Telecom
NCC Stays with Consumers in the Face of 5 Per cent Excise Duty
Recently at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the federal government disclosed her resolve to commence the implementation of five percent excise duty on telecommunications services in the country.
According to Mr. Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, through Frank Oshanipin, the Assistant Chief Officer in the ministry, “the five per cent excise duty has been in the Finance Act 2020 but hasn’t been implemented. The delay in implementation was as a result of government’s engagement with stakeholders”.
He further said that the duty rate wasn’t captured in the Act because it is the responsibility of the President to fix rate on excise duties and has fixed five per cent as the duty rate for telecommunication services, which include, GSM services.
Oshanipin added: “It is public knowledge that our revenue cannot run our financial obligations, so to that effect we are to shift our attention to non-oil revenue. The responsibility of generating revenue to run government lies with us all.”
The Role of NCC in the 5% Excise Duty
NCC is the federal government agency that regulates telecommunications sector of the country’s economy. It is wrong for anybody to attribute the 5 percent excise duty on telecommunications service to the commission. That NCC organised the stakeholders’ meeting where the announcement was made does not mean that it came from the Commission.
As stated in the presentation made by the representative of minister of Finance, the five per cent excise duty is contained in the Finance Act of 2020 and the percentage determined by the President.
However, the Commission opposed the implementation date of the duty as stated in the opening remarks of Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission, who was represented at the meeting by Adeleke Adewolu, the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management: “As communicated in the federal government Circular of March 1, 2022, the five per cent Excise Duty was to have been implemented as part of the 2022 Fiscal Policy Measures, but the industry considered the earlier scheduled commencement date of June 1, 2022 inadequate and we duly took this up with the federal government.”
More so, in opposition to the excise duty Prof Isa Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, also rejected the planned implementation of the five percent excise duty on the telecommunications sector by the Federal Government.
The minister faulted the timing and process of imposing the tax on the industry, arguing that part of the responsibility of responsive government is not to increase the problems of the citizens.
Speaking at a forum organised by the Nigeria Office for Developing the indigenous Telecom Sector (NODITS), an agency domiciled in the Nigeria Communications Commision (NCC), he said he is not in support of excise duty.
“I have not been contacted officially. If we are, we surely will state our case. The sector that contributes to the economy should be encouraged,” Pantami said. “You introduce excise duty to discourage luxury goods like alcohol. Broadband is a necessity.
“If you look at it carefully the sector contributes two per cent excise duty, 7.5 per cent VAT to the economy and you want to add, more” he said, adding hardship at this time cannot be tolerated.
He urged the tax masters to expand the scope of other sectors that are not contributing to the economy to do so.
“We must come together and salvage the sector. Only telecom sector contributed 13 per cent and you want to add more.”
Pantami faulted the lawmaking process that produced the harsh tax because it didn’t involve the chairman of the House Communications Committee. “So, we reject it,” he said.
According to him, further tax on the sector will impact on its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
NCC on Reduction of Tariff in the Industry
The commission has over the years demonstrated that consumers of telecommunications services must be treated fairly and protected from incessant tariff increase by operators.
It is on record that NCC has implemented policies and programmes that give consumers voice in expressing their dissatisfaction of services or treatments by operators such as consumer outreach programmes among others.
Through effective regulatory efforts, it has ensured that the cost of making calls has crashed from around N70 per a minute to around N20 per minute. The commission has prevented mobile network operators from just increasing tariff any-how, and that tariff or promotions of any kind that may lead to traffic increase are reviewed by NCC to ensure they are fair to consumers.
Interestingly, a reverse of common trends in the country where price increases never come down is witnessed in telecommunications sector as calls and data cost have consistently been going down from where it used to be. This is a testament of NCC’s consumer -centric approach to regulation of the industry.
The commission has also revealed plans to reduce the price of data to N390 per Gigabyte by 2025, as contained in the Nigeria National Broadband Plan. And is assiduously working to realise this objective. Among such efforts is its plans to introduce a licencing framework for the establishment of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in Nigeria, which will lead to the massive penetration of broadband services to the unserved and underserved areas of the country.
Just recently, ALTON wrote a letter to the NCC, calling for an upward review of the cost of SMS from N4 to N5.61k and voice call termination rate from N6.40k per minute to N8.95k per minute. The operators said the move to increase the cost of telecom services became necessary due to the high cost of delivering telecom services across networks, coupled with the harsh business environment and the continuous rise in the cost of various items in various sectors of the Nigeria economy among others.
However, the commission responded by issuing a statement to allay subscribers’ fears over the planned hike of the voice call, SMS, and data service costs by 40 per cent.
According to the statement, “For the avoidance of any doubt, and contrary to MNOs’ agitation to increase tariffs for voice and Short Messaging Services (SMS) by a certain percentage, the commission wishes to categorically inform telecoms subscribers and allay the fears of Nigerians that no tariff increase will be effected by the operators without due regulatory approval by the commission.”
The statement read: “The demand being made by MNOs under the auspices of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), citing the high cost of running their operations as the major reason for their proposed tariff hike, is contained in a letter to the commission.
“Consistent with international best practice and established regulatory procedures, the NCC ensures its regulatory activities are guided by regular cost-based and empirical studies to determine the appropriate cost (upper and floor price) within which service providers are allowed to charge their subscribers for services delivered.
“The commission ensures that any cost determined, as an outcome of such transparent studies is fair enough as to enhance healthy competition among operators, provide wider choices for the subscribers as well as ensure the sustainability of the Nigerian telecoms industry.”
NCC noted that tariff regulations and determinations were made by the commission in line with the provisions of Sections 4, 90, and 92 of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, which entrusts the commission with the protection and promotion of the interests of subscribers against unfair practices including but not limited to; matters relating to tariffs and charges.
NCC said the current tariff regime administered by the service providers was a product of NCC’s determination both for voice and SMS in the past.
Telecom
First Batch of Nigerian Undergraduates Emerged in Airtel Africa Foundation Scholarships Programme
Airtel Africa Foundation has inducted the first Nigerian cohort of the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship that offers fully paid scholarships for students pursuing undergraduate courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics across the continent.
During a ceremony held at Airtel Nigeria headquarters in Lagos, Airtel Africa Foundation’s Chairman, Dr Segun Ogunsanya, alongside Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, presented the full-ride scholarship awards to 70 students from universities across Nigeria.
The undergraduates studying technology courses, were drawn from the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Benin, Tai Solarin University of Education, the University of Ilorin, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria.
Selected from thousands of applicants through an independently managed process, which took nearly six months, these fellows are beneficiaries of Airtel Africa Foundation’s continentwide financial aid programme, which covers tuition, laptop computers, living expenses, and essential learning resources. The Nigerian cohort joins a prestigious network of Airtel Africa Foundation fellows currently studying in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and India.
In his address, Dr. Ogunsanya, emphasised the need for initiatives such as the Airtel Africa Foundation’s undergraduate tech scholarship for the future of the continent.
The Airtel Africa Foundation Chairman said, “True legacy is not measured by the awards we win or the volume of SIM cards we sell; it is measured by the lives we save, the people we feed, and the students we support when the line between success and failure is at its thinnest.
At the Airtel Africa Foundation, we believe that lifting people out of poverty is the ultimate benchmark of a great company. Today, we are writing that legacy by tilting the balance in favour of the brilliant but underserved, ensuring that the fourth industrial revolution, driven by AI and Data Science is built by African talent for the African continent.”
Dr Ogunsanya further revealed that this fellowship, executed through Airtel Nigeria, is designed to bridge the gap where funding, skills, and opportunity often fail to meet. In addition to the N500,000 yearly budget for the fellows’ four-year or five-year courses, each fellow would be integrated into a structured support system for academic guidance and career mentorship, intended to ultimately transition students from the classroom to the global tech workforce.
Addressing the students, Mr Balsingh emphasised that youth development is a strategic imperative for Airtel.
He said, “At Airtel Nigeria, we view youth development as essential nation-building. When young people succeed, innovation accelerates, and social stability improves. By connecting these brilliant scholars to knowledge, skills, and confidence, we are fulfilling our core mission to connect people to opportunity.
“To our recipients: you earned your place here through merit and discipline. You are now ambassadors of excellence, and we expect your leadership to be defined by your conduct as you help shape a more inclusive digital future for Nigeria.”
The initiative underscores a broader commitment to technology education, youth development, and Nigeria’s digital economy. By aligning academic excellence with industry requirements, Airtel Africa Foundation and Airtel Nigeria continue to demonstrate their dedication to skills as the new currency in a rapidly evolving global market.
Dimension Data Nigeria has formally executed its N20 billion ($15m) Bond Programme under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc, following approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The signing ceremony, which marked the completion of the programme documentation and regulatory clearances, was held recently at the Capital Club, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Gbenga Olabiyi, Managing Director of Dimension Data Nigeria, explained that the capital raise is focused on long-term value creation. “Sustained infrastructure investment is essential to maintaining competitiveness and unlocking future growth. When deployed thoughtfully, infrastructure secures the business, future-proofs operations, and allows efficient scaling as data demand and complexity increase.”
Nigeria continues to face significant digital infrastructure gaps, including limited metro and access fiber coverage, constrained enterprise connectivity, and rising demand driven by cloud adoption, fintech, digital public services and artificial intelligence. These gaps increase costs, limit service quality, and slow the country’s digital economy.
Olabiyi said the bond programme is designed to help expand critical digital infrastructure capacity, strengthen network resilience, and support enterprise and carrier-grade services needed to meet Nigeria’s growing data and connectivity requirements.
He also expressed appreciation to the company’s advisers and partners for their professionalism and support throughout the process and signaled his intention to continue working closely with them as Dimension Data moves into subsequent phases of funding and execution.
In his comments, Shatse Kakwagh, Managing Partner, Mbavaa Partners Limited, the Private Equity company backing Dimension Data Limited, described the transaction as a watershed moment for the company and a validation of its long-term infrastructure strategy.
“This is a journey we began years ago, and it proves that the opportunities we see in the market can be realised,” Shatse said. “We believe strongly in working with partners to address the critical infrastructure deficit in Nigeria and across Africa. This programme enables us to secure the right type of capital to finance the aggressive growth we have planned.”
He noted that the bond programme has received a strong vote of confidence from rating agencies. At the same time, the company’s first market issuance was heavily oversubscribed, reflecting investor belief in Dimension Data’s ability to execute and deliver at scale.
The transaction advisers on the bond programme include Pathway Advisors Limited as Book Runner; Greychapel Legal and Alliance Law Firm as Solicitors; CardinalStone Registrars Limited and STL Trustees Limited as Registrar and Trustees; Deloitte & Touche as Reporting Accountant alongside Mascot Okpori & Co as Auditors; Fidelity Bank as Receiving Bank; and Agusto & Co as Rating Agency.
In the wake of increasing geopolitical tension, Cassava Technologies has unveiled its National Sovereign Cloud offering for African governments.
The solution, the company claims, will help the continent’s governments ensure data is kept on infrastructure that remains under local legal and operational jurisdiction.
According to the official announcement, made yesterday, the solution provides “secure, locally-governed digital infrastructure that enables the deployment of AI-enabled public services”.
The overarching solution encompasses cloud, cyber security, AI computing infrastructure, as well as local language AI models and skills support for governments.
The announcement comes amid increasing uncertainty over the hosting of sensitive national data on cloud services operated by foreign hyperscalers, which are subject to legal frameworks, such as the U.S. CLOUD Act. The CLOUD Act opens the door to allow American authorities to access data stored on the servers of US hyperscalers, wherever those servers are physically located.
Cassava has claimed separately that currently, “approximately 33% to 45% of the world’s data is hosted in the USA”.
The company added: “A sovereign cloud reduces exposure to extraterritorial laws, improves cyber resilience, and ensures that model weights and training data for public AI remain under national custody.”
The Africa Data Centres Association’s 2026 Economic Report states that “data sovereignty has evolved from a legal aspiration into a strategic policy lever”.
Ahmed El Beheiry, Group COO and Group Chief Technology and AI Officer, Cassava Technologies said: “Across Africa, governments are accelerating their digital transformation agendas and are increasingly focused on ensuring that data and digital infrastructure remain secure and sovereign.”
Announced at the Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona, this week, the Sovereign Cloud offering launch accompanied the launch of Cassava’s Cloud Partner programme.
The partner programme targets mobile network operators and system integrators across Africa to resell and distribute AI, cloud, and other digital services using Cassava’s infrastructure and technology platforms.
El Beheiry added: “We are expanding Africa’s sovereign AI ecosystem to build solutions that address the continent’s unique challenges while creating new opportunities for growth and digital inclusion.”
The programme offers partners access to NVIDIA Cloud Partner solutions, Cassava’s AI Factory, its own native AI solutions and its AI Multi-Model Exchange, which supports both Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini models.
First Batch of Nigerian Undergraduates Emerged in Airtel Africa Foundation Scholarships Programme
Mojisola Sayo-Kazeem Reflects on Leadership, Opportunity, Women in Tech @ IWD
Experts Weigh Blockchain Option for Nigeria’s Elections Process
CBN Affirms Alpha Morgan Bank’s Capitalisation
Dimension Data Nigeria Seals N20bn Bond Deal to Bridge Digital Infrastructure Gap
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation Bolsters Nigeria’s Education Drive with ₦2.7m Student Support
Kaspersky Brings more Transparency to Threat Detection with New Hunt Hub
Kaspersky Discovers New Phishing Campaign Exploiting Google Tasks Notifications to Steal Corporate Credentials
esentry 2025 Report Shows Healthcare, Financial Services and Telecoms as Staging Grounds for Increased Cyberattacks in Africa
AfDB, UNDP Launch $10Bn AI Initiative for Africa
E-Business2 days agoPolice Says Victims Enable Cyber Attacks Out of Ignorance
E-Financial2 days agoQuest Merchant Bank Achieves CBN Regulatory Recapitalisation Milestone
General News2 days agoFG Launches NERD to Combat Certificate Fraud
Telecom2 days agoCassava Launches Sovereign Cloud for Africa’s Public Sector
E-Financial2 days agoBank Accuses Magistrate, Lawyer of Using Fake Order to Steal N3.5m from Account
General News2 days agoGoodnews Naija Launches ‘Building in Nigeria’ Series on Entrepreneurs, Real Sector Builders
News2 days agoFG Can Now Track, Prosecute Visa Overstayers – Interior Minister
News2 days agoNCDC Issues Public Advisory on Cerebrospinal Meningitis