Nigerian government signs MoU with Ericsson for 5G tech development, aiming to drive digital growth and innovation in Nigeria. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The Nigerian Government has entered into a partnership with Ericsson to explore the potential of 5G connectivity within the country.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during an October 18 visit by a Nigerian government delegation to Ericsson’s global headquarters in Sweden, led by vice-president Kashim Shettima.

This MoU aims to establish a cooperative framework between the Nigerian Government and Ericsson Nigeria, focusing on the development, deployment, and innovation of 5G technology. As Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria represents over 15%of the continent’s population.

Nigerian Innovation

The partnership’s key objectives include supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation goals, driving economic growth, and enhancing public services using advanced, secure 5G technology. Additionally, the collaboration aims to foster knowledge exchange, build capacity within the tech sector, support the creation of innovation hubs and tech incubators, and improve digital literacy and skills development across Nigeria.

"It was an honor to show the Vice President, and his delegation colleagues, Ericsson’s leadership in 5G and technology capabilities at first-hand. We look forward to working in close partnership with the Nigerian government to develop the innovation potential of 5G for Nigerian businesses, citizens and for national digital competitiveness," said Patrick Johansson, president, Market Area Middle East and Africa.

Ericsson has had a presence in Nigeria since 1978, supporting network deployments, including the launch of the nation’s first GSM network in 2001.

Tantum IT boosts operations and client satisfaction with Paratus South Africa’s Eutelsat OneWeb LEO satellite solution. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Tantum IT, a prominent IT service provider, focuses on remote IT management, cloud services, and secure data handling, particularly for clients in remote and high-demand settings

To ensure the reliability of these services, stable and robust internet connectivity is essential. To address connectivity challenges, Tantum IT partnered with Paratus South Africa, an official distributor of Eutelsat OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) services in the country. This technology proved ideal for Tantum IT, offering high-speed and stable connections that outperformed long-range Wi-Fi and conventional satellite links.

Before implementing Paratus South Africa’s Eutelsat OneWeb solution, Tantum IT faced significant operational disruptions, especially when clients experienced issues with Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions, IPsec tunnels for shared drive access, and other business tools. Tasks like uploading high-resolution images and using shared drives were slow and inefficient.

Boosting connectivity effortlessly

Paratus South Africa’s LEO service transformed Tantum IT’s operations, improving both efficiency and client satisfaction.

Integrating the Eutelsat OneWeb service with Tantum IT’s existing infrastructure was seamless. Paratus South Africa provided a DHCP range outside of the existing network, making the connection to Tantum IT’s Fortigate Firewall straightforward. Tantum IT’s team managed the configuration internally, while Paratus South Africa’s proactive support ensured a smooth deployment, quickly addressing any challenges.

The deployment of Paratus’s LEO solution led to notable enhancements in connectivity, speed, and reliability. At Doornkop, users accessed shared drives effortlessly, completed tasks swiftly, and maintained stable VPN connections. Tests demonstrated additional advantages, including smooth email server operations, effective use of the Oracle Finance system, and reliable video conferencing. Users experienced uninterrupted sessions, and tasks like photo uploads and content streaming became faster.

Kallie Carlsen, managing director of Paratus South Africa, commented, “For businesses and industries operating in remote areas, traditional connectivity solutions often fall short in providing the reliability and speed needed for daily operations. LEO satellite technology is uniquely positioned to overcome these challenges by delivering high-speed, low-latency internet access. At Paratus South Africa, we specialise in providing tailored satellite solutions that ensure our clients, like Tantum IT, can operate efficiently and without disruption, no matter where they are located. Our partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb allows us to offer a robust connectivity solution that meets the demands of even the most challenging environments.”

Tantum IT’s collaboration with Paratus South Africa has been a success. Installations were completed professionally and on time, with swift resolution of any issues. The high level of support and service from Paratus South Africa reaffirmed Tantum IT’s decision to maintain the partnership.

Bossie Matthyser, resort manager at Doornkop, shared,“Since the installation of the LEO solution at Doornkop, latency has dropped from 1000ms to 100ms, and both upload and download speeds have improved dramatically. Saving 16 high-resolution photos to our shared folder now takes just 45 seconds instead of seven minutes per photo. Communication on Signal and WhatsApp has also improved significantly. I can’t fault the service and the solution that Paratus South Africa has given us – it’s shifted our business into another and higher gear.”

Looking ahead, Tantum IT plans to leverage Paratus's support to fuel its growth and expand its service offerings. As new opportunities and challenges emerge, especially in remote regions, Tantum IT intends to continue working with Paratus to explore LEO and other connectivity solutions. This ongoing partnership is vital for maintaining Tantum IT’s reputation for delivering dependable, high-quality IT services.