Data consumption in Africa’s largest economy Nigeria rose by 413.79% in the last four years, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

In the last four years, Nigeria’s internet population grew by 41.38 million while Nigeria’s internet data usage increased to 350,165.39 terabytes in 2021, up from 68,154.12 terabytes in 2018.

During the period under review, broadband penetration rose to 40.88% or 38.12 million users in 2021 from 19.97% or 78.04 million users in January 2018.

NCC data showed GSM internet subscribers grew by 41.39 million from 100.23 million in 2018 to 141.62 million in 2021.

This, experts attributed to growing smartphone penetration and more access to data in Africa’s largest economy.

“Smartphone penetration was up by one percentage point to 33 per cent and our data customer base grew by 14.5 per cent, now representing 34.3 per cent of our total customer base,” Airtel stated in a report.

“Data usage per customer reached 2.6 GB per customer (from 1.8 GB per customer) led by an increase in smartphone penetration and expansion of our home broadband and enterprise customers.

“This helped us grow data revenue 31.2 per cent in constant currency. Growing penetration and usage of 3G and 4G data customers helped us grow data ARPU 8.2 per cent. Fourth Generation data usage more than doubled in the year, contributing 62.2 per cent of total data usage on the network in Q4’21.”

The telecommunication giant further added that “Our improved 4G network contributed to an increase in smartphone penetration, in data customers and in up-take of large data volumes, resulting in greater data consumption per customer.”

Airtel on Wednesday announced that its subsidiary, Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) B.V., has launched a cash tender offer to redeem about $300 million of its $1 billion of 5.35% Guaranteed Senior Notes due in 2024.

According to the telecommunications giant, the tender offer will expire on 19 July 2022, unless amended or extended by BAIN at its sole discretion. However, there is an early tender deadline of 5 July 2022 for noteholders wishing to tender their notes for preferential early tender consideration.

In a statement obtained by Investors King, Airtel said “All Notes accepted for purchase will be cancelled ahead of their maturity in May 2024. BAIN reserves the right at its sole discretion to amend or waive any of the terms of the tender offer.

“A further announcement will be made following completion of the tender offer. This early redemption will be made out of Group cash reserves and aligns with the continuation of our pursuit of a reduction of external foreign currency debt at Group level.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that an average device owner in Nigeria changes devices every 6 to 18 months.

The ‘Deployment of a Device Management System: Project Information Memorandum (PIM) from the National Communications Commission revealed this.

The purpose of PIM is to provide interested parties with information on the Deployment of the Device Management System (DMS) (the Transaction), which was developed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with the assistance of the project Transaction Adviser (TA), Weircapacity Consortium, and received approval from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FGN).

The commission noted that “Data from Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) suggests that approximately 63 million devices are sold each year in Nigeria. Estimates suggest that the average device owner changes devices every six to 18 months.

“The size and turnover of the mobile device market offer vast opportunities for the implementation of a DMS.”

In 2020, the nation’s telecommunication network will have around 132 million unique devices, according to the report obtained by Investors King.

The digital economy accounts for around 15.5 percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the NCC, and has grown two and a half times faster than global GDP during the last 15 years.

It added, “According to NCC industry data, the telecom sector is estimated to contribute between 11 – 14 per cent per quarter to the GDP.

“This figure has been rising in the last few years consistent with increasing competition, decreasing telecom sector tariffs, and increasing teledensity. Innovations in the market such as 5G, Internet-of-Things will only further the rate of penetration of telecom devices in Nigeria which makes the DMS project a welcome development.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is looking at the possibility of putting in place a Device Management System (DMS) to monitor, control, and safeguard the country’s telecoms sector.

DMS is a sort of central remote management software that is used in Nigeria to monitor, manage, and secure mobile devices that are deployed across many mobile service providers and operating systems.

The DMS system will offer a single window for telecom devices, allowing the NCC to detect illegal or substandard devices that are not allowed on the Nigerian telecommunications network ahead of time. The NCC plans to implement this DMS system under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.