Telecom
Traditional Rulers Hail Danbatta over Role in Security, National Development
Traditional rulers and concerned community leaders have commended the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta for his role in boosting security and supporting other initiatives aimed at developing Danbatta Local Government Area, Kano State and its environs, as well as his efforts toward national development.
The traditional rulers and the community leaders spoke at an event organised by Danbatta (Community) Charity Foundation (DCF) in conjunction with four other organisations including Zauren Tuntuba, a non-for-profit organisation; Danbatta Academic Forum (DAF); Danbatta Reporters and Duniya Ba Hutu, in Danbatta community, Kano at the weekend.
The event was the graduation ceremony of 10 female students from Muslim Community College of Health Sciences and Technology, Funtua and another 20 empowered females in vocational training focused on tailoring and fashion, all of whom were sponsored by Prof. Danbatta.
The event, which featured the provision of sewing machines and other fashion tools to the two sets of graduands, also saw Prof. Danbatta being conferred with a special recognition award for his immense contribution to the security of Danbatta community, among other community development initiatives.
Speaking for traditional rulers, the Sarkin Bai of Bichi Emirate and District Head of Danbatta, Alhaji Isiyaku Wada Waziri, stated that, “one of the most important things anybody can give to Nigerians presently is security because without security, no business will prosper and people will not live in peace,” adding that “That is why, among all the efforts that Prof Danbatta has made to support the community, his support in the areas of security is valued the highest.”
He emphasized that the local community has witnessed improvement in its security efforts following personal security support received from Prof. Danbatta.
“Danbatta has been at the forefront of supporting the community in the area of security by sponsoring vigilante groups and financing all aspects of security planning in the local government area and these efforts have continually yielded positive results.” Waziri said.
He further urged Prof. Danbatta not to relent in his philanthropic gesture of helping the community and acknowledged the critical role which the Danbatta-led NCC is playing in leveraging the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), through the Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs) which NCC is implementing across the country, in enhancing security of lives and property in the country.
In the same vein, one of the leaders of the community and Chairman of DCF, Alhaji Nasiru Danguda, spoke glowingly by reeling out various initiatives by Prof. Danbatta towards contributing to the overall development of the community.
Responding, the EVC thanked the Foundation, its partners as well as the community leaders for recognizing his modest contributions to the development of the Danbatta and neighbouring community, saying “this gesture can only encourage us to do more for our community.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted operating licences to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), effective January 1, 2026, raising the total number of authorised ISPs in the country to 231 from 225 recorded in December 2025.
NCC
The newly licensed firms are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited.
Five of these companies are headquartered in Lagos, while Granet Technologies Limited operates from Owerri in Imo State, highlighting the persistent concentration of broadband infrastructure in major commercial hubs like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
This development intensifies competition in Nigeria’s broadband market, which faces pressure from dominant mobile network operators such as MTN and Airtel, alongside rapid expansion by satellite providers like Starlink.
Traditional ISPs continue to grapple with shrinking customer bases, aggressive data pricing from telcos, and satellite disruptions, even as NCC data from Q2 2025 showed Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne controlling about 65 per cent of the 313,713 active ISP subscribers.
The inclusion of Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited marks a significant entry of global satellite broadband competition, building on Nigeria’s recent approvals for other low Earth orbit providers to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.
Industry analysts view the licences as a strategic push to improve internet quality amid rising demand for digital services, though geographic clustering underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges outside urban centres.
NCC’s move aligns with broader efforts to foster a competitive telecoms sector critical to Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy, has revealed that the federal government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme has trained over 135,000 citizens as it moves from pilot to national level.
Tijani announced this in an update on the program’s success, stating that the beneficiaries were trained in three batches.
He also stated that the initiative’s community-based learning tools had provided over 300,000 extra learners with access to digital skills training across the country.
According to the minister, the program has also enabled the creation of about 15,000 job, entrepreneurship, and career development in Nigeria’s developing digital economy.
He further revealed that more than 1.8 million Nigerians are currently in the 3MTT pipeline, as the government works toward its target of equipping three million citizens with in-demand digital skills aligned with local and global labour market needs.
As the programme enters its scale-up phase, Tijani said the government’s focus will shift toward deepening impact rather than just expanding numbers.
Key priorities, he explained, include strengthening the 3MTT alumni community, widening access to economic opportunities and ensuring that skills acquired through the programme translate into measurable outcomes such as jobs, business creation and innovation.
To support this phase, the federal government has introduced the #3MTTImpactChallenge, an initiative aimed at assessing the programme’s real-world impact
Through the challenge, fellows and partners are invited to share personal stories on how 3MTT has shaped their professional journeys as part of a National Impact Reflection exercise.
Participants are expected to share their experiences across social media platforms, with selected winners set to receive prizes including laptops, e-tablets, data bundles and other incentives.
MTN Foundation has kicked off the seventh phase of its ICT business skills training programme, targeting more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, mostly from Nigeria’s small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), in support of the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy and SME Development agenda.
MTN Foundation
The virtual training’s first week ran from Monday, January 5, to Friday, January 9, 2026. It equips small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with simple digital tools to shift from paper-based operations to efficient, productivity-boosting systems.
Business analyst Babajide Jolaolu-Kehinde, moderated by Temiloluwa Oyekanmi, programme and partnerships lead, introduced the SWOT framework—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats—to guide participants in assessing and improving their businesses.
Jolaolu-Kehinde stressed digital record-keeping, online payments, and customer data tracking for measurable growth, aligning with government efforts to formalise SMEs. “Hope is good, but action and systems make growth happen,” he said.
Trainers showcased real-world examples: traders using handwritten ledgers expanded reach via WhatsApp Business, online marketplaces, and spreadsheets; others grew by accepting mobile transfers over cash and digital orders to tap distant markets.
Manual operations limit sales visibility and customer insights, experts noted, while digital tools deliver real-time data, cut errors, and unlock broader markets.
Participants must adopt at least one digital tool post-onboarding, with organisers promising follow-up workshops and mentorship. The four-week programme aims to bolster SME growth and Nigeria’s economic goals.
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