Telecom
NITDA A Catalyst For IT Driven Economy — Pantami
Dr. Ali Pantami, Director-General, National Information Technology Developmental Agency (NITDA), has said that the agency is a catalyst for transforming Nigeria into a knowledge-based and IT-driven economy
He stated this over the weekend at the 9th edition of the eWorld Forum 2018, held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.
Pantami, who was represented by Mrs Chioma Okee-Aguguo, Head, South West Zonal Office, said that they are at the forefront of digital transformation in the country, adding that digital transformation would trigger rapid economic growth in the country.
He noted that the agency came up with a Roadmap and an Action plan to develop the ICT sector of the country and digitally transform our nation.
According to him, “Our Roadmap for digital transformation is based on the following 7 pillars which are Information Technology Regulation, Capacity Building, Digital Job Creation, and Local Content Development and Promotion.
The remaining pillars include Government Digital Services, Cyber Security, and Digital Inclusion”.
He said that contrary to widely held beliefs, regulation provided a level playing ground required for the ICT industry to support the digital transformation drive of the country.
“As part of our activities in this area, we have strengthened our role in the clearance of all government funded ICT projects.
“We have embarked on this clearance process in order to harmonise the implementation of IT projects within MDAs, provide value-for-money for all projects funded by the government, avoid undue duplication, reduce the cost of implementing IT projects in Nigeria and ensure that the IT projects are sustainable,” he said.
The DG added that the agency had succeeded in saving the Federal Government billions of naira and had significantly improved the likelihood of success of the projects.
He said that NITDA has also assisted state governments to develop IT Policies and Strategic Plans, as a way of building their capacity to regulate and develop the ICT sector in their areas of strength.
According to him, in addition to these, the agency is ensuring that all sovereign data as well as data regulated and hosted by the government through its MDAs, are repatriated and hosted in Nigeria.
He stated that as part of the transformation process, the agency is involved in capacity building through scholarship offered at the PhD and Masters levels to improve expertise and provide quality personnel at workplaces.
“We live in an era of disruptive technologies and technologies such as Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, Block Chain and Big Data Analytics, will define the future of the sector.
“We have partnered with the industry to train a critical mass of Nigerians in these areas.
“With digital transformation comes a transformation of the workplace.
“’The skills and types of jobs of today are very likely to be antiquated tomorrow.
“It is necessary for us to have the foresight to begin the transformation of the workplace,” he stated.
Pantami said that this was one of the reasons the agency identified Digital Job Creation as one of the seven pillars and establishing Digital Job Creation Centres (DJCC) across the country.
According to him, these centres empower users to set up businesses that incorporate cutting edge digital technologies.
“We want these centres to be triggers for the development of jobs that can thrive in this Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Jobs that evolve with the needs of the citizens and take advantage of cutting edge technologies.
“The media industry is a very dynamic one and we have provided some of the latest media and editing software at the DJCC.
“This will enable users of the Centre to create new streams of businesses for the benefit of our national economy,” the DG said.
He identified rapid growth in the number of cybercriminals and the increased sophistication of cybercrimes as some of the negative effects of digital transformation.
The director-general said that through NITDA’s pillar on cybersecurity, such threats were being tackled to safeguard Nigerians in cyberspace.
He also said that the digital inclusion pillar ensured the ability to include all strata of society in the country’s digital transformation efforts.
According to him, NITDA has programmes that have captured persons living with disability, prison inmates, as well as women and girls, to mention a few.
Telecommunications operators have called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to establish a clear regulatory framework for airtime and data credit services, warning that millions of Nigerians could face fresh disruptions if the agencies fail to coordinate their responsibilities.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON
This is coming on the heels of the Federal High Court judgment affirming the FCCPC’s authority to regulate consumer protection in the airtime and data credit market while preserving the NCC’s exclusive mandate over telecommunications licensing and technical regulation.
The ruling effectively clarified that both regulators have complementary roles rather than overlapping powers.
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said the judgment should serve as the basis for stronger collaboration between the two regulators to avoid the regulatory uncertainty that earlier forced operators to suspend airtime and data credit services.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, said the industry was not disputing the authority of either regulator but was seeking a clearly defined operational framework before any further regulatory actions are taken.
“The court has done something important. It has confirmed the FCCPC’s authority and, in the same breath, affirmed that the NCC’s role is preserved. Concurrency means coexistence. The industry now expects both regulators to establish the coordination framework that the court’s reasoning requires,” Adebayo said.
He stressed that regulatory certainty had become critical because millions of Nigerians depend on airtime and data credit services for daily communication.
“Forty million Nigerians depend on these services. The court has made clear that both regulators have a role. The industry is asking them to define how that works before any action that could disrupt access again,” he stated.
Adebayo also urged both agencies to engage industry stakeholders before introducing measures capable of affecting consumer access to the services.
According to him, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) directive requiring Regulatory Impact Assessments before major policy changes should be observed to minimise unintended consequences on businesses and consumers.
The renewed call comes months after major mobile network operators temporarily suspended airtime and data borrowing services following the implementation of the FCCPC’s Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending (DEON) Regulations, a development that affected millions of subscribers nationwide.
In its judgment, the Federal High Court held that while the FCCPC has powers over competition and consumer protection issues in the digital lending ecosystem, it cannot assume the NCC’s statutory responsibility for licensing telecommunications operators.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ruled that the two agencies must operate within their respective mandates, describing their relationship as one of “coexistence, not displacement.”
MTN Nigeria has warned customers to disregard fraudulent online posts claiming the telecom operator is offering “1 Month Free Data for Old Subscribers,” describing the promotion as fake and unauthorised.
In a statement shared on its X handle, the telco said the circulating promotion is not from MTN and is not affiliated with the company.
MTN urged customers not to click on the accompanying link in the online post or provide their phone numbers or personal information on any third-party website.
Customers are advised not to click on the link or provide their phone numbers or personal information on any third-party website.
“We will never require customers to submit their details on external platforms to claim data or any other reward,” MTN said.
The company added that all genuine promotions, products and services are announced only through its official communication channels.
“All authentic MTN promotions, products and services are communicated exclusively through our official channels, including www.mtn.ng, our verified social media pages and *180#,” the company said.
MTN also urged customers to remain vigilant against online scams designed to steal personal information, warning that fraudulent offers often impersonate trusted brands to deceive unsuspecting users.
“Don’t be the next victim!” the company said, reiterating that the purported “1 Month Free Data for Old Subscribers” offer is fake and not associated with MTN Nigeria.
National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has dismissed a Notice of Preliminary Objection filed by Pan African Towers Ltd. (PAT) in an employment dispute instituted by its former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Azeez Amida.
The court also awarded ₦500,000 in costs against the company after holding that the application lacked merit.
Justice Essien, who delivered the ruling on July 21 in Suit No. NICN/LA/143/2025: Mr. Azeez Amida v. Pan African Towers Limited, held that the substantive case concerning Amida’s alleged outstanding contractual entitlements under a Mutual Separation Agreement should proceed to hearing.
The ruling effectively rejected the company’s attempt to terminate the proceedings on jurisdictional grounds.
Jurisdictional Challenge Rejected
Pan African Towers had argued that the National Industrial Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter because the Mutual Separation Agreement executed between the parties required disputes to first pass through negotiation, mediation and arbitration before litigation could be initiated.
The company maintained that Mr. Amida failed to exhaust those contractual dispute resolution mechanisms before approaching the court.
However, Justice Essien rejected the argument after examining evidence presented by the claimant showing that several attempts had been made to activate the agreed dispute resolution process before legal proceedings commenced.
According to the court, documentary evidence showed that Mr. Amida, through his solicitors, issued correspondence and formal demand letters aimed at resolving the dispute amicably in line with the terms of the agreement.
The court found that rather than engaging with those efforts, Pan African Towers failed to meaningfully participate in the process and later sought to rely on the same contractual provisions to challenge the court’s jurisdiction.
Evidence Considered by the Court
According to evidence presented by Mr. Amida’s legal team, the court considered correspondence involving senior officials of Pan African Towers and its investors.
Among the documents relied upon was a letter allegedly written by the Chairman of the Board of Pan African Towers and Partner at Development Partners International (DPI), Mr. Adefolarin Ogunsanya, rejecting the demand made by Mr. Amida’s legal representatives for an amicable resolution before litigation.
The claimant’s legal team also tendered multiple email communications allegedly sent from January 2025 to Verod Capital Management’s in-house legal counsel, Mr. Dipo Okuribido.
According to the claimant, those emails did not receive any response before the commencement of the suit.
Based on the evidence before it, the court held that the conduct of Pan African Towers was inconsistent with reliance on the contractual dispute resolution provisions.
Justice Essien ruled that the company had effectively waived its right to insist on arbitration after frustrating the preliminary dispute resolution process contemplated by the parties’ agreement.
The court consequently held that Pan African Towers could not rely on the arbitration clause to prevent the court from hearing the substantive claims.
Court Awards Costs
Having dismissed the Preliminary Objection, the National Industrial Court awarded costs of ₦500,000 against Pan African Towers.
The court described the objection as lacking merit.
Substantive Defence Yet to Be Filed
The ruling represents the first judicial determination in the employment dispute.
The claimant’s legal team noted that since the suit commenced, the principal response filed by Pan African Towers had been the Preliminary Objection challenging the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court.
According to the claimant, the company has yet to file a substantive defence addressing the merits of the claims relating to the alleged outstanding contractual entitlements.
With the dismissal of the jurisdictional challenge, the matter will now proceed to hearing on its merits.
The court adjourned the substantive suit until Jan. 12, 2027.
Background to the Dispute
The dispute arose following Mr. Amida’s departure from Pan African Towers after both parties executed a Mutual Separation Agreement.
According to the claimant, while the agreement governed the terms of his exit from the company, certain contractual entitlements remained unpaid.
His legal representatives said they initially sought to resolve the dispute through the mechanisms provided under the agreement by engaging the company through correspondence and formal demand letters.
When those efforts failed to produce a resolution, they commenced proceedings before the National Industrial Court seeking payment of the outstanding contractual entitlements.
Rather than filing a substantive defence to the claims, Pan African Towers challenged the jurisdiction of the court, arguing that arbitration and other dispute resolution mechanisms had not been exhausted.
The National Industrial Court has now rejected that position.
Related Commercial Litigation
The employment proceedings are separate from ongoing commercial cases before the Federal High Court involving Mr. Amida, Development Partners International (DPI), Verod Capital Management and other parties.
Those proceedings relate to issues concerning the ownership of Pan African Towers and remain pending before the courts.
The National Industrial Court noted that those matters would be determined independently based on their respective facts, evidence and applicable legal principles.
Legal Team Reacts
Reacting to the ruling, representatives of Mr. Amida’s legal team welcomed the decision.
“The Court has affirmed an important principle of contractual dispute resolution.
“A party cannot frustrate the agreed process and later seek to rely on that same process to prevent a claim from being heard.
“We now look forward to presenting the substantive case before the Court,” the legal team said.
The lawyers acknowledged that Pan African Towers retained the right under Nigerian law to pursue any available appellate remedies but stated that they were fully prepared for the substantive hearing scheduled for January 2027.
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