NCC May Sanction MTN for Telecoms Violations

By Emma Okonji

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is unhappy with a telecommunications firm, MTN, over its violations of the commissions’ regulatory obligations to its dominant status in the telecoms sector and also for violating the ban on promos on its network.

NCC had last week summoned MTN to a meeting in Abuja to obtain its explanations for the observed violations, but was not satisfied with the explanations by the firm.

NCC partners Nollywood on ICT to enhance film production

Jim Iyke and Nadia Buari,

THE Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) says it is partnering the Nigerian movie industry to enhance the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capacity of stakeholders in movie production.

The Director, Public Affairs of the commission, Mr Tony Ojobo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday that the telecom regulator had become an active enthusiast of Nollywood.

According to him, the aim is to help project the image of the country positively.

MNP gaining momentum in Nigeria – NCC

Written by Paul Adepoju

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme is gaining momentum, reporting steady development in usage among subscribers who see the need for it.

The commission revealed this in its latest MNP status report, with executive vice chairman Dr Eugene Juwah saying the NCC launched MNP to empower subscribers to make choices when they are unsatisfied with the quality of service (QoS) on their networks.

Nigeria: NCC, ServiCom Move to Enhance Service Delivery

Mr. Sylbriks Obiriki,
Senior Special Adviser (SSA)
on SERVICOM to the President

Written by Dele Ogbodo

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Service Compact with all Nigerians (ServiCom),an agency under the presidency, have jointly begun a fresh advocacy for the implementation of quality service delivery among telecoms operators.

Emphasising the entrenchment of quality service by Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Servicom to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Sylbriks Obriki, said: "When we are talking about service delivery, time remains a critical aspect of it. When you understand the use of time, service delivery becomes simpler than any other thing. Delivering service to the people depends on how time is used."

Nigeria: Over 87,000 Subscribers Port in 10 Months - NCC

By Emmanuel Okwuke

Latest official statistics released the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Wednesday, indicate that more than 87, 887 telephone lines ported from one network to another in the first 10 months of the launch of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme in the country.

The figure comprises porting in and out and of all the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) networks which include: MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat.

FG, stakeholders seek co-ordinated approach on cyber security

Written by Daniel Obi

As fraud and insecurity increasingly become more IT based globally, government and other industry stakeholders came together  in Lagos yesterday to fashion out a workable blue print to protect Nigeria from cyber security vulnerability.

To the organisers, which included the Office of the National Security Adviser, Federal Ministry of Justice, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), observed that the cyberspace has ushered in new opportunities and security challenges, as wars are now fought and won in the cyberspace, which has also become a highway for fraud and other crimes.

Nigeria: Only Improved Connectivity'll Bring Internet of Things to Nigeria

Written by Prince Osuagwu

Those who base their mobile power on the strength of voice penetration, are living technology from the rear end. Much as revenue from voice genre of mobile business has turned many economies around, facts are emerging everyday, that data seems to be the future.

Nigeria, as one of the countries which ubiquitous voice penetration spurned its history from a pariah telecommunications nation to one of the frontline mobile economies of the world, seems not oblivious of this fact.

Even in the euphoria of being recognised as one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world, the sector was also thinking of ways to sustain the tempo and at the same time leapfrog to the future, in the ever dynamic technology world.

Telecoms operators connect 63m Nigerians to the Internet

Written by Adeyemi Adepetun

BETWEEN 2001 and now, over 63 million Nigerians have been connected to the Internet.

The Minister of Communications Technology Dr. Omobola Johnson, disclosed this information at the closing out session of the 2014 Nigeria Internet Governance Forum held in Lagos, yesterday.

NIGF is a coalition formed among the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, the Information Technology development Agency of Nigeria (NITDA) the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), as the Nigeria Internet Registration Council of Nigeria (NIRA).

Nigeria: NCC Gives N2.5 Million Grant for Nomadic Base Station Research

By Emanuel Okwuke

Senior IT. Correspondent The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has presented N2.5 million to the lead research on the implementation of Software-Based Nomadic Base Station. Also, the telecoms sector regulator has commissioned its Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) and Digital Access Programme (DAP) projects in over 297 institutions of higher learning and secondary technical schools across the country.

Nigeria’s broadband plan progress slower than expected – council

By Paul Adepoju

Nigeria’s Broadband Council has admitted progress made on the year-old National Broadband Plan has been slower than expected.

Reviewing the progress at the recently held fourth Broadband Council meeting in Lagos, the council said broadband penetration since the implementation of the plan has only increased to 6.8 per cent from 6 per cent.

NCC Advocates Effective Customer Care Services by Telecoms Operators

By Emmanuel Ugwu

Amid complaints that many consumers find it difficult to access the customer support services of telecoms operators, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has taken steps to take policy action and further regulatory intervention to protect consumers.

To this end the commission intends to generate such policy framework through the outcome of its Consumer Outreach Programmes. At the 63rd edition of the Consumer Outreach programme of the NCC held in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia state, the need for service providers to pay extra attention to the needs and concerns of consumers took the centre stage.

Johnson, Juwah Hail DigitalSENSE Africa on Internet Governance

Mrs. Omobola Johnson
Nigeria's Minister of 
Communications Technology

By Emma Okonji

DigitalSense Africa Media has been commended for its role in keeping Nigerians informed on latest development about internet governance through its yearly conferences.

The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, gave the commendation during the 2014 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum held in Lagos recently.

It was  hailed for consistency in hosting the annual Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) and the Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable conference.

Insurgency: Court okays suit seeking EFCC’s probe of N76bn CCTV project

By Lanre Adewole-Lagos

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, granted an exparte application seeking leave for an order of mandamus compelling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the controversial $475 million (N76 billion) moribund CCTV project, awarded to ZTE Corporation by the Federal Government.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola gave the order after listening to the applicant,  Olugbenga Adeyemi, who sued as a concerned Nigerian.

Respondents in the suit are the EFCC, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Nigeria Police Force, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria Communication Commission, ZTE Corporation and Nigeria Communication Satellite Limited.

NCC Restates Its Commitment To Quality Telecom Service Delivery

Mr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Executive
Commissioner, Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC)

Mr Okey Itanyi, Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has restated the agency’s commitment to ensuring quality telecom service delivery by operators.

The commissioner stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

He said the agency would no longer tolerate any operator or persons violating NCC’s Act or allow any operator to use illegal equipment that could disrupt service.

“We are committed to ensuring quality service delivery and protecting the interest of stakeholders – consumers, service providers, government.

“We are working with the operators to improve the quality of their services; we sanctioned some of them recently but we are looking forward to getting improved services,’’ Itanyi said.

NCC: Promoting operator-consumer interface

Written by Mathew Ayorinde

Many users of telecom services in Nigeria hold the belief that the general poor quality of services is a deliberate act on the part of the operators to rip-off subscribers and maximise profits. This has accounted for the trend whereby the average working-class citizen and entrepreneur own more than one mobile phone or multiple subscriber identification modules (sim cards), the number portability option notwithstanding.

NCC: Anticipating the broadband boom

Dr. Eugene Juwah
Executive Vice Chairman
NCC

By Okechukwu Okonta.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, has told the international community to expect a broadband boom in the Nigeria’s telecoms sector. He gave the promise during his presentation at the sub-Saharan Africa Regional Summit at the GSMA Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain. According to Juwah, the success attained with the voice services will be replicated in the Nigerian broadband market.

He feels sure that the telecom revolution phase of Nigeria’s development has passed and has to give way to the broadband revolution that will eventually impact positively in the lives of every Nigerian. He therefore told the audience to expect mobile broadband boom in Nigeria whose teledensity has grown from 400,000 telephone lines in 2001 to the 120 million subscribers (and still counting), representing a ratio of 0.04 percent and 86 percent teledensity in 1999 and 2012 respectively.

Can NCC extend a helping hand?

Written by Sopuruchi Nnaemeka

Survival of the fittest has gone beyond Darwin’s principles of natural adaptation to being the driving force of entrepreneurship.

Competition for scarce resources, which in this case are the factors of production - land, labour, capital and entrepreneurship has been quite exhausting for Nigeria’s small telecom companies.

This therefore calls for concerted effort on the part of the sector regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to device a survival strategy for small operators. Although this appeal may seem preposterous as this is in no way part of the commission’s mandate, it is nevertheless in good fate, considering how the sector has grown in leaps and bounds and how the fringe players could actually fill those gaps and plug the holes left by the big operators.

Telecoms Revolution: The Best Is Yet To Come

By Adebola Ojikutu

Since its inception, privatisation, deregulation and liberalisation in 1999, Nigeria’s telecom sector has made monumental progress and contributions to the nation’s economy. From a mere 1 percent and less than a million analogue lines as at 2001, there has evolved an escalation to about 170 million connected and 128 million active mobile and fixed telephone lines, bringing teledensity to about 91 percent of the total population.

NCC: Unravelling the Last Mile

By Justin Eradiri

When the broadband masterplan was launched in 2012, the Nigerian Communications Commission declared its preparedness to propel the country to the next level of digital communications in pursuit of robust economic and technological advancement. The masterplan is a detailed road map for achieving the broadband revolution.

The last mile to that destination was boldly taken on February the 19th, 2014, when the license for the remaining 30 MGh frequency slot on the 2.3GHz spectrum band was given out to new entrants and winners of the bid, Bitflux Communications Limited in an auction.

Still Waiting For The Telecoms Bill

Raymond Akubo

For the umpteenth time, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called on the National Assembly to speedily bring to conclusion the bill that seeks to protect telecoms infrastructure as critical national assets.

The executive commissioner, Stakeholders Engagement in the commission, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, made the call recently at NCC 2014 Legislator’s workshop with the theme:  ICT Infrastructure as Key Driver for Economic Development: What Role for the Legislature, held in Lagos.

Countdown to Nigeria’s broadband revolution

By Adekunle Aromolaran

On Monday, February 10, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced that slots of 25MHz bandwidth are available in the 3.5Ghz band in 27 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. It was further gathered that the frequency will be licensed on a state by state basis, thus interested stakeholders were advised to submit their applications. The 27 states listed by the NCC are: Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Zamfara, Taraba, Yobe and Sokoto.

With this notification, the era of broadband spectrum revolution in Nigeria has kick-started.

Hello...is GSM dying?

By Wole Olaoye

When GSM telephony was introduced in Nigeria, we all celebrated our freedom from the stagnation of NITEL. At that time there were only about 400,000 epileptic telephone landlines all over the country. Making an international call was an event of theatrical dimensions. The NITEL headquarters in Lagos used to witness scenes of comic relief.

I once had to wait on the queue for about 90 minutes to take my turn to make a call to the US. Before then I had had to listen to the agonies of abandoned wives and girlfriends pleading with their spouses/partners over faint telephone lines to fast-track the process of relocating them abroad. There were tears and sighs and moans. There was no privacy whatsoever.

Maximizing broadband for economic growth

By JUSTIN ERADIRI

Maximizing broadband for economicIt is the desire of both citizens and the state that the advancements recorded in the telecoms sector since 2001 should be consolidated beyond telephony and ancillary services.

Nigerians are looking to upgrade to a full multimedia platform, leveraging on the broadband to maximise the capacities of their smart phones and other devices in video streaming, internet radio, information download and upload, etc. Yes, we need that extra byte, that strength that speeds up our navigation and research on the web, that delivers us out of the callously slow, small and near unproductive byte allocations our GSM networks currently permit us.

Understanding the NCC, NESREA face-off

By Terry Imasogie

Consistent with its uncomplimentary ratings and taking into consideration such indices as cost, support infrastructure, security, approval time, land tenor, and a couple of others, investment in Nigeria is about the most risky in the world.

The number of bureaucratic hurdles constituted by motley regulatory, pre-shipment, security, immigration, customs and excise, health, drug control, food and drug administration, standards and countless other agencies that importers and exporters alike have to cross are mind-boggling.

Have you ported?

Written by Wole Olaoye

One of the best things to happen to consumers of telecommunication services is the introduction of porting by the National Communications  Commis-sion (NCC).

The dogon turanci of that development is what has now come to be known as Mobile Number Portability. At first, consu-mers were cynical. That is understandable in our environment where pro-mises come by the truckload but delivery perches pre-cariously on a flat-tyred bicycle.

Mobile Number Porta-bility was introduced with a promise to provide consumers with the option of changing their network at any time while retaining their numbers.

Favourable Investment Environment in Nigeria’s Telecoms Industry

By Chinedu Nwachukwu

It is an openly shared concern that the telecommunications industry should avoid the pitfalls of the petroleum industry. More than half a century after crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in Nigeria, the bulk of exploration and production processes are still dependent on foreign technology and imported material.

People wish the nation to reap the full benefits of the telecommunications sector of the economy conferred by the economy of scale deriving from our population and market potentials.

Appraising mobile number portability

On Monday the 22nd of April, 2013, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) launched the take off the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme. The much awaited scheme at last came to be three years after the initial target set in 2009.

Top government functionaries and official of the NCC witnessed the launch. Among them were Mr Peter Igho, Chairman of the NCC Board, and Dr. Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman alongside other commissioners of the NCC, telecom stakeholders and officials of the various GSM companies in Nigeria.

The policy is in furtherance to the NCC’s objectives of protecting consumer interest through the development, monitoring and enforcement of compliance with regulations by telecom service providers in order to ensure better quality services, fair pricing and competition, and in line with the provisions of section 128 of the Nigerian Communication Act (NCA) 2003 which vests the NCC with the exclusive right to regulate numbers and number portability in Nigeria.

Juwah: Fighting battles on behalf of mobile telephone subscribers

Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah,
Executive Vice Chairman,
NCC

Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah is in ‘battle’ mood. The mood only abates towards the close of this encounter when I ask how he unwinds at the end of his expectedly busy daily schedules. That’s when his animated perspectives on mobile telephony are matched by the way he expresses his passion for television documentaries. But more on this later.

“Telecoms companies are now on their toes,” he says of the revolutionary effects of the recent decision by the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), of which he is executive vice-chairman, to implement the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) initiative. “Competition has broken their move towards oligopoly.” I spoke to him just a few days after the MNP launch.

Juwah insists the battle he is fighting is on behalf of millions of Nigerians who, since the global system of mobile (GSM) telephony erupted here a little more than a decade ago, have felt the preferred service provider as a millstone around the neck. People who felt they were not getting satisfactory service from one provider simply procured another SIM card, resulting in people buying several handsets. Manufacturers of mobile phones came up with sets that had facilities for dual SIMs in order to satisfy the demands of subscribers who would rather carry two SIM cards than lose their original numbers.

NCC: Raising the GSM pulse through lower tariffs

Although Nigerians have remained critical of mobile telecomm service providers because of the high tariffs as against the relatively poor quality of service, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the regulatory agency for the telecoms sector appears to be up to the task in ensuring a downward review of charges on voice calls and other services for users.

Whereas there has been an inflationary trend leading to the upswing of prices in all sectors of the economy, Nigeria’s mobile telephony sector has been a welcome exception as only recently, operators were forced to reduce the cost of the short messaging service (SMS) from about N15.00 (fifteen naira) per SMS to N4.00 (four naira) off-network and N3.00 (three naira) maximum on-network rates.

Of telecoms consumer rights and investment protection

Lately, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as the telecoms industry’s regulator, has come down heavily on the country’s GSM operators. In November 2012, NCC banned telecoms operators from bombarding their customers with unsolicited messages in the name of promos, lotteries and advertisements. Before the ban, phone users had decried the excesses of service providers, whose abuse of market power and infringement of consumers’ privacy were all too disturbing.