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FG Launches Campaign against Illegal Use of Non-commercial Radio Spectrum

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Isa Ali Pantami, minister of Communication and Digital Economy
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Federal government has begun campaign to address illegal use of non-commercial radio frequency spectrum across the country.

FG Launches Campaign against Illegal Use of Non-commercial Radio Spectrum

This is coming as the government decried the huge revenue loss from non-commercial radio spectrum revealing that the loss is as a result of non-renewal of spectrum licence fees by the authorised users.

Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy  led by Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, disclosed this during a two-day public awareness programme on effective approaches to radio spectrum monitoring in Lagos.

Pantami, reiterated the federal government’s commitment in ensuring adequate and legal use of radio spectrum in the country.

Represented by Prof. Sahalu Junaidu, his chief research Adviser,  he advised members of the public, especially vendors and service providers of non-commercial radio spectrum, to comply with the regulations of applying and obtaining valid licence to operate the spectrum.

“The federal government currently has five active spectrum monitoring centres in Notth-east, North-west, North-central, South-west and South-south, and has approved additional Monitoring centre in South-east, to be located in Awka, Anambra State,” Pantami said.

Also speaking at the event,  Kityobas Binga, director, Radio Monitoring and Survey at the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, said that  “The federal government is losing several millions of naira to illegal use of non-commercial radio spectrum and to non-renewal of spectrum licence fees by the authorised users.”

He said the campaign in Lagos became necessary, in order to educate users and vendors of non-commercial radio spectrum, on the effective use of the spectrum, and to ensure proper monitoring of harmful interference of radio frequencies. He said the essence of the campaign was also to ensure that adequate level of radiation from approved spectrum equipment is maintained, coupled with the need to stop illegal use of the spectrum that is causing huge revenue loss to the federal government.

Shola Taylor, chief executive officer of Tetconsult, UK and Nigeria, and the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), who presented a paper on ‘Effective Approaches to Radio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring: Opportunities for Stakeholders’, stressed the need for spectrum monitoring, because it is a scarce resource.

According to him, “If spectrum is not monitored and controlled, it can cause harmful interference to other users and it can also lead to abuse by those licensed to provide the service. Monitoring of spectrum has to do with physical visit to spectrum sites by the regulator, and the use of spectrum analyzer to ensure that the spectrum emits the required level of signals approved for that purpose. Monitoring will also help to avoid harmful interference on other users.” He explained that spectrum could be used with long wave or short wave transmitters, provided the guidelines for use of spectrum were diligently followed. He advised spectrum vendors to sell the type-approved spectrum equipment, to avoid harmful frequency interference.

Speaking about the opportunities of spectrum monitoring, Taylor said it could help monitor signals in order to track criminality and illegal use of spectrum.

Taylor listed users of non-commercial radio spectrum to include security services providers like Army, Police, Navy, Airforce, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), as well as emergency services and maritime service providers.

“These particular radio frequency spectrum users fall within the scope of non-commercial radio spectrum that is being regulated by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, while the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), regulates the commercial radio frequency spectrum that are used for purely commercial purpose and for money generation,” Taylor said.

He therefore advised users of the non-commercial radio frequency spectrum to obtain the necessary licence that would enable them operate transparently.

Stephen Bello, senior consultant at Tetconsult, UK and Nigeria, who delivered a paper on ‘Nigeria Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy and Subsisting Guidelines’, called on spectrum users to always follow the guidelines in purchasing spectrum equipment from licensed equipment vendors. disclosed this during a two-day public awareness programme on effective approaches to radio spectrum monitoring in Lagos

The federal government took the awareness campaign to spectrum vendors in Alaba International Market and its environs in Lagos on the first day of the campaign and had stakeholders’ forum at the Digital Bridge Institute in Oshodi, Lagos, on the second day of the campaign, where it recounted the huge loss of revenue recorded by government, to non-commercial spectrum, which runs into several millions of naira annually.

 

 

 

 


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ngCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones

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Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) has raised alarms over a new wave of advanced cyberattacks targeting Android mobile phones through a malware campaign dubbed Tria Stealer.

ngCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones

The malicious software is designed to infiltrate Android devices, hijack messaging accounts, intercept One-Time Passwords (OTPs), to steal sensitive personal and financial data.

According to ngCERT, Tria Stealer spreads primarily through deceptive tactics, such as fake event invitations distributed via popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Unsuspecting users are enticed to download an infected  (APK) file, often disguised as a harmless system application, to evade detection.

Once installed, Tria Stealer requests extensive permissions, including access to SMS, call logs, and app notifications.

It immediately commences data harvesting activities, sending stolen information to a Command and Control (C2) server operated via Telegram bots.

This trojan spreads through fake links, usually disguised as wedding or event invites, and tricks users into downloading malicious APK files

“Account takeover of messaging platforms. Impersonation of victim for fraudulent money transfer requests. Compromise of banking and financial applications. Identity theft and credential harvesting.”

In plain terms, if your phone is compromised, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Your financial apps are vulnerable, your reputation could be ruined by impersonation and even simple personal messages could be twisted into tools for scams.

Here’s what users should be doing now:

Don’t download apps outside the official Play Store.

Be suspicious of random invites or links, even from people you know.

Turn on 2FA for everything—banking, emails, social platforms.

Get a reputable antivirus and keep it updated.

If you run an organisation, you should already be taking this seriously.

ngCERT’s guidance says you should raise awareness, monitor mobile devices, and not let your team click on unverified links.

“Deploy network monitoring for suspicious outbound connections to known C2 domains,” it said, meaning, keep an eye on every digital door in and out.

This isn’t one of those cases where you wait to see if it affects you. By the time you realise it, it may already be too late.

 

 

 


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MTN and Ecobank Launch Chess Championship to Empower Nigeria’s Youth

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MTN Nigeria is set to host the National Schools Team Chess Championship, Nigeria’s largest inter-school chess competition, scheduled to take place from June 26th to 28th, 2025, at the Ecobank Pan African Center in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The championship, organised in partnership with Ecobank and the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), aims to promote intellectual development, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among young Nigerians, while also identifying and nurturing future chess champions.

The championship is open to primary, secondary, and tertiary level students, and this year’s edition will host an impressive 1,600 students from 400 schools across 36 states and the FCT.

The competition will feature team-based play, with each team comprising four players from the same school. A significant prize pool of over N40 million is at stake, with winning schools also having the invaluable opportunity to represent Nigeria internationally.

Onyinye Ikenna Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at MTN Nigeria, expressed the company’s commitment to the initiative, stating, “Our investment is driven by our commitment to fostering youth development, just as our shared value initiative.

“By supporting, we not only contribute to the growth but also engage with the younger demographic in a meaningful way, as we believe we are good together”.

MTN’s sponsorship of the National Schools Team Chess Championship is a natural extension of its long-standing dedication to empowering young people through various initiatives in sports, education, and skill development, including programs like MTN Champs and MTN Campus Invasion.

The company aims to establish itself as the leading driver of youth empowerment, education, and strategic thinking through chess in Nigeria.

The event will also feature the presence of Tunde Onakoya, a renowned chess master and inspiration, who will join the championship week to share his experiences and further inspire the young participants.

His involvement underscores the profound impact strategic thinking can have on transforming lives and building dreams.


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NCC and Stakeholders Unite to Bridge Nigeria’s Rural Connectivity Gap

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has collaborated with the Association for Progressive Communications and other institutional stakeholders towards addressing challenges confronting rural network connectivity in Nigeria.

The collaboration resulted in a two-day workshop hosted in Abuja from June 3-4, 2025, to explore policy framework for enabling community networks towards bridging the digital divide and accelerating socio-economic development in Nigeria’s underserved and unserved communities.

The forum brought together regulators, community leaders, technical experts and potential foreign investors, among others, to examine policy and regulatory barriers, explore innovative funding mechanisms, ensure sustainable renewable solutions and strengthen collaboration with stakeholders.

Addressing participants at the workshop, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the workshop is important to bridging the digital divide in Nigeria and foster inclusive social economic development.

“This workshop is an opportunity for all of us to harness the expertise, insights, and experiences of diverse stakeholders present here which includes the regulators, community leaders, technical experts and potential foreign providers to address the critical challenges such as affordable devices, access, licensing, spectrum allocation, infrastructure development, sustainability and institutional monitoring,” said Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC at the event, Abraham Oshadami.

Maida said the workshop demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to advancing digital inclusion, particularly in underserved and unserved areas. “At NCC, we recognise the transformative potential of community center networks in achieving this important goal,” he said.

The EVC said NCC was committed to “this journey and views this workshop as a catalyst for meaningful change,” stating that the expertise, perspectives and commitments will shape the future where every Nigerian, regardless of his or her status, will have meaningful access to opportunities from digital connectivity.

In her remarks, Co-manager of the Association for Progressive Communications’ Local Network (LocNet) initiative, Kathleen Diga, noted that the collaboration was to tackle identified hindrances to digital inclusion. “This is a space where we can be open and exchange ideas of possibilities, opportunities that will remain in realising values of a diversified ecosystem.”

Diga said, “I believe this workshop presents a moment in time that we can explore the bottom-up approach in local communities, small social enterprises, corporative among others, which have the ability to fill some of the digital gaps that remain unfilled,” she said, adding emphasising the need to recognise that community centre connectivity exists and they are grow throughout the global south, which, she said, are a “strategic response to digital exclusion.”

The workshop featured presentations from the NCC, the Association for Progressive Communications and other institutional stakeholders such as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) all geared towards exploring a joint policy framework to address rural digital divide.

The Association for Progressive Communications is a 35-year-old international network member-based organisation encouraging digital inclusion in the unserved communities, particularly with communities in the global south and the workshop, through its LocNet initiative aimed at crafting an enabling inclusive regulatory framework for community networks in Nigeria.

 

 


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