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Telecom

MTN Nigeria Pledges to Implement Group’s Vaccine Mandate, Joins WHO Call for Vaccine Equity

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MTN Nigeria Pledges to Implement Group's Vaccine Mandate, Joins WHO Call for Vaccine Equity
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Following the MTN Group announcement of its intention to implement a vaccine mandate across its operations from January 2022, Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, has voiced support, and confirmed MTN Nigeria’s plan to implement it locally.

“The new policy further demonstrates our steadfast dedication to keeping our people and the communities we work and live in safe and healthy.

“While there may still be some unknowns related to this pandemic, the science is clear – vaccines effectively prevent severe illness, hospitalisation and death.

“It is time for everyone who can, to get vaccinated to limit the spread of the virus and prevent further strains from developing.”

Both the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control advocate for vaccines – saying that they are an important measure to protect people. The global rollout of vaccinations since 2020 has clearly contributed to the containment and management of the virus in many countries.

In addition, MTN Nigeria, alongside the MTN Group, has added its voice to growing calls for global leaders to accelerate vaccine equity and lift unjust travel bans imposed on African countries.

“The events of the past twenty months have underlined how connected and interdependent we all are.

“Such travel restrictions have proven to be counterproductive, hampering research, aid and economic activity without any significant impact on the spread of new variants.

“If the past is prologue, then the only way through this is together, and it is time to set side geographical divisions and heed calls for greater vaccine equity.

“If Africa had access to vaccines at the same time as the rest of the world, then we might not face the challenge that these new variants represent.” Toriola added.

MTN Group’s new vaccine policy is a measure to meet MTN’s legal obligations in regard to providing a safe workplace and shall be subject to risk assessment and local laws that apply to the MTN Group and its operating companies and subsidiaries.

It also recognises the right of employees to apply to be exempted from the policy and/or refuse vaccination on certain clearly defined grounds.

For those staff who are not exempt from vaccinations either through risk assessment or agreed exclusions but still refuse vaccination, MTN will not be obliged to continue the employment contract.

The new mandatory vaccination policy follows the Group’s US$25million donation to the African Union’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Telecom

Breaking….Tariff Hike: MTN Apologizes to Nigerians but Silent on Reversal

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MTN Nigeria Communication Plc has apologised to customers for the 200 per cent tariff hike.

Breaking....Tariff Hike: MTN Apologizes to Nigerians but Silent on Reversal

MTN’s apology came in the wake of public outcry for raising tariff above the 50 per cent upward review approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The network provider urged netizens to ‘forgive and forget’.

Recall that MTN surprised its customers by raising its 15GB data bundle from N2,000 to N6,000, reflecting 200 per cent hike.

MTN also reviewed the 1.5TB plan from N150,000 to N240,000, which represents a 60 per cent hike.

Before, a 100GB bundle cost N20,000 but the network reviewed a 90GB bundle to N25,000.

The 600GB bundle has been raised from N75,000 to N120,000 for 480GB, representing 60 per cent surge.

The operator has apologized for the increase but no mention was made on whether the data price would be reviewed.

MTN said in a message:

“To our 15G digital bundle lovers,

You dey vex. We know.

We know how upsetting it must have been to suddenly wake up to a 200% increase on your favourite digital bundle.

We could share several reasons, and provide explanahions, bur omo, all that One na story.

We don cast. We get it and admit it. Let’s just say na mistake.

In this love season, don’t stay angry with us. Please Forgive and forget. You matter die and we will never stop showing you how much.

Let’s continue our relationship.

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours Truly,

MTN Nigeria”


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Angst over Telecom Tariff Hike as Subscribers Demand Sanctions, Labour Orders Boycott

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National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), body of telecommunications subscribers in the country has called for sanctions against telecommunications operators in the country for allegedly undermining the agreement between organized labour and the federal government.

NLC Directs Workers to Boycott Telecom Angst over Telecom Tariff Hike as Subscribers Demand Sanctions, Labour Orders BoycottServices Over Tariff Hike

This is coming as the NLC called for a nationwide boycott of telecom services, starting March 1.

But the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has recused itself from the boycott but berated telecom operators for undermining the agreement between the NLC and federal government.

It asked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to sanction operators for proceeding with the increase without approval, emphasising that the telecom companies’ actions undermine the review process and disregard the concerns of Nigerian consumers.

Deolu Ogunbanjo, president, NATCOMS said that “The telcos didn’t wait for the two-week period or the end of the month. So, why did the telcos proceed with the tariff increase without considering the agreement made with the NLC?”

According to Ogunbanjo, his group is clamouring for a 10 per cent increase from 50 per cent.

He said that NATCOMS was awaiting the outcome of the panel to determine whether it would proceed to court.

“All we wanted was that, during an emergency meeting last Friday, we suggested that rather than going straight to court, we could first consider the outcome of the protest and the panel being set up by the NLC.”

Ogunbanjo also proposed alternatives to the immediate tariff hike, suggesting that a phased increase could have been negotiated.

“We proposed a 10 per cent increase as an alternative or even a 30 per cent increase in phases. Just like the fuel price hike, which was phased from N200 to N600, such a phased increase could have been negotiated,” he said.

Elsewhere, the NLC has called for a nationwide boycott of telecom services.

 

In a communique signed by Joe Ajaero, president and Emma Ugboaja, general secretary respectively following a meeting of the union’s Central Working Committee in Lokoja on Tuesday, the union accused telecom companies of breaching public trust and flouting due process by implementing the controversial tariff hike before the 10-man review panel had completed its deliberations.

The NLC further chastised the government for its failure to safeguard citizens from corporate exploitation.

As part of its initial response to the tariff increase, the NLC had called on Nigerian workers and sympathetic citizens to boycott the services of MTN, Airtel, and Glo daily from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, starting February 13 and continuing through February 2025.

In its latest communique, the union stated, “All workers and citizens are urged to suspend the purchase of data from these companies, which have become among the most significant tools for exploiting Nigerian citizens. We also demand the repatriation of all funds unlawfully siphoned out of the country by these firms.”

The union gave the telecom companies until the end of February 2025 to reverse the tariff increase, warning that if the operators fail to comply, a nationwide shutdown of their services will be enforced starting March 1, 2025.

The NLC instructed its state councils to immediately begin sensitising and mobilising their members, as well as the general public, in their regions.

Additionally, it requested its affiliate unions to encourage members across the country to observe “electronic silence” during the designated hours of protest.

 


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Airtel, UNICEF Commend Lagos School on Impressive Use of Nigeria Learning Passport

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L-r: Dinesh Balsingh, Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria; Celine Lafoucriere, Chief, Lagos Field Office, UNICEF; Sunil Taldar, Group Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa; Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, Commissioner, Basic and Secondary Education, Lagos State Ministry of Education; and Rogany Ramiah, Chief Human Resources Officer, Airtel Africa; during a visit to St. Agnes Primary School Mende, Lagos to assess the progress of the Airtel/UNICEF Reimagine Education initiative on Tuesday.
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Sunil Taldar, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, has described as remarkable the progress recorded by St Agnes Primary School, Maryland Lagos with the use of the Nigeria Learning Passport as part of the Reimagine Education Programme introduced by Airtel and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2022.

Mr Taldar made this declaration while on a joint visit with the leadership of UNICEF and Airtel Nigeria. The delegation, which included the Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh; UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere; and other senior executives from Airtel and UNICEF, engaged with school administrators, teachers, and pupils to assess the progress recorded under the Reimagine Education Programme.

This visit marks another significant step in Airtel’s long-standing collaboration with UNICEF to drive inclusive and technology-driven education, ensuring that more Nigerian children have access to quality learning resources.

Through the collaboration, Airtel has reported that over 1,200 schools have been equipped with tablets and data to connect teachers and learners to digital learning platforms.

Speaking with the media after a demonstration of NLP and digital learning devices, Mr Taldar said, “What I saw today at St Agnes Primary School was impressive and we are encouraged by the impact made for students and teachers through our partnership with UNICEF,” adding that “our partnership with UNICEF is one of the ways we are ensuring that more children in Nigeria and beyond have access to digital learning tools that will equip them for their future. This visit reaffirms our dedication to making education more inclusive, accessible, and impactful.”

Also commenting on the company`s commitment to digital education and bridging the digital divide for Nigerian children, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, highlighted the importance of technology-driven learning, the impact of Airtel’s partnership with UNICEF, and the role of the Nigeria Learning Passport in providing students and teachers with essential digital learning tools.

“At Airtel Nigeria, we are deeply committed to empowering young minds through technology-driven education. Our visit to St. Agnes Primary School underscores our dedication to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that more Nigerian children have access to quality learning resources.

Through our partnership with UNICEF, we continue to invest in initiatives like the Nigeria Learning Passport, which provides students and teachers with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving digital world.”

On her part, UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts to reimagine education.

“Education is a fundamental right, and digital learning has become a key enabler in bridging educational gaps. Our partnership with Airtel Africa and Airtel Nigeria continues to provide innovative learning solutions, ensuring that every child, regardless of location or socio-economic status, has the opportunity to learn and thrive.

We are excited about the ongoing implementation of the Nigeria Learning Passport and the transformation it brings to education in Nigeria,” she said.

Recall that in 2023, Airtel and UNICEF paid a similar visit to Oremeji Primary School Ajegunle Lagos, one of Airtel Nigeria’s seven adopted schools.

This visit to St. Agnes Primary School reflects a broader engagement with schools benefiting from the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) – a digital education platform developed by UNICEF in partnership with the Nigerian government and Microsoft.

The NLP is designed to provide accessible, high-quality educational content to students, teachers, and parents, supporting learning both in and outside the classroom.

Airtel’s collaboration with UNICEF aligns with its broader corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda to support education, digital inclusion, and sustainable development.

The Nigeria Learning Passport continues to gain traction as a powerful tool in ensuring that children, including those in remote and underserved areas, have access to interactive, high-quality educational content.

At Airtel Africa, we believe that education is the cornerstone of progress, and we remain committed to leveraging technology to drive sustainable learning solutions across the continent.


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