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34 States Yet to Endorse Fair Taxation, Levies on ICT Infrastructure
Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology has once again bemoaned the foot-dragging gestures of State Governments to sign a memorandum of understanding that will reduce taxes and levies hardship experienced by telecom providers across the country.
The minister while addressing the 3rd regular meeting of the National Council on Communication Technology held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, recently, said that only Lagos and Bayelsa States have signed a substantive MoUs to implement these decisions while Anambra State should be signed in the coming weeks.
She said the Council meeting came at a very auspicious time for the ICT industry.
According to her, “The recent rebasing of our economy has made it the largest economy in Africa. The ICT sector now contributes 10.44% to GDP as at 2013 and quite importantly is 19% of the Services Sector which with the rebasing now contributes 54% to GDP. In other words the ICT sector is even more strategic to national development than we had originally thought. It is therefore imperative that this Council, which is the highest policy advisory forum of the ICT Sector forges the integrated and coordinated development of the sector to not only sustain but to surpass these impressive statistics.
Chief among factors in sustaining the successes, she said, include, “That state governments be encouraged to commence immediate implementation of NEC’s decisions to reduce multiple taxation and levies on ICT infrastructure in States. As we speak only Lagos State and Bayelsa State have signed a substantive MoUs to implement these decisions while Anambra State should be signed in the coming weeks.
“While we fully appreciate the internally generated revenue pressures that literally all state governments are faced with, it is expected that discussions at the Council meeting should focus on inputs from Commissioners on how we can ensure that the tenets of these decision are abided by to pave the way for the deployment of cost effective infrastructure in the state in a win-win manner for State governments and the telcos. Honourable Commissioners, you must get actively involved in this process if you are to deliver on your States ICT objectives.
“That state governments be encouraged to ensure that all access to telecom infrastructure by states and local government operatives would require the consent of the Executive Governor as part of measures to protect them from unlawful interference which not only affects commerce but threatens security in the State.
“The Office of the NSA and has now accorded higher levels of security to ICT infrastructure than in the past but we still need the support of State governments to reduce the vulnerability of our ICT infrastructure.
“That state governments be encouraged to take necessary policy action on the implementation of relevant aspects of the Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan; That a collaborative framework to stem irregular/illegal use of radio frequency resource in Nigeria should be developed”.
Johnson while giving account on progresses recorded by the Ministry and the industry at large, said that top priority/focus areas of the Ministry of Communication Technology remain: Connect Nigeria.
Connect Nigeria focuses on building ICT infrastructure, Connect Nigerians that deals with providing cost effective access to the infrastructure by all Nigerians regardless of socio economic status, ICT in Government to leverage ICTs to improve public sector productivity, efficiency and governance and Local Content Development to increase the domestic value added of the ICT sector.
She said, “Nigeria has made appreciable progress on these priority areas. With over 121 million active subscribers our tele-density has increased to 86.62% up 114.76million in 2011 and 95.9million in 2010. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), as at June 2012, Nigeria was home to 48.4 million internet users up from 45 million at the end of 2011. This 2012 figure represents 28% internet penetration and 29% of total internet users in Africa, making Nigeria the largest internet market in Africa by volume.
“Our software development industry is gaining recognition both continentally and globally. Next week Nigeria will host Demo Africa, the largest meeting of software developers and investors in the software industry. Apart from the fact that this is the first time that DEMO Africa is being hosted outside Nairobi, Kenya, fourteen of the 40 African start ups that will be pitching their software apps at this event have come from incubation hubs in Nigeria.
“In the area of ICT in government, in the most recent ranking of countries in the UN egovernment index, Nigeria moved up 21 places to number 141 and improved her eparticipation scores by 22 points.
“This is a testimony to the hardwork that we are all doing but despite this impressive progress, there is still much work that needs to be done. ICTs have tremendous potential to help this nation address many of its current challenges which today include physical security, health, food security, good governance and human capacity building and take advantage of the job and wealth creation opportunities that ICTs present.
“Through our three major policy documents – the National ICT Policy, the National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap, the Guidelines for Nigerian Content in the ICT sector and several other guidelines that we have issued for the sector, the Ministry of Communication Technology will provide the necessary leadership and rallying point for ensuring that the potential of the Nigerian ICT sector is fully harvested in support of Nigeria’s attainment of a more inclusive and sustainable development”.
She further highlighted the need for each State to develop an ICT policy that is aligned to the National ICT Policy and articulates how the State will leverage ICTs for socio-economic development.
Although, four States have signed MoUs with NITDA to receive support and expertise in the development of their ICT plans, the Minister said that every States in the country can take the bold step and boost their economic indices too.
To her, “Our demographic dividend implies that the future of Nigeria lies in a productive and engaged youth population; finding innovative, creative and sustainable ways to providing them jobs and enterprise opportunities to channel their burgeoning energies.
“ICTs provide a proven way to do that. However, our desired better future cannot be fully realised unless there is cooperation and collaboration among the various tiers of government and other stakeholders. This requires an integrated approach to conceptualisation and implementation of the ICT policy. Areas of existing and potential cooperation have already been articulated and I know that together we can deliver the benefits of ICT to citizens, the States and the nation”.
New data from CFA Society Nigeria is reshaping how the country’s financial sector thinks about talent development, with Access emerging as the single largest source of CFA candidates in Nigeria, distinction industry watchers say signals a deeper shift in how leading institutions are building investment expertise from within.
In its Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work series, published in a national daily, CFA Society Nigeria placed Access first among employers of CFA candidates nationwide, with 82 candidates enrolled in the programme, more than double the 38 recorded at the next-placed institution and well ahead of every other bank or financial services firm on the list.
Access also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders, with 11 professionals who have completed all three levels of the Programme and met its experience and ethics requirements.
For an industry that has long measured itself by balance sheet size and branch count, the rankings point to a different kind of competition: one over who is building the deepest bench of certified, globally credentialed talent.
CFA Society Nigeria compiled the data from its Salesforce Membership Database as at June 2026, and described the exercise as a way of recognising employers whose people “bring rigour, integrity and global best practices into the workplace every day.”
Analysts following the sector say the outcome is notable less for the ranking itself than for what it suggests about talent strategy across Africa’s financial services industry. A single institution developing more aspiring charterholders than the rest of the market combined raises the floor for professional standards nationally, not just within one balance sheet.
Every candidate who advances through the CFA Programme adds to a shared pool of ethics-trained, analytically rigorous professionals that Nigeria’s capital markets, pension funds and asset managers all eventually draw from.
Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer Innocent C. Ike, commenting on the rankings, framed the achievement in terms of institution-building rather than recruitment: “Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure.”
The remark echoes a broader thesis increasingly voiced by market observers, that talent depth, not scale alone, is what will determine which African financial institutions earn lasting global credibility.
That distinction sits at the centre of Access’s stated ambition to become the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group. If the CFA numbers are any indication, the Group’s route to that goal runs less through square metres of branch network and more through the calibre of the people sitting inside it, a bet that Nigeria’s finance professionals, and the institutions that will one day hire them, are already placing alongside Access.
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across domestic and international airport terminals to tackle the growing problem of delayed, misrouted and missing luggages
Michael Achimugu, director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, disclosed this at a stakeholder engagement forum in Lagos.
Achimugu said the RFID-enabled system would replace the traditional barcode-based baggage tracking framework and provide airlines and passengers with real-time visibility of checked luggage from check-in to final collection.
According to him, the technology would improve baggage traceability, reduce mishandling and strengthen accountability across the baggage-handling chain.
Unlike conventional barcode systems, RFID technology allows baggage to be automatically scanned at multiple points without requiring direct line of sight, enabling real-time tracking of luggage throughout its journey.
Achimugu said issues involving short-landed, missing, lost or damaged baggage had remained among the major complaints from air travellers, alongside flight delays.
He said the introduction of RFID technology was therefore aimed at improving baggage-handling standards and restoring passenger confidence in the aviation sector.
The NCAA said the initiative also aligns with IATA Resolution 753, which requires airlines to track baggage at key points during the passenger journey.
The authority expects the technology to provide more accurate information on the location of luggage, facilitate quicker resolution of baggage-related complaints and improve the overall passenger experience.
The NCAA said the initiative would also strengthen accountability among airlines and other stakeholders involved in baggage handling at Nigerian airports.
eTranzact International Plc has called for increased adoption of digital payment solutions among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), saying access to technology is critical to improving business efficiency, financial inclusion and growth.
The company also said it was deepening its partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to expand digital access and financial literacy among small businesses across the country.
In a statement, the Divisional Head, Merchant Services, eTranzact, Mrs. Abimbola Reis, stated this at the SMEDAN/eTranzact Town Hall Engagement in Lagos recently, themed, “Financial Literacy and Inclusion for MSMEs Leveraging on Fintech Innovation.”
Reis described MSMEs as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, noting that the sector comprises almost 40 million businesses and contributes significantly to economic growth and job creation.
However, she said many businesses continue to face challenges including limited access to finance, inefficient payment systems, weak financial reporting, cash-flow constraints and inadequate access to digital platforms.
She added that trust concerns also affect businesses’ ability to access finance, while heavy reliance on cash increases exposure to theft and makes payment reconciliation more difficult.
Representing the Director-General of SMEDAN, Prof. Yinka Fisher said the town hall was aimed at generating practical ideas and solutions that would support the growth and expansion of MSMEs.
“The essence of this engagement is to share ideas and concepts that will help MSMEs thrive and expand. Our partnership with eTranzact is about expanding the frontiers of MSMEs and ensuring they continue to grow,” he said.
Also speaking, representative of the Director-General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. Praise Adedigba said businesses could no longer depend solely on hard work to remain competitive.
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