Lagos, Nigeria – In a forward-looking move to reshape digital engagement for enterprises, MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with Bayobab and META, hosted the NextNow Business Forum at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The high-profile event gathered industry leaders, senior executives, and customer experience professionals from medium to large enterprises and the public sector to explore the future of business communication and digital transformation.
At the heart of the event was the unveiling and live demonstration of MTN’s Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS) an integrated, real-time, cloud-based solution designed to empower businesses with scalable, multi-channel communication capabilities. The CPaaS platform allows seamless integration of communication tools such as voice calls, SMS, WhatsApp, email, and video calls into existing business systems, enhancing operational efficiency and customer engagement.
Speaking at the forum, Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, described the platform as a game-changer.
The CPaaS platform represents a shift in how businesses build connections with their customers. It creates affinity, drives real engagement, and enables personalised experiences. We’re excited about its upcoming launch in Q3 and the immense value it promises to deliver to businesses navigating today’s digital economy.”
According to market intelligence from Future Market Insights, the global CPaaS market is on a steep growth trajectory projected to rise from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4%. In Nigeria, adoption is accelerating rapidly as businesses seek to reduce costs, automate workflows, and improve customer journeys through real-time, omnichannel communication.
The event featured an engaging fireside chat with Omowunmi Olatunbosun and Stephen Agbi, Manager, Market Management at Bayobab, who highlighted how CPaaS empowers organisations to deliver consistent, mobile-first, and rich media interactions tailored to customer needs.
Another notable highlight was a presentation titled “Driving Business Growth Through Digital Tools: Why WhatsApp Matters,” delivered by Korhan Yunak, Head of Programs for Telco Ecosystem Partnerships, EMEA, at META. Yunak emphasized WhatsApp’s dominant role in Nigeria’s digital economy, noting that the country has over 51 million active users and the highest WhatsApp penetration rate globally at 95.1%. In 2023 alone, Nigeria generated an estimated $382 million in revenue through WhatsApp Business, ranking fifth globally.
The NextNow Business Forum also featured keynote speeches from MTN Nigeria’s leadership and its partners, focusing on digital infrastructure, business enablement strategies, and future-facing solutions for enterprise growth.
With this forum, MTN Nigeria reinforced its commitment to driving digital innovation, helping businesses leverage modern communication tools to increase competitiveness, foster customer loyalty, and achieve sustainable growth in the digital age.
