Telecom
Did NCC Renew MTN’s Digital Mobile License in 2015?

News went round on Tuesday in different national dailes and online platforms that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has extended MTN Nigeria’s operating license, however, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek’s investigation has shown the extension was granted in 2007 not 2015.
According to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek’s investigation, records available in Finance Department of NCC show that MTN paid for the extension of the license in 2007 from 10 years to 15 years.
But earlier in the year, in compliance with the condition of the Digital Mobile License (DML) on renewal, MTN along with Airtel applied for the renewal of the DML which expires on February 8, 2015.
From on set, MTN won the DML in 2001 for a period of 15 years commencing from September 2, 2001 to August 8, 2016, subject to automatic renewal was provided for in paragraph 3&4 of the DML license conditions.
A source in NCC, who pleaded anonymity, said that “In 2006, MTN, along with other licensees, was granted the Unified Access Service License (USAL) for a period of 10 years commencing from September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2016.”
According to the Source, “In 2007, when MTN won the 2GHz Spectrum license, the Commission based on the Information Memorandum (IM) requested MTN to pay for the extension of its USAL license (Based on letter dated August 3, 2007).”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek could not readily confirm the amount MTN paid, however, our Source said that after the consideration by the Commission it was decided that DML issuance will be discontinued as it had been subsumed under the UASL.
“However, the tenure of the Spectrum license being used for this service, 900MHz and 1800MHz would be harmonised to run concurrently with the UASL for administrative convenience”.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek also gathered that the Commission by a letter dated July 27, 2015, had asked MTN to pay for the extension of the spectrum till August 31, 2015, but based on MTN’s letter of August 6, 2015, was discovered that it had paid for an extension in 2007.
According to our source, “There was no document to show that the extension was duly communicated to MTN. Accordingly, MTN has to pay for spectrum fee till 2021 instead of 2016 as easier advised.”
Efforts to reach MTN spokesman to comment on the new findings proved abortive, however, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, MTN Nigeria’s corporate affairs executive, was quoted by Reuters saying “We view this extension as a demonstration of confidence in MTN’s capacity to continue to provide ground-breaking and innovative services to its customers”.
$5.2Billion Fine
Meanwhile, as at Tuesday talks are still ongoing on the $5.2 billion fine before the license could be renewed.
Johannesburg-based MTN is in talks with the Federal Government about the fine, imposed on its unit in Nigeria for failing to cut off more than 5 million users with unregistered SIM cards, Reuters reported.
Nigeria has been pushing operators to verify the identity of their subscribers, on concerns that unregistered SIM cards were being used for criminal activity in a country facing an insurgency from the Boko Haram sect.
Telecom
SHELT Named in Prestigious 2025 MSSP 250 List for Cybersecurity Excellence

SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.

SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Telecom
Meta Names Ex-Trump Adviser Dina Powell McCormick as President

Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.

Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
Telecom
X Suspends Twitter Account for Rules Violation

X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has suspended the @Twitter account, replacing its profile with a standard notice citing violation of platform rules.

Musk
The action, which occurred on Sunday, January 11, left users encountering the handle greeted by a bold “Account Suspended” message on a black screen, with no details provided on the specific rules broken or the duration of the suspension.
The development has sparked widespread confusion and nostalgia among users, given that Elon Musk rebranded Twitter to X in July 2023, approximately six months after acquiring the platform for $44 billion in late 2022.
The @Twitter handle had remained dormant since before Musk’s takeover, serving as a legacy remnant of the platform’s original branding, and its suspension appears to mark the final erasure of the Twitter name amid X’s ongoing efforts to combat spam, impersonation, and rule violations.
X’s official statement on the suspended page simply reads: “X suspends accounts that violate our rules,” without offering an appeal process or further explanation, unlike standard user suspensions.
Public reactions on social media ranged from humorous laments of “RIP Twitter” to speculation that the move resulted from automated moderation or a deliberate cleanup of legacy trademarks.
xAI’s Grok AI described it as a purposeful retirement of outdated elements rather than a genuine infraction, while neither Elon Musk nor X spokespeople issued any comment as of Monday morning.
This incident underscores the evolving identity of the platform under Musk’s ownership, which also saw a domain shift to x.com in 2024, further distancing it from its Twitter roots.
Industry observers note that while the suspension aligns with X’s stricter enforcement policies, the lack of transparency has fueled debates on consistency in applying rules to high-profile legacy accounts.
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