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Telecom

NCC’s N10Bn Emergency Comm Centres Open Soon

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Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that the Emergency Communication Centres across the 36 states of the federation will soon be completed.

 

Dr Fidelis Onah, director, Technical Standards, NCC, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the 90th Consumer Outreach Programme of NCC in Aba.

 

NAN reports that the centres were intended to bridge the communication gap between different emergency response agencies in the country.

 

Onah said NCC was consulting with the National Security Adviser and state governors for the completion of the centres to ensure they were not duplicated by state governments.

 

He said that the centres had already gulped over N10 billion.

 

In response to a question asked by Chief Fabian Nwankwo, Abia Commissioner for Science and Technology, Onah said that research had shown that telecom mast was not dangerous as thought.

 

He said that although they emit radiations, the radiation was not “ionised”, adding that masts were located after proper scrutiny by NCC and Ministry of Environment.

 

Onah said that the problems state governments face as regard fee payment by telecom operators often arose from the duplication of the fees by state governments.

 

He, therefore, urged the state governments to merge the different service fees to make the fee easy for the operators to pay.

 

Speaking at the event, Mr Abdulahi Maikano, director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, (CAB), NCC,  said the forum was meant to bring Abia telecom stakeholders together to proffer solutions to their challenges.

 

He said the forum sought to educate stakeholders on contemporary issues and to get feedback which would help in regulating the sector.

 

Maikano, represented by Mr Ismaila Adedigba, deputy director (CAB), urged the service providers to provide consumers with various initiatives meant to protect, inform and educate them.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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Telecom

 Telecoms Services Resume in Kogi State as Telcos, Govt Resolve Dispute

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 Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON,
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Telecommunications services disrupted in Kogi State have resumed following a resolution of the dispute between MTN Nigeria and the state government, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has said.

 Telecoms Services Resume in Kogi State as Telcos, Govt Resolve Dispute

Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON, told TVC News that the issues that led to the shutdown of telecom masts in the state, primarily affecting MTN, had been addressed, paving the way for service restoration.

TVC News earlier reported that businessmen and women were counting their losses as they suffered the impact of a shut down of telecommunication service in Kogi State

Over the past two weeks, telecoms connectivity had been erratic, with competing brands experiencing glitches, particularly in the Lokoja metropolis.

The State government suspended the operations of some telecom services citing unpaid taxes and fibre-related dues.

The shutdown stemmed from a compliance dispute between MTN and the Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, which accused the telecom giant of violating operational rules and under-declaring the extent of its optic fibre network coverage in the state.

 


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Telecom

Banks Settle ₦160Bn USSD Debt to Telcos, Ending Five-Year Dispute

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The protracted Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt misunderstanding between the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and telecommunications operators appears to have been resolved.

This was confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, Thursday, March 1, when he appeared on Arise TV to speak on the firm’s first-quarter 2025 result, where the telecommunications company reported over N1 trillion in revenue earnings.

Recall that the USSD debt had been a major issue between the DMBs and telcos and had lasted for about five years.

In the third quarter of 2024, the telcos had threatened to withdraw their service over the lingering debt, which was around N200 billion at the time. This led to the swift intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and an agreement was reached on payment.

As of November 2024, the NCC put the debt at N160 billion. However, earlier this year, when it appeared the banks were not forthcoming with payments, the NCC directed the telcos to withdraw the USSD services from debt-owning DMBs, where about 18 banks were listed.

This directive prompted the banks to look inward and start to comply with an earlier circular signed by the CBN and NCC, which articulated the payment patterns for the debt.

Speaking, on Arise TV this morning, May 1, Toriola confirmed that the matter has been fully resolved and that banks have made payments.

“I can confirm that the matter has been fully resolved. We have received payments in full. Special thanks to the CBN, NCC, the banks, and other stakeholders that intervened in the matter,” the MTN CEO stated.


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Telecom

Sterling Bank Introduces AlwaysOn, Offering Nigerians Up to ₦1 Million Monthly

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Sterling Bank, Leading commercial bank and Africa’s most agile company has announced the introduction of AlwaysOn by Sterling, a bold new feature on its OneBank platform that will give eligible customers up to ₦1 million extra every month -even when their account balances are running low.

Launched on Workers’ Day 2025, the initiative is part of an ongoing movement to remove structural barriers to financial freedom and empower everyday Nigerians to move boldly, even in uncertain times.

AlwaysOn is a specialised, invitation-only feature for customers who maintain an active OneBank account for a while. It provides an advance to settle bills or make payments without delays, or any of the friction associated with traditional credit systems.

“This is not just about funds,” said Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank. “It’s about freedom and dignity. It’s about backing our customers with the trust and tools to act boldly when life demands it.”

Suleiman emphasised that the new feature is not a product, it’s a logical shift in how the bank supports its customers.

“We’re building a financial ecosystem designed for momentum -for people with grit, urgency, and dreams too big to wait. If you’ve banked with us, you’ve earned our confidence. Now you’ll have our backing to match,” added Suleiman.

The introduction of AlwaysOn marks the next chapter in Sterling’s growing movement to create a fairer and more responsive financial system. It follows the Zero Transfer Fees initiative in April, which returned an estimated ₦13 billion to Nigerians by eliminating transfer charges across the OneBank platform. It also builds on Sterling’s Free Bus Ride initiative, which helped commuters get home from work for free during a time of intense economic pressure.

Together, these efforts reflect the bank’s bold, people-first approach to customer impact, now made possible by its adoption of SeaBaas, Nigeria’s first indigenous core banking platform.

“We’re not the kind of bank that stands on the sidelines while Nigerians hustle,” said Obinna Ukachukwu, Growth Executive for Retail and Consumer Banking. “We removed the fees that slowed them down. Now we’re giving Nigerians the financial freedom to seize opportunity when it shows up. We’re on the pitch with them.”

Sterling’s actions have sparked widespread public support and national recognition as they have continued to push the boundaries of what corporate citizenship can mean to everyday Nigerians.

Notable icons from various fields have canvassed their support and praised the bank’s stance in redefining financial services, inspiring other institutions to follow suit.

Nigerians are encouraged to apply to join the waitlist for the scheme when it goes live in later this month and ultimately, eligibility for up to N1M extra in relief advances.


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