Telecom
TECNO Bags Mobile Phone Brand of the Year @ BoICT Awards
TECNO Smartphone, has received the 2021 Beacon of Information and Communications Technology (BoICT) Award for “Mobile Phone Brand of the Year”.
This will make it the second time the brand will be getting this recognition after it did in 2020.
This achievement reaffirms TECNO’s innovative capabilities as a leader in the mobile phone industry.
The award was announced at an industry event held on July 24 at Eko Hotels & Suites and was presented by the Keynote Speaker of the day; Muhammed Rudman, CEO, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria.
Speaking about the Award, Vincent Uzoegbu, PR Communications and Media Manager, TECNO Mobile, West Africa, said; “TECNO has always prided itself on designing products that deliver premium experiences and power-packed performances.
“Unprecedented innovation has been the brand’s hallmark from the get go. We are thankful and honoured at this recognition.”
In recent years, TECNO has gained more and more reputation and attention in global and local markets, especially with its successes across Africa and the relaunch of the PHANTOM brand that not only marked a jump by the brand to rival at the higher-end market section, but also a significant change to the competitive landscape in global emerging markets.
The brand has been consistent in striving for excellence by delivering the latest in product functions, image, user experience and other areas of mobile technology.
Addressing Industry experts and stakeholders at the event, Muhammad Rudman reiterated the need for the adoption of 5G network in Africa, allaying fears around the safety of the technology in his keynote speech titled “How 5G can Help Internet Service Delivery”.
The BoICT Awards, now in its 12th year, is an initiative of the media house, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, aimed at rewarding best practices and recognizing outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations to the growth of ICT.
The event is widely regarded as the most prestigious annual event available in the ICT industry in Nigeria.
This year, it had in attendance a large gathering of ICT practitioners, regulators, financiers, amongst others.
Telecom
Glo Felicitates Nigerians on Christmas Celebration
Nigeria’s technology company, Globacom, has extended warm felicitations to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2024 Christmas celebrations.
In a goodwill message released in Lagos, Globacom urged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of love and kindness during the festive season, especially in the face of prevailing economic challenges.
The company emphasized the importance of practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ, particularly the virtues of obedience to God and loving one’s neighbor as well.
“Christ taught many virtues including obedience to God and loving one’s neighbour as oneself”, the company said, adding, “Now is the apt time to practise these teachings by sharing with the needy”.
Globacom also encouraged Nigerians to extend the conviviality of Christmas beyond the festive season by fostering love, peace, and harmony, as demonstrated by God through the birth of Jesus Christ.
Assuring its customers of uninterrupted services throughout the Yuletide period and beyond, Globacom urged them to take advantage of its innovative products and services to stay connected and share the memories of the season with loved ones.
Telecom
FG Gives Banks, Telcos Six-Month Deadline to Resolve N250Bn USSD Debt
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators to settle the long-standing N250bn USSD debt dispute before January 2, 2025.
The CBN and NCC also directed banks to pay the pre-Application Programming Interfaces (API) debt before July 2, 2025.
They also ordered that post-API debts be settled before December 31, 2024.
The directive was issued in a joint cirular titled, “2nd Joint Circular of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission on the Resolution of the USSD Debt Issue Between Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators.”
The circular dated December 20, 2024, was signed by Oladimeji Taiwo, acting director of the Payments System Management Department, CBN, and Chizua Whyte, head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC.
The regulators said, “In view of the foregoing, the CBN and the NCC hereby direct DMBs and MNOs as follows: 1. That 60 per cent of all pre-API invoices must be paid as full and final settlement.
“Payment plans (lump sum or installments) must be agreed upon between a concerned DMB and MNO by January 2, 2025. Installments must be based on equal monthly payments, with full payment due by July 2, 2025.
“DMBs must pay 85 per cent of all outstanding invoices issued after the implementation of APIs (i.e., February 2022) by December 31, 2024.
“Similarly, 85 per cent of future invoices must be liquidated within one month of service.”
According to the regulators, the transition to end-user billing will be activated only for DMBs and MNOs that comply with the payment conditions cobtained in the circular.
CBN and the NCC said they would provide further guidance on public enlightenment initiatives related to the transition.
The regulators also directed MNOs to implement the “10-seconds rule” for USSD invoicing.
This implies that any session lasting less than ten seconds will not be billable.
The regulators added, “Failure to comply with the terms outlined in this directive will attract necessary sanctions, ensuring that both DMBs and MNOs uphold their obligations.”
Telecom
NCC Launches Initiative to Combat Fraud, Spam Messaging
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft regulatory framework aimed at addressing fraud, spam, and other challenges in the Application-to-Person messaging sector.
The telecom regulator made this announcement in a statement.
The proposed framework, which was introduced during a virtual Stakeholders’ Forum, is said to be a key step towards enhancing the sector’s integrity and ensuring a fair, transparent environment for all parties involved.
The draft framework, presented by Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Chizua Whyte, NCC’s acting head of legal and regulatory services, seeks to regulate the A2P messaging space.
The A2P messaging, used for notifications such as bank alerts, promotional campaigns, and government updates, has become a vital communication tool in Nigeria.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, including consumer protection concerns, fraud, and data privacy issues, as well as an unequal distribution of value within the ecosystem.
“The international A2P messaging space in Nigeria faces gaps that have led to issues such as fraud, spam, and data privacy concerns. These challenges threaten the sustainable growth of this communication tool,” the NCC said.
The proposed framework aims to address these challenges by protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, and holding service providers accountable.
“This forum marks a pivotal step towards addressing these challenges. We are here to engage with all stakeholders—operators, aggregators, businesses, service providers, and consumers—to refine the framework and ensure it meets the needs of the entire ecosystem.”
The NCC stressed the importance of inclusivity and collaboration in creating an effective regulatory environment.
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