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Telecom

Telecoms Holds Greatest Promise for Financial Inclusion – Danbatta

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L-R: Omoniyi Ibietan, Head, Online Media and Special Publications, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Charles Ifedi, Consultant; Bako Wakil, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, NCC; Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC; Elizabeth Mcquerry, Glenbrook Partners’ official; Prof Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive (EVC/CE), NCC; Abiodun Jagun, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Josephine Amuwa, Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC; Usman Malah, Chief of Staff to the EVC, NCC; Ifeanyi Monyei, Consultant during the visit.
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Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman and chief executive (EVC/CE) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has stated that telecommunications remains the best enabler in expanding the frontiers of financial inclusion in Nigeria.

Telecoms Holds Greatest Promise for Financial Inclusion - Danbatta

Group photograph at the event

Danbatta affirmed this at the NCC Head Office while receiving a team from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Foundation’s Consultants, Glenbrooks Partners, who paid a visit to the Commission to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnership to enhance financial inclusion in Nigeria.

At the meeting, which held at the request of the Foundation, Danbatta said the realisation of the centrality of telecommunication to all aspects of the economy explains NCC’s upbeat in identifying access gaps and in instituting processes for the expansion of telecom infrastructure across the country.

The EVC said the infrastructure companies (Infracos) have been licensed by the Commission to cascade fibre from landing ports to the hinterland of Nigeria, especially the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

He expressed hope that the Federal Government will take a concrete position soon to enable the Infracos to commence operations because “fibre is the real solution to the volume of transactions in the financial services sector”.

Danbatta declared that 35 million Nigerians have no access to telecommunications services and by implication; they lack access to digital financial services, a condition that undermines financial inclusion.

According to the EVC, this challenge is caused by inadequacy of both wireless and fibre connectivity infrastructure. “We need to do more investment in both fixed and wireless infrastructure to enable us to reach our target of at least 80 percent level of financial inclusion in about four years”, he emphasised.

The EVC said access to telecom services by distant, isolated, unserved and underserved communities will enable more citizens to embrace digital financial culture.

Danbatta revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued Mobile Money Payment Services license to some mobile network operators to enable them to undertake mobile financial transaction services.

Danbatta therefore advocated renewed greater cooperation and collaboration between the banking and telecommunications sectors to harmonise the cost of transactions for financial services in an equitable manner.

Abiodun Jagun of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who led the delegation comprising Elizabeth Mcquerry of Glenbrook Partners as well as Ifeanyi Monye and Charles Ifedi, who are consultants to Glenbrook, informed the EVC that the Foundation requested for the meeting in other to deepen the extant the partnership between the Foundation and the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase citizens’ access to financial resources.

Jagun said the discussion with the Commission is so important because it regulates the telecom sector and it is already addressing some infrastructure challenges which is central to connectivity and the embrace of digital culture and inclusive access to financial resources by citizens.

She (Jagun) said that understanding the strides made by the Commission, as well as the challenges it faces, will help the Foundation to know the nature of collaboration and support to offer without distorting or disrupting the market.

Jagun said the beauty of the visit and the discussions are meant to ensure that the philanthropic opportunities offered by BMGF are supportive and complementary to the digital ecosystem.

Mcquerry also commended the commitment of the Federal Government to expanding access to digital resources.

She also expressed hope that this commitment will trickle down to find implementation among all agencies of government.

Mcquerry equally appealed to all stakeholders to work in synergy to ensure increased access and affordability of digital and financial services by “people at the bottom of the bottom of the pyramid.”

 

 

 


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Telecom

Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

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Airtel Nigeria has restated its commitment to transparency, customer safety, and regulatory collaboration following recent regulatory enforcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Airtel Recommits to Fraud Prevention after NCC’s N104m Fine for SIM Registration Breaches

The NCC had served Airtel Nigeria a notice of sanction over some alleged SIM infractions in Kano State and consequently slammed a fine of N104 million on the telecommunications firm.

NCC had in  a letter, addressed to Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, dated May 26, 2025, signed by Chizua Whyte, head, Legal and Regulatory Services, and Mohammed Dari, acting head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement,  on behalf of Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC,  titled: ‘Notice of Sanction: Non-Compliance with SIM Registration Directive in Kano,’ where the infractions were spelt out.

According to NCC, Airtel infractions include unauthorised SIM registrations using 198 unapproved devices, resulting in 8,275 registrations outside the 281 verified Airtel shops; premature activation of 63 MSISDNs prior to proper SIM registration, contrary to the provisions of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022; failure to conduct effective eyeballing, leading to 407 fraudulent SIM registrations with multiple NINs, contrary to the provision of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and failure to provide satisfactory explanation for SIM registrations conducted between 12.00 a.m and 6.00 a.m.

On the matter, the letter revealed that there were some letter exchanges and subsequent meetings on the infractions between the telecom regulator and Airtel, starting from January 12, 2025, March 19, 2025, March 24, 2025, and March 27, 2025, respectively.

Apparently, after investigations and responses from Airtel, the NCC was not satisfied and this led to the fine of N104 million, which was to be paid within seven days from the date the letter was issued.

Specifically, NCC fined Airtel N5 million, N12 million, N81.4 million and N5 million for the infractions respectively.

Reacting, Airtel, expressed appreciation to the NCC for uncovering the infractions, describing the development as a critical opportunity to strengthen internal processes and further align with national security and regulatory expectations

“We thank the NCC for its vigilance and continued support in protecting the integrity of the telecoms ecosystem. Airtel takes these findings seriously and is already implementing corrective measures,” a spokesperson for the company said.

Only recently, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO recently announced that the company is doubling its investment in the country, focusing on network expansion, fiber-to-the-street rollout, 4G/5G deployment, customer care upgrades, and digital infrastructure security.

These investments reinforce Airtel’s long-term vision of building a resilient and forward-looking telecom network that meets the evolving needs of Nigerians.

“Our systems are constantly evolving to stay ahead of scammers and malicious actors,” the spokesperson added. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about our responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who rely on Airtel daily.”

Airtel Nigeria says it will continue to work closely with the NCC and other arms of government to ensure high standards of service and safety for all telecom users nationwide.

 

 

 

 


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Telecom

Kenya Beats Nigeria As the Most Progressive ICT Regulation in Africa

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Kenya is celebrating its regulatory ecosystem being ranked as the most progressive in Africa. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has ranked the East African country first in its most recent ICT Regulatory Tracker.

ITU’s ICT Regulatory Tracker is an evidence-gathering tool for decision-makers and regulators. It demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory systems in the age of technology.

The ITU evaluates the design of the national regulatory authority, the scope of the regulatory mandate, the obtaining regulatory environment, and the robustness of the competition framework in member countries.

Kenya received 93 points, up from 92 in 2023, and now leads the continent in best practices for ICT regulations.

Nigeria and South Africa finished second and third, with 92 and 88 points respectively. Malawi, Egypt, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Senegal complete the top 10 list.

Globally, Kenya was ranked 20th out of 194 countries covered.Italy led the rankings, with 100 points.

The regulator, Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, said the achievement underscored Kenya’s commitment to creating a robust, technology-neutral regulatory environment that supports innovation, affordability and access.

Steve Isaboke, permanent secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, visited CA Centre in Nairobi following the announcement on Thursday.

“The ranking is a clear testament of the excellent work that CA has done in spearheading Kenya’s digital transformation and driving digital access for all,” he said.

“After 25 years, CA’s regulatory regime has attained maturity, and gained global recognition. This ranking shows that the CA staff and leadership are executing their work diligently.”


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MTN’s Female Leadership Surges to 41.4%, Doubles Industry Average

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MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has announced a significant increase in female representation within its leadership, with women now making up 41.4% of its workforce, a notable rise from 38.7% in 2023.

MTN

This figure reportedly doubles the industry average, positioning MTN Nigeria as a frontrunner in gender diversity within Nigeria’s ICT sector.

The company’s recently released 2024 Annual Report highlights its sustained commitment to workplace inclusion and gender equality, aligning with its “Ambition 2025” strategy. Female representation within the executive management team has reached approximately 46.7%.

MTN Nigeria attributes this progress to dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering women professionally. These include the “Women in Tech” programme, which provides targeted upskilling in high-demand fields such as Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, AI/ML, Data Science, and Cyber Security.

The “MTN Y’ello Mums Internship Programme” also supports young mothers in their transition back into the corporate world after career breaks.

Odunayo Sanya, executive director of the MTN Foundation, was recognised as the CSI Personality of the Year at the Nigeria Tech Innovation & Telecoms Awards (NTITA), further underscoring the company’s impactful social initiatives.

Additionally, Uto Ukpanah, the company secretary, received the inaugural Global Corporate Secretary of the Year Award from the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA).

Speaking at a recent conference, Odunayo Sanya, emphasised the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation, saying, “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders.”

Uto Ukpanah, added, “Showcasing our corporate values and ethos to the world opens the door for greater collaboration with other organisations, as we believe there’s a lot to learn when we all come together. Governance continues to evolve. The challenges today are not the same as they were 10 years ago. Greater accountability is expected, and companies can only continue to do better.”

The company’s broader efforts in diversity and inclusion have been acknowledged with multiple accolades, including the Corporate Responsibility Award. MTN Nigeria also received the “Employer of the Year” award at the 4th Edition of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Employers’ Excellence Awards.

Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, in the report, reiterated the company’s commitment to building a purpose-driven organisation, emphasising that its success is intrinsically linked to its people and their dedication to a shared vision.

“Since we initiated our culture transformation journey in 2021, our culture transformation has significantly enhanced employee engagement and organisational cohesion. It’s directly strengthened our ability to deliver outstanding business performance and drive sustainable long-term value for all our stakeholders.”


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