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MTN Nigeria Receives EUR 100 Million Financing from European Investment Bank for Network Expansion

MTN Nigeria has received financing support of Eur 100 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to expand its high-speed network.

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MTN Nigeria, Africa’s largest telecommunications company, has received financing support of Eur 100 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to expand its high-speed network.

The bank disclosed this in an email forwarded to Investors King on Thursday.

According to the email, the new investment will help MTN Nigeria accelerate its 4G coverage in Africa’s largest economy and expand broadband access in line with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy.

This is EIB’s largest financing for mobile telecoms network expansion in Africa and is consistent with MTN Nigeria’s digital transformation and inclusion efforts.

It will improve network capacity across the country to accommodate rising data traffic, and enhance coverage in Lagos and Ogun States.

Commenting on the development, Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, said, “We are committed to leading digital solutions for Nigeria’s progress. This requires the continuous upgrade and expansion of our infrastructure to enable us to deliver superior service. The EUR 100 million financing agreed with the EIB will accelerate 4G coverage, enhance network capacity and drive innovation that will benefit our customers.”

“Accelerating large scale investment in telecom networks is essential to ensuring reliable access and enabling daily living and economic activity. The EIB is committed to unlocking transformational digital investment across Africa and is pleased to provide EUR 100 million backing for MTN Nigeria’s ambitious network expansion programme,” said Ambroise Fayolle, EIB Vice President.

“Digital transformation offers Africa tremendous opportunities, and digitilisation is one of the priorities of the European Union partnership with Africa. This record support for investment in MTN Nigeria by the EIB, the EU Bank, will deliver better services, unlock economic opportunities and improve lives across Nigeria,” said H.E. Samuela Isopi, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

Over the last five years, the EIB’s support for digitalisation across Africa has reached more than EUR 2.5 billion of transformational investment.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Telecommunications

NCC Files Copyright Infringement Charges Against MTN Nigeria and Others

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Karl O Toriola - Investorsking.com

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has taken legal action against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four individuals, including its Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, over alleged copyright infringement.

The charges, filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, revolve around the unauthorized use of musical works belonging to artist Maleke Idowu Moye.

According to the NCC, the defendants are accused of offering for sale, selling, and trading musical works of Maleke without his consent between 2010 and 2017. These works were allegedly used as Caller Ring Back Tunes without proper authorization.

The musical pieces in question include popular tracks such as “911,” “Minimini-wanawana,” and “Stop racism,” among others.

The commission further alleges that the defendants distributed these musical works to subscribers without authorization, infringing upon the rights of the artist.

The charges are based on provisions of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

As the case awaits assignment to a judge and a fixed date for mention, it marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to uphold copyright protection in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

This legal action underscores the NCC’s commitment to safeguarding the intellectual property rights of artists and creators within the country.

MTN Nigeria, a major player in the telecommunications industry, now faces a legal battle that could have broader implications for how intellectual property rights are respected and enforced within Nigeria’s digital landscape.

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Telecommunications

MTN’s MoMo Sees 32.2% Surge in Transaction Volumes

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MTN Group’s mobile money platform, MoMo, has experienced a 32.2% surge in transaction volumes.

With 72.5 million active users, MoMo continues to solidify its position as a leading fintech service provider in Africa, tapping into the continent’s burgeoning mobile banking sector.

The company’s success underscores the growing trend of Africa’s young and tech-savvy population embracing mobile technology to address financial needs.

Mobile phones are increasingly becoming a tool for bridging gaps in services, particularly in banking, presenting a lucrative opportunity for wireless carriers like MTN to capitalize on the burgeoning fintech market.

MTN’s achievement comes as it finalizes a deal with Mastercard Inc., valuing its fintech business at an impressive $5.2 billion.

This strategic partnership further enhances MTN’s position in the digital finance space, positioning it for continued growth and innovation.

However, MTN is not alone in its fintech endeavors. Rivals such as Airtel Africa Plc, Safaricom Plc, and Vodacom Group Ltd. are also making strides in digital transformation, with plans to separate and monetize their fintech businesses in the long term.

Airtel Africa, for instance, is reportedly considering an IPO for its mobile money unit, indicating the high stakes and intense competition within the sector.

Despite the remarkable success in its fintech ventures, MTN faced challenges in its core telecommunications business, with service revenue growth slowing to 6.8%.

Inflation and currency devaluation in key markets, particularly Nigeria, impacted profitability, highlighting the complexities of operating in diverse African markets.

As MTN continues to expand its fintech footprint and invest in infrastructure to enhance connectivity across the continent, it remains poised to capitalize on the immense potential of Africa’s digital economy.

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Telecommunications

Telecom Operators Grapple with Rising Diesel Costs, Spending Hits N50.28 Billion

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As diesel prices continue to soar, Nigeria’s telecom operators are facing mounting challenges with expenditure on fuel hitting N50.28 billion in February.

This represents a 50.20 percent increase from the N33.48 billion spent in the same period last year, reflecting the growing financial burden imposed by escalating fuel costs on the sector.

Diesel serves as a critical component in powering telecom infrastructure, including base stations, which heavily rely on generators due to the country’s unreliable grid electricity.

Industry estimates suggest that operators consume an average of 40 million liters of diesel per month to sustain telecom sites, with prices reaching N1,257.06 per liter in February 2024.

The reliance on diesel for powering essential infrastructure has become increasingly unsustainable, threatening the sector’s operational viability.

Gbenga Adebayo, president of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), emphasized the adverse impact of diesel costs on the industry’s sustainability, noting that infrastructure companies bear the brunt of these expenses.

Adebayo highlighted the urgent need for new pricing regimes to address the widening gap between production costs and current telecom service prices.

While investments in alternative energy sources such as solar power present opportunities for mitigating diesel reliance, challenges such as intermittent supply and vulnerability to theft underscore the complexity of the situation.

The escalating diesel costs have prompted telecom operators to advocate for adjustments in service pricing to ensure the sector’s long-term viability.

As the industry grapples with these challenges, stakeholders are calling for collaborative efforts to address the root causes of the rising fuel expenses and safeguard Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure.

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