News
2.3GHz: Dark Spots, Intrigues Threaten Licenses
Air of solemnity pervaded the telecom industry last weekend as stakeholders wait with cautious optimism government’s reaction to the landmark judgment which ordered the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to release the 2.3 GHz band license won by Mobitel Nigeria Ltd at last year’s licensing round of the national frequencies, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
The court presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar declared as illegal, null and void, the revocation and seizure of the licence issued to Mobitel, and ordered its immediate release.
Umar declared “I hereby grant all the reliefs sought by the applicant in this case and order the defendant to release the licence it seized from the company.” In simple terms, the court ruling asserted that nothing was wrong with the licensing of national frequencies.
Generally, stakeholders described the judgment as a watershed and said it would pave way for the broadband revolution considered the next big thing in the industry.
As they spoke, signs of apprehension are visible particularly with the litany of unresolved issues that triggered in the first place the almost one year of riotous controversies.
The judgment would have meant an end to the long drawn battle by Mobitel and three others to operate in the 2.3GHz frequency band considered very important in the race leading up to broadband revolution.
The frequency helps operators provide mobile WiMAX services that are potentially much more transformative than any lone technological item and it is the next cash cow for financially haemorrhaging telcos.
“Ordinarily, the court judgment would have been end of story because government and its various agencies are the same one and ten piece, but we are in a country where executive recklessness and selfish interpretations are given to every situation. The judgment has even thrown the process into further confusion,” said John Owubokiri, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek in-house legal expert.
An industry chief who does not want to be named urged all parties to respect the ruling and save the industry from digital anarchy.
Bekele Tadesse, former country director of Aviat Networks (formerly Harris Stratex Nigeria) however hailed the judiciary for its courage describing the development as “ a breakthrough”
“We are about to witness another big revolution, the first was voice, now we are entering broadband and this will have profound impact on lives and the economy in general,” Tadesse added.
But Owubokori said that the matter is far from over adding that “I can assure you that even if the judgment is respected, there are internal politics of who issues the licenses. They forget the pain they are inflicting on all of us by the continued bickering over the issue.”
NCC is charged with issuing licences, Ernest Ndukwe, the outgoing executive vice chairman of the commission, will complete his 5-year two tenure in a matter of days.
Already, there is pressure to ensure that the new EVC of the commission completes the licensing rounds.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that if the matter still remains unresolved, fresh investment in the sector estimated at some $4 billion as well thousands of new jobs that will be created by the new operators would also have to wait.
From the look of things, it is certain the issuance of the licenses will wait no thanks to government taciturnity.
Almost a week after the judgment, government is yet to issue any statement or appeal the judgment leaving the industry in utter confusion.
It would be recalled that President Umar Musa Yar’Adua cancelled the licensing round at the height of the claims and counter charges between the NCC and the office of Prof. Dora Akunyili, former minister of Information and Communications. Her ministry was then supervising the NCC before it was transferred to the ministry of state in the wake of re-delineation of duties of federal ministries.
The licensing round become embroiled in controversy at the close of the bid when three companies including Mobitel Limited, Spectranet and Galaxy Wireless were said to have met the obligations and later NCC claimed that Galaxy Wireless did not pay up as at when due and allegedly attempted to replace it with Multilinks-Telkom.
Mobitel came under special focus after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed that NCC had no statutory power to grant Mobitel or any telecommunications outfit waiver for spectrum or operations fees.
The telecom company was allegedly granted a waiver of N242million between May and October, 2008 after its former shareholders paid N500million out of a total of N746 million owed for outstanding spectrum and other operations fees.
The EFCC also brought in Ndukwe for questioning over the said waiver.
Mobitel said immediately then that “The management of the old Mobitel applied officially for and officially received a waiver in respect of fees and levies attributable to the three year period when the company was non-operational. And all this happened before the new management of Mobitel took over reins of the company on the 14th of November, 2008.”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that Mobitel then dragged Akunyili, alongside her ministry, and the Attorney General of the Federation to court for upsetting the licensing process of national frequencies in the 2.3 GHz band conducted by the NCC which was also joined in the suit.
News
DHQ Indicts Brigadier General Abubakar Sadiq, 15 Others in Alleged Coup Plot againt Tinubu

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made public the full names of 16 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria indicted by a Special Investigative Panel over alleged serious misconduct, including an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.

The officers suspected to be involved in the coup plot include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, a lieutenant, a lieutenant commander and a Squandron Leader.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of Defence Information, disclosed this on Monday, stating that the panel had concluded its investigation and established that the affected officers had cases to answer.
According to him, the indicted officers will face a military Court Martial in line with established procedures and existing regulations.
Major Gen. Uba said the probe examined the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the officers and identified actions “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He stressed that the exercise was purely disciplinary and aimed at preserving internal discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness, adding that the Armed Forces remain loyal to the Constitution and Nigeria’s democratic order.
- Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (Nasarawa, 44th Regular Course)
- Colonel M. A. Ma’aji (Niger, 47th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah (Bauchi, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Hayatu (Kaduna, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel Dangnan (Plateau, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura (Nasarawa, 56th Regular Course)
- Major A. J. Ibrahim (Gombe, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. M. Jiddah (Katsina, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. A. Usman (Federal Capital Territory, 60th Regular Course)
- Major D. Yusuf (Gombe, 59th Regular Course)
- Major I. Dauda (Jigawa, DSSC 38)
- Captain I. Bello (DSSC 43)
- Captain A. A. Yusuf
- Lieutenant S. S. Felix (DSSC)
- Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Nigerian Navy)
- Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Nigerian Air Force)
News
Court Fines Airtel N210m for Unauthorised Use of ‘Nigeria Go Survive’ Song

Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Monday awarded a total of N210 million in damages against Airtel Networks Limited for copyright infringement arising from the unauthorised use of a musical work titled “Nigeria Go Survive.”

The award comprises N200 million as general damages and N10 million as costs.
In addition to the monetary award, the court issued mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining Airtel, its management, agents, servants, privies, successors-in-title and assigns from reproducing or further using the musical work, or any substantial part of it, for advertising, promotion, telemarketing, or other business purposes without the licence or authorisation of the copyright owner.
Justice Kala specifically ordered Airtel to remove “Nigeria Go Survive” from its list of songs used for advertising, business, telemarketing and promotional purposes across its network with immediate effect.
The judge held that Airtel’s use of the song without licence or authorisation amounted to restricted acts under the Copyright Act and constituted an infringement of the plaintiff’s copyright.
The judgment was delivered in suit No: FHC/L/CS/1822/2022, filed by Veno Marioghae Mbanefo, producer of the song.
In resolving the sole issue for determination, the court held that the plaintiff proved her case on the balance of probabilities.
Justice Kala noted that a perpetual injunction is granted after infringement has been established and is intended to protect the proprietary rights of the copyright owner and restrain continued infringement.
Accordingly, the court made the following orders: “That Airtel’s unauthorised use of “Nigeria Go Survive” for advertising, promotion and telemarketing amounts to copyright infringement.
“Mandatory injunction prohibiting Airtel from reproducing or using the musical work, or any substantial part of it, for business and promotional purposes.
“Perpetual injunction restraining Airtel from any further unauthorised use of the work.
“General damages N200 million awarded to the plaintiff for losses suffered as a result of the infringement. And N10 million awarded in favour of the plaintiff, considering the duration of the case, legal representation, expenses incurred, and the current value of the naira.
In the writ of summons filed by her legal team led by Clement Onwvenwunor, SAN, the plaintiff sought, among other reliefs, declarations that Airtel’s use of the song without attribution, licence or authorisation breached her statutory rights under Section 12 of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
She also claimed substantial damages for copyright infringement and, in the alternative, requested an order directing Airtel to render an account of profits allegedly made from the infringement under the supervision of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Airtel Networks Limited, represented by counsel led by Babatunde Amoo, urged the court to dismiss the suit.
However, after reviewing the exhibits and submissions of counsel, Justice Kala resolved all issues in favour of the plaintiff.
The court refused the plaintiff’s alternative prayer for an account of profits but granted all substantive reliefs relating to infringement, damages and injunctive orders.
News
Tech Executives Double Down on AI, Talent and Adaptive Strategies to Lead in the Intelligence Age

KPMG’s Global Tech Report 2026 reveals that organisations worldwide are moving beyond pilots and seeking to embed AI into core workflows and offerings, striving to scale investments. The new report identifies that while expectations are high and adoption is rapid; scaling can introduce additional complexity and returns vary widely.

- 68 percent of organisations surveyed aim to reach the highest level of AI maturity by the end of 2026, yet only 24 percent are there today.
- 88 percent are investing in building agentic AI into their systems.
- 74 percent say their AI use cases are delivering business value, but only 24 percent achieve ROI across multiple use cases.
- 90 percent plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year, yet 53 percent still lack the talent needed to bring their digital transformation plans to life.
- 78 percent agree they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant.
The report asks: Can ambition match reality, and can organisations keep one eye on the next wave of innovation while delivering on today’s agenda?
“The future belongs to leaders who turn intelligence into advantage. Our research shows organisations are pushing past the early phase of ‘AI roulette’, placing scattered bets on multiple technologies, and are now increasingly focused on delivering value. When ambition meets disciplined execution, value compounds.
“Our 2026 Global Tech Report provides a synopsis of the critical things that high performers are doing better than most; a checklist for tech leaders looking to improve their organisational performance, emulate the high performers, and deliver higher ROI”. – Guy Holland, Global Leader, CIO Center of Excellence, KPMG International
”As Africa enters the Intelligence Age, the differentiator is no longer access to technology, but the ability to build the skills, governance, and operating models required to scale it responsibly. While organisations are accelerating AI adoption to drive productivity and growth, the real determinant of value lies in workforce readiness, executive alignment, and disciplined execution.
Those that invest early in digital skills, human-AI collaboration, and adaptive leadership will be best positioned to translate innovation into sustainable commercial and economic impact.” – Marshal Luusa, Partner: Technology & Innovation Lead, KPMG One Africa
Key findings from the report
Tech maturity accelerates: Leaders set their sights on the top
Half (50 percent) of global tech leaders surveyed expect to reach the highest level of technology maturity in 2026, compared to only 11 percent today. This surge in optimism is fuelled by a move from isolated experiments to integrating AI and advanced technologies into core systems and scaling their impact.
High performers, those organisations leading in technology maturity, process maturity and value, are already reaping the rewards, reporting an average ROI of 4.5x, more than double the industry average of 2x. These leading organisations have progressed beyond pilot programs, prioritising the scaling of innovation and continually adapting to maintain a competitive edge in a fast-evolving environment.
Other organisations reporting higher ROI include smaller firms (3.6x), those with fewer cost pressures (2.6x), and transformation‑focused organisations (3.2x). The ROI pattern is equally nuanced: rather than a single investment ‘sweet spot’, clear ROI ‘zones’ emerge, from early quick wins to accelerating, enterprise‑wide value as maturity increases.
The age of agentic: AI adoption surges but innovation drives real business value
AI is now seen as a strategic necessity, not just industry hype. Sixty-eight percent of respondents are aiming for the highest level of AI maturity in their organisations. Eighty-eight percent of companies are already investing in agentic AI – autonomous digital agents transforming operations and decision-making. Seventy-four percent of respondents report that their AI initiatives are creating measurable business value, such as improved efficiency and reduced risk.
However, only 24 percent say they are scaling AI and achieving ROI across multiple use cases. This highlights the need for organisations to evolve KPIs beyond traditional financial and productivity metrics and build enterprise-wide alignment to fully realise AI’s potential.
The shift from AI experimentation to large-scale deployment is underway, with leaders working to embed AI into products, services, and value delivery.
Talent and agility power success: Human potential remains central
Human expertise remains central to digital transformation initiatives. Organisations are making significant investments in upskilling their workforce, building adaptive teams, and fostering cultures that embrace change.
Despite the rapid adoption of agentic AI, organisations still expect 42 percent of their tech workforce to remain permanent human staff by 2027 – only a five‑point drop from 2025.
High-performing companies plan to retain even more permanent human talent, with 50 percent remaining in place by 2027, revealing the continued importance of human expertise alongside AI. Despite these efforts, 53 percent of organisations report they still lack the talent needed to realise their digital transformation strategies.
Ninety-two percent of organisations surveyed anticipate that managing AI agents will become a critical skill within five years. The most successful organisations prioritise both technological advancements and people, empowering employees to innovate and adapt.
Strategic partnerships fuel growth: Ecosystems expand for the future
To overcome challenges and accelerate learning, 90 percent of organisations plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year. Strategic alliances are enabling access to specialised expertise, rapid innovation, and shared best practices.
As agentic AI and other advanced technologies become mainstream, organisations recognise the importance of building robust ecosystems that foster co-creation and continuous improvement. Nearly one-third of tech executives are planning to increase investment in centers of excellence, supporting cross-functional teams and controlled experimentation.
Preparing for tomorrow’s breakthroughs: Leaders embrace bold risks
The future is arriving fast, with quantum computing and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) on the horizon. Leaders are already preparing for these breakthroughs, with 78 percent of organisations agreeing they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant.
The report urges organisations to maintain strategic foresight, invest in ethical frameworks, and build resilient, future-ready workforces. By balancing ambition with rational thinking and disciplined execution, tech executives are positioning their organisations to turn disruption into durable, compounding value.
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