Telecom
Telecom Operators Threaten to Shut Down Networks in 7 States
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said it may be forced to shut down network services in seven states over closure of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) by the state governments.
ALTON accused Ogun, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Osun and Kaduna states of treating telecoms industry as an extractive sector by imposing myriads of taxes on operators and closing down the BTS sites arbitrarily.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, also called for presidential declaration of telecommunication infrastructure as National Security and Economic Infrastructure as contained in the cybercrime law of 2015 as a way of guiding telecom infrastructure against vandalization as well as incessant government agency shutdown of cell sites.
Adebayo who stated this while addressing a press said that telecom industry supports many other economic sectors whose operations and trade depends on its services.
“We are also in the first layer, when it comes to critical technology service for enhanced safety and security. Unless we have first level of protection by Government, it will be difficult to continue to provide uninterrupted services with the type of venerability of our members and their infrastructure”.
He also expressed concern over the recurring cases of telecom sites closure by government agents.
“We continue to record cases of arbitrary site closure in many states of the federation in an attempt to force service providers to pay local taxes and levies some of which are multiple in nature and most of which are only aimed toward telecom operators; What has telecom operations got to do with ‘Eco Tax for gaseous emission and gaseous emission” when we do not have moving machineries and production lines? What has telecom service got to do with Sewage, Sanitation and public convenience levy, when we are not hotel and bar operators?”
Adebayo also decried a situation in the country where states and local governments are emphasizing more on internally generated revenue against the benefits of telecom service urging them not to see telecom as extractive industry.
“We consider tax payment as a matter of patriotic duty being one of the elements of good corporate governance: We appreciate the fiscal pressure on Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the respective Federal, State & LGA, particularly, in the face of dwindling federal allocation. However, we believe that taxes and levies should be broad-based and fairly distributed across all sectors of the economy; there is therefore no justification for targetted and sometime very high taxes on telecom operations. We are calling for a cross-sector/multi-stakeholder approach to reduce growing burden of taxation on our industry,” he said.
He added that telecom being in the exclusive list of federal taxes, there is a need to streamline all such taxies and levies which should not be aimed mainly at telecoms infrastructure.
“We are considering very carefully the situation of site closure and harassment of our members in some of the following states and we may begin anytime soon to have them feel the impact of their actions on telecom operators if they do not desist from deliberate disruption of our operations, these are: Ogun, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Osun and Kaduna States due to arbitrary closure of telecom sites and actions of government impacting on our operations. The States are treating our industry as an extractive industry and imposing myriads of taxes on our member and closing down the BTS Sites arbitrarily.”
According him, ‘quality of services across the various networks have continued to record significant improvement since 2015 as our members continue to invest in network elements to enhance good quality of services across the national network. ALTON has continued to advocate other factors affecting quality of services such as unlawful closure of BTS sites by State Agencies and issues of Multiple Taxation and Regulations’.
Nigeria has exactly 156,662 active fixed wired internet subscriptions as of mid-2026.
This is a tiny fraction compared to mobile GSM networks, which dominate the market with over 154 million subscribers.
The fixed wired market primarily consists of homes and offices using direct physical cables like fiber optics.
Fixed wired services use physical cables, like glass fiber or copper wire, to bring internet directly into a building.
It is like a dedicated, private water pipe for your home. It provides very fast speeds, unlimited data, and is reliable.
In contrast, mobile GSM uses radio waves transmitted from tall towers to phones, acting more like a sprinkler that sprays a signal across an entire neighborhood.
Because laying physical cables across cities is expensive and hard to do, these subscriptions are very rare.
However, the market has seen recent growth, driven largely by Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services.
The top players are: MTN FibreX with 110,564 subscribers, which is roughly 88.7 per cent of the entire market.
SWIFTNG accounts for about 13,945 connections.
The others are ipNX and 21st Century Technologies which make up the number.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was strengthening collaboration with state governments and industry players to develop a transparent, cost-based pricing framework for sharing telecom ducts as part of efforts to speed up broadband expansion across Nigeria.
Ayuba Shuaibu, director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, disclosed this at the Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja.
Shuaibu said the initiative was designed to build consensus among all parties.
“The primary purpose of this forum is to ensure seamless synergy between the Commission and all stakeholders,” he said.
The director said the consultation was prompted by longstanding complaints over permits, levies and other charges imposed by different levels of government.
He said bringing together state commissioners, telecom operators, tower companies and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had helped improve understanding of the issues.
“This engagement is a work in progress. We expect more input from stakeholders before presenting the outcome to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum,” he added.
Dr Helen Adeneye, commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kogi State. welcomed the consultation, saying Nigeria needs a harmonised policy that clearly defines the responsibilities of both the federal and state governments.
“We need a harmonised policy that allows states to collaborate better with telecom operators and creates a more business-friendly environment,” she said.
Dr Adeneye added that adopting the Dig-Once policy would establish a uniform pricing system and help resolve disputes over charges for telecom infrastructure deployment.
Chidi Ajuzie, chief executive officer, WTES Projects Limited, whose firm is conducting the consultancy study, said the proposed framework would introduce a common cost structure for duct sharing to support broadband investment and economic growth.
“The study is designed to create a uniform pricing model that will drive broadband growth, economic development and wider adoption across the country,” he said.
Ajuzie explained that the consultants had developed preliminary floor and ceiling prices to guide operators while allowing flexibility within the approved range.
He added that the recommendations remain open to industry input before the NCC finalises the framework.
The Dig-Once Policy is designed to reduce the cost and disruption of deploying broadband infrastructure by requiring fibre ducts to be installed whenever roads are constructed or rehabilitated.
The NCC is developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing these ducts to promote fair pricing, reduce duplication of infrastructure and encourage investment.
The proposed model is expected to support the Federal Government’s broadband expansion targets while improving collaboration between telecom operators and state governments.
Telecom
MUSON Graduates Shine at 2026 Concert as MTN Foundation Celebrates 20 Years of Music Scholarships
Emeka Nwodike, acting director of the MUSON School of Music, conducted the institution’s graduating class in a grand finale performance, bringing the 2026 graduation concert to a memorable close. The concert took place on July 7 at the Shell Hall of the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
The event celebrated students who successfully completed the MUSON Diploma Programme through the MTN Foundation Scholarship Programme.
The graduating students delivered a rich choral repertoire that reflected the breadth of their musical training, performing Italian Salad by Richard Genee, My Song by Eriks Esenvalds, Obi Dimkpa by Laz Ekwueme, and an ABBA Medley arranged by Goran Bejstam. Under the Acting Director’s baton, the choir demonstrated technical precision, vocal maturity and artistic expression before an audience of family members, music enthusiasts and industry stakeholders.
The concert formed part of the long-running partnership between the MTN Foundation and the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON), which has, since 2006, provided scholarships for hundreds of talented young Nigerians to receive formal music education through the MUSON Diploma School. The programme continues to serve as one of the country’s foremost platforms for developing professional musicians and strengthening Nigeria’s creative economy.
Speaking at the close of the concert, Nwodike expressed appreciation to the MTN Foundation for its sustained support of the scholarship programme over the past two decades. He also thanked the Director of the MUSON Centre, faculty members, mentors and other stakeholders whose dedication has contributed to the school’s continued success.
“For nearly 20 years, the MTN Foundation has remained a steadfast partner in our mission to nurture young musical talent. We are deeply grateful for that commitment. I also want to thank the Director of the MUSON Centre, our faculty, mentors and everyone whose dedication has helped the MUSON School of Music continue to grow and thrive. Their support has made this programme what it is today, and our graduates are a testament to that collective effort,” he said.
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