Tag: NCC

NCC moves to strengthen colocation, infrastructure sharing market segment

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced the process of conducting a study to assess the current level of competition in the colocation and infrastructure sharing (CIS) segment of the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports seventy-eight licensees are currently operating in that market segment.

The study is to enable the Commission to have insightful and evidence-based facts to glean the dynamics at play and ensure the continuous growth of the CIS segment of the telecom market. The NCC takes this issue as priority in view of the critical role played by the colocation and infrastructure sharing segment of the telecom ecosystem in ensuring robust services.

Already, the Commission has engaged the services of Messrs. Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC), one of the world’s reputable consulting firms, to conduct the study on its behalf, in exercise of NCC’s regulatory functions as provided in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003. The study is expected to be concluded between April and July, 2022.

Speaking at the NCC’s stakeholders’ forum recently organised in Lagos on the commencement of the study, the Director, Policy, Competition and Economy Analysis (PCEA) at NCC, Yetunde Akinloye, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the forum was hosted to intimate operators in the CIS segment of the telecom market on the study and to secure their buy-in and cooperation with the consultants undertaking the study.

Akinloye reasoned that, in line with its mandate of creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services, the NCC periodically conducts studies to assess the level of competition in the industry.

“Having successfully conducted competition assessment studies in 2005, 2010 and 2013, the Commission had issued determinations based on the findings of the studies while outcome of such studies has also enabled the Commission to come up with various regulatory interventions and initiatives to continuously provide a level-playing field for the interplay of market forces. These procedures are emplaced by the Commission to ensure fair, efficient and sustainable competition in the Nigerian telecom industry,” Akinloye said.

Despite the measurable progress made by the Commission, Akinloye stated that, since the successful completion of the 2013 study, there had been significant development and activities in some market segments of the industry that had necessitated the conduct of another competition study.

For instance, at the time the 2013 study was conducted, the CIS market segment was still at embryonic stage and as such, much emphasis was not placed on it.

However, “The CIS segment has recorded significant growth and transformation over the years having about 80 licensees, operating in the segment while its performance and activities continue to impact significantly on other segments of the Nigerian industry. The Director PCEA also informed that activities in the CIS market has also attained the targets set out in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025)”.

Akinloye further declared that the overarching objective of the study is to provide current insights into the level of competition in the CIS market segment and articulate strategies to enhance opportunities in the market, as well as ensure the deepening of competition which will ultimately support the provision of innovative services for the benefits of both market players and the consumers at large.

“Therefore, in line with NCC’s participatory approach to regulation, this initial stakeholders forum has been convened to formally introduce the project and the appointed consultants to the industry”.

Akinloye informed participants and asserted that the forum provides opportunities for stakeholders to gain an understanding into the objective, scope and methodology of the study, as well as to ensure that questionnaire or Request for Information (RFI) developed by the consultants to access the level of competition in the market are well understood.

Thus, Akinloye rallied the stakeholders to see the forum as an opportunity “to seek and receive clarification based on presentation delivered by the consultant and to make comments on issues relating to the study. She urged all participants to “commit to the objectives of the study, by providing complete, timely feedback to questionnaires.”

Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC, Bako Wakil, also joined Akinloye in seeking the full cooperation of licensees in the CIS segment of the telecom market whenever they are approached by the consultants for relevant information either through the instrumentality of the RFI or through one-on-one sessions with consultants in the course of the implementation of the study.

According to Wakil, the study is in the interest of the CIS licensees, other players and the consumers. It will also provide the Commission with useful and evidenced-based insights necessary to ensure healthy competition and a level-playing ground in the CIS segment and ensure sustainability in the growth of the telecommunication industry.

“Also, rest assured of the confidentiality of any information provided to the Commission in the course of this study, no matter how sensitive,” Bako said to the enthusiastic audience.

Earlier in her presentation to telecom stakeholders at the event, Partner at PwC, Mary Iwelumo, amplified the voice of the Commission on the objectives of the study and urged them to cooperate with the firm in providing accurate, timely and adequate responses to the RFI or the questionnaire that would be administered. This will ensure that appropriate information are to obtained to address the challenges in the sector.

Iwelumo stated that the study is to analyse the structure and operations of the collocation and infrastructure sharing segment of the telecoms market, draw out insights and advise the Commission on necessary regulatory interventions required.

Iwelumo further listed three major tasks of PwC in the execution of the study to include: gathering data, reviewing and analysing information that would be sourced from the Commission, the operators, other jurisdictions for benchmarking; engaging identified stakeholders to get feedback and suggestions after the completion of market assessment; and finally to make recommendations and prepare the study report.

“Operators are very critical to the success of the study. Therefore, they would be involved in this critical assignment, as important sources of information, as provider of technical inputs, and finally, help to validate the findings of the study,” Iwelumo said to underscore the role of operators in the study.

April 28, 2022
ipNX visits NCC, commends Commission for efficient regulatory services

Key members of the top echelon of the Management of ipNX, a licensee of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), were at the Commission yesterday for a courtesy visit.

The delegation from ipNX, led by the Group Managing Director, Ejovi Aror, praised the Management of NCC for its superlative regulatory activities, describing the Commission’s actions as marked by efficiency and effectiveness.

Aror also hinted about the company’s plan to expand its operations in Nigeria, in a manner that will heighten the role of the telecom sector in the growth of the Nigerian economy.

The Group Managing Director of ipNX, also notified the Commission that the operation of the company has come to a critical juncture and ipNX is happy to migrate from the stage where it is now to a more strategic stage where it will play a greater role in the efforts to expand broadband infrastructures in Nigeria.

“Therefore, we are here to solicit your support for our plan to expand our businesses because we are at the threshold of closing a chapter and moving onto another, particularly in expanding broadband infrastructure which is critical to national development’, Aror stated with unmistakable optimism.

Aror also informed the management of NCC about some of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. The most central and significant of them, according to Aror, is the free Internet access to schools in Lagos and Oyo States.

Importantly, Aror emphasized ipNX readiness to extend such services to other parts of the country, particularly in schools, because of the importance of ICT to educational development.

Responding to the ipNX delegation, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the Commission’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), Adeleke Adewolu, thanked ipNX for the visit and for the testimony about how NCC’s regulatory activities have caused growth in leaps and bounds in the fortunes of the telecom ecosystem.

Adewolu declared that NCC is particularly gratified by the remarkable and quantifiable impact of Commission’s activities on the economy, including increase in the sectoral contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Adewolu promised that the encouraging words of ipNX’s delegation will spur the Commission to put in more efforts towards achieving its mandate.

Putting in context the trajectory of landmarks in the telecom sector, Adeleke recalled the history of the evolution of the telecom industry in Nigeria, declaring that Decree 75 of 1992 which established the Commission, was a great feat. The NCC Executive Commissioner also said the courageous deregulation and liberalisation of the telecom sector by the Federal Government in the year 2000 was a masterstroke.

Adewolu said, that action triggered uncommon liberalization that caused a rare leap in the democratisation of access to telephone services, from a few hundred hitherto existing fixed lines in 1992 to over two hundred million subscriptions today.

Nudging ipNX to offer its best to the growth of the telecom sector, the ECSM stated that the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and the capacity of the Nigerian economy to survive the contagion have demonstrated the importance of the telecom sector because most social and economic activities simply migrated to online platforms. “So we are delighted about your interest in expanding broadband infrastructure”, Adewolu said to underscore the importance and contribution of broadband infrastructure to human survival at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ECSM also informed the visitors that the Commission, with the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, is ready and willing to partner with stakeholders to accomplish the objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030; and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025.

Adewolu, reckoning the correlation between increase in broadband infrastructure and GDP of economies, asserted that the Management of NCC is all out to work with all stakeholders, including its licensed Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos), to expand broadband access, especially to the unserved and underserved areas of the country.

At the reception of ipNX delegation were other Management staff of the Commission including Usman Mamman, Deputy Director, Licensing and Authorisation; Afure Iloka, Special Assistant on Legal Matters to the EVC; Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head Online Media, who represented Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director Public Affairs; Abubakar Kurfi, Assistant Director, Licensing and Authorisation; and Quassim Odunmbaku, the Special Assistant to the ECSM.

Aror, was accompanied on the visit to the Commission by the Group Executive Director, Commercials, ipNX, Bimpe Olaleye; Divisional CEO, ipNX Infrastructure Division, Uche Nnakenyi; and Tunde Olorunyomi, Financial Controller, ipNX.

April 22, 2022
FG mulls blockchain technology for public service reforms

The federal government of Nigeria is in the process of rolling out a road map for the implementation of blockchain technology in the country, Dr Dasuki Arabi, Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reform (BPSR) has revealed.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr Arabi revealed this on Wednesday at a workshop on blockchain technology put together by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Abuja, the federal capital territory (FCT).

Arabi admitted that public service is the biggest beneficiary of blockchain but that little attention was paid to it when the national e-government masterplan was drafted and approved by the FG.

The BPSR D-G revealed that the bureau was planning to train 500,000 public servants ahead of the adoption of the new technology, stressing that the technology is real and that it is here to stay.

Arabi added that the adoption of blockchain technology in public service will improve transparency and accountability, and that working together between MDAs, and most importantly, it will break bureaucracy.

“There is a National E-Government Masterplan that has been approved by the Federal Executive Council which has set the strategy for digitisation for this massive movement of paper government and public service to paperless by the year 2030.

“The framework has been set up; the implementation has already started. From next year, assessments will be done electronically of everybody that is on IPPIS and working for the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“As at the time this paper was being crafted and its strategy, little attention was paid to blockchain. But as it is a legal document, we can always review it. Blockchain is definitely going to be very important in implementing the e-government masterplan.

“We will come up with a robust road map for the implementation and adoption of blockchain technology in the public service in Nigeria. What we are trying to do is to sensitise Nigerians and public servants and we come up with the road map for the implementation of the blockchain technology.

“Adopting this technology will give us the privilege to improve on transparency and accountability, then working together between MDAs and most importantly it will break bureaucracy,” Arabi said.

TNG reports blockchain is a type of shared database that differs from a typical database in the way that it stores information. It is essentially a growing list of records called blocks that are linked together using cryptography.

Meanwhile, speaking at the workshop, Dr Abdulkareem Oloyode from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) gave an highlight of how the technology works, while advising that pervasive awareness should be created before the new technology is adopted.

He stated thus: “As new data comes in, it is entered into a fresh block. Once the block is filled with data, it is chained onto the previous block, which makes the data chained together in chronological order.

“All new information that follows that freshly added block is compiled into a newly formed block that will then also be added to the chain once filled.

“This data structure inherently makes an irreversible time line of data when implemented in a decentralized nature. When a block is filled, it is set in stone and becomes a part of this time line.

“Each block in the chain is given an exact time stamp when it is added to the chain. Different types of information can be stored on a blockchain, but the most common use so far has been as a ledger for transactions.

“In Bitcoin’s case, blockchain is used in a decentralized way so that no single person or group has control; rather, all users collectively retain control.

“In general, think of a blockchain as a book containing a list of transactions that all members of a group, or network, need to see. Every member or “node” of the network has their own copy of the book. Each page of the book is a “block” of data.

“Every page of the book is identified by a unique page number called a “hash,” and the first entry on each page is the “hash” of the previous page. That first entry is the “chain” that links the pages or “blocks” of transactions together.

Dr Oloyode distinguished between public and private blockchain, saying: “A public blockchain is public, and members are anonymous. Anyone can join the network, process transactions, and validate blocks, providing they have the substantial computer resources required.

“All members of a public blockchain can see all of the data. Members of a public blockchain network, like the one that supports bitcoin, use “miners for the consensus mechanism. Miners are members who validate data blocks on the public network. Miners compete with other miners to validate data blocks by solving complicated mathematical equations.

“A private, or “permissioned,” blockchain requires that all members be identified and need credentials, or permissions, to submit transactions and validate data blocks.

“A private blockchain may give access to all data to some users while restricting others. Private blockchains are more suitable for an individual business”.

Oloyode added that: “Blockchains are difficult to hack because every member has a copy of transactions, but they are not completely impenetrable. Hackers need to gain access to multiple individual members in order to create fraudulent transactions and have them accepted.

“The vast computing power required alone makes hacking blockchains very difficult and expensive. The real weakness lies in the protocols, such as smart contracts. Hackers can potentially explicit a weakness in the way these operate and “game” the system”.

He highlighted the challenges of adopting blockchain as power supply, proof of work, awareness and understanding, culture, cost and amongst others.

Oloyode concluded by saying: “Blockchain technology can be used to reduce costs, speed up transactions, and improve data security for financial institutions, health care providers, businesses, and more. That’s good news for consumers and investors.

“Although blockchain technology hasn’t yet been widely adopted, it has the potential to dramatically change the way we do business by offering a trusted, cryptographic system for exchanging information”.

April 20, 2022
NIN/SIM registration and DSO: Two significant projects on a cliff – By Okoh Aihe

Two significant projects of the Nigerian government hang on a cliff at the moment. The NIN/SIM registration which was supposed to be a 15-day quick walk in December 2020 has spiralled into the second year and current measures being taken to bring the process to conclusion are only indicative of desperation on the part of the government.

Also the Digital Switchover (DSO) process which was intended to migrate Analogue television transmission to Digital platform as a major decision of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),to free up some broadcast frequencies for telecommunications services, seems jinxed, and current actions in the broadcast industry may not be fully redeeming for the process.

But it was some happenings in the broadcast sector that set my mind on a whirl over the weekend. As I write this material, some stations have received letters from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), requesting them to vacate their frequencies and migrate to the digital platforms of the signal carriers, ITS and Pinnacle. Some 119 countries in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia, under the ITU, announced the process in 2006 and a closure was expected in 2015; and then 2020. Nigeria missed both windows and there is yet no window of comfort for the entire process.

My primary concern was that the Nigerian government should not trigger confusion in two strategic industries at the same time as the effects could be lasting and very debilitating to the socio-political process. Recently, the Government, through the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, directed telecommunications service providers to unplug all the phone lines that have not been synced with their NINs from their networks. Over 80m lines out of the nearly 198m lines in Nigeria by the end of February this year, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), have been affected. There is an underlying confusion in the industry whose understanding eludes everybody, or nobody simply wants to talk about it because of it’s very sensitive nature. More confusion could arise were the government, through the NBC, pressure broadcasters to vacate their frequencies and move over to digital platforms that are really not ready in every sense of the word.

This writer was reliably informed that the position of the NBC may not enjoy any support from the broadcasters, under the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) who vehemently maintains the position that nothing much has happened in the DSO process to warrant such directive. Although the NBC has launched the programme in a few states of the federation, the broadcasters contend none of the states enjoy up to 85 per cent signal coverage, thus making analogue switch off illusory.

However, the NBC maintains the position that a switch off in some of these states will bring commercial activities to the process as TV homes would now be forced to buy Set Top boxes from the manufacturers in order to continue to receive signals. The small Set Top box will help convert analogue signals to digital. While this position remains valid, the regulator has been encouraged to first redeem the entire process through noticeable strategic decisions and actions before pressing for commerce. Friends of the industry are pushing for a common understanding between the regulator and operators in order to provide good services to TV users.

Happenings in the telecommunications industry are more troubling, very troubling. The withdrawal of over 80m lines from operators’ platforms have not only disoriented phone users from their routine life of communications but the action may also have put financial projections by the providers in jeopardy. But since registration has been ongoing for over a year and there are security dimensions to the entire process, the right to complain has nearly been abridged, as nobody wants to be accused of been complicit in the security miasma spreading through the land. Moreover, nobody wants to smell the scent of money or even think of revenue projections when lives are being epidemically terminated.

But there is a truth that nearly everybody involved in the process is anxious to sweep under the carpet for a hiding or wish would never come to light forever. That truth comes with troubling implications for personal identity safety or for National security in the long run. The disconnection of nearly a third of the lines on the networks is not the fault of the operators but that of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) which lacks the capacity to undertake the exercise on a massive scale. Discussions at their various meetings, this writer finds out, clearly point to the intrusion of that painful deficit. For instance, NIMC is charged with the final verification of every subscriber, but it could take the organisation three weeks to get back to the operators on a single verification. For this reason, the process of getting the 80m lines back on the networks is progressing at snail speed.

This writer gathered that the NIMC platform is so small that it can hardly accommodate activities from the operators. The result is that the platform regularly breaks down. The other is that it has proven herculian for NIMC to format and integrate about 90,000 devices, including fingerprint scanners, which the operators bought to support the registration exercise across the nation. At the moment only about 10 per cent has been configured on the NIMC network.

The frustration in the registration process is so overwhelming that the Minister and NIMC have decided to engage a third party to provide Tokenisation as a stop gap for individuals who are in the registration process. The Token will last for about three days. The individuals will have to pay a flat sum of N250 for the Token. Don’t ask me about the owner of the money being collected. This is what unnerves me. The organisation providing the Token will have to mirror the NIMC NETWORK. The troubling implication is that individual identities that should be in the safekeep of NIMC have been put in the hands of an individual or organisation who could be complicit in the security challenges facing the country.

Yes, the nation is in search of solutions but doing so in the deep or in the dark, dark world.

Looking at the two exercises, an industry expert provided a damning summary. “Some individuals have put a chain of commercial interests in projects that are supposed to be populist. They are already calculating profits from ill-conceived ideas,” the source lamented.

The source challenged me to figure something out. NIMC doesn’t have capacity, yet it wants to offer paid training to the network operators and wants the operators to pay for the software in their devices; they even want to collect money for Tokens, while the DSO managers have all kinds of costs built into the value chain. Why does money occupy such a central place in the two projects?

I did not have an answer but here is my considered response on a second thought. The two projects are so vital to the nation that the promoters don’t need to erect pecuniary roadblocks on the implementation route. All eyes should be on the implementation outcomes and how they benefit the people.

April 20, 2022
NCC urges consumers to protect telecom infrastructure, others

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has emphasised that telecommunications consumers in Nigeria have a major role to play in complementing efforts being put in place to ensure effective protection of telecommunications infrastructure.

This the NCC said is important to sustain and improve on the quality of service delivery by the service providers.

The Commission made this request and assertion recently at a sensitization programme it organized at Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State.

According to the Commission, aside from the role of the law enforcement agencies in protecting telecom infrastructure, the consumers, who are the subscribers and ultimate users of telecom services, have an obligation to do everything to protect telecoms infrastructure in their environment. These include the base transceiver stations (BTS), the underground fibre optic cable, as well as associated infrastructure.

Addressing audience at the programme, the Director, Zonal Operations, NCC, Amina Shehu, decried the problem of vandalism caused to telecom infrastructure which often result in poor quality of service delivery to the end users.
“One of the major challenges to quality of service that operator provide to you, is vandalism of telecom infrastructure, such as Base Transceiver Stations (BTS). Others are theft, hostility from Amina Shehu, host communities, which have continued to pose a major setback to the industry. Therefore, it is imperative for the public to regard telecom facilities as collectively-owned infrastructure that are crucial and essential for the provision of efficient and acceptable telecom services. The more reason these facilities need to be adequately protected,” she urged.

While imploring the indigenes of Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State to ensure that they protect telecom facilities in their community, Shehu, who was represented at the event by an Assistant Director, Zonal Operations, NCC, Abubakar Usman, further enjoined the consumers to always alert law enforcement agencies close to them once they suspect any act of vandalism, theft or other suspicious activities directed at telecom infrastructure because such nefarious activities have implications for quality of service delivery in the communities.

Shehu underscored the centrality of telecommunications sector to the economy and she also informed the audience that in the last 15 years, telecom has been a major contributor to the nation’s economic growth and development. The Director Zonal Operations said the Commission will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies and keep sensitising the consumers on their role in ensuring the security of telecom infrastructure.

One issue Shehu discussed in her speech was the misinformation about Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) radiation emanating from telecommunications infrastructure which she asserted was not harmful according to studies conducted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Commission for Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

Shehu stated that the overall objective of the event is to sensitize members of the public on the need to protect telecommunication infrastructure, and more importantly, to correct the misconception people have on the effect of radio magnetic waves on human health. “So, the Commission is saying again to you that there is no scientific evidence yet that shows that radiation from telecom masts constitute health hazards to human and we want you to help spread this information to those that are not here,” she said.

During the event, participants were also enlightened on the illegality of pre-registered Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, the imperatives of proper SIM registration, the importance of National Identification Number,NIN-SIM linkage exercise. The consumers were also informed about facilities provided by the Commission which they can use to improve their telecom experience and quality of life in general. These include the NCC Toll-free Number (622); the 112 National Emergency Number; and the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 short code for managing cases of unsolicited text messages, amongst others.

Meanwhile, the Paramount Ruler of Wannune, Chief Gandeorun Orokaa, who attended the event, thanked the Commission on behalf of the participants for bringing the sensitization programme to the Community to educate the consumers on sensitive consumer-related issues as well as correcting wrong notions and clarifying misconceptions. He also called on the indigenes to support NCC in protecting telecoms infrastructure so as to ensure that quality of service improves in the areas.

The event ended with an audience session, where questions and answers were asked, and observations and recommendations were also made on many aspects of telecom services. In attendance at the event were Local Government workers, Village Heads, Community leaders, Students, Women leaders, Staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

April 14, 2022
ITR: A good regulatory action plainly misunderstood – By Okoh Aihe

It can be a puzzle sometimes how a seemingly good deed can generate so much controversy and even have a day in the court. It is even more puzzling when such a deed is anchored on the law setting up an organisation with a view to helping an industry and its operators.

I had thought that the recently inaugurated International Termination Rates (ITR) by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulator of the telecommunications industry, was such a cute idea and had the potential of releasing more financial oxygen into a market that was getting inebriated with misfortunes.

Oh, no pretences. Our market has not been very exemplary. The huge population that remains our unique selling point (USP) on the continent is getting increasingly poorer with frustration written boldly on the faces of those who walk on the streets like apparitions. People are losing their esteem and heading towards the edge. The auguries are not the best at the moment, and have not been for a long time.

Yet I look at the position of the law apropos the action of the NCC and I tell myself, what a smart move! Really the regulator needs to leverage on the power of the law and be able to genuinely grow the sector without further mishandling, which is why industry observers and some operators are very unhappy with the amount of latitude given the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to gyrate in the regulatory process like a drunken elephant.

The NCC does not fix prices for products and services for the telecom operators. Instead the regulator makes determination which sets price floors after some painstaking research work and industry and other stakeholders engagements. From experience I can state without equivocations that NCC has never unilaterally carried out any such delicate and all-important action without engaging the relevant communities. Any industry without such checks is heading for the rocks. I won’t point to the power and the road sectors!

Let me tell a little story here. Nearly two decades ago, I was in South Africa attending a programme in Cape Town, when some good news came from home. In the cool of the evening, I needed to spend some time with my family on phone. A young man I had always known took me to the water fronts, to what looked like a well-made up business centre and called Australia to give him Nigeria! I spent time on that call and the entire charge was less than five South African Rands which at the time was less than one US dollar. Much later I would realise that the call was simply dumped on a Nigerian operator without the operator benefitting from it. Such practice is prevalent in any industry without control or proper regulation.

Until the coming of Dr Isa Ali Pantami to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, some of us had thought that the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003, was nearly cast in stone to give us a telecommunications industry that would attract the participation and envy of the world. That was achieved. It is in following that tradition that the regulator made a new Determination for ITR which took effect on January 1, 2022.

The Commission provided a legal basis for its actions as follows:

The Commission’s functions and duties are set out in the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (the “Act”). Section 4 of the Act lists the Commission’s functions, to include the facilitation of investments in and entry into the Nigerian market for the provision and supply of communications services, equipment and facilities (section 4(a)); the protection and promotion of the interests of consumers against unfair practices, including but not limited to matters relating to tariffs and charges; and availability and quality of communications services, equipment and facilities (section 4(b)); and the promotion of fair competition in the communications industry; protection of communications services and facilities providers from the misuse of market power, or anticompetitive and unfair practices by other service, or facilities providers (section 4(d)). 6. The Commission has general responsibilities for the economic and technical regulation of the communications industry (section 4(w)).

In furtherance of its functions, the Commission procured the services of Messrs Payday Advance Services Limited, to carry out a study while intimating the industry of its various actions in the entire process before arriving on the following Determination:

a) The International Termination Rate for voice services paid by overseas carriers for terminating international calls on local networks in Nigeria shall be 0.045 United States Dollars (USD- US$)

b) The 0.045 US$ is the floor price for ITR services.

c) The ITR will be paid in US$ and so operators will receive an increasing rate in Naira terms should devaluation continue.

d) ITR rate (US$) only pertains to the cost of bringing traffic into Nigeria. Operators will continue to pay the regulated MTR.

e) The ITR of 0.045 US$ is the floor which is the minimum that can be charged. Operators will be free to negotiate a rate above the floor rate and is dependent on commercial negotiations between the operators and international carriers/partners.

Riding on the whims of a lay man, I had thought this would help animate the Nigerian operators who would have to receive Dollars for their services even as they settle the international operators with Dollars, especially as the Nigerian currency seems to be failing and has little capacity to protect those who depend on it for international transactions. Sometimes some grains of sand find their way into a good meal!

Observe that the Determination opens a window of negotiations between operators. While the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) fixed $0.053 for international operators, the Nigerian International Data Access(IDA) operators would have to cough out $0.062 per minute for the same services. Really most of the IDAs are struggling to find a foothold in the industry and would be considered justified to reason that the MNOs want to wipe them out. They raised a red flag.

I have the information that the NCC has made some conciliatory moves by way of making all the relevant stakeholders understand it’s template of action. That seems to be the best way to go instead of throwing the industry into a fight that may further weaken the sector and add to the confusion that seems to be the forte of the present administration.

Having said that, I want to observe that what may have come into play in the process of negotiations between the MNOs and the international operators on one hand, and the MNOs and the IDAs on the other, is the volume of business transactions which may weigh more in favour of the international operators who radiate traffic all over the world. Even then where is the little aphorism of “be your brother’s keeper?” Without waiting for an answer I am pushed to reason that the industry will be richer and better served if the MNOs will find a way to accommodate other players without pressing for niche returns on every transaction. It makes more sense to build a much bigger industry that will have a place and profit for all on the long run.

April 13, 2022
What to do to get barred SIM cards active again – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has informed telecoms consumers, whose Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are barred from making calls, that affected SIMs will not be unbarred by the service providers until they are linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs) of the SIM holders.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs made this known in a statement on Sunday, following a misleading viral web link that is currently in circulation.

The misleading, viral message mischievously displays NCC logo and ostensibly promises members of the public that, by clicking the web link and following further instructions, subscribers with barred SIM cards can unbar such SIMs across mobile networks without a valid NIN.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NCC wishes to state categorically that it never issued such statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN.

“As such, the originators and peddlers of the spurious message were out to mischievously mislead unsuspecting members of the public. Therefore, their message should be disregarded,” Adinde stated.

TNG reports the NCC is the national regulatory authority for telecommunications in Nigeria, and it is co-driving the process of the NIN-SIM linkage with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as directed by the Federal Government.

“The Commission will not, under any circumstance, act contrary to Federal Government’s directive to MNOs to bar SIMs cards not linked to NINs at the expiration of the last deadline given for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.

“Having disclaimed the false viral message, the Commission wishes to officially inform affected telecom subscribers on how they can get their SIMs actively connected to make calls.

“First, for subscribers that have not registered for their NIN, what to do is to get their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards through channels provided by their service providers.

“Secondly, for subscribers with registered NINs, what to do is to simply go and link the NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers.

“The NCC, therefore, uses this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM Linkage to among others, strengthen the security situation in the country, assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government, as well as to always advance the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters.

“Finally, the NCC wishes to also inform the general public that it is not recruiting at the moment.

“Accordingly, the advertisement indicating there is ongoing recruitment at NCC, which is circulating on Twitter, and through polymediation, may have been diffused to other social media networks, is a scam and should be disregarded,” the statement added.

April 10, 2022
NCC awards N233 million in research grants, professorial chair endowments

Consistent with its recognition of the academia as a central stakeholder in its commitment to linkages and local development sphere of the Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has awarded fresh research grants and endowed professorial chairs in some Nigerian universities in the sum of N233 million.

From the total sum, N172.5 million was awarded to support 13 proposals found to have met the stipulated criteria in the advertised 2021 Request for Proposal (RfP) for Telecommunications-Based Research Innovations from Nigerian Tertiary Institutions (research grant) Programme. Additionally, three universities received the sum of N20 million each for endowments of professorial chair by the Commission.

Speaking at the award ceremony, which took place at the Commission’s Head Office in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, April 7, 2022, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the event demonstrated Commission’s strong resolve in advancing the impact of digital technologies on the national economy, using indigenous products and solutions.

While presenting award letters to the Lead Researchers of the beneficiaries of the 13 research grants, Danbatta said, under the Telecommunications-Based Research Innovations, tertiary institutions submit detailed and well thought-out research proposal, on specific thematic areas provided by the Commission. The proposal are expected to result in the development of commercially-viable prototypes as concrete harvests.

According to Danbatta, in 2021 RfP, the Commission received a total of 55 research proposal that focused on five emerging technology areas, namely: Fifth Generation (5G) deployment; Innovative Clean Energy; Advanced Method of Quality of Service (QoS)/Quality of Experience Management and Test Mechanism; Internet of Things (IoT); Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) Technology; and Monitoring and Localising of Drones.

“After thorough evaluations, 13 proposals were found to have met the stipulated criteria. Indeed, this is a clear testimony to the objectivity and painstaking approach to the evaluation process aimed at ensuring that the best quality is achieved and only researches that could produce prototypes with the potential of providing solutions to both local and global challenges were selected,” Danbatta said as he congratulates the 13 successful research awardees.

The EVC also presented dummy cheques of N20 million each to the Vice Chancellors of three Nigerian universities, namely: University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto; and Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, who are the beneficiaries of the NCC’s Professorial Chair Endowments.

“The Commission has endowed professorial chairs in tertiary institutions across the country, as a mechanism in entrenching innovations in our tertiary institutions, as well as having graduates that are “industry-ready”. The endowment of professorial chairs in universities is one of Commission’s initiatives in supporting the academia to focus on research in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in order to enhance the advancements of emerging technologies,” Danbatta stated, to underscore the purpose for instituting professorial chairs in tertiary institutions.

The fresh endowment in the three universities brings to seven, the number of universities that the Commission has endowed professorial chairs. Earlier, the NCC had instituted professorial chairs in Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State; Bayero University, Kano, Kano State; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State; and University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Meanwhile, the EVC stated that while the implementation of the endowment is through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Commission and each benefitting university just as the Commission recently included the sighing of MoU as part of the implementation of the Telecommunications-Based Research Innovations.

The EVC stated that with the latest awards and endowments, the Commission has committed more than N660 million to Nigerian tertiary institutions for ICT-focused research innovations. This is in demonstration of commitment to driving the attainment of the goals of the Federal Government’s agenda on digital economy, as captured in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), 2020-2030.

Earlier in his remarks, NCC’s Head of Research and Development (HRD), Kelechi Nwankwo, thanked the EVC for his vision to continually deepen collaboration between the Commission and the Academia. Nwankwo expressed optimism that the Management of the Commission would continue to allocate the requisite resources to research, development and innovations that are necessary for the industry to continue to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

The HRD said the initiatives which are policy-driven were instituted as a proof of Commission’s appreciation of the importance of working with stakeholders to engender innovations and build indigenous technological capabilities that would strengthen the ICT ecosystem, not only in the provision of services but also in the development of the communications manufacturing and supply sector within the Nigerian economy. He said collaborations such the one with the academia are in line with the NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP), 2020-2024, because strategic partnering has been identified as a critical pillar for the attainment of NCC’s corporate objectives.

Nwankwo encouraged the beneficiaries of the research grants and the universities that benefited from the endowment of professorial chairs, to put the financial resources into proper use that will produce research outputs that address societal problems and contribute to further growth of the telecoms sector.

Expressing appreciation on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Vice Chancellor, Usman Danfodio University, Prof. Lawal Bilbis, assured the Commission that the funds will be put to judicious use.

April 8, 2022
Danbatta reels out achievements as Nigeria Hands over WATRA Chairmanship to Republic of Guinea

Having successfully piloted the affairs of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) as Chairman in the last one year, Nigeria has handed over the mantle of leadership of the Assembly to the Republic of Guinea.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who served Nigeria’s tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s national telecommunications regulatory authority, handed over to the newly elected Chairman of the Assembly, Sekou Oumar Barry, of tge Republuc of Guinea.

The hand over ceremony was one of the major highlights of the recently-concluded 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of WATRA which took place in Conakry, Republic of Guinea. The AGM equally approved WATRA’s new Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2022-2024.

Barry, the new chairman, who will preside over the affairs of the Executive Council of WATRA for the next one year, is the Director General of the Telecommunication and Posts Regulatory Authority (ARPT) of the Republic of Guinea. The Assembly also elected the representatives of Mali and Sierra-Leone as 1st and 2nd Vice Chairmen respectively.

In his address at the event, Danbatta acknowledged the important role WATRA has been playing in creating policy, legal and regulatory frameworks for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the sub-region since the mid-1990s and commended the synergy among member states, which he noted has continued to provide an economic defense for member countries against global shocks, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Nigeria, Danbatta said ICT currently contributes 17 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with ambitious target of 20 per cent contribution over the next three years, stating that if one big regional market in which ICT policies and regulations are aligned is created, WATRA members can drive ICT investment and growth faster in their respective countries and collectively in the sub-region.

Danbatta recalled that he had worked closely with the Executive Secretary of WATRA, Aliu Aboki, and his team in last 12 months to achieve a lot in the re-organisation of WATRA’s internal governance and processes to make them more efficient and transparent. The EVC, thus, thanked the Executive Secretary and his team for the energy with which they had pursued the re-positioning task just as he commended the Executive Committee for the clarity of purpose with which they have spelt out these priorities.

Danbatta said some of his achievements as WATRA Chairman, include the delivery of draft four-year strategic plan in line with 18th AGM resolution, partial payment of long-outstanding membership dues by some member states after long periods of inactivity, deployment of the new WATRA automated Asset Management System, successful organization of various high-quality capacity building programs for members, optimization of WATRA accounting, finance, and budgeting process, as well as institution of procedures for improved accountability, marked by weekly financial dashboard.

The achievements recorded under Danbatta’s one-year chairmanship also include the deployment of automatic external phone answer and routing system, completion of front-end and back-end development of the redesigned WATRA website, joint development by WATRA, the Coordination Team, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission of a new organizational framework for roaming regulation implementation, reactivation of Niger participation in ECOWAS roaming regulation implementation through WATRA-ECOWAS Commission collaboration.

Others achievements of WATRA under Danbatta’s leadership include re-translation of WATRA constitution drafted and under review by Executive Committee, renewed engagements with ECOWAS on World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) 2023 collaboration, joint conduct of the 2nd WRC2023 prep meeting, successful organisation of 2-day technical physical meeting in Abuja on fraud and roaming tariffs for ECOWAS regional roaming in collaboration with ECOWAS Commission, kick-off of Digital Transformation of WATRA Operations and WATRA Operating Model review service being part of a $300,000 grant from the Nigerian government through NCC, Nigeria.

While congratulating Barry, as the new WATRA Chairman, Danbatta expressed the conviction that the new leadership will build on the modest achievements of the last one year. “When members see the unique role that WATRA plays in easing the task of national regulators to adopt or fine-tune regulations through mutual learning and capacity building, they see more reason to engage and be active within WATRA. So, if we build on the modest achievements of the Assembly, the benefits will be with the region for decades,” he said.

He also stated that both at home or in the diaspora, West Africa has the talents to study the most efficient ICT regulations in the world and adapt it for the region’s purposes so that it can attract greater investment into the regions and transform the economy of member states. “What we have to do is to continue the work of building WATRA into a platform that seamlessly deploys these talents and capacity to the 16 member states. The gains to us are enormous,” Danbatta stated with patent conviction.

The EVC further assured his colleagues in WATRA of his commitment to supporting the new leadership in all ways possible. “As I hand over to the incoming Chairman, please be assured of my continued support and that of the Nigerian Communications Commission and, indeed, the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to WATRA,” Danbatta said.

In his acceptance speech, Barry, who thanked Danbatta for making giant strides in the last 12 months, promised to work with the Executive Committee team and the Management Team to consolidate the achievements of the Assembly, and to ensure greater success of the Assembly for the future.

The 19th AGM was attended by the following14 of the 16 WATRA member states: Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger Republic, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Republic of Guinea, The Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Burkina Faso and Benin Republic. Ghana and Liberia were absent at the meeting.

April 5, 2022
Breaking: FG orders telcos to block all unregistered lines

Telecommunication companies have been instructed by the federal government, to block all outgoing calls on sims not yet registered, and linked with the National Identification Number (NIN), from today 4^th of April, 2022.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls the FG had given Nigerians up to March 31 to get hooked up or get disconnected. As it is there are more than 20.4m that will be affected.

This was disclosed by, the Director of public affairs of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) Ikechukwu Adinde, and Kayode Adegoke head of corporate communications, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in a joint statement on Monday.

“It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, gave the directive for the implementation and commencement of the exercise in December 2020, as part of the administration’s security and social policies.

“The deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage have been extended on multiple occasions to allow Nigerians to freely comply with the Policy. The FG also took into consideration the passionate appeals by several bodies – Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Civil Societies, Professional Bodies and a host of others – for the extension of the deadlines in the past,” the statement reads.

“Accordingly, Mr. President graciously approved the many requests to extend deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage. At this point however, Government has determined that the NIN-SIM Policy implementation can proceed, as machinery has already been put in place to ensure compliance by citizens and legal residents. The implementation impacts on Government’s strategic planning, particularly in the areas of security and socio-economic projections.”

“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the implementation of the Policy with effect from the 4th of April, 2022.

‘ Consequently, the Federal Government has directed all Telcos to strictly enforce the Policy on all SIMs issued (existing and new) in Nigeria. Outgoing calls will subsequently be barred for telephone lines that have not complied with the NIN-SIM linkage Policy from the 4th of April, 2022. Subscribers of such lines are hereby advised to link their SIMs to their NINs before the Telcos can lift the restriction on their lines. Affected individuals are hereby advised to register for their NINs at designated centers and thereafter link the NINs to their SIMs through the channels provided by NIMC and the Telcos, including the NIMC mobile App.

“Professor Pantami specially appreciates President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for his tremendous support. He also commends the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Azeez Abubakar along with their Management and Staff, as well as other notable bodies whose efforts have seen to the monumental success of the exercise. The Minister also extends his thanks to the telecommunication operators for their support towards the success recorded.

“The Honourable Minister also emphasized that enrolment for the NIN is a continuous exercise and NIN is a precondition for service in Telcos, banks, Nigerian Immigration Service, and for several other government services. He also encouraged Nigerians and legal residents to visit NIN registration centers for the enrollment and issuance of valid NINs.” The statement said.

April 4, 2022