Telecom
Disaster Management: Emergency Communications Centres to the Rescue
Federal executive council recently approved the release of N2.4bilion for the commencement of Emergency Communications centre project across the country, setting the pace for full take off of the project four years after it was conceived.
Emergence Communications Centres is an initiative of the federal government under the ministry of information and Communications. The centres are designed to offer Nigerians in distressed situation assistance by them making a call through to the centre on its code and the centre will respond with rescue depending on the nature of the distress.
The country has a poor record of disaster management in spite of the establishment of various agencies whose primary responsibility is to effectively respond to disaster whenever and wherever it happens, with the view to assisting the victims.
Among these agencies include the police, fire service, road safety and above all National Emergence Management Agency (Nema) established in 1999 to coordinate activities of all disaster management agencies in the country.
On January 27 2002, Lagos state experienced what many described as the worst disaster in the history when the Ikeja army cantonment went into flames which resulted in the loss of many lives. It is perhaps regrettable that greater percentage of Nigerians that died as a result of that incident were not killed by the exploded bomb but due to the fear of uncertainty, as they were not adequately informed about what was going on. Many thought that Nigeria was under attack by external force and in the process of running for dear lives, they met their untimely death by jumping into the canal. Observers believe that if people were informed either through radio or television on the cause of the explosion many lives would have been saved in that disaster. Few years after this unfortunate incident, Nigeria’s level of preparedness for disaster management was put to test again when on October 22, 2005, a Bellview Airline crashed at Lisa village, Ogun state. It took over 24 hours to locate the crashed airline and by the time this was done, the entire passenger on board had died. On December 10, same year, a Sosoliso jetline crashed within the perimeter walls of Port Harcourt Airline, consuming, in its wake, 110 Nigerians, including 62 children. The Airport Fire Service was not able to save any live from the resulting inferno owing malfunctioning of equipment. These are many other occurrences that have exposed the level of decay in the country’s emergence management institutions. It is against this backdrop and in an effort to strength these institution as well as provide a more effective means of emergence management that federal government through ministry of information and communications directed Nigerian Communication centres for the country.
Emergence Communications Centre
Emergence Communications Centres is an initiative of the federal government under the ministry of information and Communications. The minister in August 2005 set up a committee headed by Mr. Steven Bello of Nigerian Communications Commission. Other members include Mr. F.Y. Daudu, ministry of Communications as secretary, Mr. Balarabe Gambo, National Emergence Management Agency, representatives of the police and Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (Nitel), as well Mr. Chioke Ogugua representing telecommunications operators in the country.
The committee was to determine the organizational framework and administrative structure that will be required to establish and operate a public protection communications system; recommend a suitable telephone number that will be assigned for distressed call all over the country; as well as recommend means of funding for the scheme to ensure that it is self, sustaining and independent of government funding or budgetary allocations.
The committee was also to recommend a frequency or frequencies that should be reserved to communicate with the centre; to determine, if there is any legislative or enactment required in order to give legal backing to any of the recommendations made; and recommend modalities for its implementation.
The committee was given four weeks to submit its reports to the federal executive council. Upon the rectification of the report, NCC was directed to implement the recommendation on the establishment of the National Emergency Communications Centre.
Implementation effort
As apart of its implementation plans, NCC mapped out four levels of interaction on the establishment of the centres. These includes interaction with equipment vendors such as Nokia, Siemens among others that will be supplying equipment that will be used in the centres, telecommunication operators, civil society agencies responsible for disaster management as well as state governments that are going to provide land for the communication centres.
At the interactive session with telecommunications service operators held in Lagos, Mr. Steven Bello, executive commissioner, NCC, explained that the emergency service code is usually an all service number that can be called in any situations where state-run emergency service are needed.
Bello noted that the interaction with operators was to discuss the requirement for the interconnectivity of such centres which is based on Geographical Information System (GIS). According to him, the commission wants the operators to be able to send some information about the subscribers that are dialing 119 distress codes in case of emergency.
“We want to get where the co-ordinate of the cell site from which the call is coming from, we want to get the telephone number if possible the caller’s state and local government. Once we get this information, we can use it to query our data base which we are about compiling, from there we will be able to get the nearest response agency close to the victim, he said.
He cited instance of people who get into distress in places where they don’t know anybody or telephone number of closest police station, ambulance or other emergence response agencies. Such people, he said, can dial the three digit number, which will direct the person to an emergency communications centre nearest to him, and from there the person will be directed to the nearest response agency that can help him.
Apart from this, each of the centres would have standby ambulance and other infrastructure like a borehole to take care of some disasters. “We will have fuel deport in the emergency communication centre so that the police vehicles or ambulance stationed at the centre will not complain they don’t have fuel to move when it’s being called,” Bello said. “We are going to provide all the necessary infrastructure, in fact, in the emergency communications centres we will also provide helicopter landing park so that the states that have helicopters such as Abuja and Kaduna can make use of it when there is need for the helicopter to go and rescue somebody who is in a place that is not accessible.” All the emergency calls are going to be toll free from all network operators in the country.
In line with the recommendation of the committee on the method of financing the communications centres so that it will not depend on budgetary allocation. Bello said they are looking at a similar system in United States of America where one percent in every call made is taxed to finance the centre.
Having realized the need to partner relevant agencies in the establishment of these centres, Bello said NCC would collaborate with Nema in the implementation of the scheme.
He said this explained the presence of Mr. Daniel Gambo, deputy director, communications, Nema, at the interaction with telecoms operators on the initiative.
Gambo said they intend to engage the services of experts in disaster reduction and management.
Mr. Samuel Ucheaga, managing director, Mavis Computel Nigeria, the consulting company for the scheme, said there is going to be a legislation that will prescribe penalty for phones identified to have made calls or send short message service that is not meant for emergency situation to the code. The penalty, he said will be to block such phone line.
He explained that they are also going to establish a smooth communications between distress caller and the administrators in the emergency centres.
Ucheaga also noted that the emergency communications centres are going to interface with switches of telecommunications operators to ensure that calls are not delayed in anyway.
NCC has so far gotten land allocation from four state governments which include, Taraba, Plateau, Kwara and Kaduna. The project is likely going to take off in Abuja.
Banks and telecommunications operators in Nigeria have ended a four-year dispute over nearly N300bn owed for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data services (USSD), with the debt now fully cleared, according to Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, announced the resolution on Thursday during an official visit to Idris Olorunnimbe, chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
He credited the intervention of the NCC, led by Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the commission, with bringing the long-standing dispute to a close.
“When Dr Maida assumed office, he inherited significant industry challenges,” Adebayo said.
“One of the most difficult was the USSD debt crisis, a debt burden that grew over four years to nearly N300bn. It had become a systemic risk to our sector and the digital financial ecosystem.
Through firm leadership, structured engagement, and decisive coordination, Dr Maida and his team resolved this issue.
Today, there is no outstanding USSD debt. The ecosystem has fully migrated to end-user billing. What was once a looming crisis has been converted into a sustainable framework.”
The clearing of the debt ends years of accusations and counter-accusations between banks and telecom operators, which had threatened the stability of digital financial services in the country.
Adebayo praised the NCC’s leadership for steering the telecom sector through one of its most delicate periods, noting other interventions, including last year’s approval of a 50 per cent USSD tariff.
He described the resolution of the debt crisis as a milestone for the telecom and digital finance ecosystem, ensuring sustainability and predictability for operators and service providers.
Nigeria’s telco and bank billing for USSD services transitioned to the end-user billing model in mid-2025, moving charges from bank accounts to customers’ mobile airtime, which is deducted directly by telecom operators.
This shift resolved the long-standing dispute in which banks owed operators up to N300bn in unpaid USSD fees.
The transition arose from years of tension between telecom operators, including MTN and Airtel, and banks over USSD revenue sharing, with debts peaking at N250–300bn by 2024.
The NCC, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, developed the EUB framework to standardise billing, enhance transparency, and support financial inclusion for unbanked users who rely heavily on USSD codes.
Under the EUB system, charges are now deducted directly from mobile airtime at N6.98 per session lasting up to 120 seconds, with user consent prompts issued before each deduction. Banks no longer bill for USSD services; telcos handle them exclusively, with regulatory safeguards preventing double-billing. Users can opt in or out of the service, and banks are required to notify customers in advance of any USSD session charges.
Migration to the EUB model began between June 3 and 18, 2025, following partial debt repayments amounting to N171bn. By February 19, 2026, banks had fully cleared the remaining debt, solidifying the EUB rollout.
The model improves user control through immediate airtime deductions and session notifications, similar to voice and SMS billing. While some critics have expressed concern over potential burdens on low-income users, the transition strengthens telecom revenue sustainability and contributes to the stability of Nigeria’s digital financial ecosystem.
Credit: Punch
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and MTN Nigeria have launched free, high-speed WiFi services for passengers at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The partnership, both bodies explained, will be followed up with similar development taking place at the airports in Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu within the next few months.
Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, managing director of FAAN, officially unveiled the internet service at MMIA Terminal two.
Kuku, who was represented by Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood, director of Airport Operations, described the initiative as a major milestone partnership for the aviation ecosystem.
The FAAN boss said the milestone marked a new benchmark in digital infrastructure and passenger experience across Nigerian airports.
According to her, the free WiFi service will be extended to the MMIA Temporary Terminal within weeks, before extension to Enugu, Port Harcourt, and Kano international airports over the next three months.
“In 21st century Nigeria, no Nigerian airport should be an offline island.
“This collaboration with MTN Nigeria demonstrates how effective Public-Private Partnership (PPP) alignment can modernise infrastructure and strengthen the country’s digital economy,” she said.
Kuku assured travellers that FAAN was committed to closing service gaps and enhancing operational efficiency across airports nationwide.
“This WiFi is our promise that FAAN is listening. We have turned on the signal today, but the signal we are truly sending is this: Nigerian aviation is writing a new chapter; one of innovation, partnership, and unwavering commitment to excellence,” she said.
Kuku said the project was a key component of the digital economy agenda led by President Bola Tinubu and the transformative vision of Mr Festus Keyamo, minister of Aviation.
She commended MTN Nigeria for its technical expertise and investment in the project, describing the partnership as purpose-driven and transformative.
On his part, Mr Karl Toriola, chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, who was represented by Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief enterprise business officer, assured passengers that the service would be reliable, secure and efficient.
“We are proud to announce the launch of a free WiFi service across major airports in Nigeria in partnership with FAAN.
“This initiative reflects a shared commitment to improving passenger experience and enhancing digital accessibility,” Toriola said.
He noted that airports served as critical gateways for business travellers, tourists, airport personnel and service providers, all of whom required seamless connectivity.
“With this service, travellers waiting to board, in transit, or upon arrival can now stay connected freely and effortlessly,” he added.
MTN Nigeria also announced plans to activate on-ground engagement campaigns at the Lagos and Abuja airports over the next month to drive awareness and encourage usage.
According to the telecom giant, the project reinforces its commitment to national infrastructure development and expanding digital access in public spaces.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is considering imposing sanction on any road contractor that destroys telecommunications metro fibre across the country.
Idris Olorunnimbe, chairman, Board of Commissioners, NCC, stated this at congratulatory visit to the Chairman by members of Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) in Lagos yesterday.
According to him, “I think what we need to do to address the damage of metro fibre by government contractors is simply. He who cuts It must fix it, and we’ll take this message to our state governments.
If any contractor knows that if they damage that critical national infrastructure, their work is going to stop and they are going to be the ones to fix it, they will not destroy it.
Responding, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said up until now, there are no consequences for those infractions, and if there are no consequences, the tendency to continue to do bad is very high.
“Contractors of government carrying out roadworks, whether road maintenance or road expansion, and their machines destroy communications super highway at will, if there are consequences, or if there were consequences some of those actions will not have escalated to the level that we are in.
“What the chairman has said today is very important, if you destroy it you fix it. What we are expecting now is that the consequence of managing those problems will be a lot more, and there will be legal deterrent for people from destroying operators’ fibre. I must emphasize the communication super highway. That’s the highway by which all the signals are carried.
“When this highway is broken, it’s like you have a major bridge that’s broken. You can’t reach east, neither can you reach west. And until we take it as the major super communications highway and so protective, we will continue to be where we are.
“That’s actually what it is. When this highway is broken, we are all affected. So, it’s no longer an infrastructure that is for operators, but it belongs to all of us. If I don’t have service on my phone, some of these are the consequence of this violation that we are seeing.
Earlier in his welcome address, Engr. Adebayo highlighted some of the key challenges in the sector which includes: Daily fibre cuts — often caused by federal and state road construction contractors — are creating enormous economic losses.
- Nationwide service disruptions
- Destruction of critical digital infrastructure
- Loss of assets without compensation
- Banking, education, and security interruptions
There is currently insufficient institutional recourse for operators when these damages occur. A structured pre-construction fibre mapping and mandatory coordination framework is urgently required.
Key Regulatory Priorities for Sector Stability
- Independence of the Regulator
He said regulatory independence ensures:
- Credible oversight
- Investor confidence
- Transparent decision-making
- Long-term sector stability
Independence must not only exist in law — it must be visible in practice.
“We recommend: Legislative reinforcement explicitly affirming NCC independence
- Clear codification of interaction boundaries between the regulator and supervising authorities
- Operational safeguards insulating regulatory processes from undue influence
Multiple Regulation
Overlapping regulatory interventions by various MDAs on matters already within NCC jurisdiction create:
- Duplicative investigations
- Conflicting directives
- Increased compliance costs
- Regulatory uncertainty
“We recommend structured inter-agency coordination frameworks and legislative clarification reaffirming NCC’s exclusive jurisdiction over telecommunications matters.
Multiple Taxation
Adebayo stated that operators continue to face excessive sub-national taxes and levies.
Enforcement tactics such as site shutdowns directly affect Quality of Service and national connectivity.
A harmonized national telecom taxation framework is essential for broadband expansion and digital inclusion.
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