Telecom
ATCON Seeks NCC’s collaboration on BTIF
The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, has proposed collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to organize Broadband and Technology Investment Forum, BTIF, in all State of the federation.
The primary and strategic objective of the proposed forum would complement the Commission’s concerted efforts in respect of making broadband pervasive and ubiquitous as well as it would further encourage State Governments and private sector to aid the growth and development through deliberate and strategic investment in technology and broadband in their respective states.
ATCON President, Mr. Olusola Teniola, made the statements while leading a delegation of the National Executive Council, NEC, on a scheduled visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta.
According to Teniola, the new NEC is poised to working with Prof. Danbatta and the Commissioners in order to make their tenure in the commission the one that would never be forgotten in the history of the Nigerian telecom sector.
“This strategic courtesy visit is put together to demonstrate the respect that we have for you and your office as records are there to show that the development of the sector is highly paramount in your strategic plan for 2018”.
Teniola said that by ATCON’s findings, the few years Prof. Danbatta has spent as the EVC of NCC has shown that his performance is highly rated and the new NEC is prepared to contribute towards sustaining the high performance in the office of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC.
“The new NEC based on the general perspectives in the industry we are confident that you are going to leave an indelible mark of greater achievements and the entire Nigerian telecom industry would be a better one for the decisions you have made on their behalf”, he said.
Revamping Broadband penetration initiative in Nigeria
The team also tabled ATCON’s concerns, especially in ensuring broadband penetration in Nigeria is high.
“The strategy that ATCON has earmarked to leapfrog our current broadband rating globally is what we call ATCON Broadband and Technology Investment Forum in all states of the federation.
“The plan is to work majorly with the Nigerian Communications Commission and all State Governors and Commissioners for ICT in Nigeria to organise this forum in all our states. In 2018, we plan to stage this forum in three states: Kano, Akwa-Ibom and Osun.
“The strategic objective of this initiative is to promote greater awareness about the state’s technology and broadband investments potentials; identify viable technology investment projects for both the private and public sectors; increase government and private investments and spending in Broadband Infrastructure.
“It has been established that for any state in Nigeria to seriously improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its economic activities and the general welfare of its population, such states must invest more meaningfully in broadband infrastructure.
“As we all know that 10% broadband penetration can translate to 1.38% in our nation’s GDP, this forum will make concrete attempts to measure the state of broadband infrastructure in the state and what could be done to encourage as well as increase its capacity utilization”.
Welcoming the visitors Prof. Danbatta, first, congratulated both Mr. Olusola Teniola, President, ATCON and other newly elected NEC members and said it was a well-deserved mandate given to him and the new exco by the entire members of Association.
He urged Teniola to use this particular tenure to further strengthen the Association which has existence for 25 years.
Getting down to the issues: Right of Way, the EVC said it appears there is a solution in sight as Professor, Yemi Osinbajo , Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria had a meeting with Nigeria Governors Forum where he pitched to them in respect of Right of Way.
According to him, the Governors appeared to buy into the initiative of laying fibre which would cover upto 18000 km in Nigeria.
He added that the initiative would be solely driven by the Vice President and with this initiative, solutions shall be proffered to the challenges caused by right of ways and the 30% broadband penetration target set would be met and surpassed.
He also spoke on some benefits that come with high broadband penetration and emphasized the need for quality critical infrastructure.
“The Digital Transformation would change our country socially, economically and it would further lead to youth empowerment, foster e-learning, and open our society more”, he said.
Still on broadband:
Prof. Umar Danbatta commended ATCON for its advocacy in respect of Cybercrime levy of 0.005 and said the sector has contributed N1.43trillion to the country’s GDP and we need to talk more about the performance of our industry.
He said the contribution of N1.43 trillion was achieved because of the progressive regulatory put in place by the Nigerian Communication Commission which has also attracted further investment into the sector.
Prof. Umar Danbatta said ATCON‘s proposal on Broadband and Technology Investment Forum is apt and it aligns with the initiative being pursued by the presidency.
“This Presidency initiative is put in place to accelerate investment in the industry and ATCON would be carried along to realize the goals and objectives of the presidency initiative.
“It has been found that broadband is nonexistence in many states in Nigeria because of commercial reasons. The initiative being pursued by the presidency would ensure that some form of telecommunications services would be provided for the rural dwellers as well as ensure critical mass of ICT adoption among the underserved and unserved”.
Nigeria, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has won the 2025 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) prize for its project, the Digital Awareness Programme (DAP), under Category C3, which is on Access to Information and Knowledge.
L–R: Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, receives the WSIS 2025 Prize (Category C3: Access to Information and Knowledge) from the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, following the selection of the Commission’s Digital Awareness Programme (DAP) as winner of the category.
The DAP, one of hundreds of projects submitted for the WSIS Prizes competition 2025, received the highest number of votes in its category, earning it the top honour. The programme equips secondary schools across the country with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and provide internet connectivity to support teaching, learning, and research. Since inception in 2006, over 300 schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have benefitted from the programme.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, received the award during the WSIS Prizes Winners 2025 Ceremony held on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland.
In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Maida thanked the hosts, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and WSIS, for recognising Nigeria’s efforts in promoting inclusive digital access across Nigeria, noting that the award would serve as further motivation for the Commission.
“This recognition is more than a celebration of past efforts—it is an encouragement to press forward. It affirms that investing in digital inclusion is investing in national development, and that Nigeria’s work is being seen and valued on the global stage,” Dr. Maida said.
Four other Nigerian projects—the Women Techsters and the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI) under Capacity Building, the Telecom-Based Research Grant Initiative under Enabling Environment, and the Digital Learning Initiative under e-Learning—were also celebrated for their nomination for the Champions Category of Projects at the WSIS Prizes Ceremony. Although they were not among the top-voted entries, they were acknowledged for their significant merit and impact.
The WSIS Prizes competition recognises and promotes projects that effectively leverage ICTs to advance sustainable development. The competition showcases how technology can serve as a powerful tool for addressing global challenges and achieving the SDGs. Projects from around the world are recognised annually, highlighting diverse approaches to building an inclusive information society.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a United Nations (UN) initiative aimed at building a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information society. It provides a multi-stakeholder platform to address issues related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their role in achieving sustainable development.
The Forum is an annual event that brings together high-level representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, the technical community, and international organisations. It serves as a global platform for implementing the WSIS Action Lines, which are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given telecom tower operators in the country August 2025 deadline to fix persistent network hitches in their facilities or face regulatory sanctions.
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, reportedly gave the ultimatum during a high-level meeting with key industry players, attended by representatives of IHS Towers, American Tower Corporation (ATC), and Pan-African Towers, and mobile network operators (MNOs) in Abuja
According to sources, discussions at the meeting focused on the recurring challenges in the telecoms sector, particularly power failures, equipment malfunctions, and insufficient site maintenance, that have been causing poor Internet and call services in the country
Specifically, Maida tasked the tower operators on the imperative of complying with the NCC’s updated Quality of Service (QoS) framework, which now extends performance obligations to infrastructure providers, not just telecom service providers.
According to him, the timeline given by the commission is more than enough time for all parties to align with the performance standards expected of them.
Recently, to ensure compliance with the standards, the NCC introduced a Major Incident Reporting Portal for real-time outage disclosures; developed public performance dashboards to enhance transparency; mandated that telecom tower companies meet strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Although the tower operators had previously cited delayed payments from MNOs as a reason for service lapses, the NCC had dismissed the justification, insisting that all parties must meet their obligations.
The EVC maintained: “Operators must fulfill both their technical and financial responsibilities. Poor service delivery—regardless of internal disputes—will attract consequences.”
Available data on the telecom tower infrastructure shows that IHS Towers has the largest assets with 16,000–19,000 sites, (62% market share); compared to American Tower Corp’s (ATC’s) about 8,270 towers; and Pan-African Towers’ 760–1,000 sites nationwide.
The latest NCC’s August deadline is believed to be putting pressures on the tower operators to improve the quality of their facilities for improved services as the commission had hinted of its plan to sanction defaulting operators with fines or stricter regulatory actions.
Industry experts believe that the NCC’s directive is a welcomed development as it will ensure reliable Internet connectivity and improved services quality for telecom consumers in the country.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to play a pivotal role at the upcoming 6th edition of the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF 6.0), where it will lead a critical discussion on the sustainable growth of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria.
Set against a backdrop of innovation and opportunity, this forum, organized by Business Remarks, aptly themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s MVNO Potential: Status, Trends, Investment, and Future Prospects,” is scheduled for August 26, 2025. This event reinforces the nation’s commitment to fostering a robust, competitive, and inclusive telecommunications landscape.
The forum will bring together a diverse array of key stakeholders from across the telecom ecosystem to deliberate on strategies for integrating MVNOs effectively into Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital economy. With the recent advancements in technology and the issuance of 43 MVNO licenses to new players, MVNOs are poised to significantly enhance service delivery, drive digital transformation, penetrate underserved markets, and stimulate healthy competition across the sector.
As the global MVNO market is experiencing significant growth, with projections indicating continued expansion, experts believe that with the right regulatory environment and access to infrastructure, emerging markets like Nigeria can leverage MVNOs to unlock new value for both operators (by utilizing excess network capacity) and customers. Customers can enjoy a rich array of niche value-added services tailored to their needs.
Having been proactive in introducing a five-tier MVNO licensing classification, each with distinct services and a 10-year validity period, signaling a clear path for new entrants, the telecom regulator (NCC) will deliver a keynote address outlining the Commission’s regulatory framework, interventions, and commitment to ensuring a conducive environment for MVNO operations.
Mrs. Bukola Olanrewaju, Convener of the forum and Managing Editor of Business Remarks, emphasized the importance of collaboration. “TSSF 6.0 is designed to be a melting pot of ideas, bringing together Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), MVNOs, telecoms infrastructure providers, Internet Service Providers, industry associations, and technology experts,” she said.
“Our goal is to ignite discussions that will shape the future of MVNOs in Nigeria, ensuring their sustainable growth and their critical role in extending digital prosperity across the nation.”
The forum will feature interactive sessions, thought-provoking panel discussions, insightful paper presentations, and abundant networking opportunities. This event aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to share insights, address challenges, and explore collaborative pathways for sustainable growth.
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