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 will criminalize the destruction of broadband fiber cables following repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecommunications companies that they are losing billions of naira, according to people familiar with the matter.
Federal ministry of works, which supervises federal road constructors, is finalizing the regulation that will be signed as an executive order by President Bola Tinubu, said the people, asking not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to comment.
While there are presently laws against vandalism, the authorities are aiming to regulate construction firms more closely.
The order will enforce stiff penalties on offenders, said the people, declining to provide more details or say when it will be signed.
“Telecom assets are critical backbone that supports the economy across sectors,” said Temitope Ajayi, a senior presidential aide, who noted that the Association of Telecommunications Companies (ATCON) has been demanding the classification for years.
New rules will provide “further assurance that the Nigerian government will protect their investments against vandals and criminal elements.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that the sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5% in the third quarter of last year.
The move will help alleviate pressure on the telecoms sector, which is facing increased operating costs and sales pressures from a sharp depreciation in the currency and a threefold increase in energy prices.
Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables is estimated to have cost the sector almost 27 billion naira ($23 million) last year alone, documents seen by Bloomberg show.
MTN Nigeria, the biggest wireless operator in Africa’s most-populous nation, and Airtel Africa Plc bore the brunt of the costs, the documents show.
MTN suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable last year, the documents show. On Feb. 28, a cut on its network in three different locations by a road construction firm, an oil serving company and someone burning rubbish in a manhole meant customers faced more than five hours of data and voice outages.
The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than 11 billion naira – enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines to areas without coverage.
A presidential order on the matter would be welcomed, said Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria.
“When it comes to communication infrastructure, they are destroyed at will, so we are eagerly awaiting the president’s order,” he said. “It would be a great boost to the industry, and it will also encourage investment.”
Telegram, the messaging giant founded by Pavel Durov and headquartered in Dubai, anticipates hitting a remarkable milestone of one billion active monthly users within the next year.
Durov’s departure from Russia in 2014, prompted by governmental pressures to stifle opposition communities on his VK social media platform, underscores Telegram’s commitment to neutrality despite geopolitical challenges.
With 900 million active users currently, Telegram stands as a beacon of free speech in the digital realm, particularly influential in former Soviet Union republics and pivotal during conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine standoff.
Durov’s staunch advocacy for freedom of expression and opposition to censorship by tech giants like Apple and Google reinforces Telegram’s status as a neutral platform.
Opting for the UAE as its base, Durov cites its neutrality and openness as conducive to Telegram’s ethos, serving both opposition groups and governments alike while maintaining impartiality.
In Durov’s vision, the pursuit of freedom eclipses material gain, shaping Telegram’s trajectory as a bastion of digital liberation.
To further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance and create synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystem, and secure & seemless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
During the meeting between the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and Director General of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, with some management staff of both organisations, they discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up. This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives. It is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks
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