News
Danbatta, Urges Telcos to Review their Business Model
Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has urged telecommunications operators in the country to review their business model to ensure a healthy business operation.
Danbatta stated this while reacting to a question asked on issue of indebtedness in the industry at the just concluded National Telecom Dialogue organised by Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) held in Abuja.
According to him, “there is about N70billion interconnect debt in the industry. Operators are not paying each other but the most worrisome part of it is that subscribers payment for services rendered are pre-paid, yet operators are not paying themselves. Where is the money going? This calls for review of their business model if we are to address this problem of indebtedness in the industry as we can’t continue in this way”.
He noted that “NCC has been protecting smaller operators but they must have to pay their interconnect debts. We have grated them waivers for payment of ground rents among other efforts to ensure that small operators survive”.
The issue of indebtedness in the industry has been a concern lingering for a while as stakeholders have suggested ways to address it, among them includes one Ike Nnamani, group managing director, Medallion communications which is operates interconnect clearing network said that Association Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) presented to Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on implementation of an interconnect settlement scheme which will address the persistent issue of disconnection of operators trunk circuit as a result of interconnect debt.
“Although NCC said it is reviewing the proposal, in the face of issues like the one between MTN and Glo it is Glo subscribers that are losing and we run the risk of changing the balance in the telecommunications sector in a negative way, it can also fuel anti-competitive measure to frustrate smaller operators in the market.
“I know that its takes NCC time to grant approval for any operator to disconnect the other, but there is nothing on ground to prevent interconnection debts from pilling up,” he noted.
He cited example of Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) established by the Central Bank of Nigeria to reconcile inter- bank transactions which has been working.
Nnamani also decried the situation where operators have refused to make use of interconnect clearing houses as mandated by NCC.
“When indebtedness among operators rose to an alarming level some years back, NCC licensed interconnect clearing houses to ensure transparency in the billing process and mandated every operator to rout at least 10 percent of their traffic through the clearing platform, but, today none of the operators are anywhere close to 10 percent.
“Some are doing five percent while some are less than that, this means that more than 90 percent of traffic in the industry is exchanged directly among them which gave rise to high indebtedness as we witness today,” he said.
He explained that exchanging traffic directly among operators does not guarantee transparent billing as well gives rise to anti competition practices as we see it today.
Atte Ayodeji, a Nigerian computer scientist,has developed an artificial intelligence algorithm capable of detecting, counting, grouping and generating healthy hair follicles during hair transplant procedures, an innovation that earned him the Best Innovative Technology award.
Atte Ayodeji
Ayodeji also graduated with a Distinction in his Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science from Birmingham City University on Friday, adding another milestone to an impressive academic year.
Beyond his award-winning hair transplant innovation, the Nigerian researcher developed a system and framework on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) as a professional responsibility in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
His dissertation received a silver award at the PGXPO2026 Winter, further highlighting the impact of his research in applying artificial intelligence to healthcare.
Sunday Dare, special adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Tinubu, celebrated Ayodeji’s achievements in a post on X, recalling how he first met him in 2019 during his National Youth Service.
“In 2019 when I became a Minister of the Republic, I met a young man of medium height, genteel with penetrating eyes: Atte Ayodeji. His words rarely come out and he could easily be passed by unnoticed. But I noticed him especially when my SA Kemi Areola brought him to me asking my approval for him to do his Youth Service in my office. I approved. From then on he was unstoppable. His brilliance shown and he developed skills beyond his frame.”
Highlighting Ayodeji’s recent accomplishments, Dare congratulated him saying, “Congratulations Atte. I am proud of you!”
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power, has said that the federal government plans to end power sector subsidies from 2027 and that there are no immediate plans for tariff increases.
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power
The minister told journalists during the media interactive session at the weekend that the government has announced plans to phase out electricity subsidy payments from 2027 as part of efforts to address mounting liabilities in the power sector.
He explained that the planned removal forms part of the broader reforms aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the electricity sector, while tackling the financial challenges confronting the industry.
According to the minister, despite the planned subsidy withdrawal, there are no immediate plans to increase electricity tariffs, reassuring consumers that the government is not considering a tariff hike in the short term.
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She stated this on Thursday at the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she stressed that value addition and beneficiation are essential to Africa’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, she said the AfCFTA goes beyond the elimination of tariffs, serving as a framework for industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across the continent.
“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” she said.
Okala also said Africa’s economic transformation would depend on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA rather than on the signing of trade agreements alone.
“We have moved beyond negotiations. The success of AfCFTA will be measured by the extent to which businesses can access new markets, trade seamlessly across borders, and benefit from the opportunities created by the agreement,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria had intensified efforts to implement the agreement under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, including the development of simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses understand and take advantage of opportunities under the trade pact.
Okala called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and build a truly integrated African market.
“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.
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