Telecom
NCC, FIRS Inaugurate Joint Committee to Boost National Revenues in Telecoms Sector
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have taken their collaboration a notch further by setting up a Joint Committee of senior and management staff of the two agencies towards the implementation of inter-agency strategies for enhancing national revenues in the telecommunications sector.
L-R: Mrs Chiaka Ben-Obi, Group Lead, Digital and Innovation Support Group, FIRS; Irri; Adewolu; Mrs Faozat Ogunniyi, Group Lead, Enforcement Support Group, FIRS; Mr Ephraim Nwokenneya, Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC; and Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, NCC.
The NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu, inaugurated the 17-member committee on behalf of Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, and the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Mr. Muhammad Nami, at the NCC’s Board Room in Abuja on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.
The inauguration of the committee, comprising six officials of NCC and eleven officials of FIRS, was carried out with senior officials of NCC and those of the tax agency led by its Coordinating Director for Compliance Support Group, Dr. Dick Irri, who represented the FIRS’ Executive Chairman, Muhammad Nami at the event.
While inaugurating the Committee on behalf of the heads of the two agencies, Adewolu stated that the terms of reference (ToR) of the Committee include: review the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the NCC and the FIRS on June 9, 2020; and carry out inter-agency interaction on the implementation of the NCC’s Revenue Assurance System (RAS), to ensure that it incorporates the needs of FIRS to the extent that RAS can remain the sole interface with telecom service providers’ networks vis-à-vis the Tax Authority’s information needs from the telecoms sector.
Given the Committee’s composition and with the extensive experience and commitment of its members – which had informed their selection by the agencies – Adewolu stated that the managements of NCC and the FIRS expected no less than an excellent output from the Committee, tasking them to work together harmoniously and in the overall national interest.
Also in his comments, Dr. Dick Irri, who led the FIRS delegation to the inauguration, advised the Committee to take the assignments very seriously. “I would like to task you to take this assignment as a national matter as we expect the two agencies to work in harmony, collaborate effectively and have a warm handshake that will make this synergy between the two agencies a great example of collaboration between Federal Government agencies towards enhancing fiscal governance in Nigeria,” he said.
The decision to set up the Committee was one of the major outcomes of the meeting between the FIRS and the NCC on March 8, 2022 organised at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, to discuss the request by the FIRS for data and documents from the telecoms industry for enhancing national revenues from the sector.
The inauguration is a significant achievement, as it deepens the strategic collaboration between the two government agencies in the pursuit of their statutory objectives. It also vindicates the emphasis placed on achieving mutually-sustainable relationships with relevant stakeholders as detailed in both the NCC’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP), 2020-2024 and the Strategic Vision (Implementation) Plan (SVP 2020-2025) as well as FIRS’ strategic framework.
The activities of the NCC and the FIRS are acknowledged as pivotal to the achievement of sustainable revenue and growth projections of the Federal Government. In this regard, the telecoms sector has sustained a relatively high contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the years – ending fourth quarter of 2021 at 12.6 per cent.
Besides, the FIRS recently acknowledged that some telecom licensees contribute significantly high percentage of total national tax revenue. It is expected that the Joint Committee will enable both organisations to further optimise revenues for the Federal Government from the telecoms, digital economy and adjacent sectors of the economy.
MTN Group has committed $2 billion to the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect initiative, bringing the total funds pledged to $73 billion.
The announcement was made during the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025) in Barcelona, Spain.
Partner2Connect, spearheaded by the ITU, is a global initiative aimed at enhancing universal digital access, strengthening infrastructure, and fostering meaningful connectivity.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general, ITU, highlighted the significance of these commitments, stating, “Expansive digital infrastructure highlights how much humanity values and depends on meaningful connectivity. These new pledges bring us closer to delivering sustainable digital transformation to everyone, everywhere.”
According to the ITU, MTN Group has shown a strong commitment to investing in Africa’s digital future, spending approximately $2 billion annually on capital expenditures across its markets over the past five years.
Similar investments are planned over the next five years, focusing on expanding and improving voice and data networks to bolster connectivity and drive digital inclusion.
The ITU also announced a $2 billion pledge from Globalstar to expand its low-Earth orbit satellite network, providing seamless, energy-efficient connectivity solutions for remote regions and underserved areas.
These efforts will include direct-to-device (D2D) and IoT connectivity solutions.
As ITU celebrates its 160th anniversary, the UN agency has emphasised its dedication to bridging the global digital divide.
An estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide remain offline, according to ITU data.
The agency has called for $100 billion in commitments by 2026 to fund projects supporting global digital transformation, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
With over 1,000 pledges spanning 147 countries, Partner2Connect is working toward ITU’s vision of a digitally connected and inclusive future.
Current estimates suggest $1.6 trillion is required for global connectivity hardware alone, with the majority of resources needed in developing nations.
The funds pledged by MTN Group and other partners are set to strengthen digital infrastructure, enhance connectivity in underserved areas, and accelerate digital innovations to support economic and social growth worldwide.
Telegram has rolled out a new feature aimed at enhancing user safety by flagging messages from unknown contacts.
When users receive messages from individuals outside their contact list for the first time, a detailed information page now appears.
This page includes details such as the sender’s country (determined by their phone number), their joining date on Telegram, any shared groups, and whether their account is verified.
The goal is to help users identify potential scams and impersonators more effectively.
In addition, Telegram now provides insight into when the sender last updated their username or profile picture, offering another way to detect compromised or hacked accounts.
The company has emphasised its commitment to transparency, promising “clear indicators” to distinguish official accounts, third-party verified profiles, and regular users.
Telegram Premium subscribers can now charge fees for messages received from users outside their contact list, a feature designed to reduce spam while allowing group administrators to monetise their communities.
Dubbed “Star Messages,” this new option enables users to set customisable fees for unsolicited messages.
The feature also provides flexibility, allowing certain users or members of specific groups to send messages for free.
Telegram’s Star Messages come with convenient options, such as single-tap refunds for payments, ensuring a seamless user experience.
By offering advanced controls and monetisation opportunities, the platform continues to prioritise user safety and satisfaction.
With these updates, Telegram strengthens its position as a platform focused on both user protection and innovative monetisation tools.
MTN Nigeria has strengthened its commitment to grassroots sports development following a visit to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, at the Government House in Benin City on March 5.
The visit coincided with the upcoming launch of Season 3 of MTN Champs, an athletics competition that will commence in Edo State from March 13 to 15.
The initiative highlights MTN’s dedication to nurturing young athletic talent and aligns seamlessly with Edo State’s focus on sports development.
Idowu Adesokan, General Manager of Consumer Marketing at MTN Nigeria, expressed appreciation for Edo State’s contributions to previous editions of MTN Champs and emphasized the importance of collaboration to ensure this season’s success.
Governor Okpebholo reciprocated by pledging full logistical and administrative support to make the event impactful.
Season 3 of MTN Champs is set to engage thousands of secondary school students across Nigeria, kicking off in Edo State before moving to Lagos and Uyo in subsequent weeks.
This initiative reflects MTN Nigeria’s broader vision of fostering youth empowerment and revitalizing athletics at the grassroots level.
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