5G and other services.
He stated that Towercos also facilitates market entry of new operators by presenting them with various lower-cost options, as well as helping manage the environment via co-location.
According to him, “co-location means fewer towers are needed to meet the network and enhanced connectivity demands.”
He anticipated that 5G demands from towercos will include two to four times the current number of sites (micro and street furniture); twice to thrice the power consumption of current sites; required fibre connectivity for scalability as well as space to accommodate massive multiple-in multiple-out (MiMo) Antennas.
“Other fresh demands to meet Nigeria’s 5G target are high reliability and availability/uptime towards 99.999 per cent, that is, downtime of 24 seconds per month; new competence and skilled resources and data centres for edge computing.
“In terms of bridging the infrastructure gap, the above considerations are at the forefront for IHS Nigeria. They require significant investment, regulatory support and customer collaboration,” he said.
Choosing between a VPS and a dedicated server can be complex. They run apps and webpages. But they operate differently. Understanding the difference between VPS and dedicated server solutions will help you prevent complications and save money later on. In this text we will explain everything in detail with examples from actual life.
VPS vs Dedicated Server: What Actually Sets Them Apart
One physical machine is divided into multiple virtual servers by a VPS. Through virtualization software, each user receives a portion of resources that are separate from those of other users.
A dedicated server operates in a different manner. One user owns a single physical machine. No neighbors, no sharing, simply complete hardware access.
This is the core of the vps vs dedicated server debate. Shared hardware means lower costs, while full ownership means more raw power. Finding the best vps hosting service often comes down to how well a provider balances performance with fair pricing on shared resources.
| Factor | VPS | Dedicated Server |
| Resource allocation | Shared pool, virtualized | 100% dedicated hardware |
| Performance consistency | Possible noisy neighbor effect | Guaranteed, stable capacity |
| Scalability | Instant resize | Requires hardware upgrade or migration |
| Cost | Lower entry price | Higher fixed cost |
Performance, Cost and Control: Where Each One Wins
In terms of raw performance, dedicated servers are superior. Each gigabyte of RAM and each CPU cycle are part of a single project. There is no competition for resources.
Flexibility is where VPS excels. It takes minutes, not days, to scale up. Pricing stays lower too, since costs get split across multiple users on the same hardware.
Shared hardware limitations rarely cause problems for smaller projects. Providers like Antihost allocate resources fairly, so performance stays steady even during traffic spikes. The gap only really matters once traffic gets heavy and consistent.
The contrast of vps vs virtual machine is also confusing people often. A VPS is a virtual computer in a technical sense, but it’s rented from a hosting company, rather than running on your own hardware.
Matching the Server to the Project: Real Scenarios
A dedicated server is rarely required for a small business website. A VPS can easily manage moderate traffic while maintaining low expenses.
A growing SaaS product usually starts on a VPS and expands as the user base grows. This adaptability is more crucial in the early stages than brute strength.
A database-heavy application benefits from dedicated hardware once query volume reaches a certain level. In this case, the lack of resource sharing and a constant disk speed are essential.
A game server depends on low latency and steady performance. Many game servers run fine on VPS today, especially with modern hardware. As David Heinemeier Hansson put it: “Personal servers have gotten really scarily quick, inefficient, and personal internet connections rival what we connected data centers with just a decade or two ago.” That shift makes VPS a stronger option than it used to be.
Here is a quick breakdown of what typically fits best:
- Small business website: VPS, for cost and simplicity
- Growing SaaS product: VPS, then scale to dedicated later
- Database-heavy app: Dedicated server, for consistent speed
- Game server: VPS, unless player counts get very large
Summary
In every situation, neither choice is superior to the other. Everything impacts the optimal selection, including the scale of the project, traffic patterns, and all growth plans. Scale from what works now when the numbers really demand it.
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.
