This strategic initiative builds on the strong foundation between the two companies and introduces new measures to capitalise on market opportunities and drive channel success.

Under the expanded partnership, Westcon and Nokia will collaborate closely on joint market engagement – shifting from fulfilment to a dedicated focus on proactively driving growth.

Westcon will onboard direct touch sales resources in select geographies and proactively engage with partners and end customers to identify opportunities for Nokia solutions.

Meanwhile Nokia will provide specialist insight for Westcon sales teams on identified whitespace Nokia technologies, ensuring deep technical expertise and market readiness.

Both organisations will co-manage pipeline development and forecasting, facilitate escalation within Nokia and support co-selling in key, must-win opportunities.

The partnership will also include co-marketing events designed to raise awareness and drive demand for Nokia’s portfolio across MEA.

“Our strengthened collaboration with Nokia in the MEA region exemplifies the strategic partnerships that we are increasingly forging with vendors,” said David Grant, CEO at Westcon-Comstor. “As the channel evolves, driving more distribution-led business is one of our key priorities and this agreement illustrates how we are adding ever greater value in line with our commitment to partner success.”

“This enhanced partnership with Nokia marks a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology solutions in the MEA region,” said Rakesh Parbhoo, executive vice president, Middle East and Africa at Westcon-Comstor. “By combining Nokia’s innovation with Westcon-Comstor’s channel expertise, we are creating new opportunities for partners to grow and succeed.”

“We are excited to strengthen our collaboration with Westcon-Comstor to bring Nokia’s industry-leading fixed, IP and optical network solutions to the partners across MEA,” said Kamal Ballout, head of Enterprise and Partners for Network Infrastructure, Middle East and Africa at Nokia. “Their deep market reach and proven ability to deliver value to partners make them an ideal ally. Together, we will help deliver the breadth of connectivity expertise, performance and security our customers need in the region.”

The month-long shopping festival will run from Saturday, November 1st to Sunday, November 30th, 2025, promising shoppers across Nigeria a more exciting, rewarding, and value-packed experience than ever before.

To build anticipation, Early Bird Deals kicked off on October 26th and will run through October 31st, giving early shoppers a head start on some of the year’s most incredible bargains. This exclusive pre-sale window allows customers to secure limited-time offers before the official Yakata sale commences.

Since its inception, Konga Yakata has redefined Black Friday shopping in Nigeria. Evolving beyond a retail event, it has become a nationwide celebration of value, convenience, and trust, firmly positioning Konga as the go-to destination for millions of Nigerians seeking genuine products at the best possible prices.

According to the management of Konga, the 2025 edition of Yakata will surpass previous years with new innovations, expanded product categories, richer customer experiences, and unmatched discounts.

This year’s event will feature engaging activities such as Treasure Hunts, Combo Day, Week of Wonder, Flash Sales, Live Auctions on Konga Radio 103.7FM, Giveaways, Freebies, and the same-day delivery option on KongaNow items, ensuring every shopper enjoys an unforgettable experience.

The campaign will also extend across multiple channels, online and in Konga Retail Stores nationwide, offering customers flexible shopping options and exclusive in-store deals.

A wide range of products will be available across various categories, including Laptops, Desktops and Accessories, Mobile Phones and Tablets, Home and Kitchen Appliances, Electronics, Fashion, Groceries, Baby, Kids & Toys, and Wines & Spirits.

Shoppers can expect massive discounts on top brands, including HP, Samsung, Apple, Haier Thermocool, iPower, Tecno, L’Oréal, Zinox, Nexus, Infinix, Nokia, iTec, Polystar, Nivea, and Lenovo, among others.

In line with its mission to promote financial inclusion and digital convenience, KongaPay is offering shoppers an instant 10% discount when they pay with their KongaPay wallet during the Yakata sale.

The company has also encouraged customers to download and activate their KongaPay app ahead of the sale for a seamless checkout experience, extra savings, and exclusive wallet-based deals.

Speaking on the upcoming sale, the management reaffirmed Konga’s commitment to customer satisfaction, genuine products, and affordable pricing.

“Konga Yakata is not just a sale; it’s a celebration of trust and value,” a company spokesperson noted. “Our goal is to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of their location or budget, can experience the joy of shopping for authentic products at unbeatable prices. This year, we are going even further with more deals, more engagement, and more innovation to delight our customers.”

Over the years, Konga Yakata has become an integral part of Nigeria’s retail calendar and is widely regarded as the benchmark for Black Friday sales in Africa. It has empowered millions of customers to access premium products, strengthening Konga’s position as a trusted household name in e-commerce.

As the countdown begins, Nigerians are urged to stay alert, prepare their shopping lists, and keep their devices close. Shoppers are also encouraged to follow Konga’s social media channels for firsthand updates, flash alerts, and exclusive Yakata offers.

The high-level session brought together senior executives, regulators, and investors from 15 countries across and beyond Africa.

During the Data Center Panel themed “Data Center and Cloud in Africa: The Journey to 2,500 MW,” industry experts, including Guy Zibi, Managing Partner at Xalam Analytics; Johnson Agogbua, Chief Executive Officer of Kasi Cloud Data Centers; Roger Shutte, General Manager, Infrastructure & Cloud Engineering at MTN Nigeria; Snehar Shah, Chief Executive Officer of IX Africa Data Centres; and Karim Amer, Head of IP Business for North, West, and Central Africa at Nokia, shared insights on Africa’s evolving data infrastructure landscape.

Amer from Nokia said North Africa is leading a new wave of investment. “By 2030, Egypt will account for about 25 percent of Africa’s total data center capacity, Morocco 15 percent, and Nigeria around 9 percent,” he said. “The balance of growth will depend on energy reliability, cross-border regulation, and policy openness.”

Zibi of Xalam Analytics, said the global AI race has redefined Africa’s opportunity map.

“If Africa captures even half a percent of global data-center power demand by 2030, that’s at least one gigawatt of new capacity,” he said. “The question is: who will finance, regulate, and staff it?”

Shah of IX Africa Data Centres, said regional frameworks will be key.

“We need East African data-sharing frameworks so neighbouring countries can use Kenya’s infrastructure,” he said. “Otherwise, capacity will remain isolated while demand elsewhere grows.”

Panelists agreed that AI, cloud, and fintech workloads are accelerating faster than infrastructure can keep up.  “The learning journey has shortened dramatically since November 2022 – what used to take 18 months to build as a minimum viable product now takes me an evening” said Roger Shutte, General Manager, Infrastructure & Cloud Engineering at MTN Nigeria. “The real challenge now is deployment — the infrastructure must be ready to keep up with that speed.”

The Hyperscalers Convergence Africa was convened by Africa Hyperscalers and supported by Nokia, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), IHS Towers, Vertiv, Equinix, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The company’s operating profit fell by 29% year-on-year to €301 million, far below market expectations. Analysts had anticipated closer to €402 million, according to a consensus compiled by Infront.

This is one of Nokia’s highest quarterly stumbles in recent years. The telecoms equipment manufacturer now expects 2025 operating profit to land between €1.6 billion and €2.1 billion, down from the earlier projection of €1.9 billion to €2.4 billion. 

The downgrade shows a €230 million hit from adverse currency movements, mainly due to the euro gaining against the dollar (EUR/USD from 1.04 to 1.17), and an additional €50–80 million in tariff-related costs.

CEO Justin Hotard, addressing the media in a post-earnings call, said: “Considering these two headwinds, we decided it was prudent at this point to lower our comparable operating profit outlook.”

The company’s shares sank 7.6% on Wednesday, its steepest one-day drop since April, before making a 1% rebound in early trading on Thursday. The market hadn’t priced in the scale of the financial impact.

Hotard, who took the role in April after leading Intel’s AI and data centre business, has made it apparent that Nokia’s sustainability lies in what he calls “AI-powered connectivity” and mission-critical infrastructure. 

And he’s not just talking, Nokia has already ramped up its R&D investment by 6% year-on-year, now standing at €1.126 billion. Focus areas include 5G standalone core networks, edge computing, and optical systems.

A big part of Nokia’s strategic play is defence. With NATO countries agreeing in June to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, the company sees a long runway of opportunities, especially in secure private networks and AI-enhanced tactical communications. 

“There’s a growing need for national security-grade connectivity infrastructure,” Hotard told Reuters, adding that NATO’s push opens the door for deeper collaboration in areas like cybersecurity and military-grade telecoms.

The second quarter’s financials confirmed earlier estimates: revenue inched up to €4.55 billion, but it wasn’t enough to offset losses driven by a €60 million currency revaluation and €20–30 million worth of tariff-related expenses. 

Currency sensitivity remains a major concern, Hotard estimates a 10 to 15 million euro hit for every single cent the euro gains over the dollar.

The company, however, wants to reduce complexity and redirect focus. Hotard says Nokia will simplify parts of its operations while continuing to build out its presence in both traditional telecom markets and emerging security-focused sectors.

It’s a transition for a company once known for its iconic 3310 handsets. A decade after ditching its consumer phone business, Nokia now straddles the line between legacy telecom infrastructure and frontier technology, with AI as its core growth engine. 

The firm expects to monetise AI infrastructure by 2027, suggesting it’s not merely a short-term bet, but a long-term pivot.

Despite the rocky start to the year resulting in low profit, Nokia maintains a cash cushion of €2.9 billion and is optimistic about a stronger second half, especially in Q4, which typically benefits from seasonal demand in network deployments.

Hotard is currently the executive vice president and general manager of the Data Center & AI Group at Intel.

This leadership change comes as telecom equipment makers, including Nokia, face a slowdown in 5G infrastructure sales. 

With artificial intelligence and data centre technology becoming top areas of growth, the decision taken by Nokia to appoint Justin Hotard is a well-thought focus on these emerging sectors.

Sari Baldauf, chair of Nokia’s Board, stressed Hotard’s expertise in these areas, saying, “He has a strong track record of accelerating growth in technology companies along with vast expertise in AI and data centre markets, which are critical areas for Nokia’s future growth.”

Market analysts have reacted to the development, with JPMorgan describing the leadership change as unexpected. “Given that a new CEO has already been appointed, it looks like this transition was in the works for some time. With the Datacentre and AI background of the new CEO, it is clear which areas Nokia wants to focus on,” they noted. 

Analysts at Inderes also view the move as a deliberate transition towards strengthening Nokia’s Network Infrastructure division, which is seeing increasing investments in AI-driven solutions.

Nokia has been striving to ensure its growth beyond traditional telecom equipment. Last year, the company announced a $2.3 billion acquisition of U.S.-based optical networking firm Infinera, aiming to capitalise on the rising demand for data centre infrastructure.

Even with gains of 27.85% in Nokia’s share price over the past year, the company’s stock is still lower than its peak in 2000. At the time of the announcement, Nokia’s shares rose by 1.6% to €4.70 on the Helsinki Stock Exchange, outperforming the market, which saw a 0.45% increase.

Lundmark, who took over as CEO in 2020, will remain with the company as an advisor to Hotard until the end of the year. 

Speaking on the leadership change, Baldauf explained, “The planning for this leadership transition was initiated when Pekka indicated to the Board that he would like to consider moving on from executive roles when the repositioning of the business was in a more advanced stage, and when the right successor had been identified.”

With Hotard’s appointment, Nokia seeks to increase its focus on AI and data centre infrastructure, aligning itself with the current demands of the technology sector.

The agreement, which will enable Nokia to extend its influence within the multimedia technology industry, ensures Samsung will pay royalties to Nokia for the use of these patented technologies, though the specific terms of the deal remain confidential. 

This new arrangement operates independently of an existing 5G patent license agreement already in place between the two companies.

Arvin Patel, chief licensing officer for New Segments at Nokia, noted the importance of the deal. He noted that the agreement strengthens Nokia’s place in multimedia technologies and its focus on innovation through decades of research and development.

With nearly 5,000 multimedia-related inventions to its name, Nokia has spent over 25 years impacting the use of video and multimedia technologies. The company has invested heavily in research and development, channelling approximately €150 billion since 2000 into a range of advanced technologies, including video compression, content delivery, and content recommendation systems.

In 2023 alone, Nokia allocated over €4 billion to R&D, boosting its reputation as a global innovator. This focus on cutting-edge development has enabled the company to lead advancements in both multimedia and telecommunications, ensuring its intellectual property remains a valuable asset for technology partners worldwide.

Beyond its multimedia innovation, Nokia’s work spans mobile, fixed, and cloud networks, leveraging its renowned Nokia Bell Labs for long-term research. Its open and high-performance network architectures continue to attract partners globally, delivering sustainable and secure solutions for the digital age.

This agreement with Samsung will further enable Nokia to monetise its intellectual property portfolio while facilitating partnerships that bolster consumer electronics and digital services.

As a keen observer of Nigeria’s technology and digital economy sector, I’ve been impressed by your low-key yet effective approach to driving progress.

Despite the ministry’s robust activities, your behind-the-scenes style suggests a commitment to substance over showmanship.

Given your tenure as Chief Technology Officer at Interswitch and your entrepreneurial endeavours at Ceviant, your expertise in the digital space is undeniable. This positions you uniquely to offer strategic advice to the government.

I’m compelled to bring to your attention the precarious state of the telecom sub-sector. Nigeria’s digital economy has tremendous potential, but regulatory challenges, infrastructure deficits, and market pressures threaten the very survival of telecom operators.

The sector’s growth is hindered by issues such as multiple taxation, issues over right of way, infrastructure damage and the unsustainable pricing framework amongst others.

I think I hit the point too early. Let me provide some context; a historical perspective on the sector’s development is essential to grasp the current challenges.

When the Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM) was first introduced into the Nigerian market in 2001, the acquisition of a cellular device swiftly became a badge of distinction, signifying one’s immersion in the technological revolution of the 21st century.

The devices became the exclusive purview and financial burden of the elite, relegating many middle-class households to sharing a solitary device among its members. It was expected.

The cost of procuring a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) hovered between N40,000 to N50,000 (about $384 to $480 at the time), while iconic models such as the NOKIA 3310 and Samsung series commanded prices exceeding N80,000 (about $769) to over N100,000 (about $961).

At inception, networks operated within the 900 and 1800 MHz spectrum with a billing structure set at about N50 per minute, until the introduction of the per-second billing system which revolutionised the industry. As such, barely 10% of the country’s 125-million population could afford to own a device with regular credit recharge.

Mr. Special Adviser, you’re aware that before the arrival of such devices with an unattainable luxury status for the economically disadvantaged, Nigerians had long grappled with problematic services from the oft-maligned Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).

Until 2001, NITEL’s 16-year operation was plagued with citizen discontent over poor management as it maintained monopoly over Nigeria’s telecommunications and data services.

The arrival of GSM — spearheaded by MTN, Econet (now Airtel) and MTEL months apart in 2001, and Globacom two years later in 2003 — to relieve the troubled service provider, therefore, changed everything.

In mobile phone accessibility and internet service affordability progress since that time, the numbers have been staggering.

By 2022, two decades after GSM introduction, more than 222 million mobile phone subscribers existed in Nigeria according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), out of which over 215 million were active.

The projections for the future are just as phenomenal. A steady surge in smartphone adoption is expected across the country from 2024 to 2029, with the user base estimated to reach a new peak in the next five years.

Network subscriptions costs are also among the lowest in the continent. Mobile data subscriptions in Nigeria, today, are available for as low as N25 while call rates go as low as 9 kobo per second.

However, considering Nigeria’s business climate in recent years, providing affordable services to citizens while maintaining high-standard infrastructure presents the greatest challenge for the telecommunications industry and operators in the country.

Experts within the sector and the economy like Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, and Bismarck Rewane, CEO of Financial Derivatives, have postulated that the sector is at the verge of collapse, one which portends consequential risk to other sectors which rely on the critical services the Telcos provide.

Nigeria’s economy has experienced two major recessions over the last 10 years and currently faces one of its most difficult periods of uncertainty.

Recent market conditions and currency devaluation have plunged the value of Naira in the foreign exchange market, resulting in skyrocketed prices of commodities.

Unfortunately, the telecommunications sector, which contributes approximately 16% to Nigeria’s GDP, is, like other sectors, not immune to the profound repercussions of the prevailing economic upheavals.

The telecoms industry, like many others in the country, is heavily reliant on foreign exchange (FX) for the procurement of essential equipment, infrastructure, and technology.

With a significant portion of telecom equipment and services being imported from foreign markets, fluctuations in currency exchange rates directly impact the cost of operations for industry players.

As the value of the Naira fluctuates against major currencies such as the US Dollar and Euro, the cost of procuring equipment and services denominated in foreign currencies escalates, placing immense strain on the financial resources of telecom companies.

MTN Nigeria and Airtel were among 11 listed companies, including Nestle and Dangote Cement Plc, which recorded 2.02 trillion naira FX losses in H1 of 2024.

Mobile network operators in the telecommunications sector, whose tariffs are rigorously regulated by the NCC, therefore, face a dilemma in balancing investments towards sustaining quality and affordable services for their vast subscriber base with their goal of achieving profitability.

For a sector battling various environmental and infrastructural impediments including frequent fibre cuts due to road construction and vandalism, right-of-way challenges, and exploitative rent-seeking practices, maintaining operational efficiency amidst prevalent economic adversities become increasingly daunting.

None of these existing challenges are alien to industry regulators and stakeholders. Operators’ advocacy for critical infrastructure protection in the ICT/telecommunications sector in recent years has especially served as a striking illustration of a cry for proactive actions to curtail the profound financial impact of such obstacles on its operations.

Yet, while these challenges persist, mobile network operators have remained unflinching in their commitments to ensuring seamless connectivity, service reliability, and pricing affordability for their subscribers.

Despite Nigeria’s headline inflation rate surging to a 27-year peak of 29.9% in December 2023 and reaching 31.7% in March 2024, the telecoms industry, compared to other sectors adeptly adapting to Nigeria’s changing market conditions, continues to find itself traversing the intricate terrain of regulatory compliance and financial viability.

In the mobile market which maintains a strong connection to the telecoms sector, for instance, prices of mobile phones, today, have nearly doubled to reflect the rising cost of production and import, while call and data tariffs largely remain the same they have been for over a decade.

A similar rise in cost has been evident in food prices which increased to over 30% in February, impacting the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

The sector has since adjusted, with FMCG corporations including brewing companies increasing product prices in tandem with the high cost of raw materials and production.

Companies in other sectors providing domestic consumer needs, such as Pay TV companies and Discos, have also duly followed suit by conducting price reviews in recent times.

It should also be noted that energy costs have been a significant factor in the general upward pressure on costs across the economy, particularly affecting telecom companies, for whom diesel accounts for approximately 35% of their operational expenses.

While these price adjustments may be inconvenient for consumers due to limited purchasing power, they are more than necessary for businesses to continue to meet demands, deliver value to shareholders, and contribute significantly to the Nigerian economy.

It is especially pivotal to recognise the broader socio-economic implications for Nigeria if the telecoms sector sticks with its pricing plans as other sectors adapt.

The industry is reputable for its crucial role in driving economic growth, creating employment opportunities, and improving digital inclusion efforts across the country.

Notably, over 15,000 have been directly employed by licensees in Nigeria’s $75.6 billion telecoms sector, according to a December 2022 report by the NCC.

Also, as of second quarter 2023, the Information and Telecommunications industry ranked highly among activity sectors contributing the most to the country’s GDP.

Not least of mobile service providers’ critical contributions to socio-economic issues is their position at the forefront of Nigeria’s digital inclusion ambitions, which sees them providing more than 83 million citizens with the opportunity to benefit from prompt information access and exchange necessary for increased social and business productivity.

A lack of adjustments within the sector amidst FX-dependent pressures and rising inflation will indubitably pose a threat to these transformative indicators in the next few years.

When telecom companies struggle to maintain and expand their infrastructure, there are higher chances of network congestion, dropped calls, and slow internet speeds that can undermine productivity, hinder business operations, and diminish the overall quality of communication services.

Operators’ ability to invest in infrastructure upgrades, network expansion, and technological advancements could be significantly hampered, significantly impacting coverage and service quality.

They can’t afford to test consumers’ patience in this regard.

Quality of Service (QoS) in the sector is, indeed, deemed non-negotiable among consumers. Regardless of any situation within or beyond their control, operators are expected to uphold high standards of service delivery to remain competitive and retain customer loyalty, and any compromise can have far-reaching consequences.

But maintaining and improving on progress made thus far in the sector would be impossible without access to adequate financial resources for further investments.

It is, as such, a critical time to employ new adaptive strategies for the sector to achieve profitability and survive in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Operators such as MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile have, commendably, demonstrated an understanding of the grim economic situation impact on citizens’ spending power by adhering to regulators’ rules and showing restraints in pushing for higher charges.

Their show of empathy, however, could be their Archille’s nemesis in a brutal business and economic climate. Hence, the review of tariffs to reflect new economic realities, despite regulators’ reluctance, may be overdue.

At this crucial moment, the onus falls on regulators to ensure consumers are adequately enlightened on how an upward revision of tariffs is imperative for the industry’s viability, as it would provide crucial funding for network infrastructure upgrades necessary for the continued delivery of world class services.

A measured review of current tariffs, with pricing plans that are adaptive and responsive to the changing business and economic climate, would ensure the industry mitigates potential socio-economic and business risks.

Although there would be a need for regulators to strike a delicate balance between consumer protection and the sustainability of the telecom industry.

Nigeria’s leading telecoms companies, including MTN, Glo, Airtel & 9mobile, have expressed their readiness to collaborate with regulators on reasonable adjustments in call and data tariffs to mitigate the cost of running their networks.

“For a fully liberalised and deregulated sector, the current price control mechanism, which is not aligned with economic realities, threatens the industry’s sustainability and can erode investors’ confidence,” the telcos, speaking as a unit under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), explained in a recent statement.

As the economic pressures on the sector intensify, consumers would hope that the operators’ concerns are understood, and urgent actions are taken to ensure their continued access to improved quality services, before the inevitable damaging impact of a lack of it becomes more pronounced than imagined.

As I conclude, I must emphasise that your understanding of the sector is evident from your track record. Your article published on TechCabal on August 21, 2024, compellingly argued the significance of the NIMC for Nigeria’s digital future.

Building on this, the NIMC and Nigeria’s digitalization efforts rely heavily on telecom sustainability and development.

Consequently, Nigeria’s digital transformation and leveraging technology for national economic growth hinge on telecom efficiency, underscoring the imperative to address the sector’s concerns.

I acknowledge that you are neither the supervising minister for the industry nor the regulator. Incidentally, the current individuals holding these positions are doing an exemplary job, given the circumstances.

Nevertheless, your in-depth knowledge of the industry and the trust you’ve earned from the president and minister position you uniquely to intervene effectively.

You now have a critical opportunity to bring to the president’s attention the plight of this vital sector, often described as the ‘golden goose’ of Nigeria’s economy.

By advocating for strategic policy decisions, such as cost-reflective tariffs, tax harmonization, intervening in right of way issues amongst others, you can help restore investor confidence, drive infrastructure development, refocus on key objectives, and enhance network optimization for both private and public entities.

*Edidiong Samuel Akpabio is a Nigerian public commentator, researcher and academic. He can be reached via: esakpabio@yahoo.co.uk

The acquisition will enable Nokia to strengthen its presence in the 5G space by providing telecom operators with a platform to enhance network accessibility for developers. 

Rapid’s technology, particularly its API hub, will be integrated into Nokia’s “Network as Code” initiative, aiming to unlock new opportunities for innovation within 5G and 4G networks.

With Rapid’s API solutions now under its umbrella, Nokia intends to support telecom providers in capitalising on network capabilities by making them accessible to third-party developers. 

Nokia’s new framework will enable mobile carriers to offer secure, standardised APIs, allowing developers to build diverse applications and services on existing network infrastructures. 

The platform has already attracted interest from industry giants such as BT, DISH, Google Cloud, Orange, and Telefonica, promising an extensive global reach for its 5G innovation strategy.

This acquisition is also a strategic pivot for Nokia. Once big in mobile handset manufacturing, Nokia gradually transitioned to telecom infrastructure after losing ground in the smartphone sector. 

Now, with the integration of Rapid’s API marketplace, Nokia will serve as an important link between telecom and technology. This step symbolises Nokia’s aim to help mobile operators seamlessly connect with the digital ecosystem, stimulating a new wave of services powered by 5G.

Network operators and tech companies alike are investing heavily in 5G infrastructure and leveraging Rapid’s technology will help Nokia empower telecom companies with a flexible API management solution, which will allow real-time control of API usage, enhanced lifecycle management, and improved developer collaboration.

Raghav Sahgal, Nokia’s president of Cloud and Network Services, emphasised the importance of creating a scalable platform that bridges telecom capabilities with developers worldwide. 

“Operators need a bridge to thousands of developers to drive value creation and monetise networks. Rapid’s API technology and skilled R&D team will support Nokia in accelerating the adoption of network APIs,” Sahgal stated.

Rapid’s CEO, Marc Friend, noted that Nokia’s scale and extensive industry expertise provide an opportunity to expand the reach and impact of Rapid’s API solutions.

Through the merger with Nokia, Rapid will contribute its API marketplace and enterprise-grade technology to a platform already gaining momentum in the global market.

Although the terms of the acquisition have not been publicly disclosed, this deal reiterated Nokia’s continued investment in future-proofing the telecom sector and enhancing its 5G offerings. 

The integration of Rapid’s assets, from its API hub to its developer network, is expected to drive global innovation, making it easier for network operators to collaborate with technology providers and developers worldwide. 

This builds on an ongoing partnership, where Nokia is a strategic technology partner in establishing Ghana’s first 5G network. 

As a shared neutral host network, NGIC will leverage this 5G infrastructure to provide wholesale services to various mobile operators in Ghana, enabling them to deliver high-speed, reliable 5G connectivity to their customers.

The 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) Core will provide the security, resiliency and reliability that is needed to deliver 5G services in Ghana. 

This agreement includes Nokia’s Cloud Mobility Manager (CMM) and Cloud Mobile Gateway (CMG), in addition to the earlier announced 4G and 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) AirScale base stations, and will be comprehensively managed by Nokia’s MantaRay network management system. 

Furthermore, Nokia will provide its end-to-end service suite for the full scope of the deal, making Nokia an end-to-end network partner of NGIC.

 The Nokia and NGIC 5G open-access and cloud-based network will offer mobile operators in Ghana a shared, secure, environmentally sustainable and high-speed network that will enable the rapid expansion of 5G services with reduced capital expenditure. 

In the future, the network will enable newer capabilities, like enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communication and ultra-reliable low-latency communication.

NGIC plans to launch its wholesale 4G and 5G Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) within 2024.

Additionally, to keep the shared network at the forefront of technology, Nokia and NGIC will build a flagship 4G/5G Center of Excellence in Ghana that will serve as a test bed for newer technologies and use cases, and also demonstrate Nokia’s capabilities on network sharing, Cloud RAN and Open RAN.

Harikirit Singh, executive director of NGIC Ghana, said: “We chose Nokia because they are a trusted and proven partner in Africa that can deliver on our ambitions to introduce 5G services in Ghana. As NGIC is a wholesale network provider to mobile operators in Ghana, Nokia’s 5G RAN and Core solution is a key part of our network evolution as it incorporates the flexibility, scalability, resilience and security that we need as the sole 5G network in the country. This will enable us to integrate more seamlessly with our clients’ networks to deliver 5G services to the people and businesses of Ghana.”

 Michael Tseytlin, chief technology officer of NGIC Ghana, stated: “In partnership with Nokia, we will empower our customers to fully benefit from 5G in Ghana, with plans to extend this to other regions in Africa. NGIC will utilize Nokia’s technology and products to deploy network infrastructure and related services, aiming to serve both enterprise and consumer markets. This initiative will help bridge the digital divide and introduce new services in finance, healthcare and education to enable Ghana’s transition to the digital economy.”

Mikko Lavanti, senior vice president – MEA Market, Mobile Networks, Nokia said: “Partnering with NGIC on building the first 4G/5G Network as a Service (NaaS) in Africa is a great opportunity with strong purpose to serve the continent’s needs. This alternative network model is a smart approach towards smart CAPEX and OPEX investment, which will help MNOs introduce the latest technologies in a faster and more efficient way.” 

Samar Mittal, vice president – MEA Market, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia said: “Nokia is proud to partner with NGIC in Ghana and help them realize their ambitions to introduce the first 5G network in Ghana.

“This 5G network will undoubtedly bring high-speed mobile data to the people of Ghana and it will also support a plethora of new business use cases that will drive socio-economic growth. We are committed to the success of the NGIC network to help realize their innovative vision to bridge the digital divide in Ghana.”

Infobip’s market-leading cloud Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provides developers with APIs for integrating real-time omnichannel communications features such as SMS, voice, video, chat apps, and network APIs into their applications.

Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal offers developers APIs for tapping into 5G network capabilities like quality of service (QoS) on demand, device location precision and network slicing, as well as 4G capabilities.

Developers will be able to utilize all of those capabilities more easily, giving them complete coverage of Network and CPaaS APIs in the development of new use cases and the capacity to enhance application performance.

Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal brings together networks from around the world, along with systems integrators and software developers, into a unified ecosystem; using technical standards produced through industry initiatives such as the GSMA Open Gateway initiative and the Linux Foundation CAMARA. Nokia and Infobip contribute to both initiatives.

Infobip’s customer engagement use cases include CAMARA-compliant Number Verify and SIM Swap APIs, which are already live.

The firm is also working to bring further use cases to market including Device Location and Quality on Demand APIs, having now signed 12 API collaboration agreements.

The CPaaS platform was recently named a finalist in the inaugural Global Mobile Awards GSMA Open Gateway Challenge for its anti-fraud intelligence collaboration.

The joint work between Infobip and Nokia will offer a simplified developer experience without the burden of navigating the complex underlying network technologies, allowing developers to integrate capabilities into their applications faster, relative to working separately with the two companies’ platforms.

Nokia has signed collaboration agreements with 11 network operators and ecosystem partners to use the Network as Code platform with developer portal since its launch in September 2023.

Matija Ražem, VP of Business Development, at Infobip said: 

“This agreement with Nokia further demonstrates how Infobip is helping telcos deliver new services and gain new revenue. We will continue to build and offer additional CAMARA-compliant APIs worldwide, working closely with our telco partners to expose customer experience friendly APIs to developers It is testament to our global market-leading CPaaS position, strong developer relations and history of strategic telco collaborations. These are essential to increase the potential for a successful collaboration and faster time to revenue.”

Shkumbin Hamiti, Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said: 

“This partnering agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to work closely with the developer community. It is about expanding choice and scale and giving developers a one-stop shop for extracting value from Infobip’s and Nokia’s platforms. We look forward to working with Infobip and maximizing our respective technologies.”