Telecom
Cyber Attacks: Upgrading CERRT will Make Nigeria’s Cyberspace Safer — Pantami

Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), minister of Communications and Digital Economy has said that the establishment of Computer Emergency Response and Readiness Team, (CERRT) will reduce cyber attacks and make Nigeria’s cyberspace safer.
The Minister stated this while inaugurating the Nigeria Communications Commission’s Computer Emergency Response and Readiness Team (CERRT).
He said the project was strategically built in line with Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) of President Muhammadu Buhari for a Digital Nigeria.
According to Pantami, the facility was initiated and executed in accordance with international best practices and meet the needs of the present reality of mitigating and reducing further attacks on the country to a bearable minimum.
This he said, will go along way in complementing the efforts of the administration in tackling the high wave of insecurity in the country and put the economy on a better footing as well as boosting the anti corruption war.
“The CERRT is in alignment with the three priority areas of President Muhammadu Buhari namely security, job creation and fighting against corruption,” he said.
He further stated that, “today there are many challenges with regards to security based on what is happening online.With CERRT Teams, we will be able to be the watchdog of the Federal Government, monitor and protect cyber crime attacks on our country.
The Minister added that, “What we want to achieve with these projects is to ensure that these key areas are in tandem with President Buhari’s Digital transformation policy.”
“Part of what agreed with stakeholders is to build Digital Economy. The journey started in October 2019, which led to the approval for the launching of the Digital Economy Policy for Digital Nigeria. Now it is no longer about ICT but Digital Transformations,” Prof. Pantami stated.
He said, “for us, there is need to rebrand all parastatals because they are key to our goals. It gives impression and projects the vision and mission of the organizations. Prior to this NCC and NITDA were mandated to create independent department for Digital Economy.
“With the outbreak of the COVID-19Pandemic, we are trying to fast track the entire policy and see how we will be able to attain them by 2025 rather than 2030 earlier scheduled, though,some had already been attained but we are optimistic that they are achievable.”
Earlier in his address Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman Nigeria Communications Commission alluded to the importance of the Centre to the nation’s security measures, the digitalisation of the country’s economy and the rebranding of the Commission.
Prof. Danbatta said with establishment of the Centre, the Cyber space will be insulated from frequent attacks and save the country from loss of huge resources.
In his goodwill messages, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general/chief executive officer, National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA said there will never a more perfect time of this digital center than now.
He noted that, “last year, there was a disruption to the country’s journey to digital economy, as COVID 19 sent us off the streets, we rushed to our systems and smart phones to keep in touch with loved ones for education, entertainment and any other transaction we can not do physically. The new normal made us to understand how convenient the online life is.
Kashifu added that the most important thing is to secure our digital space so that people will have trust in it. He added that the Centre is the kind of facility that will help in achieving that.
He congratulated the Minister for the milestone, and also extend same to the management and staff of NCC for making sure that they are securing our telecommunications infrastructure.
Telecom
Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

Airtel Nigeria has restated its commitment to transparency, customer safety, and regulatory collaboration following recent regulatory enforcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The NCC had served Airtel Nigeria a notice of sanction over some alleged SIM infractions in Kano State and consequently slammed a fine of N104 million on the telecommunications firm.
NCC had in a letter, addressed to Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, dated May 26, 2025, signed by Chizua Whyte, head, Legal and Regulatory Services, and Mohammed Dari, acting head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, on behalf of Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, titled: ‘Notice of Sanction: Non-Compliance with SIM Registration Directive in Kano,’ where the infractions were spelt out.
According to NCC, Airtel infractions include unauthorised SIM registrations using 198 unapproved devices, resulting in 8,275 registrations outside the 281 verified Airtel shops; premature activation of 63 MSISDNs prior to proper SIM registration, contrary to the provisions of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022; failure to conduct effective eyeballing, leading to 407 fraudulent SIM registrations with multiple NINs, contrary to the provision of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and failure to provide satisfactory explanation for SIM registrations conducted between 12.00 a.m and 6.00 a.m.
On the matter, the letter revealed that there were some letter exchanges and subsequent meetings on the infractions between the telecom regulator and Airtel, starting from January 12, 2025, March 19, 2025, March 24, 2025, and March 27, 2025, respectively.
Apparently, after investigations and responses from Airtel, the NCC was not satisfied and this led to the fine of N104 million, which was to be paid within seven days from the date the letter was issued.
Specifically, NCC fined Airtel N5 million, N12 million, N81.4 million and N5 million for the infractions respectively.
Reacting, Airtel, expressed appreciation to the NCC for uncovering the infractions, describing the development as a critical opportunity to strengthen internal processes and further align with national security and regulatory expectations
“We thank the NCC for its vigilance and continued support in protecting the integrity of the telecoms ecosystem. Airtel takes these findings seriously and is already implementing corrective measures,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Only recently, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO recently announced that the company is doubling its investment in the country, focusing on network expansion, fiber-to-the-street rollout, 4G/5G deployment, customer care upgrades, and digital infrastructure security.
These investments reinforce Airtel’s long-term vision of building a resilient and forward-looking telecom network that meets the evolving needs of Nigerians.
“Our systems are constantly evolving to stay ahead of scammers and malicious actors,” the spokesperson added. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about our responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who rely on Airtel daily.”
Airtel Nigeria says it will continue to work closely with the NCC and other arms of government to ensure high standards of service and safety for all telecom users nationwide.
Telecom
Kenya Beats Nigeria As the Most Progressive ICT Regulation in Africa

Kenya is celebrating its regulatory ecosystem being ranked as the most progressive in Africa. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked the East African country first in its most recent ICT Regulatory Tracker.
ITU’s ICT Regulatory Tracker is an evidence-gathering tool for decision-makers and regulators. It demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory systems in the age of technology.
The ITU evaluates the design of the national regulatory authority, the scope of the regulatory mandate, the obtaining regulatory environment, and the robustness of the competition framework in member countries.
Kenya received 93 points, up from 92 in 2023, and now leads the continent in best practices for ICT regulations.
Nigeria and South Africa finished second and third, with 92 and 88 points respectively. Malawi, Egypt, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal complete the top 10 list.
Globally, Kenya was ranked 20th out of 194 countries covered.Italy led the rankings, with 100 points.
The regulator, Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, said the achievement underscored Kenya’s commitment to creating a robust, technology-neutral regulatory environment that supports innovation, affordability and access.
Steve Isaboke, permanent secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, visited CA Centre in Nairobi following the announcement on Thursday.
“The ranking is a clear testament of the excellent work that CA has done in spearheading Kenya’s digital transformation and driving digital access for all,” he said.
“After 25 years, CA’s regulatory regime has attained maturity, and gained global recognition. This ranking shows that the CA staff and leadership are executing their work diligently.”
Telecom
MTN’s Female Leadership Surges to 41.4%, Doubles Industry Average

MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced a significant increase in female representation within its leadership, with women now making up 41.4% of its workforce, a notable rise from 38.7% in 2023.
This figure reportedly doubles the industry average, positioning MTN Nigeria as a frontrunner in gender diversity within Nigeria’s ICT sector.
The company’s recently released 2024 Annual Report highlights its sustained commitment to workplace inclusion and gender equality, aligning with its “Ambition 2025” strategy. Female representation within the executive management team has reached approximately 46.7%.
MTN Nigeria attributes this progress to dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering women professionally. These include the “Women in Tech” programme, which provides targeted upskilling in high-demand fields such as Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, and Cyber Security.
The “MTN Y’ello Mums Internship Programme” also supports young mothers in their transition back into the corporate world after career breaks.
Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, was recognised as the CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA), further underscoring the company’s impactful social initiatives.
Additionally, Uto Ukpanah, the company secretary, received the inaugural Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award from the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).
Speaking at a recent conference, Odunayo Sanya, emphasised the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation, saying, “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders.”
Uto Ukpanah, added, “Showcasing our corporate values and ethos to the world opens the door for greater collaboration with other organisations, as we believe there’s a lot to learn when we all come together. Governance continues to evolve. The challenges today are not the same as they were 10 years ago. Greater accountability is expected, and companies can only continue to do better.”
The company’s broader efforts in diversity and inclusion have been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the Corporate Responsibility Award. MTN Nigeria also received the “Employer of the Year” award at the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Employers’ Excellence Awards.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, in the report, reiterated the company’s commitment to building a purpose-driven organisation, emphasising that its success is intrinsically linked to its people and their dedication to a shared vision.
“Since we initiated our culture transformation journey in 2021, our culture transformation has significantly enhanced employee engagement and organisational cohesion. It’s directly strengthened our ability to deliver outstanding business performance and drive sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”
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