Telecom
Akande Tasks Telecom Operators on Licensing Obligations
Prof. Adeolu Akande, Chairman, Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has urged telecoms licensees across different segments of the Nigerian telecommunications sector on the need to adhere strictly to their licensing obligations in order to ensure robust provision of services to the consumers.
Prof. Adeolu Akande, Chairman NCC Board, contributing to the forum
Akande made the call in his remark at the third edition of NCC’s 2021 “Talk to The Regulator” (TTTR) Forum, which took place at Visa Karena Hotels, Port Harcourt, over the weekend.
At the forum held with a focus on “Improving Stakeholder Satisfaction”, Akande stated that the essence of conducting the stakeholder engagement forum across the country’s geo-political zones was to demonstrate to the Commission’s licensees that responsibility does not end in issuing of licenses alone but rather in working with the licensing authority to address issues affecting their operations.
Beyond the issuance of licences to operators, Akande declared that the Commission is legitimately concerned with providing the necessary regulatory frameworks and initiatives capable of ushering in an environment that encourages seamless implementation of the licence conditions.
“In return, we expect the licensees to deliver on their licensing conditions and I want to use this opportunity to challenge our licensees to always comply with their licensing obligations and conditions in order to provide the much-needed services to the generality of Nigerians,” he said.
Speaking earlier on the centrality of the stakeholder engagement to the regulatory activities of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), said the Commission considers feedback from stakeholder’s engagement initiatives imperative for building a robust licensing regime in the Nigerian telecom sector.
The EVC, who was represented at the forum by Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to stakeholder engagement as a means of deepening collaboration with NCC’s licensees, identifying areas of concern, and jointly developing and implementing practical solutions.
The NCC boss noted that the focus of deliberations for the series of stakeholder engagement had been on licensing processes, policies, and procedures, all geared towards improving Stakeholder Satisfaction, a central factor to all NCC’s regulatory activities.
He emphasised the need to curate insights from each geo-political zone to encourage mutually-beneficial relationships and enhance understanding between the Commission and its key stakeholders.
According to Danbatta, measurable success has been recorded essentially because of Commission’s focus on prioritising stakeholders.
“Achievements such as contributions to Gross Domestic product (GDP) grew to 14.42 per cent in Q2’2021; active internet subscriptions have reached over 140 million; teledensity which now stands at 99.98 per cent; and 40.01% per cent broadband penetration, all as at the end of September, 2021,” he said.
Speaking further, Danbatta said to achieve national policy targets and maintain progressive growth in the telecoms industry, “efforts must be jointly made to harness the full cooperation of licensees to highlight areas hampering the progress of the Commission’s stakeholders.
“We have started making necessary adjustments to reflect the views of our licensees in Kano and Lagos. Port Harcourt will not be an exception,” Danbatta assured.
He reiterated that the meeting is organised in keeping with the Commission’s strategic objectives, which seek to guarantee continuous interface with the critical stakeholder in the industry, for collaboration in seeking solutions to challenges of licensing in Nigeria.
Further underscoring the significance of stakeholder engagement and sensitisation in the Commission, Danbatta said the forum affords stakeholders a platform to raise questions about the challenges of licensing and their operations.
He said such forum also avails the Commission ample opportunity to adequately respond to the concerns that may be raised.
At the Focus Group Discussions (FGD), participants reviewed and discussed licensing trends, regulatory process, implementation of Annual Operating Levy (AOL) regulations, assigning of short codes, type-approval obligations, and Commission’s expectations.
Commission’s propositions for the survival of smaller licensees were also discussed in a session termed “Listen to the licensee,” as they were not only given ample time to air their grievances but also made to proffer solutions for Management’s consideration.
Also, mutually-beneficial positions on multiple taxations, surrendered licences, Right-of-way (RoW) for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) boosters, amongst others, were part of the issues discussed.
The Port Harcourt edition of the TTTR was sequel to previous editions of the stakeholder engagement forum which took place in Kano on October 16, 2021 and Lagos on November 25, 2021.
The event had in attendance members of NCC Board: Prof. Millionaire Abowei; Clement Baiye; Chief Uche Onwude; as well as Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Bako Wakil; and his counterpart in Licensing and Authorisation, Muhammed Babajika, whose department facilitated the organisation of the forum.
Olugbenga Agboola, Flutterwave CEO has joined a $22 million funding extension for Nigerian defensetech start-up Terra Industries as Africa’s fast-growing drone and security technology sector begins to attract capital far beyond traditional venture circles.
The round was led by Lux Capital, with participation from Agboola through Resilience17 Capital and returning investors including 8VC and Nova Global.
It follows an $11.75 million raise just weeks earlier, bringing Terra’s total funding to $34 million as the company accelerates expansion into high-risk security markets.
Terra, founded in 2024 by 24-year-old chief engineer Maxwell Maduka and CEO Nathan Nwachuku, builds autonomous drones and surveillance systems designed to protect critical infrastructure such as energy facilities, logistics corridors and industrial sites. The startup says it is already safeguarding assets worth billions of dollars while securing early federal and commercial contracts.
Agboola’s involvement highlights a broader shift in African tech investment patterns. While fintech has long dominated venture flows, escalating infrastructure sabotage and terrorism threats have elevated demand for locally developed security hardware.
“Nigeria’s drone ecosystem is rapidly evolving from hobbyist and mapping use cases toward industrial monitoring, border surveillance and energy protection, areas increasingly seen as foundational to economic stability.
“This is about backing infrastructure security at scale. Africa’s growth depends on resilient systems that protect critical assets,” said Agboola.
Terra CEO Nwachuku is adamant that locally engineered systems are better suited to African operating conditions. “We are building tools designed for the realities on the ground. Security technology should not always be imported when local innovation can respond faster and more effectively,” he stated.
Lux Capital partner Brandon Reeves underlined that the investor appetite, which has drawn fintech heavyweight interest such as Agboola, reflects rising cross-sector confidence in African defense technology as a commercial category. “Security is a prerequisite for economic growth,” he said.
“As Terra ramps production and expands regionally, its funding milestone illustrates a wider transformation. Drone and autonomous security platforms are no longer peripheral experiments but emerging pillars in Africa’s technology landscape, where fintech leaders and venture capital converge around safeguarding the infrastructure powering the continent’s next growth phase,” said Reeves
Temu, the global e-commerce platform expanding in Nigeria, has officially addressed an inquiry from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over alleged data privacy violations, confirming its commitment to compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023.
Temu
The company’s response follows NDPC’s investigation into Temu’s data processing practices.
In a statement to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Temu stressed its dedication to local and international data protection standards, noting ongoing communication with the regulator. “At Temu, protecting user privacy and data security is a top priority. We are committed to complying with applicable laws and regulations in our data practices,” the statement read.
Temu further affirmed: “We can confirm that Temu has received the inquiry and is engaging with the Commission. We will continue to engage in open and constructive dialogue with the NDPC to address any questions or concerns.”
Under Dr. Vincent Olatunji’s leadership, NDPC has ramped up scrutiny of foreign digital platforms to safeguard Nigerian citizens’ personal data—from contact details to financial information—ensuring transparent and secure handling. For e-commerce giants like Temu, managing vast consumer data volumes demands strict regulatory alignment to sustain operations and trust in Africa’s biggest economy.
Industry observers view Temu’s proactive stance as a savvy bid to ease tensions, mirroring Nigeria’s firm handling of platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and fintechs. This engagement underscores NDPC’s rising clout, compelling investors and foreign entrants to prioritise data compliance costs.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek sees Temu’s approach as a model for global retailers eyeing Nigeria’s booming digital retail sector through 2026.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has deployed WorkflowPro as its official platform for the digital submission and management of correspondence.
NIMC
Kayode Adegoke Phd, Head, Cooperate Communications of NIMC said this in a press statement on Tuesday, 17th February, 2026, pointing out that this was “In furtherance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s commitment to institutionalizing a paperless public service.”
According to the statement, “The adoption of WorkflowPro marks NIMC’s formal transition to a paperless operating environment and reflects the Commission’s resolve to strengthen governance, improve administrative efficiency, and standardize records management in line with approved public sector reforms. The platform provides a secure, structured, and traceable system for managing both internal and external communications, thereby enhancing accountability and operational transparency.
“Under the new framework, all external correspondence to NIMC will be processed electronically through WorkflowPro. The system enables end-to-end tracking of submissions, accelerates internal routing and response timelines, and ensures secure electronic archiving of official records. This approach eliminates the risks associated with manual handling of documents while reinforcing compliance with established information management standards.”
Adegoke added that “The implementation of WorkflowPro is consistent with the Federal Government’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) policy, which mandates the digitization of official records and the elimination of physical file movements across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) .
“Accordingly, all external correspondence addressed to the National Identity Management Commission must be submitted via the NIMC WorkflowPro platform, accessible through the official portal link or by scanning the designated QR code:
Portal Link:https://workflowpro-nimc.com/Submit . Correspondence
To support effective implementation, NIMC has approved a 30-day transition period from the date of this announcement, during which stakeholders are expected to acquaint themselves with the new process. Upon the expiration of this period, the Commission will discontinue the acceptance of manually submitted letters and paper-based correspondence.
“WorkflowPro was developed by NIMC’s in-house technical team under the directive of the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote. The platform forms part of a broader institutional reform agenda aimed at strengthening the security of official communications, reducing administrative delays, and entrenching digital governance within the public service.
“The National Identity Management Commission enjoins all stakeholders to take note of this policy directive and ensure full compliance.”
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