Telecom
Telcos Risk N500,000 Fine for Violation of DND Instruction
A fine of N500,000 will be paid by any telecom network provider that violates the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) instruction, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) warned on Thursday.
Mr. Philip Eretan, Deputy Director, Licensing and Authorisation, NCC, gave the warning in Lagos at the 83rd edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP).
The forum was sequel to complaints of unsolicited messages by telecom consumers on Value Added Services (VAS).
It had the theme, “Value Added Services (VAS) and its Benefits to Consumers”.
Eretan said that NCC had mandated telecom companies to provide adequate information on the services offered.
He said that network providers would be held responsible for whatever would happen on their networks.
” A fine of N500,000 will be paid by any network violating the DND instruction,” he said.
In his address, Prof. Umar Danbatta, NCC Executive Vice-Chairman, said that the parliamentary session was to educate consumers on the benefits of VAS messages and ways to deal with them.
He noted that the subject was discussed in Abuja during the 82nd edition of TCP.
Danbatta said that low participation of the targeted stakeholders especially VAS providers and the need to underscore the importance of the segment of telecom market made the commission to engage the industry stakeholders on the subject.
“There is no doubt that VAS is adding to the excitement in the telecom market as well adding up to consumer quality of experience in the industry.
“The Value Added Service is an important element of the telecom ecosystem network for optimising the benefits of telecom service to consumers.
” It enables, in a very special way, social media and e-commerce activities that may be useful to the consumer while offering a veritable tool for entrepreneurs and businesses in this modern and mobile age of the internet.
“VAS could be very useful and provide services that may interest consumers and assist online and offline entrepreneurs to reach customers, particularly on the mobile markets both to advertise and to sell their products and services, ” he said.
Danbatta said that, on the other hand, it could become a challenge when VAS would flood networks with all kinds of product offer that most consumers might not be interested in.
He said that the commission, therefore, deemed it fit to find a balance between enabling the opportunities that VAS could offer to some consumers and mitigating the challenges or inconveniences they could constitute to other consumers.
Danbatta said that while network service providers were licensed by the commission and allowed to operate and provide value-added services to consumers, the consumers were empowered through the DND platform to choose whether to allow or block access to the services.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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