Telecom
NCC Accuses APC of Breaching Rules on Fund Raising Platform
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that he ban on using telecommunications service providers’ networks to raise money for the campaign of Maj. Gen. Muhammed Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, came as a result of the APC breaching the commission’s laid down rules and regulations.
This is contrary to reports that the commission deliberately banned the All Progressives Congress from using service providers’ networks to raise money for its campaign.
Mr. Tony Ojobo, director, Public Affairs, in a press briefing clarified that there are stipulated rules and regulations for allocating short codes to valued added service, VAS providers, which such provider must use solely for the purpose intended as contained in its guidelines.
This according to NCC was totally ignored by the APC Fund raising platform initiators.
Ojobo said section 3 of the commission’s guideline provides that “ the commission shall receive written notification from the licensees for all advertisements for goods and services within the a minimum of seven days of the proposed or planned publication of an advertisement, in order to ensure such advertisements meet the following minimum standards and requirements.”
The commission however said it has no problems with any political platform using the short code services for whatever purpose, but its challenge is with the telecommunication networks that flaunted it regulations which states that:
“Network operators and content aggregators will be primarily responsible for the contravention of any of the provision of these Guidelines and will face appropriate sanctions where applicable.
“Network operators and content aggregators must ensure that service providers give the highest level of service to the consumer and those consumers:
“A. Have sufficient information to enable them make informed decisions about using Short Codes.” To this, the NCC said it will deal appropriately with defaulting networks. Ojobo did not fail to mention that the mobile Fund raising platforms are not new especially to the APC and PDP alike, since the governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, who is the APC campaign funds director, is familiar with the process of acquiring short codes.
“You are allowed to raise money, but you must conform to the rules of NCC. We didn’t make these rules looking at elections. We made these rules for the interest of development of telecommunications in Nigeria and we would keep those rules whether there are elections or not.” Ojobo reiterated.
In a letter dated Thursday, February 17, 2011, with the title “SHORT CODE ALLOCATION (35815)” the commission approved the same code despite the fact that there were no concrete existing regulations to back it.
“the commission is currently in the process of developing regulatory guidelines for the operations and administration of short code in Nigeria, however, in the commissions spirit of supporting innovations and development in the telecommunications industry, we wish to inform you that you may temporarily use the short code 35815 for a maximum period of 90 days with effect from the date on this letter. Please note that this code must be used solely for the purpose of creating awareness and support for governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state campaign platform for April 2011 campaign as stated in your request.
“Please note that the commission reserves the right to withdraw this resource when necessary,” the letter read.
The commission said the ban was not instigated by the government as it is been reported, but that it has continued to maintain a responsible independent regulatory agency and its independence has never been in doubt and that it remains non partisan to any political party.
Ojobo said the NCC is ready to lift the ban as long as the due process is followed strictly.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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