Telecom
Ihedioha Solicits NCC Partnership for ICT Innovation in Imo

Emeka Ihedioha, governor of Imo State has solicited the partnership of the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, in his administration’s effort to embrace and deepen digital culture in Imo State.
Governor Ihedioha stated this recently in an address presented on his behalf by Gerald Irona, his deputy, at the opening of a 2-Day Research and Innovation Forum organised by the NCC for tech entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the South East geopolitical zone.
The governor recalled that in its first 100 days, his administration has recorded strides through the creation of the Ministry of Technology Development, funding ICT training programmes for different categories of persons, and instituting the digitisation of the State’s tax and revenue collection processes.
The governor then solicited the support and partnership of NCC to enable Imo State government to expand its vision for ICT innovation and technological development.
In a keynote paper by Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Haru Alhassan, director, New Media and Information Security, NCC affirmed the Commission’s commitment to collaborate with stakeholders in the country to deepen the impact of ICT research, innovation and utilisation.
Danbatta noted that the Commission “in its effort to encourage tech entrepreneurship and innovation in the ICT sector, has embarked on visitation to various tech startups across the six geopolitical zones to assess their development and challenges.”
The EVC said NCC is ready to assist the various innovation hubs with the appropriate interventions to ease their operations, stressing that the deliberations at the Forum will improve collaborative efforts and actions designed by governments and the NCC to accelerate innovation and accentuate digital economy in Nigeria.
Ephraim Nwokonneya, director, Research and Development DRD, at NCC underscored Danbatta’s remark that the Forum theme, “Developing Nigeria’s Tech Ecosystem: The Imperatives for Improving Local Content” was selected to emphasise the commitment of NCC to leverage local content in the nation’s effort to achieve concrete digital transformation.
Nwokonneya also said NCC’s initiatives in this regard will unlock the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of the young people, boost local content in the ICT sector and enhance wealth creation, facilitate the introduction of new value added services that will improve quality of consumer experience, and support President Buhari’s agenda to reduce poverty in Nigeria.
In a presentation by Dr. Chris Uwaje, a leading light of ICT research and innovations, Nigeria will concretely harness opportunities lurking in ICT and digital economy by improving local content participation, see innovation hubs as fulcrum of local content, ensure legislative and government support for tech initiatives, and nudge young people to be globally competitive.
Dr. Fidelis Onah, a former Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC and now a tech entrepreneur, who made a presentation on the “Imperatives of e-governance in the Emerging Digital Economy”, allayed the fears of the public about people losing jobs as a result of tech innovations.
He said while some job losses may be recorded, much more jobs will be created in the increasingly digital economy.
He advised that stakeholders need to be ready by designing and reviewing existing policies to design strategies that will enable Nigeria to take advantage of the opportunities that abound within the digital culture.
He also warned that any society that refuse to embrace the digital culture will have to do so later at higher costs.
In a panel session on Legislative and Government Support for Enhancing Tech Ecosystem in Nigeria, chaired by Tony Ojobo, former Director Public Affairs at NCC, Founder of Tech X Innovation Hub and President of African ICT Foundation, discussants agreed on the need for state governments to designate a Commissioner for ICT Development.
The panelists reasoned that it is also important for all stakeholders to demonstrate the awareness of the capacity of ICT to galvanise growth so that such knowledge can trigger more concrete action to provide access, adoption and application of ICTs in all facets of life.
In another panel discussion focused on Innovation Hubs as Fulcrum of Local Content, chaired by Hanson Johnson, Founder of Nextdeegit Hub, panelists were on accord that innovation hubs hold the promise of harnessing the energy of the youths for creativity and measurable outcomes.
Overall, all panel sessions emphasised the need for clear and harmonised policies and strategies, more collaboration of stakeholders and particularly advocated for a new approach by government that shows the government appreciate the value of ICT, innovation and the treasures lurked in the digital culture.
Participants welcomed enthusiastically the NCC’s vision of Silicon WAZOBIA, a replication of the Silicon Valley Model, but discussants and other participants urged government to get more intimately involved in mobilising the innovation hubs, the academia and other strategic actors in the emerging revolution driven by ICT.
The Forum is being attended by many stakeholders including Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Galaxy Backbone Plc, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), tech economy enthusiasts, entrepreneurs of tech innovation hubs, as well as captains of other capacity-building and startup businesses, Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), banks, Zinox Technologies and other players in the telecom ecosystem.
Telecom
9mobile Nigeria Inks Agreement to Roam with MTN

9mobile, Nigerian operator, has reportedly gained approval for roaming on the MTN Nigeria network in a deal that some commentators suggest could improve its position in the market and, more specifically, tempt back lost subscribers.
After finally gaining regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 9mobile plans to launch national roaming services on the MTN network from this month.
Under the agreement, 9mobile subscribers will gain access to MTN’s infrastructure for calls, texts and data in areas where 9mobile’s coverage is weak or unavailable.
For 9mobile, the deal offers a cost-effective way to expand coverage without the heavy investment required for nationwide infrastructure.
According to ITWeb Africa, the decision comes nearly five years after initial discussions – much longer than expected due, the Techloy news service said, to regulatory bottlenecks, shifting market conditions, and unclear execution timelines.
It may, however, prove pivotal for 9mobile, whose market share has dwindled to 1.72% in April 2025, down from 6.6% in 2020 when the proposal was first submitted. Indeed, in 2015 the company once known as Etisalat Nigeria had over 23 million subscribers and a 15.7% market share.
Of course, there’s also something in this for MTN. In exchange for network access, MTN gains utilisation rights to 9mobile’s underused spectrum in the 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 2100MHz bands – key frequencies for expanding coverage and improving data capacity.
For MTN, which serves over 84 million subscribers, this additional spectrum could reduce congestion and improve service quality.
The company has also had financial difficulties in the Nigerian market due to the naira’s substantial depreciation; this deal could support better service provision at a reduced cost.
That said, MTN Nigeria’s results for the first quarter to March 31 2025 were apparently much improved, and the company recently announced a massive capital expenditure drive for 2025 of some NGN900 billion (US$568.5 million) as it seeks to significantly enhance network service quality in major cities like Lagos and Abuja and extend improvements to other areas.
Telecom
Banks, Telcos to Start Deducting USSD Charges from Airtime Today

Banks and telecom companies will begin deducting USSD banking charges directly from customers’ airtime instead of their bank accounts beginning from today, June 3.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a communications protocol used by GSM cellular telephones to interact with a mobile network operator’s computers.
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) announced this change in an e-mail message to customers, following a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Key details:
Each USSD session will cost ₦6.98 per 120 seconds, charged by your mobile network.
You will be asked to approve the charge before it’s deducted from your airtime.
If you prefer, you can use other banking channels like ATMs, mobile apps, or internet banking.
This change is part of a move to end the long-standing debt dispute between banks and telecoms over unpaid USSD fees.
As of late 2024, banks owed telecom companies ₦160 billion. For example, MTN was owed ₦42 billion by Nigerian banks.
By shifting USSD fees to customers’ airtime, the telcos aim to recover these debts and avoid future issues.
Telecom
IHS Nigeria Moves to Enhance G4S Secure Solutions Site Patrols and Increase Operational Efficiency with Patrol Vehicles

IHS Nigeria, a subsidiary of IHS Holding Limited and one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has formally commissioned 65 Response, Patrol, and Escort (RPE) vehicles to G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, its long-standing security partner.
The commissioning ceremony which held in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to operational excellence, safety, and strategic partnerships.
The fully equipped vehicles, customized with radio systems, public address systems, medical kits, ladders, and amber lights, are expected to significantly enhance G4S’s patrol capabilities and enable proactive risk mitigation across IHS Nigeria’s infrastructure footprint in the country.
Speaking at the event, Jubril Saba, Vice President, Operations at IHS Nigeria, remarked: “IHS Nigeria is delighted to formally hand over these Response, Patrol and Escort (RPE) vehicles to our valued security partner, G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited. As a company, we recognize that the success of our operations lies not only in our technology and infrastructure but also in the strength of the partnerships we build and sustain.
G4S has been an essential partner in protecting our sites, supporting our teams, and ensuring operational continuity across the country. This initiative is more than just a commissioning of vehicles; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the safety of our people and assets, our drive for operational excellence, and our belief in strong partnerships.
We understand that securing our infrastructure and communities is critical to sustaining high-quality services nationwide, and we are confident this fleet will enhance G4S’s capacity to support us.”
Also speaking at the event, Jonas Ahl, Managing Director of G4S Secure Solutions Nigeria Limited, expressed his appreciation for the partnership:
“We are proud to receive these 65 custom-built patrol vehicles from IHS Nigeria. Each unit is fully outfitted to meet the specific security needs of our operations, equipped with communication systems, emergency response tools, and visibility-enhancing features. These vehicles will not only improve our response times and field presence but also enable us to reduce risk and deter criminal activity more effectively.
I would like to thank the IHS team for their excellent collaboration throughout this project. We are proud to serve IHS and remain committed to protecting the assets that power connectivity across Nigeria.”
This strategic gesture reinforces IHS Nigeria’s position as a socially responsible and security-conscious industry leader, while highlighting the value of operational synergy with trusted partners like G4S.
The deployment of these vehicles marks another milestone in IHS’s mission to secure its infrastructure and deliver uninterrupted service to millions of users across the country.
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