Telecom bills: Legislators must sit up

Chief Okechukwu Itanyi,
Exec. Comm. Stakeholder Mgt.

Written by Hisham Abdulkadir

Given the confused state of Nigeria’s economy where oil revenues have caused severe distortions to the nation’s economy, telecoms offer a ray of hope. In the recent rebasing of Nigeria’s economy, the sector was found to have contributed a massive 28 percent to the nation’s gross domestic product. Pound for pound, this is far more than the oil sector if one were to undertake a cost benefit analyses with all variables taken into consideration.

In less than fifteen years of existence, the telecoms sector has become a veritable provider of jobs for the skilled and unskilled, and income for individuals, corporate organisations and the government. Business, education, transportation, the media industry, entertainment, security, politics and all endeavours are migrating to the automated platform. The scope of possibilities for virtually all sectors has been expanded beyond imagination.

Infracos: Filling the infrastructure gap

Laying optic fiber cables
for improved service

By Nosa Osarhemein

Last year the Minister for Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson observed that the demand and pressure on the existing telecommunication infrastructure in Nigeria had reached breaking point. She made her observation during the maiden edition of the Telecoms Stakeholders Summit hosted by the Nigerian Communications Commission in Lagos.

According to her, though investment in the sector has improved, it was still not sufficient to enable supply meet up with the demand. In a similar vein but in a different context, when asked what the major challenge facing telecommunications in Nigeria is, the Director, Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr. Tony Ojobo would say: “Infrastructure, infrastructure and infrastructure”.

From oil rigs to telecom masts

Written by Jonas Odeh

One would appear to be too futuristic here. But it is common knowledge that the science fictions of the 19th and 20th centuries have become the technological realities of the 21st century. Add to this the fact that the momentum and speed of change has aggravated many folds and you just might catch my drift.

Collaborating against ICT highway men

By Adegboyega Adesegun

The internet is increasingly becoming ubiquitous. No serious endeavour in the organised society of today is to be thought of without taking into consideration a major or subsidiary role for information and communications technology. The internet has therefore become necessity for all models of business, governance and administration.

Side by side with the foregoing, concerns over safety in the cyber space are growing across the globe. As in real life, there are true and real time criminals on the net looking for fortune and lucre in sophisticated modes

Cashlite and the ICT challenge

Written By Bamidele Bolarinwa

Effective from July 1, 2014, the Central Bank of Nigeria expanded the implementation of the Cashless Nigeria Project, otherwise known as ‘Caslite’, beyond Lagos. Lagos had served as a pilot scheme prior to a nationwide implementation. The policy is aimed at discouraging cash withdrawals above N500, 000 for individuals and N3, 000, 000 for corporate bodies per day. The essence is to reduce the amount of cash in circulation and to encourage electronic based transactions. Electronic based transactions will invariably reduce customer traffic in bank halls as more customers resort to the use of electronic cards and automated teller machines, point of sale payments and internet banking services.

Nigeria: 'Factors Behind Telecoms Services Downturn'

By Nkechi Onyedika

Abuja — LACK of sufficient capacity; vandalisation of facilities; incessant closures of base stations and operational offices of service providers by some state governments and their agents have been identified as major contributors to the sharp decline in quality of telephone services in Nigeria.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which stressed that for improved telephone services, these challenges must be overcome, noted however, that there has been slight improvement in service quality.

NCC To Protect $25bn Telecoms Investment

Written by Nkechi Isaac

The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has promised the protection of the over $25 billion investment in the telecoms sector under the telecoms corporate governance code for telecoms industry recently launched by the commission.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos, its Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, said the unveiling of the industry-specific code of corporate governance would help the NCC to enthrone global best practices among the boards of telecoms players, whose actions and inactions have far-reaching effects on the entire telecoms industry.

“The code became necessary to reposition the sector to contribute more to the country’s rebased GDP,” he pointed out.

197,000 Subscribers Have Ported Their Numbers – NCC

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah, yesterday (Friday, July 18), said 197,000 subscribers have ported their numbers from one network to another in their efforts to take advantage of the opportunities availed by the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) scheme in terms of improved quality of service.

Dr Juwah, who spoke at a prize giving ceremony for winners of an essay competition in Abuja, said the mobile number portability has afforded subscribers a variety of choices, enhanced quality services as well as deepened competition amongst telecommunication providers.

He expressed hope that the months ahead would see more people changing their service providers from one to another.

NCC Steps Up Surveillance on Illegal Telecommunication Operators

By Okon Bassey          

Hard times now await all illegal providers of telecommunication services in the country as the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has stepped up monitoring and surveillance activities on those who contravene the law.

Already, NCC team led by Assistant Director (Enforcement), Mr. Salisu Abdu has sealed off TB telecommunication in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital over illegal operation.

Nigeria: 'Why 70 Percent Slash in Telecoms Charges May Hurt Industry'

By Adeyemi Adepetun and Ayoyinka Jegede

Lagos and Uyo — Although Nigeria's telecommunications market may have witnessed about 70 per cent reduction in prices of telecoms services since the revolution started about 13 years ago, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that this portends danger for further growth of the industry.

Besides, the NCC said this is gradually reducing the country's telecoms sector competitiveness globally.

Nigeria: Telecoms Operators Deny Involvement in Unsolicited SMS Menace, Finger Foreign Elements

By Adeyemi Adepetun

TELECOMMUNICATIONS operators in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat have rejected blames that they were responsible for the increasing menace of unsolicited text messages and illegal credit deductions from customers account.

Indeed, the operators combined currently control about 97 per cent of the country's telecoms market and share about 126 million active subscribers.

Defending these allegations at the weekend in Lagos at the repackaged but 75th edition of the Telecoms Consumer Parliament (TCP), organized the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the operators accused some unscrupulous foreign data miners that are exploring their networks.

Glo, Airtel expand roaming services

Written by Ozioma Ubabukoh

Two major telecommunications operators, Globacom and Airtel, have deepened their roaming service offerings to their respective customers.

Glo, which notes it has added over 100 network partners across the world in the last one year, says subscribers to its network on the postpaid platform can now enjoy seamless roaming services in almost every part of the world.

MTN's double standard

Written by Johnson Adebola

Residents in some Johannesburg suburbs in South Africa will be able to connect to a new gas pipeline being built to serve MTN’s power station in Fairland, the Sunday Times has reported.

According to the report, the 8km Egoli Gas pipeline will cost R65 million, run from Robertville to Constantia Kloof, and will be finished by December 2014.