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Telecom

Nigeria Oils Machine for Launch of Sat2, 2nd Satellite — Pantami

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Nigeria is to launch a second satellite (Sat 2) into orbit with a view to boosting the nation’s satellite communications capacity, according to Isa Ali Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

Nigeria Oils Machine for Launch of Sat2, 2nd Satellite — Pantami

Pantami said he has secured the approval of  for purchasing the  Satellite.

He disclosed this during a one-day working visit and interaction with the staff of the Nigerian Communications  Satellite in Lugbe Abuja.

The minister also informed that he had gone further to lobby the Minister of Finance to ensure that this is included in the 2022 Budget.

Though the Minister refused to disclose the amount approved and how many satellites are to be purchased, our findings show that the Federal government earmarked the sum of N2.5 billion for the Satellite 2 project in the 2022 budget estimate.

The existing Sat1R, which was launched in 2011 with a life span of 15 will expire in the next four years.

Recall that the Federal government had in 2017 announced plans to raise $550m required for the construction of two new communications satellites for Nigeria, which the Chinese Export and Import Bank accepted to provide.

According to NIGCOMSAT, the approval of the Chinese bank followed representation by Nigeria that it could not afford the 15 per cent counterpart funding required for the country to access the loan of $550m for the construction of the two new communications satellites.

Also, the minister said he had approved the establishment of some subsidiaries under NIGCOMSAT, as part of the ongoing effort to revive the institution back to the part of progress and productivity.

‘‘Since 2019, I have been so passionate about the success of NIGCOMSAT. Starting with the suspension of the privatization of NIGCOMSAT. As a matter of fact, I have secured the approval of Mr President for purchasing another Satellite. I went further to lobby the Minister of Finance to ensure that this is included in the 2022 budget. I have also approved the establishment of some subsidiaries under NIGCOMSAT as part of efforts to revive  the company  and make it innovative and productive.’’

Pantami, who told the staff of the company that the innovation in the agency is not enough and needs to be improved upon, charged them to turn the institution around in order to justify the suspension of the proposed privatization plan.

The Minister said, ‘‘Core values should be the guiding principle that must be adopted without compromise, to ensure that any institution is successful.  You need to be customer-centric, discover the failure of services before they realize it, fix the problem and come up with innovative ideas. The innovation in the agency is not enough and needs to be improved upon

‘‘You need to change your perception because you are not part of core civil servants, you are a company and should by far be above civil servants. One of the reasons our civil service has been failing is that feeling that we are government employees, we have nothing to lose and whatever happens, we will be paid our salaries.

‘‘There are other companies that are ready to come up and start providing similar services with you. The efforts made to stop privatization of NIGCOMSAT is for the good of the company and for the good of the country.’’

‘‘You need to turn things around through the Unique and effective service you are able to provide and revenue you generate for government. It is a difficult task to revive an institution and make it very successful, that you must make. The challenge of reviving NIGCOMSAT is not just a necessity but an obligation for all the staff,’’ he added.

Speaking on the revolution in NITDA, Pantami said through innovative policies and implementation, he succeeded in raising NITDA revenue from N7 billion to N19 billion annually, an agency that was supposed to be scrapped according to Orosanaya Report.

‘‘We revived NITDA and the agency has become a reference point for any IT project.’’

On NIMC, he said they had also secured the approval of N25 billion for the agency infrastructure upgrade.

‘‘Look at NIMC and what we have achieved, the NIN environment since the inception of National Identity Card to 2020 when I assumed supervision of the commission even after billions have been spent was below 30 million, and this is direct enrollment without leveraging on any database.

‘‘Before I assumed supervision, the annual enrollment used to be around 1.5 to 2million but between October 2020 to December 2021, we increased the NIN environment by 30 million in using the obsolete infrastructure. Mr President has approved N25 billion for the infrastructure but till today, no money has been released from October 2020 to date but we are still doing the work, that is why thinking outside the box is necessary.

‘‘The achievement of this one year has been better than the previous 10 years and within that 10 years there was a time N100 billion was released but this one no single Kobo was released to us. As the DG of NITDA, I increased the revenue generation of NITDA from N7 billion annually to N19 billion. Leverage the opportunity and turn things around.

‘‘Before I became the Minister, there was an Orunsanye report that recommended that NITDA should be scrapped and that the IT clearance should be given to Galaxy Backbone but today nobody is talking about the scrapping of NITDA because the institution has turned things around.

‘‘If you turn things around, you will go back and sleep but if you fail, you will be struggling So the challenge is on your table, the earlier you use 2022 and make NIGCOMSAT better the better for all of you but if you fail to do that, many people are there waiting for me to go so that they can execute their agenda.

‘‘2022 is the best year for you to turn things around but if you fail to do that, it will be the worst year for you I don’t pray for that, I pray for the best for you but you must get your priority right,’’ he said.

Earlier in her welcome address, Dr Abimbola Alale, managing director of NIGCOMSAT, said the coming of the Minister has raised the hope and confidence of the staff and management of the agency through his unprecedented support and increase in yearly budgetary allocation.

She expressed delight for the support being given to the agency by the Minister and assured him that her staff would take up the new challenge and ensure that they deliver on the mandate given by the Minister.


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Telecom

4 Dead, 20 Others Injured as Fire Engulfs Cairo Data Centre

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Four people have been killed, with over 20 injured after a fire at Cairo data centre disrupted telecom services nationwide.

4 Dead, 20 Others Injured as Fire Engulfs Cairo Data Centre

A fire at a major Telecom Egypt facility in Cairo on Monday has left four workers dead and at least 22 others injured, plunging parts of the capital into a communications crisis.

According to Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for Egypt’s Health Ministry, most injuries were due to smoke inhalation.

The blaze, which broke out at a key data centre operated by Telecom Egypt, the country’s primary fixed-line and internet provider, was brought under control later that day.

However, it caused widespread disruptions, halting phone services, affecting internet connectivity, and even interfering with digital banking operations.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that national connectivity dropped to just 62% of normal levels following the incident.

Residents across Cairo struggled with poor network access, and banks—although already closed for the day—reported interruptions in ATM services and online transactions.

In a statement on Tuesday, Telecom Egypt mourned the loss of its employees and pledged support to their families.

Amr Talaat, Egypt’s minister of Communications and Information Technology,  assured the public that service restoration was underway and expected to be completed within 24 hours.

To address the disruption, the Health Ministry released alternative emergency contact numbers across Egypt’s governorates, in case its primary ambulance hotline remained unreachable.

The state-run MENA news agency reported that the fire was prevented from engulfing the entire building and nearby rooftops, thanks to the efforts of emergency responders.

A preliminary investigation suggests the fire was likely triggered by an electrical short circuit, according to a security source cited by MENA.

As the nation works to restore full connectivity, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the need for enhanced fire safety protocols in sensitive tech facilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Globalcom Thrills Subscribers with 3 New Digital Products

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Tech faints, Globalcom, on Tuesday unveiled three exciting digital products aimed at rewarding customers. The products, Animation World Promo, Treasure Spin and Sport Brain, also provide subscribers with the opportunity to play and win instant prizes.

Globalcom in a statement in Lagos said that the company is dedicated to providing value-added service to its ever-growing customers.

The first digital product, which is Animation World Promo, is an innovative trivia-based service aimed at challenging customers culinary knowledge of Nigerian food. With it, subscribers engage in answering food related questions, earn points and win delicious prizes.

For Treasure Spin, customers are availed the digital treasure spin experience. With each spin Glo subscribers stand a chance to win instant prizes, making every participation exciting and rewarding.

In addition, Globalcom captures the heart of football lovers with Sport Brain. Subscribers are allowed to predict football scores in matches across top leagues all around the world. Customers get to select their preferred leagues. “It’s a fun and competitive way for football lovers to test their instincts and knowledge,” the company noted.

Customers who subscribe to any of the three services stand a chance to win fantastic daily, weekly, and monthly prizes. Every day, 20 participants will receive ₦1,000 cash, ₦1,000 airtime, and 3.5GB data. On a weekly basis, five lucky winners will walk away with ₦100,000 each, while one grand prize winner will receive ₦1 million every month.

To participate, customers are required to dial *13055*2# for Animation World Promo,*13199*3# for Treasure Spin and  *13199*2# for Sport Brain. Each plan can be activated either as a one-time purchase or Auto Renewal.

Globacom further explained that all products are available at an affordable subscription rate of ₦100 for a daily plan, ₦300 for weekly plan and ₦500 for monthly plan.

In concluding, the company disclosed that the services are available to all Glo prepaid and postpaid subscribers nationwide.

 


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SiBAN Applauds Interstellar’s Groundbreaking Role in Africa’s Blockchain Future

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The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN) has lauded Interstellar, one of its prominent members, for spearheading a major breakthrough in Africa’s financial technology space.

This follows Interstellar’s strategic partnership with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to roll out the PAPSS African Currency Marketplace (PACM), a blockchain-based platform designed to address the continent’s long-standing currency inconvertibility challenge.

The initiative is already being hailed as a game-changer capable of eliminating the $5 billion annual trade friction currently plaguing intra-African commerce.

According to SiBAN President, Mr Obinna Iwuno, the development affirms Nigeria’s leadership in blockchain innovation, stating that Interstellar’s PACM is not only a technological feat but also a timely response to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) mandate of seamless and cost-effective regional trade.

PACM operates on STARGATE, a blockchain-agnostic system developed by Interstellar, and leverages the Bantu blockchain network to facilitate real-time, peer-to-peer exchanges of African currencies.

The solution ensures financial inclusion by allowing businesses, SMEs, and informal traders to transact in local currencies without relying on foreign intermediaries, all while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Mr Ernest Mbenkum, CEO of Interstellar, described the solution as Africa’s roadmap to financial sovereignty. “Blockchain is not just innovation; it is empowerment,” he said.

SiBAN reaffirmed its commitment to supporting policies and partnerships that promote secure, transparent, and inclusive digital economies.

The association further called on stakeholders in government and the private sector to prioritise blockchain adoption as a driver of national development.


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