General News
Number Portability without Interconnect Houses’ll be Chaotic -Nnamani
Ikechukwu Nnamani, president/CEO of Medallion Communications Limited has made outstanding contributions to the development of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. He played pivotal roles in deploying the telephony networks of Rainbownet Limited in the cities of Enugu, Aba, Owerri, Abakiliki, Onitsha, and Nsukka, as well as deployed networks for Megatech Engineering in Kano and Startech Networks in Abuja and has handled projects for Boeing Aerospace in St Louis, Missouri, as well as United States Navy Strategic Ballistic Missiles Defense Programme for which he was awarded a United States Navy plaque for outstanding work. In this interview with hilary okeke, Nnamani spoke on a range of issues around interconnect.
Use of Interconnect Houses by Telecom Operators
Yes, telecom operators are beginning to realize and really appreciate the value and importance of interconnect houses in the industry. At least in Lagos currently, Medallion is connected with pretty much all the operators available – GSM, CDMA and fixed lines – and we are getting patronage from each of them both in receiving and sending traffic from them to other operators.
Interconnect Houses and Billing Issues
From the beginning, the main reason why interconnect houses were created was to address these issues of interconnect indebtedness, reconciliation and settlement. It is an integral part of our service offering. In Medallion for instance, there are no disputes amongst operators connected on our network. The reason is simple – as an interconnect point, you generate an independent call records which would always be used for dispute resolution and arbitration. Also, you are able to differentiate and mediate on each type of traffic that comes through your network. So, because you have the right interconnect billing infrastructure, it is easier for you to handle billing and settlement; and these are infrastructures that some of the operators may not have. That is why you find one operator claiming that his infrastructure is better and more advanced than another’s, so whatever is coming from it should be accepted. We are able to bridge that gap. At least I can speak for Medallion as interconnect clearing house – today we have no disputes on our network.
Traffic Exchange Dynamics and Interconnect House
Operator A sends calls to operator B through the interconnect point, three call records are generated for each of the call. Operator A generates a call record, which he might start counting when the trunk is seized; operator B generates his own call records which he might start counting when the call is answered. So, you notice there is going to be a difference in timing from the point of origin and point of termination; a difference in the call records between the trunk time – when the trunk is seized – and the talk time – when you actually have conversations, which should be used for accurate billing of calls. What the clearing house does is reconcile both. On Medallion’s switch for instance, we generate both the trunk time and the talk time, and what is used for billing is talk time, not trunk time. We are able to differentiate both and show them to operators in case one of them says his own time is different – whereby he is probably assuming the trunk time for his billing. What you notice most is that as long as you do not have that independent record to fall back on, which is able to record the differences between the talk and trunk time; you are going to have disputes. So, that is one of the ways we have been able to resolve disputes considering that call records bear time of call, duration of call, the numbering plans for both originating and terminating operators. That would enable you to know that “this is an MTN call going to Zoom or Starcomms.” You should also be able to differentiate when someone is just flashing from when he is actually trying to make a call. Those short duration calls should not be counted, and we are able to separate all that through billing and reconciliation. That is how we are able to prevent disputes.
Clearing Houses’ Records Final?
Not necessarily. We would not want to put it in a militant way; we would rather say that a fact is a fact. As long as you have accurate information that you can prove is accurate, then parties are obliged to honour it. Again as I said, the beauty of calls going through an interconnect point is that you have three records – originating records, terminating records and the records from the clearing house. It is hardly possible for one to see these three records different from each other, and with Medallion’s kind of interconnect platform, it becomes a lot easier to demonstrate to all the parties that the records are accurate. That has been the experience on our network. I would not say that our position or record is final, only that historically, there has been no dispute around the records that we have generated and presented to operators.
Interconnect Houses and Number Portability
We have made a presentation to the regulators that without having efficient interconnect services; number portability is not going to work. It is simple – you need independent transparent entities to handle number portability, and in Nigeria today, it is interconnect operators that have that ability and capability because we already have the links to operators, and are independent, transparent and not in competition with any entity. We have no reason not to honour a request by a subscriber to move from one network to another. I say this not from the Medallion viewpoint but from the interconnect operator class of licence point of view – the industry would be much better, the implementation of number portability would be more efficient if it is handled through the interconnect operators who already have the infrastructure on ground and the ability to offer the service efficiently. Literally, it is no different from what we are already doing; it is pretty much going to be seen as an additional class of service within the existing class of service that we offer. So, interconnect operators are fully prepared to offer number portability and we truly hope to be able to make it a seamless transition for the industry if our service is fully embraced.
Number Portability without Interconnect Houses
It is going to be chaotic! Again, if you have pair-to-pair (when operator A directly connects to operator B), and a subscriber on operator A’s network sends him a request to be migrated to operator B’s network, chances are that that request would not be honoured because the operator would not want to lose his customers, and so will do all he can to stop that subscriber. Number portability is just not going to work unless you have independent bodies handling it; the request to be ported must be handled by an independent body that is not the operator whom the subscriber wants to move from. That is the best way it is going to work, otherwise you would see anti-competition taking over; it is just going to be inefficient, requests would be delayed and denied. Ultimately, the subscriber is going to be the one to suffer and he may not have the records. It would be the subscriber’s word against the operator’s. In other parts of the world, it is never the same operator that owns the subscriber, which handles the movement of the subscriber to another network – it is always handled by independent bodies.
Legal Issues around Interconnection
Interconnect is a regulatory requirement, it is mandatory that all operators interconnect among themselves. The major reason for this is anti-competition because the regulator wants to ensure that no one dominant operator in the industry holds others to ransom. So, there is simply a regulatory requirement that all operators must interconnect with one another; and for interconnect operators, that regulatory requirement is equally paramount. Once an interconnect operator demands for interconnect, the regulation requires that that request be honoured by the operator to whom the request is made. Going beyond the regulatory requirement and looking at it from the commercial angle; using the service of an interconnect operator has a lot benefits for a telecom operator. Even if there were no regulatory requirement, any smart operator would embrace it because it helps them to reduce the cost of their operation considering the number of interconnect links that need to be put in place; resolve issues around billing disputes and reconciliation, and issues of capacity for interconnect. Any operator that fails to embrace interconnect services fully lacks knowledge about how telecoms can function efficiently. Everyone is talking about infrastructure sharing – what an interconnect operator offers you is simply a means to share your interconnect infrastructure with others in a cost effective way. At the end of the day, your savings in cost could run into hundreds of millions of Naira.
Interconnect Houses and Emerging Mobile Currency Trend
Medallion is at the forefront of the promotion of mobile banking. We currently have a number of the mobile groups trying to work with us. For mobile banking to function properly, there must be a seamless interface between the banks and the operators and that kind of interface cannot be handled on a pair-to-pair basis. The interconnect operator makes it faster for mobile banking to be implemented across the various networks. We have been at the forefront of this and we try to promote it believing that it is one of the ways to bridge the divide between the banks and the telcos. We know that there are now more telecom subscribers than account holders in the banks. So, there is a huge market and opportunity here. It is also a global trend, and Nigeria cannot be left behind. There is a huge sector of the population that is still unbanked and this sector cannot afford banking services the way they are offered today. Mobile banking focuses on driving down the cost of providing services to be able to reach the unbanked. What a company like Medallion has done is to be very active in that space and put the necessary infrastructure in place to make it happen in a cost effective way for the banks, the operators and most importantly, the subscribers. We at Medallion just play the role of a platform provider to enable mobile banking. Without an interconnect house, it means that each of the banks and operators would set up a separate link to one another, and if you do the permutation, that would be a lot of links! You should also know that banks are not operators and vice versa, so somebody has to handle that interface between both of them to ensure that they ‘speak the same language.’ Interconnect operators are needed to provide accurate reconciliation, settlement and billing. Call records have to be generated and both parties have to be convinced that the dynamics of the transactions were handled accurately.
Over the past 10 years, families have experienced shifts in structure and a perceived increase in fragmented interactions at home, largely driven by the pervasive use of technology and changing social norms. What does the next decade hold in store?
According to a global survey* by Kaspersky’s market research center, an overwhelming 81% of people believe digitalisation will fundamentally alter families’ joint pastimes within the next decade. This shift points to a future where bonding is mediated by advanced technology, creating new rituals and challenges in equal measure.
Screen time is family time, but it has its risks
Nearly half (48%) of all respondents envision AI-powered bedtime stories becoming a norm, a figure that rises to 53% among 18–34-year-olds. Today, apps and smart devices offer AI-narrated tales with customisable characters and plot twists.
For the busy parent, it presents a novel aid, for the child, an endlessly patient, interactive storyteller.
Meanwhile, with 31% of families anticipating children opting for digital pets over real ones, it seems that ‘man’s best friend’ just got its first update.
It should be noted, however, that while AI has the potential to enrich a child’s life, it necessitates vigilance. When children interact with AI, for stories or learning, parents must be proactive.
Select services with strong privacy policies that do not unnecessarily store or misuse a child’s data or voice interactions and further enhance control with digital parenting assistants like Kaspersky Safe Kids to restrict content and balance screen time.
Parents would be well placed to treat AI interactions as a new digital playground where they can use parental controls to limit session duration, choose vetted, age-appropriate AI story platforms, and most importantly, maintain an open dialogue about what these stories are and how they are created. Explain to children that an AI is a tool, not a friend, and encourage them to report any strange or uncomfortable interactions, just as they would in the physical world.
The key is to ensure AI complements human interaction, not replaces the comfort of a parent’s voice.
Blowing out the digital candles
Another 43% predict family celebrations migrating to video call formats as a standard, not an exception, a trend accelerated by recent global events but now seen as a permanent fixture for dispersed families.
Meanwhile a daring 26% can imagine taking family vacations entirely in virtual reality. This sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but then 10 years ago, the type of generative AI being used today was not widely anticipated.
This fragmented outlook highlights that the future of family digital activity will not arrive as a uniform wave, but as a series of adoptions shaped by cultural openness and digital infrastructure. For security leaders like Kaspersky, this evolving landscape presents new vectors for risk within the most intimate of spaces, the smart home.
Preparing the digital home for tomorrow’s family
43% of all respondents foresee home robots as family members. Moving beyond voice-activated personal assistants or autonomous vacuum cleaners, these would be embodied AI companions capable of tutoring, playing games, or providing companionship.
In the eyes of hackers, however, every new device, from a VR headset to a robot nanny, is a potential entry point. To keep things secure, change default passwords immediately, ensure all device firmware is regularly updated, and segment your home network.
Use Kaspersky Premium with a Smart Home Monitor which scans users’ home Wi-Fi network 24/7, and shows a list of devices connected to it, including such details as device type, OS and IP address, and alerts when a new or unknown device connects.
As robots, AI, and VR devices become part of the family circle, security must be foundational, not an afterthought.
“The accelerating pace of technology is not fragmenting the family but redefining its shared spaces. The future, as seen by the global majority, is one where digital and physical experiences blend to create new forms of togetherness, from a grandparent joining a birthday party via hologram to a child caring for a digital pet with a sibling across the globe.
“The challenge and opportunity lie in building secure digital environments with intention, ensuring they are safe, respectful, and ultimately, tools that bring us closer,” comments Seifallah Jedidi, Head of Consumer Channel for META at Kaspersky.
General News
Corporate Comms in the Age of Crypto: Why Nigeria’s Digital Finance Future Depends on Trust
By John Kokome
By the time you finish reading this article, the price of Bitcoin may have changed twice. That is the nature of cryptocurrency, fast, volatile, and borderless. Yet beyond price charts and trading apps lies a less discussed but critical pillar of Nigeria’s digital finance revolution: corporate communications. In the age of crypto, communication is no longer a support function. It is infrastructure.
Nigeria is one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets. Chainalysis ranked the country second globally in cryptocurrency adoption in 2023, driven largely by everyday retail users rather than institutions.
Between July 2023 and June 2024 alone, Nigerians received an estimated $59 billion in cryptocurrency value, the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Yet public perception remains sharply divided, crypto is seen as opportunity by some and risk or outright scam by others.
In such an environment, how crypto companies communicate can determine whether they earn trust, attract scrutiny, or lose credibility entirely.
The Complexity Challenge
Blockchain, decentralised finance, wallets, custody, smart contracts etc., are not everyday concepts for most Nigerians. Yet millions are expected to trust these systems with their savings, businesses, and livelihoods.
Corporate communications must therefore evolve from promotion to translation. Crypto companies must become educators, simplifying complex ideas without downplaying risks.
Hype must give way to clarity; speculation must yield to responsibility.
Some homegrown platforms, including FlashChange and other emerging African crypto brands, have begun prioritising financial literacy and user education. That shift is encouraging, but it must become the industry norm, not the exception.
Trust as a Strategic Asset
Trust in financial institutions is fragile globally, but particularly so in emerging markets where currency devaluation and policy uncertainty are familiar experiences. Crypto gained traction in Nigeria partly because people sought alternatives.
Still, crypto companies cannot assume automatic trust. In traditional banking, trust has been built over decades. In crypto, trust is built in real time, on social media, customer support channels, and community forums.
A single outage, security breach, or regulatory misunderstanding can escalate into a reputational crisis. Silence is read as guilt. Ambiguity feels deceptive. Delay looks incompetent. In Nigeria’s fast-moving digital ecosystem, communication speed must match market speed.
Nigeria’s policy evolution on crypto reinforces this point. In December 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued guidelines allowing banks to open accounts for Virtual Asset Service Providers, effectively shifting from restriction to regulation.
The CBN acknowledged that global trends demand oversight, not exclusion, while warning of risks related to money laundering, terrorism financing, and consumer protection gaps.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has echoed this stance, emphasising that Nigeria’s digital asset future must be anchored on innovation, collaboration, and trust, with clear licensing and investor protection frameworks.The message is clear: crypto is now part of Nigeria’s financial architecture, and communication is central to compliance.
A Young, Digital Audience
Nigeria’s demographics explain crypto’s momentum. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, over 63 percent of Nigerians are under 25, and internet penetration now exceeds 50 percent, driven largely by mobile broadband. This digital-native population consumes information quickly, questions authority openly, and shapes narratives in real time.
Corporate communications teams must engage this audience with transparency and relevance, not marketing noise.
Crisis Communications in a 24/7 Market
Crypto markets never sleep. Crises do not respect office hours. Hacks, liquidity shocks, and regulatory announcements can happen at any moment.
Communications teams must therefore operate like newsrooms prepared, responsive, and coordinated. Pre-approved crisis playbooks, trained spokespersons, and real-time monitoring are no longer optional.
Most importantly, crisis communication must be human-centred. Nigerians want clear answers: Is my money safe? What happened? What comes next?
Brands that respond with honesty and empathy endure. Those that hide behind jargon do not.
Narrative Capital vs Market Share
In Nigeria’s crowded fintech and crypto space, companies often compete on fees and features. But the most durable advantage is narrative capital the credibility and emotional connection built over time.
Narrative capital determines whether users stay during downturns, regulators listen during consultations, and the media seek your voice. Platforms like FlashChange have a responsibility to tell Africa’s crypto story with authenticity, data, and purpose.
From Evangelists to Translators
Nigeria no longer needs crypto evangelists promising disruption. It needs translators, professionals who connect blockchain to remittances, wallets to small businesses, and decentralisation to economic opportunity.
As crypto matures, corporate communications will increasingly determine its legitimacy. Code may power platforms, but communication powers confidence. And confidence, more than any algorithm, will decide whether digital finance fulfils its promise for Nigeria.
John Kokome is the Corporate Communications Manager at FlashChange, a fintech platform redefining secure digital asset exchange. With experience across fintech, cryptocurrency, telecoms, and development communications in Africa. He currently leads strategic storytelling, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement initiatives at the company, focusing on building trust, transparency, and financial literacy in the digital assets space. John’s work sits at the intersection of policy, technology, and public perception, with a strong emphasis on Africa-first narratives and responsible innovation. He has contributed opinion pieces and thought leadership articles on governance, youth empowerment, branding, and Nigeria’s evolving digital economy.
Senate has confirmed Hon. Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, JCA, as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Hon. Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, JCA
The confirmation was concluded on Tuesday, February 3, following the presentation and consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
The report was presented by the committee’s chairman, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire of the All Progressives Congress, representing Ondo Central.
Presenting the report, Senator Adegbonmire said: “That the Senate do Receive and Consider the Report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters on the confirmation of the nomination of Hon. Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, JCA, as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
The confirmation followed a formal request by Bola Tinubu, who wrote to the Senate last Tuesday seeking legislative approval for the appointment. The letter was read on the floor of the Senate by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, President Tinubu stated: “Pursuant to Section 231 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointment of Hon. Justice Oyewole Kayode as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. While it is my hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nomination expeditiously, please accept the assurances of my highest regards.”
Following the reading of the letter, Akpabio referred the executive communication to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative action.
The committee was directed to carry out its work and report back to the Senate as soon as possible, a process that culminated in the confirmation approved by the chamber.
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