Sydney, March 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of BuddeComm report outlines the latest developments and key trends in the telecoms markets. - https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Nigeria-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW
In coming years there will be additional capacity available from two more cables, which will help drive down wholesale costs for internet services. In late 2021 it was announced that the 2Africa cable will be extended to the Arabian Gulf, India, and Pakistan, bringing its total length to over 45,000km. A separate cable branch will join extensions to Angola and Nigeria. In addition, the Equiano submarine cable system being built by Google will run from Portugal to South Africa, with landing stations in Nigeria (at Lagos), the DRC, and Namibia. This cable is expected to be lit in late 2022.
Running alongside this improved infrastructure is increased investment in data centres, as Nigeria competes with other countries in the region to establish itself as an ICT hub. Africa Data Centres opened a carrier-neutral data centre (LOS1 Lagos) in November 2021, the first of four planned for the country, while in the following month Open Access Data Centres announced its commitment to invest $500 million to build more than 20 carrier-neutral data centres in the region. Two of these have already been built, one of which is in Lagos.
These developments should also go some way to improving the fixed broadband segment, which remains poorly served. With little fixed infrastructure in place, the vast majority of internet connections are via the mobile platform, and it is the MNOs which will provide most of the connectivity required to meet the government’s target of 70% broadband penetration.
Key developments:
- MTN Group sells down stake in MTN Nigeria to 75.6%;
- Government approves funding for a second satellite, NigComSat 2;
- MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications each secure 100MHz of TDD spectrum to provide 5G services;
- Airtel Nigeria follows MTN with 5G trials;
- Regulator amends international termination rate;
- Government approves $328 million loan to complete national backbone project;
- Second stage of the NIPTI project is started, focussed on delivering fibre to northern areas of the country;
- Government pledges to deploy 18,000km of fibre to extend broadband to rural areas;
- National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 aiming to deliver 70% broadband penetration;
- Report update includes the regulator’s market data to December 2021, operator data to Q4 2021, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of the pandemic on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.
Companies mentioned in this report:
Nigerian Telecommunications (ntel, Nitel, Pentascope, Transcorp, M-Tel), Globacom (Glo Mobile), VGC Communications (MTN Nigeria), Nepskom Communications, MTS First Wireless, Suburban Telecom, Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN), Traffic Network Services, Fibre Tech West Africa, Phase3 Telecom, Alheri Engineering, Mobitel Nigeria, Prestel (O-Mobile), Galaxy Backbone, 21st Century Technologies, Main One (Mainstreet Technologies), Brymedia, NigComSat, O3b Networks, WASACE, Linkserve, Pinet Informatics, Odu’a Telecom, Swift Networks, Startech Connection, Netcom Africa, MWEB Nigeria, Accelon (Internet Solutions), Polestar, Naija Wi-Fi, Suburban Telecom, Zinox, Starcomms, Layer3, Airtel Nigeria (formerly Zain, Celtel), 9Mobile (Etisalat Nigeria, EMTS, Mubadala), Visafone, Starcomms (Capcom), Multi-Links, Reliance, Econet Wireless, Vodacom.
Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Nigeria-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW
