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Minister Urges New NCC Board Chairman to Get Down to Work

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Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has given Prof. Adeolu Akande, new chairman, Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a marching order to hit the ground running by providing necessary direction for effective regulation of the telecom industry in Nigeria.

L-R: Chief Uche Onwude, new Board Member, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC): Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NCC; Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and Prof. Adeolu Akande, New Board Chairman, NCC, when the Akande and Onwude were presented to the Minister for oath of office in Abuja.

Pantami gave the charge during the swearing-in ceremony for Akande, who is representing the South West zone, as the chairman of NCC Board of Commissioners, and Chief Uche Onwude, the commissioner representing the South-East zone.

The event took place at the Minister’s office in Abuja.

The miinister said the NCC Board led by Akande must “hit the ground running”. The Minister, who said “there is no time for celebrations now and no time for honeymoon”, declared that “we would congratulate the NCC Board after you must have completed your tenure with resounding successes and achievements that have positive impact on Nigerians.”

The minister emphasised the need for the NCC Board to totally sanitise the industry of improperly-registered Subscriber Identification Number (SIM) cards and to develop regulations on the number of SIM cards an individual or organisation can have at any particular time, as well as ensure seamless integration of SIM data with the national database of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Meanwhile, Prof. Akande, who spoke after the oath of office, assured of his readiness to work with other members of the Board and Management team of the Commission to exceed expectation in providing quality directions for effective regulations of the nation’s telecommunications industry.

Akande, who served as Chairman of the Board of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) before his present appointment, said there is no doubt that the NCC, as the nation’s telecom regulator, has a major role to play in the development of the Nigerian economy, especially in the area of effective regulation that can bring efficiency across sectors.

Akande is enthusiastic that the telecommunication sector will improve its contribution to the GDP and enhance the status of the security architecture of the country.

Prof. Akande said: “We want to thank everybody who has been with us since our nomination by the President in the last two months. There is no doubt that NCC has a major role to play in our national life at this time, especially in the area of security. For instance, many people on the street believe that security of lives and property will be bolstered once NCC is able to properly address issues connected to Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) registration because we would have helped to resolve a critical percentage of our security issue significantly”.

“I know our Minister is someone, who normally sets high expectations and standards. I have worked with him at NITDA and I know he is somebody who normally expects the best from his team. To this end, I give you the commitment of the Board and management of NCC to work together to meet and exceed expectations,” he said. Akande also thanked all relatives and friends who attended the event.

Akande, a professor of political science and notable scholar of media and politics, was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari as Chairman of NCC Board on December 23, 2019. He was subsequently confirmed on February 5, 2020 by the Senate, the upper chamber of Nigeria’s federal bicameral legislature.

With the swearing-in of Akande and Onwude, NCC now has a fully-constituted Board of Commissioners as stipulated in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003, and all the six geopolitical zones are represented on the Board.

While giving the Vote of Thanks, Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of NCC, expressed the Commission’s gratitude to the Minister for his continuous support to the Commission and requested the Minister to kindly convey the Commission’s appreciation to the President for “ensuring that we now have the full complement of the NCC board members.”

 

 

 

 


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Telecom

Galaxy Backbone Deploys Fibre Optic Network in Lagos, Ibadan and Ilorin

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Galaxy Backbone (GBB), the information technology and shared services provider of the Federal Government of Nigeria, has announced the successful expansion of its state-of-the-art fibre optic network to Lagos, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria, and Ilorin, capital of Kwara State in the north-central region.

Galaxy Backbone Deploys Fibre Optic Network in Lagos, Ibadan and Ilorin

What is described as a remarkable milestone is part of Phase II of the country’s National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) project.

With a robust cross-country optical fibre backbone now extending over 5,000 kilometres and across 27 state capitals, GBB says it has solidified its role as the digital backbone of Nigeria. This development seamlessly integrates the nation’s six geopolitical zones.

The newly completed Abuja-to-Lagos route, traversing key cities such as Minna, Bida, Mokwa, ilorin, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Ibadan and Lagos, is a strategic enhancement designed to strengthen network reliability. By establishing a closed network ring linking Lagos – the nation’s economic hub – to Abuja, the capital city, GBB says it ensures service redundancy and minimises potential downtime.

Professor Ibrahim A Adeyanju, managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, says: “The expansion of our fibre optic network to Lagos, Ibadan and Ilorin is a significant step forward in our mission to bridge the digital divide and position Nigeria as a leader in the global digital economy. This advanced infrastructure empowers us to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions that serve the needs of both the public and private sectors.”

He adds: “This expansion not only supports the government’s digital economy agenda but also sets the stage for meaningful collaboration with private sector organisations seeking to leverage our infrastructure.”

 


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NBS Says 25m Phones Stolen in Nigeria in 12 Months

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National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that over 25 million phone thefts between March 2023 and April 2024, according to its Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey 2024.

NBS Says 25m Phones Stolen in Nigeria in 12 Months

The Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey 2024, indicated that an estimated 17,965,741 people had their phones stolen during the reference period

Phone theft, which is a common individual crime in the country, shows that seven out of every 10 stolen phones happened at home or public places, with a mere 11.7% of people who reported to the police expressing satisfaction with their response.

Less than 10% of the victims of phone theft reported the case to the police, while over 90% failed to report to the police for various reasons.

“At the individual level, 21.4 per cent of Nigerians reported being victims of crime, and the most common crime was phone theft (13.8%),” the report read in part.

 

 

 


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Airtel Once Again Wins Partnership of the Year Award at SERAS 2024

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Airtel Nigeria has once again been recognized for its commitment to sustainable development, carting away the Partnership of the Year award at the 18th edition of the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility Awards (SERAS) held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, 14th December, 2024.

The award celebrates Airtel’s continued success with its Re-imagine Education Initiative, a ground-breaking collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) aimed at transforming education in Nigeria through technology.

Airtel’s consistent focus on creating social value through strategic partnerships reflects its position as a key enabler of progress in the Nigerian education sector.

Commenting on the award, Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, highlighted the significance of the winning the Partnership of the Year award for the second time with the Airtel collaboration with UNICEF to provide digital access to quality educational resources for more than 1,200 schools in Nigeria.

“Winning this award for the second consecutive year is a reflection of our enduring belief in the transformative power of technology in education. We are deeply committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of Nigerians, and this recognition fuels our resolve to do even more,” he said.

The SERAS Awards, widely regarded as Africa’s most prestigious platform for celebrating sustainability and corporate social responsibility, brought together leaders from various industries to honour organizations driving impactful change.

Airtel Nigeria remains steadfast in its mission to foster inclusive growth, empower communities, and champion a sustainable future for its stakeholders and the environment.


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