News
NCC Seeks Lagos Support on QoS, Right of Way
Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has sought the support of Babatunde Fashola, SAN, Lagos State governor, for resolution of identified problems associated with right of way and multiple taxes and levies at various levels of government which have become impediments to realizing good quality of telecom services in Nigeria.
Dr. Juwah who paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Fashola at his Alausa office, in company of two commissioners and other officials of the Commission, informed the governor that the nation has about 119 million active subscribers while teledensity reached more than 85 per cent from some 0.4%, while contributing more than 7 .8 per cent to the national GDP, and that Lagos State controls more than 15 per cent of the mobile phone subscriber population in Nigeria, hence its position is seen as critical in matters that affect telecommunications services.
He said while it is important to reiterate that quality of services in Lagos, and indeed, other parts of the country, is not desirable, there are challenges contributing to this with the Right of Way issues being the most critical.
He said that “We are already aware that you are involved with other governors in the National Economic Council in discussing and finding solutions to the issue of RoW in the country as currently being championed by Vice President Namadi Sambo. We urge you to continue to support these patriotic efforts so that the objectives of providing easy passage for telecommunications infrastructure, to accelerate and encourage more investments in the country, are realized”.
He also acquainted the governor with the level of the nation’s infrastructure deficit with reference to the paucity of masts and towers in Nigeria with less than 25,000 base stations compared with a country like UK with up to 65,000 base stations adding that a 2009 survey by the NCC showed that out of a total of 6, 196 masts and towers in Lagos, 48 per cent belonged to corporate bodies and individuals, 25 per cent belonged to telecom operators, 18% to banks, 8% to unidentified owners and 2% to the broadcast industry.
The NCC boss said even if the number of base stations owned by operators, which was 2, 975 then, had increased by 100%, it would still have fallen short of what is needed to serve Lagos subscribers alone”, he said.
“Your Excellency, this situation is made worse by multiple taxations and regulations that await the service providers at the various levels of government, including state governments, local governments, and even some communities. In most cases, unfortunately, telecom masts and towers easily become specific targets for multiple taxes and regulations even where there are other masts and towers in existence, or even when appropriate taxes have been imposed at the Federal Level.
Given the scenario of infrastructure deficit that we have painted above, the situation on ground becomes very discouraging as some of the service providers depend on very few base stations to serve the populace.
“We have noticed that some of these regulations exist in Lagos and it is our hope that this progressive administration will be disposed to taking a serious look at some of them with a view to eliminating double and inequitable taxation. This will in turn engender an enabling business environment that would encourage more investments and accelerate deployment of more telecom infrastructure and facilities”, he said.
Dr. Juwah also brought the attention of the governor to vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure which has taken its toll on the quality and availability of services, and the need to support the Commission in pursuit of the critical infrastructure bill at the National Assembly as Lagos is mostly affected in any of these vandalism incidents.
The NCC boss also invited the governor for collaboration in the implementation of the Emergency Communications Centres, ECC, across the country as the pilots have already been commissioned at Awka and Minna, so that Lagos will be a model city for this national assignment which the Commission has elected to bring to the nation.
Governor Fashola in his response, commended Dr. Juwah “for the thoughtfulness and initiative of the broadband”.
“You will regulate the allocation of frequencies, you will regulate bandwidths and so many other things but you cannot regulate where the towers and mast are positioned, you need me as indeed you need all of my colleagues to determine where the right of way will be and under what conditions and this was the point that we took”, he said
He regretted that a lot of time have been lost in the legal process in the matter of approvals for the operators for erection of masts because of the disagreement with his government which refused to grant approvals for new installations and government’s insistence on collocation, payment of levies, and quality of installations.
He promised to bring the dispute out of the courts for amicable settlement.
He disagreed with the use of the term multiple taxation as a proper way to describe levies being imposed on operators for services rendered to them at state levels as the operators’ licenses for operation does not foreclose payment for the land and other associated fees.
“It is an incidence of the nature of business that they have entered, the issues we should be talking about is how to mitigate cost and that is what I’ve told my colleagues that we cannot make revenue from the cost of right of way or from the cost of setting up masts and towers”, he said.
“Lagos State does not seek to do so, we see the revenue in the business growth that ICT and stronger broadband and fiber optic capacity give to citizens, that’s where I see money. The revenue that comes from businesses, more people employed, paying more income tax is much more than what any government could ever collect”, he said.
He however, chided the operators for not applying appreciable level of corporate governance as is evident in the types of contractors that they use, resulting in damages to infrastructure like roads already built by the government.
“There must be a sense of patriotism from the contractors and I choose my words very carefully, by the contractors being used by the telecom operators in laying their infrastructure, a sense of ownership and duty to protect the existing public asset. They’re not enough, so the few that we have, we must protect, it can’t be I want to do business, I want to give people telephone, I don’t care if we get lost, so this really is the heart of the matter”, he said, while promising to “get the parties out of court, so that we can set a regulatory regime in which everybody can work together”, he said.
TEDxPAU 2024 brought together some of the brightest minds and boldest voices on November 16th at the Honeywell Auditorium, Lagos Business School. With over 500 attendees eager to explore new possibilities, the event’s theme, ‘Shaping the Future,’ set the tone for a day filled with inspiration, reflection, and transformative ideas.
The day opened with a TED talk by TED founder Chris Anderson, followed by welcome remarks from the Vice-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Prof. Enase Okonedo. She encouraged the audience to embrace the theme, saying, “The future is now, and it is up to all of us to join hands to shape tomorrow.”
The sessions featured inspiring talks from visionaries like Akose Enebeli, who emphasized sustainable urban living by “building upwards instead of outwards,” and Goodnews Igwe, who stressed that creating value is key to success.
Temitope Runsewe championed Africa’s family values as a foundation for economic recovery, describing family businesses as “the future of Nigeria.” Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, advocated for affordable education to drive literacy and digital skills, while Michael Oluwagbemi sparked intrigue with his bold statement that “CNG is the new garri,” promoting energy innovation.
Ziad Maalouf shared leadership insights, underscoring personal growth as the key to scaling success.
Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President at Heifer International, spoke about the significance of scaling innovation from the inside out, urging organizations to embrace change-driven solutions. Dr. Peter Bamkole, Deputy Vice Chancellor of PAU, described entrepreneurship as “a catalyst for systemic change,” calling for the transformation of problems into solutions with far-reaching impact.
Dr. Cosmas Maduka, who shared his journey from adversity to global success, inspired the audience to embrace their gifts and believe in limitless possibilities.
The event ended with a fireside chat between TEDxPAU organizer Bella Victor and Dr. Maduka, who spoke about the importance of legacy and purpose. He encouraged attendees to see themselves as part of Nigeria’s solution and to embrace both the challenges and triumphs of the country’s journey.
Beyond the talks, TEDxPAU 2024 captivated attendees with musical performances, a spoken word piece, and a high-energy dance performance by different talents from the university.
The event also recognized its sponsors and volunteers, thanking them for their critical role in making the day a success.
In his closing remarks, Bella Victor expressed heartfelt gratitude, stating: “TEDxPAU was founded with the goal of giving back to this incredible school and creating a 360-degree impact—supporting our students, raising awareness for our school, and giving innovators a platform to reach a global audience. It’s inspiring to see how this event has grown and how each of you have played a part in that mission today. I thank our speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and every attendee who believed in this vision. Together, we are shaping the future.”
Attendees also enjoyed networking opportunities during breaks, sponsor exhibitions, and a private lunch for VIP ticket holders, who engaged in deeper conversations with the speakers about shaping tomorrow.
TEDxPAU 2024 once again reaffirmed its commitment to “ideas worth spreading” and left attendees inspired to take action. For recordings of the event and updates on future editions, stay tuned.
News
Head of Civil Service Celebrates 100 Days in Office with the Launch of Galaxy Backbone’s “Govmail”
In a landmark moment for Nigeria’s public service, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, MINI, today marked her 100 days in office and officially launched three digital services platforms for the Civil Service.
These include, Govmail, ServiceWise GPT and the Federal Civil Service Online Portal. These platforms, underscore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to enhancing digital governance and driving innovation across the nation’s Federal Civil Service.
Govmail, an email platform developed and powered by Galaxy Backbone (GBB) is an innovative solution set to enhance communication, boost efficiency, and accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation journey within the public sector.
Speaking at a meeting where the Govmail Interface was first officially presented and demonstrated to her, the Head of Civil Service expressed her excitement about the platform, stating, “GBB’s Govmail is unbelievably WOW!
This is a game-changer for our nation’s civil service, streamlining communication and creating a secure path to other government digital services. With Govmail, we are truly embracing the future of digital governance.”
Govmail is a secure, Nigeria-centric email platform designed by a team from Galaxy Backbone, exclusively for public service professionals. It ensures that all official communication are seamlessly managed while safeguarding Nigeria’s data sovereignty. The initiative emerged as a key outcome of the Digitalisation War Room, established by Mrs. Walson- Jack, to drive the implementation of cutting-edge digital solutions in government.
Commenting on this milestone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, shared, “We are immensely proud to have developed this revolutionary platform, ensuring that every Nigerian civil servant has access to a robust and secure communication channel.
Govmail is not just about email—it’s about enabling productivity, efficiency, and sovereignty in governance. Galaxy Backbone remains committed to driving the digital transformation of Nigeria’s public sector.”
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo emphasized the strategic importance of the Govmail for the nation’s Civil Service stating that “Govmail significantly reduces the government’s reliance on foreign email platforms, cutting costs and addressing licensing challenges. This is a commendable achievement by the Head of Service and the leadership of Galaxy Backbone.”
Through GBB’s dedicated efforts, Govmail will rapidly roll out email accounts to over 70,000 Federal civil servants across Nigeria, ensuring every government professional is equipped with a secure communication platform in record time. This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s goal of leveraging technology to build a digitally driven and globally competitive public service.
The Senate has approved the new external borrowing plan request of $2.2 billion presented for consideration by President Bola Tinubu.
The approval followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts at the plenary session on Thursday.
The report was presented by the Sen. Aliyu Wammako, chairman of the Committee.
President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday, Nov 19, in separate letters to both chambers of the National Assembly, requested approval of a $2.2 billion external borrowing plan to part fund the N9.7 trillion deficit in the 2024 budget .
Senate upon receipt of the request, mandated its committee on local and foreign debts to expeditiously ensure further legislative inputs on the request and report back within 24 hours.
Presenting the committee‘s report, Wammako said the presidential request was very necessary for approval.
He said the loan request would be utilised for execution of ongoing projects and programmes in the 2024 appropriation act , saying that the projects were critical for national growth and development.
“It will contribute to the implementation of the debt management strategy, which seeks to reduce the cost of borrowing.
” It will lengthen maturity of the public debt stock, free – up space in the domestic market for other borrowers, and help increase Nigeria’s external reserves .” Wammako said Nigeria could raise all or part of the 2.2billion dollars through the issuance of Eurobonds in the International Capital Market ( ICM) .
Wammako thereafter is recommended as follows:
“That the Senate do approve the implementation of the new external borrowing of 2.2 billion dollars at the budget exchange rate of one dollars to N800 in the 2024 appropriation act and that the amount should be raised from one or more sources.
“Namely, issuance of eurobonds in the ICM, issuance of debut sovereign Sukuk in the ICM, and bridge, syndicated loans, subject to market conditions.”
The report was thereafter unanimously approved via an affirmative voice vote.
In his remarks after the approval, Senator Jibrin Barau, deputy president of the Senate, who presided plenary, commended the Wammako led committee for a job well done.
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