Nigeria licenses 25 companies to offer telco services. 2 other stories and a trivia

This line-up of stories will help you discover the latest happenings around the tech world, today.

1. Nigeria licenses 25 companies to offer telco services 

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced granting licenses to 25 companies to offer telco services under the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) framework.

NCC made the announcement in a press release forwarded to newsrooms on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

MVNOs, which are independent entities, lease network services from existing mobile network operators (MNOs) instead of owning their own physical network infrastructure.

MVNOs can provide their own branded mobile services with flexible pricing, service plans, and value-added features.

By leveraging MNO infrastructure, MVNOs can enter the market without substantial investment in network infrastructure, focusing on unique services, customer experience, and competitive pricing.

These 25 new MVNOs will offer telecom services similar to incumbents like MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9Mobile, contributing to extending telecom services to rural and underserved communities.

The MVNO framework includes tiered licenses ranging from tier 1 to tier 5. So far, none of the licensed companies have obtained a tier 1 license.

Seven companies hold tier 2 licenses, including Routelink Integrated Systems Ltd, Hazon Technologies Limited, Asel Telecom Nigeria Limited, Briclinks Africa Plc, Pisi Mobile Services Limited, Univasa Nigeria Limited, and Imose Technologies Limited.

Seven companies have been licensed under tier 3: Amics Technologies Limited, Zegtel Limited, Telewyz Limited, Siu Telecommunications Network, Abrindex Nigeria Limited, Metropolitan Consortium Nigeria Ltd, and IPNX Nigeria Limited.

Tier 4 includes Imbil Telecoms Solutions Nig. Ltd, Environmental Expressions Limited, and DMK Telecommunication Nig. Ltd.

Tier 5 consists of eight licensed companies: Systegra Technologies Limited, Choffan Communications Limited, Mab Consultant and Associates Ltd, H & Y Business Global Limited, Taima Technologies Ltd, Global Communication Extension Services Ltd, USKS Ventures International Ltd, and Paribas Communication Limited.

The NCC has generated approximately N5.9 billion in licensing fees from issuing the MVNO licenses to these 25 companies.

 

TECH TRIVIA: Which of these variables is written in snake case?

1. myVariable
2. MyVariable
3. my_variable
4. my-variable

Answer: see end of post

 

2. Saudi Autobia raises US$2.5m seed funding to expand venture

 

Autobia, a B2B platform for automotive aftersales and spare parts, has raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round.

READ ALSO:SA’s EMGuidance launches digital prescription tool. 2 other stories and a trivia

This is contained in a press release seen by Ripples Nigeria on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

The funding round, according to the press statement, was led by Sadu Capital and supported by Waed Ventures by Aramco, Raz Holding, Techstars, and a group of angel investors.

The funds will be used to expand Autobia’s operations within Saudi Arabia, attract new segments in the automotive aftersales industry, and invest in talent acquisition and technology development.

Autobia aims to reshape the automotive aftersales market in Saudi Arabia by providing a seamless platform for retailers and maintenance shops to order wholesale spare parts through their app.

The company was founded in 2021 by Emad Daghreri, a serial entrepreneur, and partner at Tam, and Ahmed Alawfi, a strategic leader with a background in technology and investment.

Autobia’s platform streamlines the supply chain, connecting supply and demand and offering businesses access to digital and logistical infrastructure.

The company focuses on empowering businesses with efficient selling capabilities through data-driven innovation, optimized pricing strategies, trend identification, and personalized recommendations.

Autobia has already traded over 1,000,000 spare parts via its platform, operates fulfillment centers in Riyadh and Jeddah, and plans to expand its offerings as it continues to grow.

 

3. Egypt’s Rology acquires Saudi Arabia-based Arkan United

 

Egypt-based healthtech company Rology has acquired Saudi Arabian counterpart Arkan United, with the value of the transaction undisclosed.

The acquisition will allow Rology to expand its presence in the Saudi healthcare sector.

Rology, founded in 2017, offers an on-demand teleradiology platform utilizing AI and cloud computing to deliver reports within 12 hours or 60 minutes for emergency cases.

Arkan United, founded in 2020, provides a teleradiology platform for medical centers, local hospitals, and polyclinics.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that the deal was signed by Rology CEO Amr Abodriaa and Arkan’s CEO Tarik Baeshen, aiming to bring innovative teleradiology solutions to healthcare providers and patients.

Rology plans to revolutionize teleradiology and improve patient care by combining its technology and network with Arkan’s expertise.

This acquisition aligns with Rology’s strategic focus on Saudi Arabia as a key market and its commitment to delivering top-quality reporting in a cost-efficient manner.

The healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia is growing, and Rology aims to address the rising demand and challenges by providing fast and high-quality reporting through its rigorous radiologist recruitment process and matchmaking algorithm.

 

Trivia Answer: Snake Case

Snake case (or “snake_case”) is a naming convention that replaces spaces in compound words with underscores (_). It is commonly used by software developers for writing method and variable names in their source code, as well as when naming files used by their projects. 

While snake_case typically uses all lower-case letters, a version known as SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE uses all capital letters.

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