Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Lagos, Nigeria September 27th 2025- There’s a new window opening up in Nigeria to the global market in industrialisation but only 1% of Nigeria’s industrialists are leading this charge, all that will change as Emma-Tob International Academy reaffirmed its commitment to shaping the future of Nigeria’s industrial and economic growth by equipping the next generation of engineers with cutting-edge skills, knowledge, and practical experience. Through its innovative learning approach, the Academy is positioning itself as a driving force behind Nigeria’s much-needed industrial revolution.

Founded with a vision to bridge the gap between theory and practice, Emma-Tob International Academy is nurturing engineers who are not only academically sound but also industry-ready. The Academy’s curriculum integrates classroom instruction with hands-on workshops, industry partnerships, and real-world problem-solving projects, ensuring that graduates are equipped to tackle Nigeria’s infrastructural and technological challenges.

‘Nigeria cannot achieve industrialization without engineers who are globally competitive and locally relevant,’ Debbie Oreoluwa, Founder and Director of Emma-Tob International Academy. ‘Our mission is to build engineers who will power industries, create solutions, and drive the nation’s transformation-one engineer at a time.’

With Nigeria’s economy at a critical turning point, the Academy emphasises areas such as renewable energy, manufacturing, construction technology, and sustainable industrial practices. By doing so, it aims to reduce dependence on imported expertise and empower local talent to lead Nigeria’s Industrial Revolution.

Beyond academics, Emma-Tob International Academy is also committed to mentorship, innovation incubation, and entrepreneurship development. The institution’s belief is that every engineer trained is a potential employer of labour, innovator, and contributor to the nation’s GDP.

The Academy has already begun forging partnerships with secondary schools, universities, industry leaders, and professional bodies to strengthen its vision. These collaborations open doors for students to access internships, research opportunities, and international exposure, further preparing them to lead Nigeria’s industrial evolution.

About Emma-Tob International Academy

Emma-Tob International Academy is a premier institution dedicated to advancing engineering education and practice in Nigeria. With a focus on innovation, skills development, and industrial relevance, the Academy seeks to empower students to be at the forefront of Nigeria’s industrial transformation.

What does this recognition mean to you personally and to the company as a whole?

This award is a validation of the hard work and commitment of our entire team. Personally, it reinforces my belief in the vision laid down by our founding partners and continually championed by the team which is building a truly African financial services firm that can compete globally. For the company, it’s both a recognition of past performance and a motivation to push further in delivering innovative, client-focused solutions.

What key strategies or innovations do you believe set your company apart from competitors in the African market?

Putting our clients at the heart of every decision has been the cornerstone of our success. We invest deeply in understanding their needs and tailoring solutions rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Backed by our robust, data-driven research capabilities, we provide insights that help clients navigate complex markets and make informed investment decisions. Coupled with this, we leverage technology to enhance efficiency and transparency, and we are constantly innovating – whether in product design, execution speed, or access to markets.

With increased competition and market volatility, what strategies are you implementing to sustain this competitive edge and possibly win again in the future?

We are doubling down on innovation, diversification, and partnerships. By continuously refining our product suite, strengthening relationships with clients, and leveraging technology, we can stay ahead of the curve. Equally important is maintaining operational discipline – ensuring efficiency and resilience even in volatile market conditions.

Can you walk us through some of the biggest challenges that CardinalStone faced on the path to this achievement, and how your team overcame them?

Like many firms operating in Africa, we’ve had to navigate macroeconomic volatility, currency fluctuations, and regulatory shifts. These challenges could have slowed us down, but we responded with agility by strengthening risk management frameworks, diversifying our offerings, and investing in talent capable of adapting quickly. The steady leadership of our management team combined with the resilience of our people, has been key to overcoming these hurdles.

How has the Company tailored its services to cater to the diverse needs of investors across different African markets?

Africa is not a monolith. Each market has its own regulatory environment, investor appetite, and liquidity dynamics. We’ve succeeded by being adaptable – building local expertise while drawing on global best practices. This allows us to serve institutional and retail clients with the nuance and customisation they require.

Technology is reshaping the financial industry globally. How has digital transformation contributed to the Company’s success, and what’s next in your digital roadmap?

Technology has been a game-changer for us. From electronic trading platforms to data analytics that support smarter decision-making, we’ve embedded digital tools into every layer of our operations. Looking forward, our focus is on enhancing accessibility for retail investors and automating processes to reduce friction to better serve our clients.

Talent is critical in a fast-moving industry like stockbroking. What steps is the Company taking to attract, train, and retain top talent across its operations?

We prioritise creating an environment where people can grow. That means structured training programmes, mentorship, and exposure to global best practices. I’ve personally benefitted from the mentorship of our founding partners and executive directors, and we seek to cascade that culture of guidance across the organisation. Beyond this, we empower our people to take ownership of projects and encourage innovation, all within a culture of meritocracy and inclusiveness. These efforts have not gone unnoticed. CardinalStone has been recognised among the Great Places to Work, underscoring our commitment to building a workplace where people thrive. It’s this blend of growth, empowerment, and recognition that makes CardinalStone an attractive place to build a career.

Corporate governance and transparency are increasingly important. How is your company ensuring it maintains the highest ethical and regulatory standards?

We’ve built strong governance structures that are embedded at every level of decision-making. Compliance is not treated as a box-ticking exercise but as a culture. Regular audits, clear reporting lines, and a strong board oversight framework ensure that we remain accountable to our stakeholders. This commitment to transparency has been instrumental in building trust with clients and regulators alike.

Are there plans to expand CardinalStone’s footprint beyond your current markets, either within Africa or globally?

Yes, absolutely. Our strategy is to consolidate our leadership in Nigeria while exploring opportunities in key African markets where our expertise can add value. Beyond Africa, we are also building relationships with global institutional investors looking to access African opportunities. Expansion for us is about sustainability, entering markets where we can deliver long-term impact.

What message do you have for your clients, stakeholders, and young professionals looking to enter the African capital markets industry?

To our clients and stakeholders, thank you for trusting us, this recognition belongs to you as much as it does to us. We remain committed to walking this journey with you and unlocking opportunities together. To young professionals, Africa’s capital markets are full of potential. Stay curious, be resilient, and bring fresh ideas. The future of this industry depends on your innovation and courage.

The mediation meeting to resolve the ongoing dispute between Dangote Refinery and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENSASSAN) ended in a deadlock as both parties could not come to terms, after about nine hours of meeting.

The meeting which was chaired by Muhammad Dingyadi, minister of Labour and Employment, had leadership of PENGASSAN, Dangote Refinery, Minister of Finance, and key directors of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in attendance.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting at the early hours of Tuesday, Festus Osifo, president of PENGASSAN explained that the meeting could not resolved the issues at hand as the management of Dangote Refinery refused to reinstate the sacked staff.

He insisted that the demand of the association was the reinstatement of the 800 staff that were sacked, adding that the strike action continues without their reinstatement.

‘Yes, as you could see, we’ve been here for about nine hours trying to find solutions. And we’ve had numerous deliberations from the larger team we broke into a smaller team trying to find solutions. But unfortunately, there is no solution tonight.

‘Because all we want is that we have 800 people plus that are at home, these people, they are fathers, they are mothers, their career is at stake. When you terminate people the way you’ve terminated them, it will be extremely difficult for them to find jobs anywhere.

‘ Some of these people are trainees and you said they have committed sabotage. So if they go home like that, there is no other company they will get jobs to do again in Nigeria because they have seen them as saboteurs. So these are careers that will be damaged if proper remedy is not put in place.

‘So that is why for us, our position has been very clear; you have to reinstate these people. If you reinstate them tonight, we will call off our action tonight but unfortunately, that reinstatement did not happen. And we were not able to reach conclusions on the subject.

‘So they have asked us to come back again by 2 o’clock tomorrow and we will continue to pray. Or rather, 2 o’clock today. We are already on Tuesday, 30th September. So we will reconvene. And we pray that God should touch the heart of the capitalists. God should touch the heart of the oppressors for them to call our people back to work. So as it is, just as we have communicated, the strike continues until we come back again to see if we can find a solution to the issues,’ Osifo said.

For Muhammad Dingyadi, minister of Labour and Employment, the Federal Government is committed to resolving the dispute which according to him revolves around the sacked staff and unionization of workers.

He said that the parties agreed to reconvene by 2pm to resolve the dispute.

‘There are no other issues now, the issue of unionisation and the 800 staff that were sacked. These are two basic issues that we have been discussing.

‘We have not arrived at any position. We are still working, we are still talking.

Also speaking, Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy said that what is of utmost importance in the minds of everybody, the public, the government, the investors, and economic actors generally, is the need to limit the damage the action could have on the economy.

‘We need to wrap it up, we need to resolve it, and we need to have workers going back to work. We need to have the gas flowing. We need to have food flowing as imports into production, which is where the economy has arrived at right now, where we are able to add value, where we are able to grow the economy.

‘And we don’t want that momentum to be broken. And that’s why you see us here for nine hours trying to resolve just one naughty issue, as the Honorable Minister for Labor and Employment has said, and we are optimistic that by tomorrow we will break the deadlock, we will resolve the stalemate, and we will put this issue behind us and be able to keep the Nigerian economy going forward as it is currently at present. It’s important that we maintain the momentum of growth, of upward trajectory of the Nigerian economy,’ Edun said.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a journalist with Arise News Channel, who was killed during an armed robbery at her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja.

Maduagwu, a news anchor, reporter, and producer, was attacked in the early hours of Monday, September 29, 2025.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ajao Adewale, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, described the killing as a cruel and senseless act that has no place in a civilised society.

He extended his condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased, assuring them that the police will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice.

Adewale disclosed that he had ordered a discreet and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He further directed the deployment of intelligence and operational teams to track down and apprehend those behind the attack.

‘The Command remains fully committed to ensuring that justice is served,’ he said, while urging residents of the FCT to assist investigators with timely and useful information that could help in the arrest of the perpetrators.

He also encouraged the public to remain vigilant and raise alarms at the sight of suspicious activities in their neighbourhoods.

Residents can reach the Command through its emergency lines: 08032003913, 08028940883, or the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) via 08107314192.

The statement, signed by Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer, emphasised that the Command stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and the Nigerian media industry, pledging to intensify efforts to bring the culprits to justice.

Twenty-six years after Nigeria introduced the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in 1999, the dream of ensuring every Nigerian child receives free, compulsory and quality education for at least nine years remains deeply compromised. At the core of this failure lies a critical but often overlooked issue: the weak and politically stifled state of local governments in Nigeria.

Today, the education crisis in Nigeria is not only about inadequate infrastructure or a shortage of teachers. It is also about the political structure that sidelines local governments, the very tier of government closest to the people and best positioned to drive early childhood education (ECE) and grassroots implementation of UBE policies.

‘UBEC must work more closely with community-based organisations and parent-teacher associations to bypass bureaucratic bottlenecks and deliver intervention programmes directly to schools where they are most needed.’

According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), total enrolment in primary schools across Nigeria was about 29.2 million in 2024, the highest since the inception of the UBE scheme. However, this figure covers troubling disparities. In many rural communities, particularly in states like Zamfara, Gombe, and Ebonyi, thousands of school-aged children remain out of school. Net enrolment for basic education nationally stands at 68.1 per cent, far below the 90 per cent target set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.

Yet, these challenges are not insurmountable if local governments are allowed to function as autonomous administrative units rather than political appendages of state governors. Although the declaration of the present administration and court cases about local government autonomy are positive, their work is still not autonomous. Under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, local governments are supposed to be the third tier of governance, responsible for basic services, including primary education. In practice, they are tightly controlled by state governors, who dissolve elected councils at will and appoint caretaker committees that serve only political interests.

This subversion of local democracy has had devastating consequences for education. The Constitution and the UBE Act delegate key implementation responsibilities to local stakeholders, including school-based management committees, community leaders, local education authorities, and parents. But in many cases, these structures exist in name only. Budget allocations rarely reach them, capacity building is minimal, and accountability is virtually non-existent.

This lack of functionality directly impacts the running of early childhood care and education (ECCE) centres, primary schools, and junior secondary institutions, particularly in rural areas. Where local governments are active, there is community monitoring, improved school attendance, and better maintenance of infrastructure. Where they are dormant or politicised, schools are ghost facilities and teachers are unpaid.

Take, for instance, Benue State, known for its educational heritage. In 2023, only N1.2 billion out of a possible N3.8 billion UBE intervention fund was accessed by the state, according to UBEC. This was partly due to the state government’s inability or unwillingness to provide the matching grant, a problem that plagues many states. As of June 2025, UBEC confirmed that N54.8 billion in intervention funds remained unaccessed by several states, funds that could have transformed hundreds of local schools.

Meanwhile, Kano State, despite facing its own educational challenges, has begun devolving certain education responsibilities to local councils. Through targeted UBE implementation, over 320 new classrooms were built between 2022 and 2024, increasing enrolment by nearly 15 percent. The difference lies in political will and decentralised action.

Globally, nations that have succeeded in universalising basic education have done so by empowering local authorities. In Rwanda and Kenya, for example, decentralisation has allowed districts and counties to take ownership of school construction, teacher recruitment, and community sensitisation. The impact is measurable and consistent.

In Nigeria, decentralisation is held hostage by state politics. During the 2023 elections, multiple states, including Rivers, Oyo, and Ogun, ignored UBEC funds altogether, prioritising campaign spending over education. Some states, like Imo and Taraba, have not accessed their full UBE allocations for over five years.

This systemic neglect partly explains why Nigeria still ranks low on global education indices. According to UNESCO’s 2024 Education Progress Report, Nigeria is ranked 128 out of 143 nations in terms of basic education quality and access. This is unacceptable for Africa’s most populous country.

Importantly, therefore, constitutional reform is needed to guarantee true autonomy for local governments. This includes ensuring democratically elected councils with budgetary control and administrative freedom, especially in education delivery.

The Joint Allocation Account (JAAC) system, where states manage local government funds, must be restructured or scrapped altogether. Local governments must receive their federal allocations directly and transparently, with strict reporting standards tied to development outcomes.

UBEC must work more closely with community-based organisations and parent-teacher associations to bypass bureaucratic bottlenecks and deliver intervention programmes directly to schools where they are most needed.

Also, there must be an urgent audit of all unaccessed UBE funds, with penalties for defaulting states. This should be coupled with incentives for states and LGAs that meet performance targets in enrolment, infrastructure, teacher training, and gender parity.

Above all, Nigerians, especially at the grassroots, must begin to demand educational accountability from their local governments. Where education fails, every other development goal collapses. The fight to deliver universal basic education must therefore be fought from the bottom up.

Nigeria cannot afford to fail another generation of children. The future of the nation rests on its classrooms, not in Abuja or the state capitals, but in the local schools in Doma, Iseyin, Gwoza, and Eket. For UBE to succeed, Nigeria must fix local governance.

If you want to know where Nigeria’s next wave of growth will be unlocked, or stalled, watch the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). Created by the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act of 1999 as the Secretariat to the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), the BPE’s mandate is simple but vital: move state assets from political control to productive use. When it works, capital flows and services improve.

The leadership reset in mid-2024, with Ayodeji Gbeleyi appointed Director-General, was an opportunity to rebuild credibility. But seizing it requires confronting structural weaknesses that keep the Bureau reactive, under-resourced and vulnerable to policy swings. Four issues stand out: mandate confusion, costly legacy disputes, weak institutional capacity, and policy inconsistency.

‘BPE should be the transaction authority and reform secretariat, responsible for designing, running and closing divestments and concessions while monitoring covenants post-close.’

In 2024, the BPE clashed with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) over who speaks for government equity in electricity distribution companies (DisCos). BPE leaned on its statutory role under the PE Act and the Electric Power Sector Reform Act; MOFI relied on its custodial mandate. This power tussle unsettled investors in a sector where clarity is oxygen. An MOU between BPE and MOFI has calmed tensions, but the episode underscored the need for explicit legal demarcation.

Protracted disputes like the ALSCON saga highlight the price of weak contract management and poor post-transaction monitoring. Such cases freeze assets, deter serious bidders, and force investors to price legal risk into offers-or exit altogether. Fortunately, there are already signs of a stronger project structuring and post-transaction monitoring regime in the BPE.

BPE’s remit spans dozens of sectors and hundreds of assets, but its resources often lag behind its mandate. In an era when bidders arrive with blue-chip advisors, the state must be equally well advised. Encouragingly, BPE has begun engaging top-tier local and international advisers across transactions. Yet pipelines are only as strong as the people, systems and data rooms behind them.

And of course, Nigeria’s volatile macroeconomy and episodic fiscal crises often trigger ’emergency’ decisions that undermine a coherent asset strategy. Investors notice-and discount valuations accordingly.

But in truth, Nigeria is hardly unique. Kenya replaced its 2005 privatisation law with a new act in 2023, only for the High Court to strike it down in September 2024 on constitutional grounds-paralysing the pipeline. The lesson is clear: build bulletproof processes and transparent stakeholder management from day one. India offers a more encouraging example. Through the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), New Delhi runs a rolling, transparent pipeline for disinvestment and asset monetisation. Processes and governance are standardised, and progress is publicly tracked under the National Monetisation Pipeline.

Closer to home, Ghana consolidated oversight of state assets through the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA). Beyond transactions, SIGA issues State Ownership Reports, signs performance compacts, and has documented reductions in state-owned enterprise losses, showing that governance, not just sales, drives credibility. South Africa’s approach, unbundling Eskom, shifting shareholder responsibilities to line ministries, and opening space for private participation in transmission and logistics, demonstrates the value of sequencing reform before equity sales.

So, what should Nigeria do? It is crucial that mandates are clarified. MOFI should be the professional shareholder of record, managing residual equity, dividends and board nominations. BPE should be the transaction authority and reform secretariat, responsible for designing, running and closing divestments and concessions while monitoring covenants post-close. Amending the PE Act to reflect this split would end recurring turf wars.

Secondly, we must move from episodic projects to a three-year Privatisation and Concessions Pipeline, refreshed quarterly. For each asset, publish the route to market, milestones and timelines. Standardise data-room checklists, transaction templates and decision logs recording NCP approvals. Then we need to court-proof transactions by protecting deals through early stakeholder mapping, conflict-of-interest screening, and legally standardised agreements. Kenya’s limbo should be a warning; better to vaccinate than litigate.

BPE’s credibility will rise or fall with electricity, so we must prioritise power by recapitalising weak DisCos, streamlining the Federal Government’s voice (MOFI for ownership, BPE for transactions and enforcement), and acting decisively. Reliable power is the clearest proof that reform works, and private capital is safe.

It is very important to institutionalise accountability, perhaps borrowing from Ghana by publishing an annual State Ownership and Privatisation Report. It should list all federal holdings, board nominations, dividend flows, covenant compliance and transaction outcomes. This would give the NCP and BPE an authoritative accountability platform. And since privatisation is not an end in itself, post-privatisation commitments ought to be carefully tracked. A covenant tracker, with semi-annual scorecards, would allow the state to exercise step-in or claw-back rights where needed, avoiding ALSCON-style drift and showing Nigeria can be a tough, predictable counterparty.

Successful privatisation hinges on credible public-private partnerships. But Nigeria’s PPP framework is convoluted. Statutorily, BPE has overseen concessions, while the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) regulates PPPs. A recent policy twist suggesting ICRC could assume transaction management responsibilities risks plunging the system into global best-practice misalignment. The government must clarify roles before investor confidence erodes further.

None of these reforms are glamorous, and many are politically tough. But the dividend is tangible: a trusted process that attracts stronger bidders, covenants that survive elections, and a pipeline that finances itself over time. With clear mandates, a published pipeline, stronger post-transaction monitoring and a credible power-sector strategy, the Nigerian privatisation landscape will truly thrive. Done right, it will quietly unlock capital and service delivery-the very engine of growth Nigeria urgently needs. From all indications, the BPE today is on a positive trajectory of agility and professionalism, with a clear intent to deliver on its mandate.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has announced a drop in power generation from over 4,300MW recorded in the early hours of Sunday, 28 September 2025, to about 3,200MW at the lowest point.

The operator stated that industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) within the gas supply chain triggered widespread gas shortages, leading to a generation shortfall on the national grid.

‘The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) wishes to notify the public of recent major generation shortfalls on the national grid, caused by industrial actions of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) within the gas supply chain.

‘These disruptions triggered widespread gas shortages, reducing available generation from over 4,300MW in the early hours of Sunday, 28 September 2025, to about 3,200MW at the lowest point.

‘In response, the NISO promptly deployed contingency measures to preserve the stability, security, and reliability of the national grid. Key interventions include hydropower optimisation, generation dispatch and load balancing, and voltage and frequency support,’ NISO said in a statement issued to journalists.

The operator added that it applied selective load shedding as a last resort to avert a system-wide collapse and ensure fair power distribution.

These timely actions, it said, enabled the NISO National Control Centre (NCC) to minimise the impact of the labour-induced gas shortages, sustain operational security, and maintain supply to critical loads, thereby averting a nationwide blackout.

‘The system operator reaffirms its commitment to proactive grid management, operational excellence, and the application of best-in-class practices to guarantee a secure and reliable electricity supply for the nation,’ it added.

PENGASSAN commenced its strike action on Monday despite calls for calm from the federal government.

Schneider Electric has announced two new reference designs developed in collaboration with NVIDIA, aimed at helping data center operators accelerate the deployment of AI-ready infrastructure while ensuring reliable power and advanced cooling.

The first release introduces what Schneider calls the industry’s first reference design integrating power management and liquid cooling controls, including Motivair by Schneider Electric technologies. The framework is built for interoperability with NVIDIA Mission Control, the company’s orchestration software for AI factory operations. By connecting operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems, the design provides a blueprint for seamless management of complex AI infrastructure.

The second focuses on NVIDIA GB300 NVL72-based clusters, supporting rack densities of up to 142 kilowatts per rack. The co-engineered design provides a framework covering facility power, cooling, IT space, and lifecycle software for high-density AI data halls. Available in both ANSI and IEC standards, it is tailored to support the next-generation NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra architecture.

Tackling AI’s infrastructure demands

As artificial intelligence workloads grow more intensive, data centers face pressure to deliver massive compute power without compromising efficiency or uptime. Schneider Electric said its new reference designs address those challenges by combining tested blueprints with ‘plug-and-play’ interoperability across critical systems.

‘Schneider Electric is streamlining the process of designing, deploying, and operating advanced AI infrastructure with its new reference designs,’ said Jim Simonelli, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Schneider Electric. ‘They are future-ready, scalable, and co-engineered with NVIDIA for real-world applications – enabling data center operators to keep pace with surging demand for AI.’

The controls reference design connects edge devices and facility systems across NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 and NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 deployments, using MQTT protocols to bridge OT and IT environments. According to Schneider, this allows operators to optimize uptime by monitoring power profiles, managing redundancy across cooling and power distribution, and feeding critical infrastructure data into digital twins and enterprise systems.

NVIDIA welcomed the move as part of a broader shift toward integrated data center design. ‘We are entering a new era of accelerated computing, where integrated intelligence across power, cooling and operations will redefine data center architectures,’ said Scott Wallace, Director of Data Center Engineering at NVIDIA. ‘With its latest controls reference design, Schneider Electric connects critical infrastructure data with NVIDIA Mission Control, delivering a rigorously validated blueprint that enables AI factory digital twins.’

Blueprint for AI Factories

The GB300 NVL72 reference design provides the foundation for AI factories powered by clusters of up to 1,152 GPUs. Using liquid-to-liquid coolant distribution units and high-temperature chillers, the design enables data centers to host multiple GB300 NVL72-based clusters while maintaining efficiency.

Schneider Electric also integrates its ETAP and EcoStruxure IT Design CFD models, enabling operators to simulate power and cooling scenarios before deployment. These digital twin capabilities are intended to reduce deployment risk and optimize performance for unique applications.

The latest announcement builds on nine previous AI reference designs Schneider has produced for scenarios ranging from prefabricated modules to retrofit data centers.

By providing proven, documented frameworks for power and cooling at AI scale, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA are seeking to ease one of the biggest bottlenecks facing data center operators: how to support the next wave of GPU-driven computing without sacrificing efficiency or resilience.

Sunbeth Shipping and Logistics, an affiliate of Sunbeth Global Concepts, is positioning technology at the heart of its operations as Africa pursues deeper trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The agro-commodities trader provides forwarding, customs clearance, haulage, and integrated supply chain solutions, and took part in the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) in Algiers.

Speaking at the event, Omowasola Akinsomisoye, managing director of the Lagos-based firm, said the company views technology as a critical platform for more efficient trade. ‘IATF has shown that innovation bridges the gap – technology makes logistics easier,’ he said.

‘By embracing smarter solutions, we can streamline movement across borders and support Africa’s growing role in global trade,’ Akinsomisoye added.

During the IATF2025, Sunbeth participated in the automotive trade show segment, where its team engaged with sector leaders on innovations in trucking and logistics. The company said the sessions revealed persistent barriers caused by restrictive border policies but also created opportunities to partner with customs authorities to build more transparent and cost-effective systems.

Akinsomisoye also said that AfCFTA’s objectives to reduce tariffs and harmonise trade policies will allow operators like Sunbeth to scale more effectively across the continent.

Sunbeth operates a modern fleet of more than 100 GPS-enabled trucks and has facilitated the export of 115,000 metric tons of agricultural produce while clearing over 70,000 metric tons of imports across Africa.

Founded in 2017 as part of Sunbeth Global Concepts, the company has expanded from a local haulage operator into a full-service logistics provider. Its offerings now include sea and air freight, cold chain logistics, and integrated supply chain solutions. By leveraging its GPS-enabled fleet and investing in technology-driven systems, Sunbeth aims to deliver secure, transparent and resilient cargo movement across Nigeria and West Africa.

According to a press briefing, ‘Sunbeth Shipping and Logistics’ vision is to establish itself as a global logistics leader, beginning with Africa.’

Sunbeth’s presence at IATF2025 was more than a marketing exercise; it was a signal of its ambition to shape how goods move across Africa. By showcasing its technology-driven model, the company positioned itself as a partner to regulators and businesses seeking to cut bottlenecks, lower costs, and unlock the promise of regional integration.

That ambition is timely. As AfCFTA edges closer to full implementation, the speed and efficiency of private logistics players will determine how quickly traders and communities feel the benefits of reduced tariffs and harmonised policies. Sunbeth is betting that Africa’s competitiveness will rest not just on moving commodities, but on moving them smarter, faster, and with greater transparency.

‘Looking ahead, the next phase goes beyond connectivity. Our goal is a robust, resilient, safe, and secure internet for all citizens, businesses, and government. That will require a revised National Telecommunications Policy. Work on this, led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, will begin in Q4 this year.’

What is the scope of Nigeria’s policy environment for the telecommunications sector?

This is a good place to start. Nigeria’s telecoms journey rests on a clear policy-to-law pipeline. It began with the National Telecommunications Policy (NTP) 2000, which paved the way for the Nigerian Communications Act (2003)-the law under which the NCC, as you know it, operates today. NTP 2000 liberalised the market and, with strong political will, transformed connectivity: we moved from about 500,000 fixed lines to almost 80 million active lines in under a decade. Competition drove innovation and affordability; even with recent tariff adjustments, the average price per minute remains below the approximately ?50 per minute level at the dawn of the GSM era. That policy shift also catalysed adjacent sectors like digital payments.

Now building on that foundation, several newer policies shape today’s landscape: the Revised National Policy for SIM Card Registration (2021), which we completed implementation of last year and is now just an ongoing business-as-usual process; the National Policy on 5G, which enabled the commercial launch of 5G services; and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), which expires this year-which, by the way, we have already begun engaging our Ministry on for a third iteration. There is also the National Cybersecurity Policy (2021), which led to the establishment of the sectoral Cyber Incident Response Team (CSIRT) under the NCC, and in fact, we are now finalising a telecoms sector cybersecurity framework. We also have the National Child Online Protection Policy, which guides how we safeguard users online, and the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector (2021)-a pivotal, long-term agenda to deepen local participation across the value chain.

‘Over the next year, you will see us push hard on network reliability through tighter QoS standards across the entire value chain, including with co-location service providers, alongside CNII operationalisation and real accountability via public performance dashboards-so service quality is visible, comparable, and ultimately improves.’

So, where are we today in terms of progress with these policies?

I’m glad you are asking this. Nigerians may not realise, but a lot of progress has been made with policies in our sector. Most significantly, we have dismantled monopolies and built a competitive market over the past two and a half decades. The industry has built broadband networks, which have led to local digital ecosystems emerging, most notably digital payments and e-commerce. Internet consumption continues to grow exponentially-streaming, short-form video, virtual meetings, online learning, online shopping, and the list goes on. In that sense, the NTP 2000 has largely been delivered and, in many areas, exceeded what it originally envisaged.

On specific policies: NIN-SIM linkage, like I just said, is now business as usual. After several deadline shifts, we concluded its full implementation last year, ensuring all SIMs are linked to a valid and verifiable NIN. Implementation of the National Cybersecurity Policy 2021 is ongoing. Our NCC-CSIRT has been operational for a few years; following the President’s Executive Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) last year, we have been working with ONSA on our sector’s operationalisation, and we will be issuing a sector-specific cybersecurity framework in Q4 2025. The Child Online Protection Policy (and broader online-safety work) is still at an early stage, having only been approved in February 2023 by the previous Federal Executive Council.

On indigenous content, it is too early to appraise. It needs long-term consistency and broader reforms to succeed. Realism and consistency are key: countries that now play across the entire telecoms stack got there through decades of steady policy and disciplined execution. It is a long-term play, and we are aligning the sector accordingly. As for the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), now in its second iteration and expiring in a year’s time, there is a lot of work still to do. Some targets may not be met, and some are no longer relevant to today’s context. We have learnt the lessons, and the next five-year plan must build in agility so we can respond to a rapidly changing environment.

Looking ahead, the next phase goes beyond connectivity. Our goal is a robust, resilient, safe, and secure internet for all citizens, businesses, and government. That will require a revised National Telecommunications Policy. Work on this, led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, will begin in Q4 this year.

To what extent was the operators’ business environment considered in the recent tariff hike, and what is the current situation?

First, some context. We are an economic regulator as set out in the Nigerian Communications Act (2003). Our tools are grounded in competition principles to create a market where both sides get value-this means that operators can earn fair returns, and consumers get high-quality, affordable services.

Generally, consumer prices rise with inflation, and we have recently seen steeper increases as the economy adjusts to necessary macroeconomic reforms. Transport, food, and other daily items have gone up-some by more than 100%-yet telecom consumer tariffs stayed largely flat for close to a decade, often without inflationary adjustments. Meanwhile, operators’ input costs rose sharply. Just consider the diesel to power generators that run roughly 40,000 sites nationwide and the imported radio equipment at these sites, paid for in foreign exchange. So what has happened is that over time, margins were eroded and the sector became less attractive for investment. CAPEX did not keep pace with demand growth; in fact, prior to our intervention, investments were dropping. This is a sector that must invest continuously to maintain quality, especially as data consumption grows. Some operators were borrowing to buy diesel! Effectively subsidising service. When there is no cost recovery and fair returns, investors simply take their money elsewhere; it’s not rocket science.

So we faced a dilemma: how do we restore investor confidence so the necessary investments can flow while ensuring consumers still enjoy affordable, high-quality connectivity? Doing nothing would have meant continued investment decline and worsening quality. The only realistic, lawful path consistent with economic regulation was to allow tariffs to move within cost-oriented bounds.

With hindsight, the NCC could have done more, earlier, to build resilience ahead of the government’s reforms: stronger infrastructure protection, more robust operator corporate governance, QoS regulations across the entire value chain, zero-tolerance for inter/intra-industry debt, and periodic tariff adjustments in line with inflation. This is why we did not rush to approve higher tariffs. We first addressed industry debts, began to tackle infrastructure vandalism, and cleaned up industry data. Ultimately, however, the long-term solution was to permit tariff adjustments within a cost-oriented framework, just as the law envisages.

And I will emphasise: the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) does not say the NCC or the federal government should set prices. Yes, the Act requires the NCC to approve tariffs, but always in the context of preventing anti-competitive conduct, not to fix prices in a deregulated market. Our role is to ensure operators do not collude to push prices up and that no player cross-subsidises to undercut rivals unfairly. We run regular cost studies to determine price floors and ceilings within which operators can compete.

Saying all of this, the good news is that we are now seeing investments return; already, we have verified commitments of over $1 billion by operators for this year alone to expand the networks, which is significantly more than what we have seen over the past two to three years in the sector.

You mentioned tighter supervision of service quality across the value chain. What has changed?

We have stepped up oversight beyond Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to cover every layer, especially Co-Location Service Providers (CSPs), who are arguably the most critical operators in the service-delivery chain. Co-location service providers host MNOs/ISPs at outdoor sites and provide space, power, cooling, backhaul, and security on a non-discriminatory basis. They reduce deployment costs and time-to-market. In simple terms, if there is no power, there is no service, no matter how much equipment you deploy. The major players include IHS, ATC, Pan African Towers, and Eastcastle, which I am sure most Nigerians do not know about. All the MNOs except Glo use co-location services.

So to regulate Quality of Service (QoS) properly, we updated our primary QoS instrument last year. The previous version focused on MNO Key Performance Indicators (KPI) only. The update brings all licensed operators in the service chain, including co-location service providers, into scope with clear KPIs. We also moved from state-level averages to granular LGA-level measurement and revised penalties to reflect current economic realities. For co-location service providers, the key KPI is power availability. If you look at QoS data when diesel prices spiked, QoS dipped because some providers had to adjust refuelling cycles. You know site maintenance is cash-flow intensive-the industry consumes roughly 40 million litres of diesel monthly. Another critical KPI is Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for faults like generator failure or fibre damage. We set timelines for how quickly we expect these repairs to happen, and we are already seeing improvements in power availability and MTTR. By the way, all this KPI data is published on the NCC website.

Infrastructure disruption remains a problem. How are you addressing it?

There are intentional disruptions like theft, vandalism, and access denial due to disputes and avoidable ones, like fibre cuts from roadworks, that better coordination could significantly reduce. People often do not realise the consequences: a vandalised site can knock multiple sites offline; a burnt manhole can disrupt services over a wide area.

Luckily, we now have the right framework to act. The President’s Executive Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) last year designated 13 sectors, including telecoms, as CNII, making intentional damage to telecoms infrastructure a criminal offence and providing a platform to work more closely with security services. We are receiving very strong support from the National Security Adviser to operationalise CNII in our sector; whenever we discuss the topic, he shows so much passion and commitment.

So, how are we going about it? Our approach is multi-tiered. We have amended co-location guidelines to include minimum security checklists (human, physical, and technological). We are running a national awareness campaign in Pidgin, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and English to explain the real-world impact of vandalism and access denial. And we are building collaboration frameworks with public works authorities to cut avoidable damage, especially to fibre.

Fibre typically follows road corridors connecting communities and avoiding complex private right-of-way negotiations, but poor coordination during road construction causes repeated cuts. Federal highways are under the Federal Ministry of Works; state roads are under state ministries. We are putting MoUs in place with the Federal Ministry and priority states (Abuja, Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna) to establish a shared digital platform. The platform will work like this: work agencies will upload project plans; NCC and fibre owners will have visibility; and affected operators will receive timely notifications to relocate or activate secondary routes. India has shared lessons from a similar model, and we are confident this will help. I have personally dealt with a case where a contractor on a federal road claimed they did not even know how to contact the affected operator-that is exactly the coordination gap we are closing.

We are also mediating disputes between service providers and landlords/communities/state agencies where possible; not everything needs to end up in court. And where dialogue fails, we will work with ONSA and relevant authorities, though we hope force remains the exception. People must understand: disrupting telecoms can mean a hospital loses access to critical information or someone in distress cannot call for help.

But let us wrap up on policy and the future. If the goal is affordable, high-speed data for every Nigerian citizen and enterprise, how do we get there? We need fibre-to-buildings-homes, schools, businesses, public institutions-connectivity. We already have about 30,000 km of fibre in Nigeria, but most of it is for connecting mobile base stations, because fibre is essential to achieve 4G/5G speeds. I am fortunate to have home fibre; I use close to 1 TB a month across work, video calls, and streaming, and it costs me less than half of what the same usage would cost on a mobile network. This is not unique to Nigeria; globally, fixed fibre is cheaper per GB than mobile, because fibre is the most cost-effective technology for high-speed data. It is largely passive infrastructure, cables, ducts, and poles, and consumes significantly less power compared to active radio gear. Yes, you have to dig and manage the right-of-way, but it is undeniably the way forward. As, after all, the name ‘mobile’ implies, it is designed for mobility, while most data consumption happens indoors.

This is where government policy has now caught up. The 90,000 km national fibre project being championed by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, can materially expand access to affordable, high-quality data connections. It will also support local industry; for example, Coleman in the South-West manufactures fibre-optic cables locally.

Could we have been further along? Possibly. About a decade ago, regional Infraco licences were awarded to build wholesale fibre networks. When I reviewed our files at NCC, the Infraco licensees had delivered less than 10,000 km. Meanwhile, the country already had 30,000-plus kilometres of backbone fibre linking major cities and several thousand kilometres of metro fibre. The 90,000 km initiative and other players that will build fibre networks will expand both backbone and metro networks.

But an important regulatory intervention by the NCC is also underway. We have launched a Wholesale Fibre Study, which is likely to open up existing backbone, and any built in the future, on comparable, transparent terms so that backbone owners and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can interconnect more easily. This should be concluded by mid-2026. We believe this intervention will be key to building dense metro fibre networks nationwide. We are also looking at growing the number of smaller ISPs nationwide; today, they are mostly concentrated in Lagos and Abuja. We need more ISPs that will build metro networks and deliver last-mile services to homes, schools, businesses, and public institutions, thereby increasing choice and competition. Lastly, on this, we are also advocating for the states’ governments to waive Right of Way (RoW) charges to encourage the deployment of fibre, and so far in the past two years, five states have totally eliminated RoW charges, making it 11 states with zero RoW charges.

My last question: we’re seeing more NCC data in the public domain. Is this part of a broader strategy?

I am glad you noticed. Yes, it is a deliberate shift. The traditional ‘command-and-control’ model, where you write a rule and enforce it to the letter, has limits in a complex, fast-moving industry with over a thousand licensees. It can be rigid, costly, and ultimately slow innovation.

While we will continue to use ‘command-and-control’, over the past two years, we have begun to complement this with information disclosure and transparency, and we will gradually tilt more towards this. We are publishing accurate, timely, accessible information on industry performance, consumer satisfaction, network performance, and more, so the public, investors, and consumers can make informed decisions. Transparency fosters accountability, encourages voluntary compliance, and lets the market reward good behaviour and expose bad practices. Operators compete not just on price or coverage, but on ethics, quality, and governance.

How has this worked in practice?

In 2017, when we revised teledensity using an updated population estimate of approximately 190 million, the figure dropped by about 10 percent. It was not a ‘headline-friendly’ move, but it signalled data integrity.

When a major operator defaulted on interconnect charges, we approved partial disconnection and issued a public notice. The result: a drastic reduction in intra-industry debt.

After last year’s subscriber-database audit, we found significant discrepancies and took the bold step of publishing the true numbers. That strengthened public trust in our data.

Under our Tariff Simplification Guidelines, operators must publish a standard disclosure table for every tariff plan-so consumers can compare like-for-like across operators. Operators must now also notify customers of major outages and log them on our public Major Outage Reporting Portal.

In early Q4 this year, we will launch a Network Performance Map on our website, showing location-level performance using crowdsourced data. From Q4 as well, we’ll publish Quality of Experience (QoE) and network performance reports for MNOs and ISPs based on the same data.

We are also revamping industry statistics to add new metrics and deeper insights.

We have also released updated Corporate Governance Guidelines for the industry. Transparency is its guiding principle: it emphasises stronger leadership structures, board independence, ESG/CSR reporting, mid-year and annual compliance reports to be made public, and the appointment of a regulatory officer in every licensed company. Together, these measures strengthen transparency and accountability and help safeguard the sector’s long-term sustainability.

Final question: As we wrap up (yes, this is really the last one!), what should Nigerians – consumers, industry, and government – expect from the NCC over the next 12-24 months?

(Laughs.) I know you said the previous one was the final question, so think of this as the ‘bonus data’ at the end of the bundle.

Three things: reliability, affordability, and transparency.

Over the next year, you will see us push hard on network reliability through tighter QoS standards across the entire value chain, including with co-location service providers, alongside CNII operationalisation and real accountability via public performance dashboards-so service quality is visible, comparable, and ultimately improves. On affordability, our focus is on enabling sustainable cost recovery and faster fibre build-out; our wholesale fibre study, which is concluding by mid-2026, would unlock more fibre build and open backbone access on fair, comparable terms. That combination is how we hope to bring high-speed, high-quality data to more homes, schools, hospitals, MSMEs, and public institutions at a better value. And on transparency, we will keep publishing clear, timely data from outage notices to QoE maps, to consumer satisfaction reports, to operator compliance reports and tariff disclosures so consumers and investors can make informed decisions.