Telecom
Multiple Taxation Choking Telcos- ALTON

Telecommunications operating companies in Nigeria have again urged the federal government to review the Amended Tax Order of 2015 to reduce multiple taxation.
To them, the current heavy taxes imposed on telecoms companies at the federal, state and local government levels, have been major obstacle, which retards economic growth, limits profits, compromises quality of service and slows network expansion.
In addition to the statutory taxes levied on operators; telecommunications operators pay Annual Operating Levy (AOL) of certain percentage of earnings to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and are required in addition to pay various rates and charges to other Federal Government agencies (e.g. Consumer Protection Council, Nigeria Lottery Commission, federal and state ministries of environment etc), authorities in every state and local Government in which they operate.
Also the police and thugs, who supported the drive of the multiple tax imposers make it difficult to resist them
Association of Licenced Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) therefore asked the Federal Government to review the Amended Tax Order of 2015 to reduce multiple taxation.

Recall that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, acting through the then Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had on May 26, 2015, amended the Taxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Act, Cap. T2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Gbolahan Awonuga, secretary of ALTON, said that there was need to review the order, adding that “the tax order was amended and signed by the former Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala because it created more problems and confusion.
He said: “However, ALTON is seeking another review and we are planning to send it to the National Economic Council for consideration.”
Awonuga said that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had taken steps to address the issue of multiple taxation and had been having stakeholders’ meetings and discussing with states on how to put a stop to the issue.
Nodding in agreement, Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the group, said that “our members are constantly harassed, their base stations and offices locked indiscriminately by governments, especially at the lower tiers over alleged refusal to pay taxes and levies.
“Our major challenge stem from the activities of states and local governments. Members have brought documents evidencing requests for taxes and levies that are, in our view, outside of what is prescribed by law. We hear also with evidences from our members, instances where state and local government authorities have physically invaded offices, locked up base stations and employed other unwholesome tactics to enforce these taxes and levies,” he said.
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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