Telecom
MTN Joins United Nations Women Empowerment Principles, Advocates for Gender Equality in Workplace
MTN Nigeria, leading ICT firm, has signed the United Nations Women Empowerment Principles (UN WEPs) as part of its commitment to gender equality in the workplace through the Nigeria2Equal programme spearheaded by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and International Finance Corporation.
Established in 2010, by the United Nations Global Compact and United Nations Women, the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of principles that guide businesses in advancing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community. WEPs aim to attain the gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
During the signing ceremony held on May 26, Beatrice Eyong, regional director, United Nations Women, said “By publicly embracing the WEPs, MTN has taken a significant step towards creating an inclusive, equitable, and supportive workplace for women.
This bold action sends a powerful message to other companies and organizations, inspiring them to prioritize gender equality in their operations. By embracing the transformative framework of the WEPs, MTN demonstrates their dedication to fostering an inclusive workplace and seizes the opportunity to drive positive change in the private sector.”
A 2023 Women at Work Deloitte report, shows only 5% of women view their employers as leaders in gender equality. A vast majority of respondents do not believe their employers are taking concrete steps to deliver on their commitments to gender equality.
Speaking on gender equality in the workplace, Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, said, “I am delighted to speak about MTN Nigeria’s commitment to women’s advocacy because a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce is critical to the success and sustainability of our business.
“We commit to promoting gender inclusiveness, equality and empowerment, internally as well as across our ecosystem to ensure that interventions are holistic and position women to thrive effortlessly. For us, addressing gender gaps benefits not just MTN, but the larger society as well.
“We will leverage our partnership with UNWEPs to deepen our efforts towards reducing gender gaps as we continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in this drive.”
“MTN Nigeria recognizes the importance of implementing enterprise development, supply chain, and marketing practices that empower women.
“The UN Global Compact’s 2022 annual report highlights the remarkable impact of the Women’s Empowerment Principles and its Gender Gap Analysis Tool (GAT). Today, 7990 companies have signed the WEPs worldwide and over 2,500 users completed the Gender Gap Analysis Tool to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
“This tool has proven to be a valuable resource for companies worldwide in their journey towards gender equality”, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria, Naomi Nwokolo said.
Through the Nigeria2Equal programme, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in partnership with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) brings leading companies together to make specific, measurable, and time-bound commitments to increase women’s participation in Nigeria’s private sector as leaders, employees, and entrepreneurs in the corporate value chain.
“I would like to register our appreciation for the work the UN does in continuing to bridge this gender gap and ensuring that in markets and countries like ours, the subject of gender equality is not just spoken about but, we actually see positive actions from it,” Temi Popoola, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, said.
Telecom
Glo Felicitates Nigerians on Christmas Celebration
Nigeria’s technology company, Globacom, has extended warm felicitations to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2024 Christmas celebrations.
In a goodwill message released in Lagos, Globacom urged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of love and kindness during the festive season, especially in the face of prevailing economic challenges.
The company emphasized the importance of practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ, particularly the virtues of obedience to God and loving one’s neighbor as well.
“Christ taught many virtues including obedience to God and loving one’s neighbour as oneself”, the company said, adding, “Now is the apt time to practise these teachings by sharing with the needy”.
Globacom also encouraged Nigerians to extend the conviviality of Christmas beyond the festive season by fostering love, peace, and harmony, as demonstrated by God through the birth of Jesus Christ.
Assuring its customers of uninterrupted services throughout the Yuletide period and beyond, Globacom urged them to take advantage of its innovative products and services to stay connected and share the memories of the season with loved ones.
Telecom
FG Gives Banks, Telcos Six-Month Deadline to Resolve N250Bn USSD Debt
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators to settle the long-standing N250bn USSD debt dispute before January 2, 2025.
The CBN and NCC also directed banks to pay the pre-Application Programming Interfaces (API) debt before July 2, 2025.
They also ordered that post-API debts be settled before December 31, 2024.
The directive was issued in a joint cirular titled, “2nd Joint Circular of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission on the Resolution of the USSD Debt Issue Between Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators.”
The circular dated December 20, 2024, was signed by Oladimeji Taiwo, acting director of the Payments System Management Department, CBN, and Chizua Whyte, head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC.
The regulators said, “In view of the foregoing, the CBN and the NCC hereby direct DMBs and MNOs as follows: 1. That 60 per cent of all pre-API invoices must be paid as full and final settlement.
“Payment plans (lump sum or installments) must be agreed upon between a concerned DMB and MNO by January 2, 2025. Installments must be based on equal monthly payments, with full payment due by July 2, 2025.
“DMBs must pay 85 per cent of all outstanding invoices issued after the implementation of APIs (i.e., February 2022) by December 31, 2024.
“Similarly, 85 per cent of future invoices must be liquidated within one month of service.”
According to the regulators, the transition to end-user billing will be activated only for DMBs and MNOs that comply with the payment conditions cobtained in the circular.
CBN and the NCC said they would provide further guidance on public enlightenment initiatives related to the transition.
The regulators also directed MNOs to implement the “10-seconds rule” for USSD invoicing.
This implies that any session lasting less than ten seconds will not be billable.
The regulators added, “Failure to comply with the terms outlined in this directive will attract necessary sanctions, ensuring that both DMBs and MNOs uphold their obligations.”
Telecom
NCC Launches Initiative to Combat Fraud, Spam Messaging
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft regulatory framework aimed at addressing fraud, spam, and other challenges in the Application-to-Person messaging sector.
The telecom regulator made this announcement in a statement.
The proposed framework, which was introduced during a virtual Stakeholders’ Forum, is said to be a key step towards enhancing the sector’s integrity and ensuring a fair, transparent environment for all parties involved.
The draft framework, presented by Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Chizua Whyte, NCC’s acting head of legal and regulatory services, seeks to regulate the A2P messaging space.
The A2P messaging, used for notifications such as bank alerts, promotional campaigns, and government updates, has become a vital communication tool in Nigeria.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, including consumer protection concerns, fraud, and data privacy issues, as well as an unequal distribution of value within the ecosystem.
“The international A2P messaging space in Nigeria faces gaps that have led to issues such as fraud, spam, and data privacy concerns. These challenges threaten the sustainable growth of this communication tool,” the NCC said.
The proposed framework aims to address these challenges by protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, and holding service providers accountable.
“This forum marks a pivotal step towards addressing these challenges. We are here to engage with all stakeholders—operators, aggregators, businesses, service providers, and consumers—to refine the framework and ensure it meets the needs of the entire ecosystem.”
The NCC stressed the importance of inclusivity and collaboration in creating an effective regulatory environment.
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