General News
Cost of Production Must Make Business Sense-Ekuwem
Cost of Production Must Make Business Sense-Ekuwem
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem is a thorough bred engineer with an undiluted passion for ICT. Ekuwem was once assistant director (Technical Services) in the Aviation Ministry, a fellow of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/ Tril Programme.He is presently UNESCO’s ICTP (Trieste,) regional coordinator of the Nigerian Universities Network (NuNeT). Ekuwem spoke to
Local Content and Assessment of ICT
You will remember that we held recently a whole stakeholders forum on that topic. If it were not a serious topic, if it were not relevant to the growth of our country, we would not have organized a stakeholder’s forum on the topic.
If we want to own the industry; if we want to grip the industry firmly, if we want to contribute to the emergence of Nigeria as one of the first or top twenty countries by the year 2020; then we have to use ICT as one of the catalysts to lift Nigeria up to that position. The question is, what do we do in the industry? What are the tools of the industry? How many of the tools are made, designed or assembled in Nigeria? When you emphasize on Nigerian content development within the ICT sector, you are aiming at creating jobs and wealth; you are aiming at ensuring the sustenance of the industry. That means you have no control over, cannot be said to be yours. We are not talking about 100per cent control, it is about what I call, a symbiotic control in the sense that our foreign partners work in tandem with us so as to ensure the growth and sustainability of the industry. We use pieces of software in places such as banks, universities, corporate bodies like Teledom and so on. How many of these pieces of software that we use on a regular basis are developed in Nigeria? Are Nigerians competent enough to develop pieces of software that can be used in those establishments? All I can tell you for sure is that there is no software that we use today that cannot be developed by Nigerians. I hope we are not suffering from what Fela Anikulapo Kuti used to call ‘kolo mentality’ in the sense that we perceive imported goods as more superior to locally made ones. Are you telling me that good mobile phone casings cannot be produced in Nigeria? Are you telling me that even casings of the computer and TV antennae cannot be made here? They sure can. You must know that those companies abroad may not produce the totality of their products in their factories; they outsource them to their partners who are being paid for the services.
Who is Responsible?
First, the cost of production must make business sense. When you look at the cost of production in Asia and that in Nigeria, if it is cheaper in Nigeria, entrepreneurs will come to produce in Nigeria. Our duty then is to ensure that cost of production of goods in our country low. Electric power is to the national economy what food is to the human body. The national economy is as epileptic as it is today because its source of energy is epileptic. The day we get our bearings right, the day the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) wakes up and the day we make good availability of electric energy for use in the national economy; you will see an avalanche of creativity, you will see an outburst of development; you will see Nigerians design and manufacture things that meet international standards. So, infrastructure like electricity is contributing to the increase in the cost of production. Nigerians are not the smartest people in the world but we have individuals who have potentials and can be trained to be highly skilled in certain areas. I would say that the right policies must be formulated; there must be public awareness, support from government and an institutional or legal framework that would compel operators or entrepreneurs or companies within the industry to introduce a certain percentage of Nigerian content in their operations. So, policy, institutional and legal frameworks are all the things that need to be addressed to ensure that we can have Nigerian content sufficiently large within the ICT industry. If you have only skilled manpower, how are you going to come to terms with the technical complexities of the material that will be used? I can tell you that dearth of manpower is not peculiar to Nigeria; there are many countries in the world that share similar experiences with Nigeria. Am convinced that the moment government, the Nigerian public, the telecom companies, the operators, the regulatory bodies like NCC; show some commitment to the cause of Nigerian content development within the ICT sector, be rest assured that we will go a long way. In that case, it is the will for us to move forward.
SIM Registration and National Security
We can capture data. But we have to start from somewhere. We cannot because of the fact that we are having difficulties in authentication turn a blind eye on SIM pack abuse; anyone can walk into a shop and buy one then use it to commit fraud, make threat calls and so on. A phone with GPRS, with voice call, with web browsing facilities, is an access point into any nation’s information super highway.
With that phone and connection, you can have access into companies’ database and even wreak havoc. We should be able to match these phones which are the access points into Nigeria’s information super highway with particular individuals within Nigeria, otherwise there is danger. This point of access must be accounted for; its origin and ownership must be known. There is a high rate of threat calls according to police reports. Hired assassins and even kidnappers in the Niger-delta use their phones to carry out operations but those calls cannot be traced to anyone. In most countries in the world, SIM packs are being registered because they have realized it is necessary for national security.
Registering 30 million Subscribers
We will not say goodbye to the Nigerian national security because operators are uncooperative. ATCON is not a regulator but we work in close partnership with the regulatory body. We are not the National Assembly, we do not make laws; we only do professional advocacy and ensuring that with our expertise, the Nigerian public is well informed. Operators may not be willing to register SIM packs because it will lead to a decrease in the number they release. But we cannot for that reason joke with national security. They need not do these registrations themselves; they can outsource that to a small firm. As we said in ATCON press statement, a period of six months to one year will be given during which every subscriber would be documented. You can walk into the nearest service center and register his SIM; so there will be no hurrying.
Teledom Group
Teledom Group will soon be 10 years. We are a broadband informational telecommunication infrastructure company. We started with wireless and we discovered that Nigeria being a developing country had a problem of good quality ICT infrastructure. During the time of NITEL you know how difficult it was to get a line. We then said ‘let us look for a technology that will be broadband, that will be scaleable, that will be easy to install and easy to dismantle’. So, Teledom International Limited’s core competence is broadband wireless, we are experts in that area. We have a software development company and we have IT mart that is a one stop infotech super store. We have had a lot of encouragement from Nigerians; we have been patronized by some very good corporate bodies in this country and we are quite gratified that we have grown the way we have grown. The next phase we are entering is that of local content via manufacturing.
General News
Indigenous Firm Deploys 400,000 Smart Electricity Meters in 2025

MOJEC International Limited has revealed that it deployed over 400,000 smart meters nationwide in 2025, representing a significant year-on-year growth for the indigenous smart meter manufacturer.

This performance reflected a 33.3 percent increase over the 300,000 meters deployed in 2024, highlighting the scale and acceleration of MOJEC’s metering operations.
Chantelle Abdul, group managing director, attributed the sustained impact to deliberate investments in infrastructure, people, and technology.
“MOJEC operates two state-of-the-art meter production facilities with a combined installed capacity of up to five million meters annually. This scale enables us not just to meet current demand, but to support Nigeria’s long-term metering and energy efficiency goals,” she said.
She further noted that MOJEC’s expansive installer ecosystem, comprising over 5,000 trained professionals nationwide, remains a critical enabler of its delivery advantage, ensuring speed, quality, and compliance across diverse terrains and markets.
The company stated that the deployment surge reflected growing confidence by Distribution Companies (DisCos) and sector stakeholders in MOJEC’s technical capacity, delivery speed, and end-to-end metering solutions.
According to Monday Ubogu, MOJEC’s head of installation, the scale and consistency of delivery set the company apart.
“Within the first three quarters of the year, MOJEC completed about 300,000 installations, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total installations nationwide during that period.
“The momentum continued into the final quarter with an additional 150,000 meters deployed, highlighting our operational depth and nationwide reach,” he said.
Ubogu added that MOJEC’s performance builds on decades of sector engagement, spanning key national metering initiatives including CAPMI, MAF, Vendor Financing, MAP Phases I & II, and NMMP 0, with the company having deployed nearly four million meters since the privatisation of NESI.
According to the company, a substantial portion of the deployment was driven by MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company (M3AC), the Group’s asset management subsidiary, which accounted for about 350,000 installations.
General News
Globacom Donates ₦1Bn to Lagos State Security Trust Fund

In its bid to contribute its quota to the consolidation of security in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, telecommunications giant, Globacom, has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) with a donation of ₦1 billion.

The generous donation was announced at a Private Sector Breakfast Meeting with CEOs, convened at the instance of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, January 30, 2026 and shows the company’s commitment to fostering public safety which would in turn, culminate in enhanced prosperity and social re-engineering in the state.
The donation, which is the biggest private-sector intervention from the telecommunications sector to the Fund in recent years, again shows that Globacom is a responsible, responsive and people-oriented corporate citizen.
Globacom disclosed that the intervention emphasized deeper collaboration between government and the state’s business community especially in relation to security, innovation and economic resilience—an agenda which the digital solutions company has unabashedly supported through sustained social investments.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Fund, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, in his display of appreciation described Globacom’s largesse as “a powerful demonstration of corporate citizenship and a strategic investment in the stability of Lagos State,” saying since LSSTF was established to bridge funding gaps in security infrastructure, it desired voluntary contributions from corporate bodies and well-meaning collaborators.
Dr. Ogunsan promised that the ₦1 billion donation will significantly enhance the Fund’s capacity to address critical priorities for 2026, including multipurpose security helicopters and drones, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, digital communication equipment and Smart CCTV systems. These assets, he added, were germane to proactive policing, rapid response and intelligence-led operations across the state.
He therefore encouraged Lagosians to support businesses that invest in the safety and development of the state, saying, “When companies step forward to secure our environment, residents should reciprocate by patronizing them. Their support directly impacts the protection of lives, property and economic activity.”
A statement from Globacom explained that the donation was an expression of the company’s staunch belief in Nigeria’s future. “At Globacom, we see security not as a government burden alone, but as a shared responsibility. When people feel safe, enterprise grows, creativity flourishes and hope becomes practical. Our support for the LSSTF is about protecting the everyday dreams of millions of Lagosians,” he noted.
With this donation to the LSSTF, Globacom has furthered its tradition of investing directly in the conditions like safety, confidence and stability which help commerce to thrive. Consequent on the support, LSSTF is gingered to raise the bar of security thereby concretizing Lagos State’s position as Nigeria’s safest and most vibrant commercial hub.
This recent financial intervention from Globacom is in tandem with its avowed commitment to social responsibility that is practical, timely, scalable and aligned with national priorities.
The company’s interventions in the past decades have spanned relief efforts for flood-affected communities, support for displaced persons, advanced youth skills through structured training programmes, and investments in education, culture and digital inclusion.
General News
WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

World International Economic Group (WIEG) Nigeria has announced plans to host its inaugural International Investment Summit on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WIEG
The summit, themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier: Unlocking Sustainable Investments for Economic Transformation,” is aimed at connecting investment-ready Nigerian enterprises with global capital while addressing long-standing challenges facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and women-led businesses.
Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Friday at Compact Communications Ltd., GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Mr. Bassey Essien, WIEG’s Project & Event Consultant said the summit would serve as a structured platform linking policy, finance and enterprise growth.
Essien identified limited access to structured funding, poor investment readiness and weak documentation as major barriers confronting Nigerian businesses, despite the availability of domestic and international capital.
“Enterprises that succeed understand the importance of preparation. Some invest as much as N200 million in professional feasibility studies to meet the standards of banks and institutions such as the African Development Bank. That level of preparation enables access to collateral-free funding,” he said.
According to him, weak policy continuity, inadequate post-intervention monitoring and fragmented regulatory frameworks have continued to undermine business growth in the country.
“Policies often change with governments, and there is little tracking after interventions. More importantly, many businesses are not prepared in ways financiers require,” Essien noted.
He explained that the summit would convene policymakers, investors, development finance institutions and pre-screened MSMEs and SMEs operating in priority sectors, including the creative industry, agriculture, energy transition, finance and aviation.
Essien described the creative sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, but said weak financing structures, piracy and poor intellectual property (IP) protection had limited its growth.
Highlighting the summit programme, he said Day One would feature conferences on macroeconomic issues, policy reforms and enterprise growth, while Day Two would focus on sector-specific deal-making roundtables.
“These deal rooms will be organised by sector — from aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to renewable energy — with lawyers, financiers and policymakers present to fast-track transactions,” he said.
Essien added that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) would be present to ensure post-event monitoring and tracking of investment deals concluded during the summit.
He disclosed that the creative economy segment would be supported through partnerships with the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and financial institutions to fund viable projects in Nollywood, music and fashion.
“Intellectual property regularisation is critical. Once ideas are properly documented and protected, investors gain confidence,” he said.
On energy and aviation, Essien said the summit would spotlight renewable energy solutions to reduce dependence on generators and promote the establishment of commercial MRO facilities to curb the high cost of aircraft maintenance abroad.
He also announced the participation of B Lab Africa, a U.S.-certified organisation focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG), diversity, equity and inclusivity standards, noting that the initiative would help small businesses improve governance and access global funding.
Essien revealed that investment commitments estimated at about 500 million dollars were expected to emerge from the summit.
“This is a private-sector-led, non-partisan initiative that places no financial burden on government. It is focused on job creation, empowering women-owned enterprises and improving investor confidence through transparent and secure processes,” he said.
He urged Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to prioritise proper documentation, professional advisory services and IP protection to position themselves for sustainable growth.
“We are creating a structured pathway from policy to capital to enterprise growth,” Essien added.
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