It’s not surprising therefore, that the question on the lips of many today is whether the Nigerian telecom sector has reached its limit.

Proponents of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) say there’s still room to grow. This was the central focus of the Telecoms Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF 6.0) in Lagos, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) Potential: Status, Trends, Investment, and Future Prospects.”

With a teledensity of 79.65 per cent and broadband penetration nearing 50 per cent, telecom remains one of Nigeria’s most dynamic sectors, consistently attracting billions in foreign direct investment and driving digital transformation.

Yet, challenges persist, including affordability, rural coverage, and limited service diversity. These are the gaps MVNOs are designed to bridge.

Unlike traditional Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, MVNOs lease network capacity and focus on innovation, niche segments, and pricing.

Globally, MVNOs have been game-changers. The global MVNO market size in 2022 was around $78 billion and was expected to grow by gigantic margins by 2030 to over $149 billion.

For Nigeria, the hope is that MVNOs will fuel competition, increase penetration, and open up new opportunities.

Experts insist that success for MVNO depends very much on regulation, partnership, and innovation.

South Africa is the top country in Africa with a regulatory system encouraging differentiated propositions, superior customer experience, and service bundling.

MVNOs in Kenya have evolved from resale to spearhead technology-focused services for a digitally literate population.

Argentina has mandated open networks and infrastructure sharing, which allows new entrants to compete more straightforwardly.

In Thailand, however, the MVNO sector failed because of lax enforcement, as MNOs were able to effectively exclude new entrants despite regulation.

The moral is obvious: MVNOs fail without regulatory enforcement and reasonable wholesale terms.

Since 2023, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has licensed 46 MVNOs on five levels, ranging from simple resellers to full enablers with greater control. The early entrants have been encouraging.

Vitel Wireless was the first MVNO to be assigned a dedicated numbering range (0712) and achieve full interconnectivity with all the major MNOs. EmoSIM introduced Nigeria’s very first travel eSIM for international travellers.

These are good signs, but issues exist. Some licensees mention a delay in negotiation of the agreement for wholesale and interconnection with major operators, which is hindering rollout. Economic headwinds, primarily FX unification and the removal of fuel subsidies, have also tested new entrants.

However, MNOs have spent over $1 billion investing in network rollout, which leaves the way open for partnership with MVNOs to leverage idle capacity and conquer underserved niches.

The reality check: MVNOs are not just competitors; they are enablers of digital inclusion. They are the new agents of growth. They work by:

Plugging rural gaps: They can provide services to unprofitable segments where MNOs are not willing to invest.

Niche targeting: Whether students or SMEs, migrants or religious minorities, MVNOs are able to create tailored products. 

Low-cost offerings: With rising competition, MVNOs lower prices and extend consumer choice.

Innovating services: MVNOs are best suited to bolt-on mobile money, e-learning, telemedicine, IoT, and gaming solutions.

Spurring investment and employment: They attract new capital, stimulate employment, and build capacity in customer care, network management, and digital solutions.

In a country with one of the world’s youngest and most technologically adopting populations, these opportunities cannot be ignored.

For Nigeria’s MVNO model to take hold, three imperatives become clear:

Regulatory Enforcement: NCC should not only set regulations but also impose wholesale obligations on MNOs. Strict regulation will discourage anti-competitive tendencies. 

Partnership Mindset: MVNOs must be viewed as partners by MNOs. Joint ventures enable them to reach new customer segments, capitalise on spare capacity, and respond to regulatory pressure.

Brand Differentiation: MVNOs must fight hard to build consumer trust and brand recognition in markets controlled by incumbent behemoths. They must survive on unique, sharp value propositions.

The MVNO entry appears like a game-changer for Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. With more than 46 licensees, the potential for extending access, lowering prices, and spurring innovation is immense. Potential does not suffice, however.

Without regulatory power, infrastructure sharing, and genuine partnership, Nigeria will risk replicating Thailand’s mistakes rather than Argentina’s successes.

In a speech at the forum, Bukola Olanrewaju, CEO, Business Remarks, convener of the TSSF 6.0 summit, stated that: “Nigeria can create a place where MVNOs are not only there but thriving, stimulating innovation and delivering the advantages of digital connectivity for all.”

Nigeria faces a clear choice: treat MVNOs as an afterthought or embrace them as catalysts for the next wave of telecom growth. The nation’s response will determine the future of digital inclusion, affordability, and innovation.

*Elvis Eromosele, a corporate communications expert and sustainability activist, authored this through elviseroms@gmail.com..

]]> https://techeconomy.ng/how-mvnos-can-unlock-opportunities-in-nigerias-telecom-amid-challenges/feed/ 0 https://techeconomy.ng/emosim-launches-travel-esim-connecting-190-countries/ https://techeconomy.ng/emosim-launches-travel-esim-connecting-190-countries/#respond Thu, 29 May 2025 07:47:59 +0000 https://techeconomy.ng/?p=159649 Emosim, a Nigeria Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), has officially launched its travel esim, enabling Nigerians to stay connected in 190 countries.

Emosim eSim provides borderless connectivity enabling Nigerians to stay connected while travelling to other countries with one sim globally.

The Enosim’s service offers voice, SMS, and data services to Nigerians even while abroad.

Delivering his speech during the launch on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Jimmy Eboma, chairman and founder, Emosim, highlighted the recurring challenges Nigerian travelers and entrepreneurs face while they travel to other countries such as long queues to get a new sim, difficult verification exercise, and inability to connect with family and friends, all of which Emosim is solving.

Eboma, a firm believer in Africa’s unstoppable rise, said he foresees a continent where challenges ignite innovation, and where solutions born here redefine possibilities for the globe.

“Let me paint a picture many of you know too well. Imagine stepping off a plane in Dubai, London, or New York, thinking your phone will be buzzing with calls from loved ones, emails from clients, and instant access to maps to guide you.

But instead of connection, you face silence, roaming charges that drain your wallet, SIM cards that demand hours in foreign queues, and fragmented networks that leave you stranded. For too long, this has been our reality.

Today, that story changes. Emosim is not just a product. It is a revolution built on a simple truth: connectivity is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. With one tap, Nigerians and beyond now activate instant access to the world. No swaps. No shocks. No borders.

“Our Emosim connects you seamlessly across 190 countries with 600 connectivity, turning complexity into simplicity, and frustration into freedom. This is not magic but Nigerian ingenuity, engineered for reliability, designed for you”, he said.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, former executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), highlighted how Emosim’s solution aligns with Nigeria’s communication goal and its contribution to the Nigerian economy.

He said:

“Your work aligns perfectly with the broader strategic goals of the NCC and the Federal Ministry of Communications, innovation, and Digital Economy. It also supports the goals of the Ministry of Trade, as digital connectivity increasingly plays a critical role in commerce and economic inclusion.”

Danbatta expressed delight over the uniqueness of the solution for Nigerian travelers as it allows travelers to stay connected without the hassle of changing sim cards, and with a simple QR code scan or app-based activation, travelers can stay connected.

Also speaking, Bayo Adedeji, the group chief executive officer of Wakanow, stressed how the need to stay connected has continuously increased the foreign exchange outflow, emphasizing that Emosim’s solution will contribute significantly to the Nigerian economy, reducing the country’s foreign exchange outflow.

In his words:

“Companies like ours we buy the eSIM from another company outside Nigeria. We bleed foreign exchange to that country. We buy it and then we resell it to travellers living in Nigeria. The Nigerian customer pays me naira. I pay the company that I buy the eSIM from in US dollars.

“Now, with a local organization, having that solution, it’s about 1.5 billion customers at Wakanow.com. It means that I can give that product to 1.5 billion customers and reduce the foreign exchange bleed out that happens in Nigeria.”

On his part, Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, director general of ICRC, urged the government to create an environment for business to thrive, “to remove the barriers for business to grow, to create new conditions that allow you to be self-sufficient, which has nothing to do with dividing the willies of others, and for them to be able to succeed in what they do”.

“The way Tata, the global giant in telecommunication, has believed in us and has partnered with us, I would like to look at that as a thrust that Nigeria is able to build across the globe, and Nigeria is looked at as an opportunity, and at the same time, seen as one of the leading emerging market countries”.

Also, Tony Agenmonmen, the immediate past President of the National Institute of Marketing (NIMN) congratulated Emosim for coming up with a solution to a common problem that confronts every traveler.

“And the fact that this is coming from a Nigerian company, by Nigerians, of course, with the support of Tata, I think it brings a kind of confidence that good things can come from Nigeria. And indeed, good things can come from our country”, he said.