News
34 States Yet to Endorse Fair Taxation, Levies on ICT Infrastructure
Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology has once again bemoaned the foot-dragging gestures of State Governments to sign a memorandum of understanding that will reduce taxes and levies hardship experienced by telecom providers across the country.
The minister while addressing the 3rd regular meeting of the National Council on Communication Technology held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, recently, said that only Lagos and Bayelsa States have signed a substantive MoUs to implement these decisions while Anambra State should be signed in the coming weeks.
She said the Council meeting came at a very auspicious time for the ICT industry.
According to her, “The recent rebasing of our economy has made it the largest economy in Africa. The ICT sector now contributes 10.44% to GDP as at 2013 and quite importantly is 19% of the Services Sector which with the rebasing now contributes 54% to GDP. In other words the ICT sector is even more strategic to national development than we had originally thought. It is therefore imperative that this Council, which is the highest policy advisory forum of the ICT Sector forges the integrated and coordinated development of the sector to not only sustain but to surpass these impressive statistics.
Chief among factors in sustaining the successes, she said, include, “That state governments be encouraged to commence immediate implementation of NEC’s decisions to reduce multiple taxation and levies on ICT infrastructure in States. As we speak only Lagos State and Bayelsa State have signed a substantive MoUs to implement these decisions while Anambra State should be signed in the coming weeks.
“While we fully appreciate the internally generated revenue pressures that literally all state governments are faced with, it is expected that discussions at the Council meeting should focus on inputs from Commissioners on how we can ensure that the tenets of these decision are abided by to pave the way for the deployment of cost effective infrastructure in the state in a win-win manner for State governments and the telcos. Honourable Commissioners, you must get actively involved in this process if you are to deliver on your States ICT objectives.
“That state governments be encouraged to ensure that all access to telecom infrastructure by states and local government operatives would require the consent of the Executive Governor as part of measures to protect them from unlawful interference which not only affects commerce but threatens security in the State.
“The Office of the NSA and has now accorded higher levels of security to ICT infrastructure than in the past but we still need the support of State governments to reduce the vulnerability of our ICT infrastructure.
“That state governments be encouraged to take necessary policy action on the implementation of relevant aspects of the Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan; That a collaborative framework to stem irregular/illegal use of radio frequency resource in Nigeria should be developed”.
Johnson while giving account on progresses recorded by the Ministry and the industry at large, said that top priority/focus areas of the Ministry of Communication Technology remain: Connect Nigeria.
Connect Nigeria focuses on building ICT infrastructure, Connect Nigerians that deals with providing cost effective access to the infrastructure by all Nigerians regardless of socio economic status, ICT in Government to leverage ICTs to improve public sector productivity, efficiency and governance and Local Content Development to increase the domestic value added of the ICT sector.
She said, “Nigeria has made appreciable progress on these priority areas. With over 121 million active subscribers our tele-density has increased to 86.62% up 114.76million in 2011 and 95.9million in 2010. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), as at June 2012, Nigeria was home to 48.4 million internet users up from 45 million at the end of 2011. This 2012 figure represents 28% internet penetration and 29% of total internet users in Africa, making Nigeria the largest internet market in Africa by volume.
“Our software development industry is gaining recognition both continentally and globally. Next week Nigeria will host Demo Africa, the largest meeting of software developers and investors in the software industry. Apart from the fact that this is the first time that DEMO Africa is being hosted outside Nairobi, Kenya, fourteen of the 40 African start ups that will be pitching their software apps at this event have come from incubation hubs in Nigeria.
“In the area of ICT in government, in the most recent ranking of countries in the UN egovernment index, Nigeria moved up 21 places to number 141 and improved her eparticipation scores by 22 points.
“This is a testimony to the hardwork that we are all doing but despite this impressive progress, there is still much work that needs to be done. ICTs have tremendous potential to help this nation address many of its current challenges which today include physical security, health, food security, good governance and human capacity building and take advantage of the job and wealth creation opportunities that ICTs present.
“Through our three major policy documents – the National ICT Policy, the National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap, the Guidelines for Nigerian Content in the ICT sector and several other guidelines that we have issued for the sector, the Ministry of Communication Technology will provide the necessary leadership and rallying point for ensuring that the potential of the Nigerian ICT sector is fully harvested in support of Nigeria’s attainment of a more inclusive and sustainable development”.
She further highlighted the need for each State to develop an ICT policy that is aligned to the National ICT Policy and articulates how the State will leverage ICTs for socio-economic development.
Although, four States have signed MoUs with NITDA to receive support and expertise in the development of their ICT plans, the Minister said that every States in the country can take the bold step and boost their economic indices too.
To her, “Our demographic dividend implies that the future of Nigeria lies in a productive and engaged youth population; finding innovative, creative and sustainable ways to providing them jobs and enterprise opportunities to channel their burgeoning energies.
“ICTs provide a proven way to do that. However, our desired better future cannot be fully realised unless there is cooperation and collaboration among the various tiers of government and other stakeholders. This requires an integrated approach to conceptualisation and implementation of the ICT policy. Areas of existing and potential cooperation have already been articulated and I know that together we can deliver the benefits of ICT to citizens, the States and the nation”.
The Lagos State Governor, His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commended Africa’s leading e-commerce platform, Jumia Nigeria, for its giant strides and in the growth of the country’s e-commerce sector, as well as its unique contributions to its economic development.
He said that Jumia has earned its place as a major brand, with its growth and trajectory in the country’s e-commerce ecosystem over the years which, he said, has made it a household name. He urged the company to not only strive to maintain its excellent service standards, but to also work towards improving them.
The Governor who was speaking during a courtesy visit by the management of Jumia Nigeria to the State House in Marina on Thursday March 27, reaffirmed the strategic importance of the company in the economic development of Lagos State and Nigeria, especially in job creation.
He restated his administration’s commitment in ensuring that Lagos State remains environmentally friendly for businesses to grow.
“Our administration has always prioritized creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Through various initiatives, we have strengthened the ease of doing business, and fostered innovation to drive economic growth, and we will continue to support businesses and create opportunities that will aid in their growth”, Sanwo-Olu said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said that the Lagos State Government remains open to collaborations with the private sector to enhance service delivery, infrastructure development, and create opportunities for residents, with the aim of building a resilient and sustainable future.
He said the administration recognises the importance of working with the private sector to achieve its goals of improving the lives of its citizens.
Speaking also, the Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Nigeria, Sunil Natraj, thanked the governor for creating an enabling environment in the state for businesses like Jumia to grow. He stated Jumia’s commitment to contributing towards the growth and development of the state, and the country.
Natraj said the company has made tremendous strides from its early days as a tech start-up in Lagos and has grown to become the number one e-commerce platform in Nigeria, with a presence in nine African countries. He said the company presently employs hundreds of Nigerians directly, and thousands more indirectly as independent sales agents and partners.
He restated Jumia Nigeria’s commitment to providing excellent service, focusing on delivering exceptional value and fostering long-term relationships with its customers around the country.
Among other things, he said the company is actively working to enhance customer experience, aiming to simplify the e-commerce process, making it easier for customers to navigate and shop online.
According to him, Jumia aims to transform everyday life in Africa by making it easier for consumers to access goods and services conveniently and affordably, adding that the company is focused on expanding access to retail across the country.
Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced its readiness for the capital market with an Initial Public Offer (IPO) now in the final stage.
Mr. Olugbenga Oluwaniyi, chief finance and investor relations officer (CFIO), NNPC, stated this at a consultative meeting with partners at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, on Thursday.
He said the move aligned with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
He said NNPCL was currently engaging with prospective partners in an exercise tagged: “NNPC Ltd. IPO Beauty Parade” in line with capital market regulations before the commencement of the IPO.
According to the CFIO, the aim of the IPO Beauty Parade is to assess potential partners and determine in what ways they could be of support to the company.
He listed the areas of partnership required to include Investor Relations, IPO Readiness Advisors, and Investment Bank Partners.
He said the company with the best offer in terms of project partnership would be selected for each of the three categories.
The PIA provides for NNPCL to list its shares in the capital market in line with the provisions of the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990.
Federal High Court in the Bwari Judicial Division has thrown out a case of fraud filed against the Chairman of Zinox Technologies, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, his wife, Chioma Ekeh, and 11 others.
Femi Falana and Leo Stan Ekeh
This is the umpteenth time.
The latest is the dismissal of the suit by Justice Akpan Okon Ebong of the FCT High Court, who struck out the case filed by Mr. Femi Falana SAN, purporting to act on a fiat donated to him by Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN, attorney general and minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, against Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Technologies, and 12 others.
The other defendants are Mr. Chris Eze Ozims, Oyebode Folashade, Charles Adigwe, Obilo Onuoha, Agartha Ukoha, Anya O. Anya, Femi Dosumu, Nnenna Kalu, Admas Digital Technologies Limited, Technology Distributions Limited and Zinox Technologies Limited.
In the suit No. FCT/HC/CR/985/24 filed in November 2024, Falana, on behalf of his client, Benjamin Joseph, the CEO of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, an Ibadan-based computer firm, filed charges against Ekeh, 9 other individuals and 3 companies before the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly diverting N162,247,513.80 being payment for laptop supply contract at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Headquarters which Technology Distribution Ltd (now TD Africa), the biggest tech equipment distributor in sub-Saharan Africa supplied on behalf of Citadel in 2012.
However, in the certified true copy of the judgment dated March 20, 2025, Justice Ebong ruled as follows: “It is my conclusion based on the foregoing that this charge (No. FCT/HC/CR/985/2024, Federal Republic of Nigeria v Leo Stan Ekeh and 12 ORS) constitutes a gross abuse of court process and is liable to dismissal. I accordingly hereby dismiss it.”
Before arriving at his judgment, which has put the final nail in the coffin of a case that other courts had also dismissed in the past as dead on arrival, Justice Ebong considered the outcome of previous cases and petitions filed by Mr. Joseph, none of which was in his favour.
Justice Ebong said: “One intriguing aspect of this matter is that none of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of the nominal complainant’s (Mr. Joseph) numerous petitions has found merit in any of his allegations against the defendants. When called upon before Senchi J. (Justice Danlami Z. Senchi) to prove his said allegations to the court, he failed to turn up in court. One then wonders on what premise he wants to maintain this campaign of persecution against the defendants.”
Previous judgments on the matter had established that rather than being the culprit, Ekeh and the 12 others were actually the victims of a failed money diversion scheme plotted by Mr. Joseph and Citadel.
When contacted, one of the defendants, Mr. Chris Eze Ozims, a lawyer, said: “This ruling truly reflects our consistent position on the allegations, and it is good that we have been vindicated, once more, by a competent high court.”
He asserted that the judgment of Justice Ebong was consistent with the position of the defendants and in tandem with the rulings of other judges who had previously adjudicated on the same matter.
Mr. Matthew Burkaa SAN, chief counsel to the defendants, described the judgment as a victory for integrity and the rule of law.
Court papers showed that Falana’s suit was based on the same claims that various courts had dismissed in the past as falsehood and baseless. The case arose from a contract between Citadel and Technology Distributions Limited over the supply of computers to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), a project fully funded by Technology Distributions and has no bearing whatsoever with Zinox and its promoter, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh.
It will be recalled that Mr. Joseph had lost the case and its adjunct suits at different courts in the past. In his petition to the police in 2013, police authorities discovered that Mr. Joseph provided false information to the police, prompting the Inspector General of Police to charge him for false information in charge no.CR/216/16.
In another case filed by the EFCC in his instance against his partner, Princess Kama, in charge no. FCT/HC/CR/244/2018, Honorable Justice Danlami Z. Senchi of the FCT High Court (as he then was) dismissed as false all the allegations made by Benjamin Joseph, and imposed the sum of N20 million as damages against him for false petitioning in relation to these same allegations.
Earlier court papers showed that Joseph, in his statement on oath in suit No:LD/4335/2014 in the High Court of Justice, Lagos State, dated June 28, 2019, averred that his company, Citadel, did not execute any contract with FIRS and that he was not aware that a contract had been awarded to Citadel.
In his deposition under oath, Joseph claimed that Citadel “did not at any time execute any contract for the FIRS and neither did the 2nd defendant (Princess O. Kama) who is its agent in respect of the contract it bid for with the FIRS deliver/release any documents to the Claimant (Citadel) indicating that the contract it bid for, or any other contract was awarded to it by the FIRS or any other body.”
However, a letter from the FIRS addressed to the chamber of Afe Babalola & Co dated February 11, 2014 (FIRS/PD/GDS/2559) and signed by one Idrissa Kogo, Head Legal Department, stated: “Contrary to your client’s claim that they knew nothing about the execution of the contract awarded to them and that they did not receive any payment for the execution of the contract, our record reveals otherwise.
“Your client instructed FIRS through a letter dated December 13, 2012, to deal with Princess O. Kama (Your client’s agent) in relation to the contract. Through three separate letters dated December 20, 2012, your client instructed FIRS to pay to the client’s account with Access Bank plc. Please note that FIRS acted in compliance with your client’s instruction and with due diligence,” the FIRS letter stated.
The FIRS letter was a response to inquiry by Afe Babalola Chamber, lawyers to Citadel Oracle Concept Ltd and its MD, Mr. Benjamin Joseph, at that time.
The current charges filed by Falana on the basis of a fiat from the Attorney General is the third in a row as Mr Joseph had earlier filed charge no.CR/469/2022, which was struck out by Honorable Justice C. O. Oba of the FCT High Court, by an order dated November 8, 2022.
Determined to push through with his case, Mr Joseph filed the same charges before Honorable Justice A. S. Adepoju of the FCT High Court, and the charges were, once again, struck out by the Honorable Court on March 19, 2024, with Honorable Justice Adepoju holding that: “This matter was brought in dead, extinct and should be confined into the dustbin of history…I hold that the instant suit is an abuse of the process of court, and it is hereby struck out accordingly.”
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