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  • NCC Demands MNOs, Agents, Consumers Compliance with SIM Replacement Guidelines

    NCC Demands MNOs, Agents, Consumers Compliance with SIM Replacement Guidelines

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has insisted that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), their licensed agents and telecom subscribers should always comply with the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration, activation and replacement procedures as set out in the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Registration.


    The Commission made the request during the 6th Edition of the Telecom Consumer Town Hall on Radio (TCTHR), a radio-based interactive consumer outreach programme of the Commission, broadcast under the auspices of NCC Digital Signature, the Commission’s flagship radio programme.

    The programme, which had NCC officials and representatives of MNOs in attendance in the studio, was aired live on Treasure 98.5 FM, Garden City, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over the weekend with the theme: “Understanding SIM Replacement Procedures.”

    Speaking during the radio sensitisation programme, the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Efosa Idehen, said while operators are to ensure strict compliance when registering their customers, the SIM card owners too have the responsibility to be vigilant to ensure that they are properly captured either for new SIM activation or SIM replacement.


    “As the telecom regulator in Nigeria, our role is to enforce compliance with the extant SIM activation and replacement procedures in order to avoid problems that may arise in the event of stolen, lost, damaged SIMs or the need to upgrade SIM cards,” he said.

    Idehen underscored the significance of SIM registration to personal and national security, and asserted that compliance with the stipulated procedures for SIM replacement will forestall identity theft, fraudulent SIM swap and other deceitful activities that can be carried out with a SIM card.

    He informed the listeners that, in accordance with the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Registration, all SIM replacements shall be undertaken by the service providers or their licensed agents in a controlled environment to eliminate the recurrent complaints of inconclusive SIM replacement procedures. He said such experiences have resulted in subscribers being defrauded by cyber fraudsters.

    Idehen also advised telecom consumers to be wary of fake SIM registration agents purporting to be working for MNOs with the intent to defraud unsuspecting subscribers. He said one of the antics of such agents is to ask for the one-time password (OTP) forwarded to the consumer for activation of the SIM, especially after the SIM replacement process has been done. He warned telecom consumers to be wary of such scams.

    Addressing the requirements for SIM replacement, the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, said the use of National Identification Number (NIN) is compulsory in addition to all other criteria stated in the SIM Replacement Guidelines. He declared that the provision is stipulated in the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM registration.


    Adinde, who was represented by the Port Harcourt Zonal Controller, Venny Eze-Nwabufoh, explained that using the NIN for SIM replacement is beneficial as it helps in identifying the real identity of a mobile phone user, limiting identity fraud, other network-related crimes as well as improving national security. The Director of Public Affairs also stated that the public sensitisation on SIM registration generally is in line with the obligation of the Commission to ensure effective implementation of the Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Registration. 

    Both Directors at the Commission reiterated that the NCC is saddled with the responsibility to oversee the implementation and management of the National SIM Registration Database. The NCC senior executives explained that one of the obligations of the Commission is to ensure the implementation of the policy on revised national identity for SIM registration and to have oversight of its strategies, standards, guidelines as well as frameworks in order to improve the identity and security management of mobile phone subscribers in Nigeria.

  • NCC, LBS Mull Collaboration on Capacity Building

    NCC, LBS Mull Collaboration on Capacity Building

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Lagos Business School of Pan-Atlantic University are considering forging a partnership that will result in developing customised capacity building interventions and overhauling of existing training courses offered by the LBS to address critical areas of needs of the Commission’s human capital development.

    The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, emphasized the imperative of such collaboration during a visit of an LBS delegation led by the School’s Director, Executive Education, Victor Banjo, to the Commission’s Head Office in Abuja recently.

    The EVC spoke through NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu, who received the LBS delegation (alongside other senior management staff of the Commission) on behalf of the EVC.

    Addressing the visiting team, Adewolu said NCC constantly engages in staff training as part its strategy to build managerial and technical skills required to manage the ever-dynamic telecoms regulatory environment in Nigeria.

    Adewolu said while LBS, has been a training partner of NCC over the years and currently provides some classes of capacity building to staff of the Commission, it has become necessary to expand the training scope by ensuring that other customized programmes that target specific needs of Commission’s human capital are designed by the School in collaboration with NCC team to meet strategic objectives and enhance the relationship of the two organisations.

    Among the areas of interest to the Commission are courses on performance appraisal management, policy formulation and execution, risk management, technical report writing, telecoms-related training, tariff and competition management, as well as basic training on policy formulation and implementation, social media training, audio-visual editing, among others.

    “I thank the LBS for its collaboration with NCC over the years in the area of human capital development. However, we expect that LBS will work with NCC to see how we can collectively overhaul the existing courses and bring new course to NCC’s attention which we would, in turn, subject to our training need analysis (TNA). This may result in a review of ur existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards making our relationship much stronger and more mutually beneficial,” Adewolu said.

    The Executive Commissioner also explained that though NCC is a regulatory agency, it has seen the need for indigenous digital skills development in Nigeria, and that explained the creation creation of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), by the Commission to meet the human capital needs of the burgeoning telecom, and broadly, the ICT sector.

    According to Adewolu, other areas of focus in meeting educational needs of the sector, include indigenous digital skills development, sponsoring of hackathon, provision of research grants to the academia, endowment of professorial chairs in universities, and the acceleration of digital infrastructure deployment across the country to boost digital literacy and skills for Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

    Speaking earlier on the purpose of the visit to the Commission, Banji of LBS, said the business school wishes to serve as a strategic capacity development partner to NCC for its teaming staff; revisit LBS’s existing MoU for necessary enhancements; as well as offer corporate governance, board leadership and management development programmes to enhance corporate effectiveness.

    Banji also commended the NCC for its role in ensuring effective digital transformation in Nigeria. “As the Commission responsible for creating an enabling environment for telecom operators and allied stakeholders in the industry, as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country, NCC has earned a reputation as a foremost Telecom regulatory agency in Africa,” Banji said.

    In addition, the LBS Executive stated that while his organisation will continue to play a prominent and leading role in building leaders with integrity for Nigeria, Africa, and the world, it also believes that with effective directors and leaders in the public sector organisation such as the NCC, Nigeria will be managed more efficiently for greater value and sustainable growth.  

    “Our conviction at LBS is that telecommunications penetration is one of the critical developments required to transform poverty into prosperity. Our thesis is simple:  the access to and use of mobile telephony contributes to the health of the population and efficiency of the economy. It is equally a lever for poverty reduction as contained in Goal One of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Banji declared to emphasize the centrality of telecoms as an enabler of development.

  • Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and the Inclusion for All initiative announce the launch of a joint report to assess the transparency in Digital Financial Services fees in Nigeria

    Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and the Inclusion for All initiative announce the launch of a joint report to assess the transparency in Digital Financial Services fees in Nigeria

    Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and the Inclusion for All initiative today announced the launch of the Measuring Fees and Transparency in Nigeria’s Digital Financial Services report. The joint study examines compliance levels with existing fee structures, compliance with price transparency requirements, the reliability of transactions and the consistency of information available from customer service channels – highlighting a series of barriers that impact consumer trust in financial services.

    Nigeria’s digital financial services ecosystem has rapidly evolved over the last decade due to increased broadband and mobile penetration and digital payments, which boost financial access in urban, rural, and hard-to-reach areas across the country. 

    This progress provides underbanked populations with greater access to digital banking products, mobile payments, savings and credit facilities – transforming the financial inclusion landscape. However, between 2018 and 2020, financial exclusion in Nigeria decreased by only 1 percentage point, from 37% in 2018 to 36% in 2020.

    The cost of financial services remains a major barrier to access for price-sensitive consumers, especially within marginalised, vulnerable, and lower-income segments of society. In addition, any lack of transparency on product pricing, departures from regulated pricing and limits trust between customers and service providers.

    A new collaboration between Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and the Inclusion for All initiative aims to address the challenges and understand the ease of accessing accurate price information from providers and their levels of compliance with the revised pricing guidelines.

    High-profile speakers and panellists opened the virtual launch of the report with a discussion to understand the practical implications of the audit findings and how regulators and providers can cooperate to enhance customer experience.

    In a keynote speech, Mrs Rashida Monguno, Director, Consumer Protection Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), commended IPA and Inclusion for All for the study, saying: 

    “This groundbreaking research provides new evidence and insights on one of the most critical aspects of consumer protection which is pricing transparency. Consumers’ right to easily access and understand the cost of services they use is one of the most fundamental rights of consumers. The research provides a baseline for future audits and identifies several areas which require improvement. I trust that the results will be instrumental in exploring new conversations that will result in tangible changes in the digital financial services marketplace.”

    The government regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), recognised the impact of product pricing on financial inclusion outcomes and reviewed pricing guidelines in 2019, issuing lowered pricing caps for electronic banking transactions effective January 2020. In addition, CBN encouraged financial service providers to restructure transaction fees and limits. The action supports Nigeria’s digital financial services uptake, which increased during the covid-19 pandemic, where government responses such as lockdown restrictions led to the temporary closure of bank branches, reinforcing digital access. 

    Presenting key findings from the digital financial services audit, IPA revealed multiple areas where improvements may be required to enhance the consumer experience and assure compliance with existing regulatory frameworks. Drawing on the new research, William Blackmon, Financial Inclusion Research Manager, IPA, said: “Most providers do not list their prices on their website – contacting customer care can take a matter of hours. Limited pricing transparency wastes consumers’ time and comes at a high cost that lower-income customers simply cannot afford.” 

    Without accurate and accessible information – consumers cannot make informed decisions about the services they want to use; this reduces competition in the market. During the panel, Adedotun Ifebogun, Head, Retail & SME, Wema Bank, emphasised the need for a more holistic approach to the transparency of pricing that ensures customers’ evolving needs are met across all preferred platforms and locations, he said:

    “We are committed to understanding consumers’ preferred information points and how well and easily statements can be accessed, especially for communities at the last mile. Customer service has been identified as a preferred platform for consumers to get information. We see the need for training in this area to ensure good customer service since competition between banks and mobile money should be on service delivery and not necessarily on price, which is regulated. The solution will be a collaborative effort.” 

    Speakers also exchanged perspectives on market events such as price fluctuations and promotions that affect price reliability. Jay Alabraba, Chairman, Association of Licensed Mobile Payment Operators (ALMPO), commented: “Even though there are challenges with price transparency and reliability, we need to acknowledge that transparency and reliability are already an industry focus. And in speaking of serving consumers best, business sustainability is critical. In a way forward, sufficient dialogue between industries and telcos is key.”

    Driving debate on the reliability of transactions and the impact of infrastructure on the financial service provider ecosystem, Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said: “Several consumers are connected to Nigeria’s 2G and 3G networks which offer less reliable data access. Naturally, this impacts access to higher-quality network coverage and influences customers’ ability to transact. Further, pricing on USSD has not been transparent historically; this is a legacy issue that impacts customer confidence.”

    Among other key findings, the Innovation for Poverty Action and Inclusion for All Study found that:

    • Across all transaction types, less than 50% of customer care representatives provided a fee that was the same as the fee our auditors observed. 
    • Auditors were able to find price lists on only 2 providers out of 29 included in the study.
    • Only 14% of providers offered toll-free lines, and the median airtime charge for non-toll-free lines was 123 Naira.
    • Deposit money banks provided more inconsistent fee information than mobile money providers.
    • Mobile money providers were more likely to provide no-fee information at all.
    • 60% of the study’s attempted transactions were successfully completed, while 40% failed.
    • Transactions with deposit money banks were more than 20 percentage points more likely to succeed than mobile money transactions.

    Signalling the necessary work ahead to ensure digital financial services in Nigeria encourages financial wellbeing of the country’s citizens, Mrs. Rashida Monguno, Director, Consumer Protection Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), commented: “Results from the 2020 EFInA survey show that 38 million adults in Nigeria are financially excluded, and trust in the financial ecosystem is a big barrier, particularly in pricing. As Nigeria seeks to achieve its financial inclusion goals, concerted efforts must be made to ensure that consumers are protected and that their financial health is not worsened due to the proliferation of digital financial services. Financial services should aim to meet their needs.”

    Chinasa Collins-Ogbuo, Head, Inclusion for All, said: “It is encouraging to have such strong players across the ecosystem collectively lend their voices to an issue that is critical to the evolution and sustainability of Digital Financial Services in Nigeria. It remains aligned with our primary mission, to ensure that the poor and marginalised populations do not remain excluded from formal financial services.  We will continue the conversation as we strive to catalyse action in the right quarters and increase the likelihood of more populations being formally included.”

  • CDC/BII appoints four new managing directors

    CDC/BII appoints four new managing directors

    CDC, the UK’s development finance institution that will soon be renamed British International Investment (BII), has appointed four new managing directors. 

    The appointments have been made as CDC/BII enters its new five year strategy period in which it will prioritise investment in clean infrastructure and climate finance projects.

    Amal-Lee Amin, CDC’s Climate Change Director, becomes MD and Head of Climate. Dr Amin has led cross-firm initiatives to align investment strategies with the goals of the Paris Agreement. She has also positioned CDC/BII as a leader among the development finance community on climate finance, particularly the agenda for accelerating private investment for climate adaptation and resilience. 

    Chris Chijiutomi, Director, Head of Infrastructure Equity, becomes MD and Head of Infrastructure Equity, Africa and Pakistan. Mr Chijiutomi has led CDC’s Infrastructure Equity team since 2018 and in that capacity has been responsible for some of the company’s most important relationships and transactions. He sits on the boards of Globeleq and Gridworks, CDC’s key investments in Africa power. He also provided overall leadership and supervision of CDC’s joint venture with DP World in the creation of a platform to invest in ports and logistics assets in Africa.

    Yasemin Saltuk Lamy, Deputy CIO, Head of Asset Allocation and Capital Solutions becomes MD and Head of Asset Allocation and Capital Solutions. Under Ms Lamy’s leadership since 2018, CDC’s Catalyst portfolio has doubled in size, reaching $1 billion of commitments and helping more than 40 million people. In 2020, she stewarded CDC’s COVID-19 response, which was awarded Real World Impact Initiative of the Year by the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.

    Abhinav Sinha, Director and Head of Technology and Telecoms, Equity, becomes MD and Head of Technology and Telecoms. Since joining CDC in 2018, Mr Sinha has been responsible for leading his teams on some of the most significant investments at CDC/BII. These have included Liquid Telecom, the largest independent fibre and cloud service provider in Africa, the mobile partnership with Vodacom in Ethiopia and setting up Kelix bio, the cross-border pharmaceutical manufacturing platform.

    Nick O’Donohoe, Chief Executive at CDC/BII, said: “Each of our four new Managing Directors have demonstrated outstanding performance, skill and dedication to our values. They will play a key role in delivering BII’s strategy over the new five year strategic period.”

    1. CDC will formally become British International Investment plc on 4 April 2022. 
    1. British International Investment is a reliable and trusted investment partner to businesses in Africa, parts of Asia and the Caribbean. It will commit between £1.5 and £2 billion per annum between 2022 and 2026 to support the UK government’s Clean Green Initiative and to create productive, sustainable and inclusive economies in Africa, parts of Asia and the Caribbean.
    1. British International Investment plays a key role in the UK government’s wider plans to mobilise up to £8 billion a year of public and private sector investment in international projects by 2025.  
    1. Over the next five years, at least 30 percent of BII’s total new commitments by value will be in climate finance. This will make us one of the world’s largest climate investors in Africa.
    2. BII is also a founding member of the 2X challenge which has raised $10bn to empower women’s economic development.   
    1. The company has investments in over 1,000 businesses in emerging economies and total assets of £6.8 billion.
  • Rite Foods Products are of Global Standard- Halal

    Rite Foods Products are of Global Standard- Halal

    Mr. Abdulazeez Ajala, Director, Compliance and Regulation, Halal Certification Authority, Nigeria, has affirmed that all products of Rite Foods Limited are healthy, acceptable and pure for consumption by consumers globally.

    Mr. Ajala made this known during the presentation of Halal certificate to Rite Foods Limited at the company’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.

    According to Ajala, “Having done all research, we have found that all Rite Foods products are acceptable, healthy, pure, edible to be taken by consumers anywhere in the world, having met all food safety requirements in accordance with the Halal regulations,” Mr. Azeez stated.

    The Halal certificate is a document that guarantees that products and services aimed at about 1.8 billion consumers globally meet all necessary safety requirements and therefore, are suitable for consumption. The certification is a process that ensures the features and quality of the products by allowing the use of the Halal mark.

    Also speaking during the presentation ceremony, Dr. Ajani Abidemi, Secretary-General, Halal Certification Authority, Nigeria said that when it comes to halal certification, what comes to mind is quality, and Rite Foods products have passed all quality tests in accordance with Halal regulations. This is backed by all required evidence used by the authorization body during the certification process.

    “In the area of wholesomeness and purity, Rite Foods products stand out in quality which expands its penetration globally, thereby making it fit for consumption by consumers not just within the shores of Nigeria but globally,” Dr. Abidemi said.

    Going forward, all products of Rite Foods Limited will carry the Halal mark, assuring consumers globally that the products served are hygienic, healthy and follows halal procedures.

    This certification has placed a seal of quality on Nigeria’s favorite carbonated soft drink, Bigi drinks, Bigi premium water, Fearless Energy Drink, Rite and Bigi sausages as they all comply with Halal requirements.

    With the Halal certification, Rite Foods Limited has demonstrated its commitment to providing consumers with high-quality products across the globe. The company’s production process follows World-Class Standards and guards against any form of contamination, thereby placing food safety above financial concerns; this includes going beyond Nigerian statutory food laws to ensure it attains the highest international product quality standards.

  • FG should enforce Mandatory climate disclosure in all key sectors- Professor Olawuyi, SAN

    FG should enforce Mandatory climate disclosure in all key sectors- Professor Olawuyi, SAN

    Segun Kasali – Lagos

    Energy Law Expert and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships (ARISP) of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, SAN has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to put in place mandatory requirements for high emitting businesses, especially those in the oil, gas and minerals sectors, to disclose their climate-related efforts, risks and opportunities.

    The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is also a member of the governing board of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), made this call at a public roundtable themed “Climate Change and COP 26: The Road Ahead for Nigeria”, organized by the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan.

    The event, which explored innovative approaches through which Nigeria can address the menacing impacts of climate change, was moderated by Professor Akin Iwayemi of CPEEL, and featured expert contributions from Professor Olusanya Olubusoye, Director, CPEEL, Mr. James Ogunleye, Managing Director Carbon Limits Nigeria, Professor Yinka Ohunakin, Covenant University, and Professor Adeola Adenikinju, Head of Department of Economics, University of Ibadan.

    While evaluating the key strengths of Nigeria’s Long-Term Vision on Climate Change which was recently released by the Federal Government, Professor Olawuyi, SAN described the document as an important wake-up call for stakeholders in key sectors, especially high-emitting industries such as oil and gas, to put in place robust internal risk management processes needed to achieve the Government’s target of 50 percent emission reduction by the year 2050.

    He also emphasized that achieving this target will require more targeted and stringent efforts by the government to monitor and track the level of compliance by business enterprises in key sectors.

    “Global transparency requirement in the extractive sector has moved beyond financial transparency alone. It now includes transparency in environment and climate-related disclosures.

    “We want to know how a company is addressing climate-related risks across their entire business value chain, the impact of their operations on climate change, and how they are integrating climate change into business planning through green procurements, green jobs, capacity development, and supporting clean technology innovation.” Professor Damilola said.

    The Learned Silk called on the Federal Government to empower important transparency agencies such as NEITI, working with the Department of Climate Change, to mandate extractive operators to disclose their climate-related programs, risks and opportunities in order to ensure coherent planning.

    He noted that by so doing, achieving green growth and sustainable development in key sectors of the Nigerian economy will move beyond a vision to reality.

    Professor Olawuyi also called on education institutions to take necessary steps to increase training, education and capacity development on climate change by introducing specialized courses that can help administrators, planners and policy makers to undertake the essential steps that will guide the country towards achieving its net-zero emission reduction targets.

    The Deputy Vice-Chancellor commended ABUAD’s leadership in this regard, noting that ABUAD is institutionally committed to addressing the problem of climate change and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Feature- FirstBank, Driving Dollar Remittances, Economic Growth via IMTOS

    Feature- FirstBank, Driving Dollar Remittances, Economic Growth via IMTOS

    By Chinwendu Obienyi

    For centuries, there have been heated debates over the sources of economic growth in developing economies and why some countries reflect strong economic growth compared to others.

    The hypotheses have often centred around crude oil, agriculture, revenues, private capital, bubbling stock market, stable security, low unemployment rate, high standard of living amongst others. But in recent times, one factor that has been added to this list is diaspora remittances as it is one of the major international financial resources, which sometimes exceed the flows of foreign direct investment (FDI).

    Remittances promote economic growth by increasing household income and increasing income creates the opportunity to boost consumer spending, accumulation of assets, promotion of self-employment, and investment in small business.

    Data from the World Bank in 2014 indicates that global remittances stood at $430 billion dollar in 2011 and was 0.31 per cent of global GDP in 2009. The impact of remittances on any economy is more profound in developing countries because they receive $307.1 billion of the total N416 billion inward remittances, amounting to about 74 percent.

    Remittances also account for about 27 percent of the GDP of developing countries. According to the World Bank, remittances flows to the developing world have reached $414 billion in 2013 (up 6.3 per cent over 2012), and are now, behind foreign direct investment, the second largest source of external financial flows to developing countries.

    Daily Sun investigations reveal that the enormous upward movement in remittances payments may be attributed largely to two factors, namely; immigration between developing and developed countries which increased dramatically in the past 20 years and declined in transaction costs as technological improvements have allowed for faster, lower cost mechanisms for the international transfer of payments between individuals.

    This means that it is different from other external capital inflows like foreign direct investment, foreign loans and aids due to its stable nature. Little wonder why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unveiled a new policy in 2020 that granted unfettered access to forex from the diaspora and other money transfer remittances like Western Union and MoneyGram.

    The bank also clarified transactions that are eligible under the policy in line with global best practices. The policy allows beneficiaries of diaspora remittances through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) to henceforth receive such inflows in the original foreign currency through designated bank of their choice. It explained that the new regulation was part of efforts to liberalise, simplify and improve receipt and administration of diaspora remittances into Nigeria.

    Under the new policy, recipients of remittances may have the option of receiving such funds in foreign currency cash (US Dollars) or into their ordinary domiciliary account.

    “These changes are necessary to deepen the foreign exchange market, provide more liquidity and create more transparency in the administration of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria,” the apex bank stated.

    It explained that the changes would help finance a future stream of investment opportunities for Nigerians in the Diaspora, while also guaranteeing that the recipients of remittances would receive a market-reflective exchange rate for their inflows.

    Backed by these words, several commercial banks swung into action to tap into this virgin zone by introducing a variety of offers that yield fruits as more remittances started coming in.

    However, the CBN in March 2021, in a bid to encourage more inflows, introduced a new incentive tagged “Naira 4 Dollar Scheme”. In a circular signed by Saleh Jibrin, CBN ‘s Director, Trade and Exchange Department, said, the scheme would allow all recipients of diaspora remittances to be paid N5 for everyone dollar received.

    This explains why First Bank of Nigeria Limited chose to expand diaspora remittances inflow into the country by increasing its network of International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) targeted at easing accessibility of its customers to receive money from close to 100 countries across the world in a safe and secured manner.

    Before then, it was on record that FirstBank has maintained a long-standing partnership with Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Transfast, and WorldRemit. The Bank is also in partnership with other IMTOs including Wari, Smallworld, Sendwave, Flutherwave, Funtech, Thunes and Venture Garden Group to promote remittance inflows into the country, thus putting Nigerians and residents at an advantage in receiving money from their families, friends and loved ones across the bank’s 750 branches especially in this Yuletide season.

    For potential customers without an existing domiciliary account, they can have their dollar account automatically created for their remittances and can also receive inflow directly into their account through Western Union.  In addition, FirstBank has launched its wholly owned remittance platform named First Global Transfer product to promote the international transfer of funds across its subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa. These subsidiaries include FBNBank DRC, FBNBank Ghana, FBNBank Gambia, FBNBank Guinea, FBNBank Sierra-Leone, and FBNBank Senegal.

    Reiterating the bank’s resolve in promoting diaspora remittances, regardless of where one is across the globe, the Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Gbenga Shobo said, “At First Bank, expanding our network of International Money Transfer Operators is in recognition of the significant roles diaspora remittances play in driving economic growth such as helping recipients meet basic needs, fund cash and non-cash investments, finance education, foster new businesses and debt servicing.

    We are excited about these partnerships, as it is essential to ensure our customers are at an advantage to receive money from their loved ones and business associates, anywhere they are across the world.”

    Having been at the forefront of pioneering international funds transfer and remittances over 25 years ago, it is safe to say the bank’s wealth of experience and operation in over 750 locations nationwide gives it the edge in the market.

    With its total principal standing at N100 billion and over one million customers to service in 2020, FirstBank is providing prospective investors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities that are available in Nigeria, an internationally competitive world-class brand, a credible financial partner, thus promoting economic growth and development.

     

    Culled from The Sun 

  • Congolese Regulator Understudies Nigeria’s Telecoms Market

    Congolese Regulator Understudies Nigeria’s Telecoms Market

    …As NCC shares regulatory experience
    Faith in the operational excellence and regulatory efficiency that have become the marks of Africa’s foremost regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was demonstrated recently when a delegation from the Congo-Brazzaville Telecommunications Regulations Authority (CTRA) visited the NCC on a benchmarking tour.
    The delegation from the central African nation purposively paid a scheduled visit to NCC, essentially to understudy the latter’s policies, practices and programmes that have made it a model telecommunications regulatory authority on the Continent and beyond.
    The Congolese team led by CTRA’s Network Director, Benjamin Mouandza, spent three days at the NCC Head Office in Abuja, where it was exposed to key result-oriented regulatory activities, frameworks, programmes and policies of NCC, with the objective to explore how such operational frameworks could be adapted by the African nation noted for its huge rainforest reserves.
    In the letter written to the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Congloese regulator had indicated interest to gain more insights into three areas of NCC’s regulatory activities, namely, management of issues associated with Quality of Service (QoS), SIM Boxing and Call Masking, as well as telecom equipment type-approval process.
    In response to the request, Danbatta had graciously accepted to host the team and further directed relevant departments of NCC, including Special Duties (SD); Technical Standards and Network Integrity (TSNI); and the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CME) directorates to interact with the team to provide necessary information sharing that may be useful to the Congolese counterpart.
    Addressing the CTRA team, the NCC’s Director, TSNI, Bako Wakil, spoke extensively on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) instituted by NCC on QoS and how these KPIs are measured and monitored by the Commission toward ensuring improved service delivery to Nigeria’s ever-growing telecoms consumers. He said this also helped to improve Quality of Experience (QoE) of the consumers.
    On type-approval process, Wakil stated that the Commission had developed a rigorous type-approval process to ensure that telecoms equipment, including terminal devices, manufactured in line with international standards and specifications are brought into the country. The “NCC is serious about the type-approval process like other processes because non-type approved devices and equipment which are also not manufactured to international standards and specifications have negative implications for quality of service delivery on the networks,” he said.
    Wakil also spoke extensively, to the admiration of the Congolese team, on call masking and highlighted measures the NCC had put in place to address the menace. He described call masking as “the practice of sending international calls to an operator but disguising the calls as if they were local by sending the calls on the local interconnect route with a local number in the national numbering plan instead of the original international calling number.”
    In a related presentation to the visiting team on SIM boxing fraud and efforts being taken by the NCC to combat the menace, NCC’s Director, CME, Ephraim Nwokonneya, spoke on the problems created by the fraudulent practice of SIM Boxing, including threat to national security, loss of revenue to service providers and the government. Additionally, he asserted the anti-competitive practices associated with such acts among licensees as well as the general economic implications so evident in revenue loss.
    However, Nwokonneya itemised solutions to SIM Boxing fraud from a regulatory perspective. He declared that regulators can deploy anti-SIM boxing and call masking solutions, be proactive and effective in monitoring and enforcement, collaboration with the industry and law enforcement agencies, capacity building through training and skill acquisition programmes, as well as the review of the Enforcement Regulations and enabling laws.
    More importantly, Nwokonneya told the Congolese telecoms regulator team that collaboration between the regulator and the industry is required to effectively combat the menace of SIMBox Fraud, Call Masking and Call Refilling in conjunction with the deployment of technological solutions and well-trained staff.
    From the presentations, it was made clear that the scale of call masking and SIMBoxing has been on the downward decline in Nigeria while the number of complaints from subscribers on incorrectly displayed calling numbers has also reduced substantially. To prove that NCC processes emplaced to combat the menace are succeeding, Nwokonneya stated that there has been a significant and noticeable improvement in the display of correct international calling numbers into Nigeria networks.
    The NCC Directors also reiterated that the Commission is also taking strategic actions on SIM Registration, the National Identification Number (NIN) and the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage policy. The NCC team informed the visitors that a maximum of four SIM numbers are permissible to be registered per subscriber per network requirement. This is another measure deployed by the NCC to tackle SIMBoxing which usually requires multiple SIMs to flourish.
    The NCC team emphasised that the combination of regulatory action and deployment of technology solutions have helped to put the menace of call masking and SIMBoxing in the Nigeria’s telecoms sector under check.
    Commenting on the benefits of the visit, CTRA’s Mouandza, said the choice made by the Congolese regulator to visit NCC on a benchmarking tour has been worthwhile. “We have come to understand how the regulator in Nigeria has been handling some salient regulatory issues and matters in the country as it relates to telecoms. In the course of this visit, I can say that our objective has been achieved. The experience has been very rich, we have learnt many things. We thank the EVC and his team for accepting to host us. We are more positioned now to replicate some of the things we have learnt in our telecoms market back home,” he said.
    The Congolese officials had practical demonstrations of the issues earlier discussed, especially the nature of technologies that have been deployed by the NCC to independently and remotely monitor, measure and validate QoS on the networks of mobile operators in the country.
    It will be recalled that the visit by the Congolese team came barely a month after the NCC hosted officials from Sierra Leone’s National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), who equally visited NCC to benchmark the Nigeria’s telecom regulator’s policies, programmes and regulatory activities.
    Over the years, the NCC has constantly received delegations from telecoms regulators in Africa and this trend has remained a major boost for Nigeria’s global ranking as a model in telecommunications regulation. Suffice it to say, that, these benchmarking visits have eloquently reinforced NCC’s leadership status in operational efficiency, collaborative partnership, and commitment to intra-African solidarity in the telecommunications sphere.

  • Broadband: Pantami, Danbatta Assure of FG’s Plans to Bridge Infrastructure Deficit

    Ongoing policy directions and regulatory measures being put in place by the Nigerian Government towards bridging identified broadband infrastructure gaps shall be sustained in order to facilitate increased access to the Internet by citizens across the country.
    The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, gave the assurance in their presentations during the recently-concluded virtual African Internet Governance Forum 2021 (vAFIGF2021).
    The three-day annual forum was organized with the theme: “Advancing Digital Transformation in Africa in the Face of Crisis”, and hosted by the Nigerian government. The hybrid forum was attended by many stakeholders within the African Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem.
    Pantami, who was represented at the forum by a Director at NCC, who doubles as Adviser to the Honourable Minister on Technical Matters, Prof. Sahalu Balarabe Junaidu, said the objective of the forum was to harness digital technology and innovation, transform societies and economies, and eradicate poverty for social and economic development in the Continent.
    The Minister said, with the challenges thrown up by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for Internet services has increased dramatically. He called on African citizens to access broadband/internet services to carry out their personal and official tasks more effectively and effectively.
    “The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the increased need to embrace the digital culture. So, as Africans, one of the ways by which we can respond to the challenge thrown by the pandemic is to accelerate our digital transformation,” he said.
    Pantami explained that the digital transformation strategy for Africa should be established on key foundational pillars which include an enabling environment, policy regulation, digital infrastructure, digital skills and human capacity, as well as digital innovation, and entrepreneurship.
    He said critical sectors such as digital trade and financial services, digital government, digital education, digital health, and digital agriculture, are also underlining pillars of the transformation. Additionally, he said the drivers of digital transformation include digital content and applications, digital identification, emerging technology, cyber security, privacy and personal data protection, as well as research and development.
    Pantami recalled that Internet usage in sub-Saharan Africa is still not encouraging, according to report by the International Finance Corporation ( IFC ) and World Bank. However, the Minister asserted that Nigeria, with its current over 140 million Internet users, has one of the largest subscriptions in the sub-region.
    The Minister said the various policies, including the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, emplaced to address infrastructure challenges and enhance the country’s migration to a more robust digital economy, will also ensure that more citizens are able to have access to the Internet in the coming years.
    He mentioned the recent successful auction of 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band for the scheduled deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) networks as another important policy and strategic step taken by the Nigerian government to boost broadband penetration in the country.
    Pantami also listed the enforcement and implementation of the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy 2021, and the review of the Cybercrimes Act of 2015 to build an inclusive Internet governance ecosystem and boost digital cooperation, as well as the ongoing linking of citizens National identification Number (NINs) with the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) as worthy state actions that will yield great benefits. Other initiatives cited by the Minister include the ongoing effort to address high Right of Way (RoW) charges, tackling multiple taxations in the ecosystem, and increasing stakeholder collaboration.
    Meanwhile, the Director, New Media and Information Security, NCC, Dr. Al-Hassan Haru, who represented Danbatta at the forum, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring broadband penetration through stimulating continuous roll-out of broadband infrastructure. He said the Commission is well-positioned to drive government policy direction to tackle digital infrastructure deficit in the telecoms sector, as well as to explore necessary options to improve the nation’s digital ecosystem.
    “The future is digital, and we should be committed to supporting and collaborating with African countries to maximize opportunities inherent in digital technologies. We should also be ready to avoid the pitfalls by instituting appropriate regulations as we are doing in NCC,” he added.
    Other stakeholders at the event included eminent policy experts, leading technology managers from the private sector, representatives of governmental organisations, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, the academia, and Internet end-users, who actively participated in the discourses during the three-day forum.
  • Kano Trade Fair: Emir of Kano, Others Applaud NCC’s Consumer Initiatives

    Kano Trade Fair: Emir of Kano, Others Applaud NCC’s Consumer Initiatives

    …We’re committed to consumer protection – Danbatta

    The Emir of Kano, Alh. Aminu Ado Bayero, influential individuals, who visited the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) pavilion as well as telecom consumers, who participated at the ‘NCC Special Day’ at the recently-concluded 42nd edition of the Kano International Trade Fair, 2021 in Kano State, have commended the Commission for its various consumer-centric initiatives.

    Bayero engaged the Commission’s staff at the NCC Pavilion while asking series of questions about the activities of NCC as it relates to service delivery and subsequently commended Management of the Commission led by its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, for being consumer-focused in its regulatory activities.

    He charged other regulatory organisations across the country to emulate NCC’s template of constantly creating platforms, leveraging different fora and emplacing frameworks and initiatives to enhance consumer protection in their respective sectors which they supervise.

    Another eminent visitor to the Commission’s pavilion on the exhibition ground at the trade fair was the Karaje in Kano State, Alh. Ibrahim Abubakar II. Several other telecom consumers also thronged the NCC’s Stand where representatives of various mobile networks, namely MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9mobile were on hand to resolve all complaints referred to them by the Commission’s official at the pavilion.

    Aside having their complaints resolved, the NCC officials also shared Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on various topical telecom issues to consumers both at the NCC Pavilion and, more importantly, at the ‘NCC Day’ event which held later in the afternoon of December 6, 2021.

    Addressing a large gathering of telecoms consumers at the NCC Day event, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, thanked the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA), organisers of the fair, for the constant invitation to NCC to leverage the trade fair platform as an avenue for engaging telecom stakeholders, especially the consumers.

    Danbatta, who was represented by the NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, spoke on the theme of the trade fair: ‘Consolidating the Challenges of Covid-19 Pandemic to Opportunities for Growth and Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria,” and promised that the Commission will continue to stimulate the increased access to digital infrastructure to support businesses and individuals, as well as constantly protect consumer rights and privileges.

    According to Danbatta, the telecommunications sector has been a major driver of the digital economy agenda of the Federal Government, as it continues to provide the needed digital sinews that support the economy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant restriction period.

    “Since the outbreak of the pandemic, government institutions, businesses and individuals have relied heavily on telecoms services to carry out their daily operations and official routines. In response to the increased demand for telecoms services, the Commission put a number of regulatory measures in place to ensure seamless access by Nigerians to telecommunications services and protect them against any adverse impact on the quality of service enjoyed by consumers,” he said.

    He said as the Commission continues to drive the remarkable digital transformation being witnessed in the Nigerian economy, one area that the Commission pays greater priority to is how consumers are treated by the service providers. “This is why at NCC, we continue to treat consumers as Kings and Queens. Of course, that is who they are because, without the consumer, both the regulator and the service providers have no business being in business,” he said.

    Danbatta reiterated NCC’s commitment to protecting and empowering consumers – whether individuals and corporate consumers – from unfair practices willingly or unwillingly orchestrated by the service providers. “This is based on our regulatory mandate of ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services deserve to get value for their money, and to be treated right as very important stakeholders in the scheme of things,” he added.

    In the same vein, the NCC’s Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Efosa Idehen, in his address, took a great deal of time enlightening the consumers on various consumer-centric initiatives put in place by the Commission to protect consumer rights. The initiatives, explained in great detail, including the NCC’s various channels of lodging complaints, the NCC toll-free Number 622, the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) shortcode 2442, the NCC’s Emergency Number 112, among several other consumer-focused programmes.

    In his remarks, KACCIMA President, Dalhatu Abubakar, applauded NCC for prioritising consumer protection in all that it does. “I commend you for your efforts in ensuring that telecoms continue to play a critical role in not only transforming the way people live, work and play but also contribute significantly to the growth of Nigerian economy, as evidenced in the sector’s impressive contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said.

    Telecom consumers, who won various prizes in a raffle conducted to excite them at the event, also expressed appreciation to the Commission for being one of the leading public institutions championing the interest of the consumers.

  • Akande Tasks Telecom Operators on Licensing Obligations

    Akande Tasks Telecom Operators on Licensing Obligations

    …Akande Tasks Telecom Operators on Licensing Obligations
    The Chairman, Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande, has urged telecoms licensees across different segments of the Nigerian telecommunications sector on the need to adhere strictly to their licensing obligations in order to ensure the robust provision of services to the consumers.
    Akande made the call in his remark at the third edition of NCC’s 2021 “Talk to The Regulator” (TTTR) Forum, which took place at Visa Karena Hotels, Port Harcourt, over the weekend.
    At the forum held with a focus on “Improving Stakeholder Satisfaction”, Akande stated that the essence of conducting the stakeholder engagement forum across the country’s geo-political zones was to demonstrate to the Commission’s licensees that responsibility does not end in issuing of licenses alone but rather in working with the licensing authority to address issues affecting their operations.
    Beyond the issuance of licenses to operators, Akande declared that the Commission is legitimately concerned with providing the necessary regulatory frameworks and initiatives capable of ushering in an environment that encourages seamless implementation of the license conditions.
    “In return, we expect the licensees to deliver on their licensing conditions and I want to use this opportunity to challenge our licensees to always comply with their licensing obligations and conditions in order to provide the much-needed services to the generality of Nigerians,” he said.
    Speaking earlier on the centrality of the stakeholder engagement to the regulatory activities of the Commission, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta said the Commission considers feedback from stakeholder’s engagement initiatives imperative for building a robust licensing regime in the Nigerian telecom sector.
    The EVC, who was represented at the forum by NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to stakeholder engagement as a means of deepening collaboration with NCC’s licensees, identifying areas of concern, and jointly developing and implementing practical solutions.
    The NCC boss noted that the focus of deliberations for the series of stakeholder engagement had been on licensing processes, policies, and procedures, all geared towards improving Stakeholder Satisfaction, a central factor to all NCC’s regulatory activities. He emphasised the need to curate insights from each geo-political zone to encourage mutually-beneficial relationships and enhance understanding between the Commission and its key stakeholders.
    According to Danbatta, measurable success has been recorded essentially because of Commission’s focus on prioritising stakeholders. “Achievements such as contributions to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew to 14.42 percent in Q2’2021; active internet subscriptions have reached over 140 million; teledensity which now stands at 99.98 percent; and 40.01% percent broadband penetration, all as at the end of September 2021,” he said.
    Speaking further, Danbatta said to achieve national policy targets and maintain progressive growth in the telecoms industry, “efforts must be jointly made to harness the full cooperation of licensees to highlight areas hampering the progress of the Commission’s stakeholders. “We have started making necessary adjustments to reflect the views of our licensees in Kano and Lagos. Port Harcourt will not be an exception,” Danbatta assured.
    He reiterated that the meeting is organised in keeping with the Commission’s strategic objectives, which seek to guarantee continuous interface with the critical stakeholder in the industry, for collaboration in seeking solutions to challenges of licensing in Nigeria.
    Further underscoring the significance of stakeholder engagement and sensitisation in the Commission, Danbatta said the forum affords stakeholders a platform to raise questions about the challenges of licensing and their operations. He said such a forum also avails the Commission ample opportunity to adequately respond to the concerns that may be raised.
    At the Focus Group Discussions (FGD), participants reviewed and discussed licensing trends, regulatory process, implementation of Annual Operating Levy (AOL) regulations, assigning of shortcodes, type-approval obligations, and Commission’s expectations.
    Commission’s propositions for the survival of smaller licensees were also discussed in a session termed “Listen to the licensee,” as they were not only given ample time to air their grievances but also made to proffer solutions for Management’s consideration. Also, mutually-beneficial positions on multiple taxations, surrendered licences, Right-of-way (RoW) for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) boosters, amongst others, were part of the issues discussed.
    The Port Harcourt edition of the TTTR was sequel to previous editions of the stakeholder engagement forum which took place in Kano on October 16, 2021 and Lagos on November 25, 2021. The event had in attendance members of NCC Board: Prof. Millionaire Abowei; Clement Baiye; Chief Uche Onwude; as well as Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Bako Wakil; and his counterpart in Licensing and Authorisation, Muhammed Babajika, whose department facilitated the organisation of the forum
  • NCC to Revitalise Telecom Special Numbering Service Segment

    NCC to Revitalise Telecom Special Numbering Service Segment

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is taking a decisive regulatory move to ensure sustainability, profitability and fair competition in the Special Numbering Service (SNS) segment of the nation’s telecommunications sector.
    This move informed the decision of the Commission to hold a Stakeholders’ Forum on the ‘Determination of Call Termination Rate for Special Numbering Service Providers in Nigeria.’
    The forum, held at the Conference Room, NCC Head Office in Abuja on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, was well attended by representatives of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Special Numbering Service (SNS) providers, and other stakeholders who participated actively in the discussions.
    Addressing the gathering, the Director, Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis at NCC, Yetunde Akinloye, said the meeting was convened following the extensive work of a committee set up by the Commission to look into the issues and complaints emanating from the SNS segment of the telecoms market. A key concern according to her, was the perception of high cost of delivering services to end-users in the SNS segment.
    Accordingly, Akinloye stated that, “This meeting is convened to discuss issues pertaining to the special numbering services (SNS) segment of the Nigerian telecommunications market.
    Statutorily,  the NCC is the custodian and manager of the toll-free and non-toll-free numbers licenses, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria”, she said.
    She explained that owing to the scarce and finite nature of the numbers in the sector, the NCC, as the regulator, was under obligation to ensure the utilisation of the numbers by the licensees in a way that delivers value to the final consumers and ensures sustainability of the industry.
    “The SNS has been in existence for the past 15 years, with some licensees actively engaged in the segment. However, we have noted some observations and complaints from different quarters on the use of these numbers. We have observed, for instance, that there has been no effective utilisation of the numbers” she said.
    Akinloye also said the Commission had observed that the uptake of the numbers has been abysmally poor, contrary to NCC’s expectation as the sectoral regulator. She stated that NCC has also received complaints from the licensees regarding the perceived high rates and charges by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) who are owners of the major infrastructure being used by SNS providers to deliver services to end-users.
    According to her, based on this, the NCC set up a committee to do a thorough review of the market segment; research similar markets in other jurisdiction for benchmarking; and determine the appropriate call termination rates, through proper investigation, consultation and stakeholder engagements.
    She said the Committee had done extensive work in this regard and as part of its rule-making process and regulatory transparency, the NCC has organised the consultative forum “to share outcomes of the Committee’s findings with the licensees, discuss the regulatory interventions that need to be taken and get inputs from all MNOs, SNS providers and other relevant stakeholders.”
    Also speaking during the meeting, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, NCC, Bako Wakil, lamented that the SNS segment of the market has not been fully maximised because of the cost elements involved.
    However, Wakil said, if cost can be reduced, there will be greater benefits from economies of scale. “So, there has to be a way of making people use the service more if the price is appropriate. In the last 15 years of introducing SNS providers, there are less than 3,000 people using the service and yet, we have licensed an additional number of players in the segment. Therefore, we are looking at profitability, sustainability, and vibrancy of the Value-Added Service segment,” he said.
    After taking inputs from representatives of MNOs and SNS providers at the forum, a new date was fixed for the second phase of the stakeholders’ forum at which more contributions will be taken to enrich the quality of decisions in that regard.
    While the second meeting of the Forum has been scheduled to take place in Lagos on 14th December 2021, the NCC has urged stakeholders to submit additional inputs and send them to the Commission by November 30, 2021 for timely assessment and collation before the second meeting.
  • Ghana Fintech Outlook Conference And Awards Set for November 19th & 20th, 2021

    Ghana Fintech Outlook Conference And Awards Set for November 19th & 20th, 2021

    Arkel Consult and Abjel Communications have announced November 19th and 20th, 2021 as the dates for the Ghana Fintech Outlook 2021 Conference and the Ghana Fintech Awards & Dinner Night, respectively, at the Best Western Premier Hotel, Airport, Accra.

    The conference, dubbed “Promoting Collaborations and Accelerated Investments in Ghana’s Fintech Ecosystem,” will bring together financial sector experts, regulators, and internationally recognized industry leaders to discuss the role of fintechs in Ghana’s burgeoning economy. Speakers will look at case studies and approaches taken to enhance the financial inclusion and digital financial literacy agenda. The event will also recognize the efforts of local and international fintech companies who are at the forefront of digital transformation in the financial sector, at an awards ceremony.

    Mr. Martin Kwame Awagah, Director of Arkel Consult and Management Services Limited, said “No economy has developed without solid data on the various sectors of the economy. This is why the Ghana Fintech Outlook 2021 Report project is crucial. The report is a culmination of years of research. We are proud that this will become the foundation of the fintech database in Ghana. Our gratitude goes to our sponsors and supporters and we look forward to developing the database to capture emerging changes.”

    Panamax Inc., Zeepay Ghana Limited, BPC Banking Technologies, Brassica Pay, EziPay, DreamOval, MTN Mobile Money Limited, Pavelon.com, People’s Pension Trust and Tarragon Edge are the official sponsors.

  • Local Content: NCC Awards N20m Grant to Four Start-ups

    Local Content: NCC Awards N20m Grant to Four Start-ups

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has awarded N20 million grant to four deserving Nigerian tech startups in furtherance of its commitment to encourage the development of new indigenous technologies and contents, that are oriented in cutting-edge research to stimulate sustainable economic growth.
     
    The four tech startups are: Clearflow System Hub, Aelaus Engineering Teams/Hyech Electronics Solutions, Kalibotics, and CyberNorth Tech. They emerged winners of Virtual NCC Internet of Things (IoT) Code Camp and Hackathon 2021, and they received N5 million each on their innovative technology solutions aimed at making life better for Nigerians.
     
    While the first two startups, Clearflow System Hub; and Aelaus Engineering Teams/Hyech Electronics Solutions, emerged winners on IoT category on kidnapping and banditry, Kalibotics and CyberNorth Tech, emerged winners on assistive robotics for effective e-waste management solutions.
     
    The grant was for the novel digital solutions of four startups, aimed at finding innovative digital solutions in addressing the challenges of insecurity and to stem the growth in national e-waste rates while advancing the frontier of Internet of Things (IoT) in Nigeria.
     
    Speaking at the prize-giving ceremony held at the Commission’s headquarters, in Abuja recently, Director, New Media and Information Security, NCC, Dr. Haru Al-Hassan, who delivered a speech at the event, on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the Commission, as a frontline driver of innovation in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, organized the second edition of the NCC Hackathon with a view to drive the creation of problem-solving tech innovations.
     
    Danbatta said that the initiative was in line with the objectives of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) 2020, NCC’s Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025, Executive Order 5 of 2017, and Section 1 (f) of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003 which focuses on promotion of Nigerian content in contracts, science, engineering and technology.
     
    The EVC added that the occasion also symbolises the NCC’s commitment to deliver objectives of pillars 4, 7 and 8 of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030, and the aspirations of the Commission’s SVP 2021-2025 in promoting innovative services and maintaining effective partnership and collaborations with relevant stakeholders.
     
    Earlier, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, who was represented by Head, Research and Development, Kelechi Nwankwo, noted that the event demonstrated the critical role that the telecommunications sector plays in addressing Nigeria’s social and environmental problems with innovative solutions. He reiterated the Commission’s commitment towards continuously supporting innovations for nation-building.
     
    Underscoring the determination of the Commission towards harnessing the potentials of Nigerian youth in addressing emerging challenges through ICT, Maska said the event boldly demonstrates Commission’s resolve to champion the efforts of the government to leverage telecommunications-based solutions to address societal issues that need urgent attention.
     
    Representatives of agencies in the security governance sector, telecommunications operators, National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that attended the event lauded the NCC for the meaningful initiative.
  • Feature- Telecoms@20: NCC Lists Next Frontiers for Industry Growth

    Feature- Telecoms@20: NCC Lists Next Frontiers for Industry Growth

    …As NCC, Danbatta, others receive awards 

    As stakeholders in Nigeria commemorate 20 years of the telecoms revolution in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has clearly identified key initiatives being implemented to consolidate the growth and gains of the telecom sector.

    Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, listed the digital frontiers while delivering a paper titled: ‘Telecommunications in Nigeria: The Next Frontier’ at the 20th anniversary of the telecommunications revolution in Nigeria organised recently by Compact Communications Limited, at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

    At the event, the Commission received a recognition award “in appreciation of its institutional support to the growth and development of telecoms in Nigeria”. The EVC of NCC also received a separate award “in appreciation of his immense contribution to the growth and sustenance of telecoms development in Nigeria.”

    Represented at the forum by NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Danbatta said in the last 20 years, the sector has witnessed significant growth in subscribers, internet usage, investment, innovation, contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and multiplier effects of the growth in other sectors of the economy.

    Danbatta stated that in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, NCC is driving new frontiers aimed at ensuring consistent growth of the nation’s digital economy sphere.

    According to him, as a foremost telecommunications regulatory agency and consistent with NCC mandate as stipulated in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, and other guiding legislations, the NCC has been at the forefront of leveraging latest technologies and accelerating broadband infrastructure deployment to put Nigeria on the global map of the digital economy experience.

    In this regard, he said NCC was working to ensure increased broadband penetration in line with Federal Government’s targets as contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Pan (NNBP), 2020-2025. The NNBP was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020.

    Danbatta explained that the NNBP has a target to achieve 70 percent broadband penetration among 90 percent of the country’s population. The Plan also seeks to achieve broadband speeds of 15Mbp and 25Mbps in rural and urban areas respectively over the next five years.

    “The Commission is also driving various initiatives aimed at facilitating the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) Mobile Technology in Nigeria.

    Prof. Danbatta emphasized that a robust broadband infrastructure will play a key role in fast-tracking the effective deployment of 5G technology and facilitate availability of services associated with 5G technology.

    “Already, the Commission is set to auction some spectrum slots in 3.5GHz band and we have confirmed 97 per cent readiness for 5G deployment in this regard. This is in line with the marching order given to us by Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), following approval by the Federal Executive Council to proceed on our 5G Deployment Plan. The Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction had earlier been shared with stakeholders and we are set to auction the 5G spectrum before the end of the year,” he said.

    The NCC Chief Executive also said one of the initiatives being emplaced by the Commission to enhance the attainment of the next frontier for telecom development in Nigeria and the nation’s economic growth, is the ongoing review of licensing structure in the sector. This is to align the telecoms licensing process with the wide range of technological advances, the convergence of technologies and services shaping global telecoms space.

    Danbatta said the Commission has also finalized the review of its Spectrum Trading Guidelines (STG). The STG, according to the EVC, allows spectrum resources in-country to be traded on the Secondary Market through Transfer, Sharing, or Leasing (TSL) once the stipulated regulatory conditions have been complied with.

    Danbatta declared that NNBP 2020-2025 requires that these Guidelines be reviewed to ensure that un-utilised spectrum is fairly traded to facilitate rollout by other operators among others. The Guidelines will, therefore, facilitate the country’s yearning for ubiquitous broadband access in line with the economic agenda of the Federal Government.

    As vehicles for the implementation of the NNBP, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), and other similar digital economy policies, Danbatta said the NCC has unveiled its Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 and the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP), 2021-2025, which will ultimately drive the next frontier of growth in the telecoms sector. He said the two strategic plans embody critical areas on which the Commission intends to focus toward driving the implementation of the digital economy agenda of the government.

    He stated that the two regulatory documents (the SMP and SVP) encapsulate the totality of regulatory and policy initiatives, designed to re-invent and transform the telecom ecosystem, within the context of regulation, to a greater height. He added that this, to the Commission, is the next frontier for the sector. “While emerging technologies are disruptive by nature, Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind digitally and this explains Commission’s engagement with developmental regulations for the industry and we are irrevocably committed to this,” he said.

    Other individuals bestowed with recognition awards at the event include former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and the former EVC/CEO of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, both for pioneering the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) revolution of 2001. The Zenith Bank also received an award for being at the forefront of leveraging technology for powering financial services delivery. Among the journalists who received awards is a veteran ICT journalist/Publisher, E-World News, Aaron Ukodie.