Telecom
ATCON Urges FG to Reintroduce Indigenization Policy
Association of telecommunication companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has urged the federal government of Nigeria to reintroduce the indigenization policy in the form of local contents policy if we are to eradicate unemployment in the country.
Mr. Muyiwa Ogungboye, second vice president, Association of telecommunication companies of Nigeria ATCON, disclosed this at the Nigeria Information and Communications Technology Reporters’ Association’s (NITRA), quarterly forum with the theme, “Local content development in Nigeria’s ICT sector: stimulant for national economic recovery” held recently in Lagos.
He stated that government should urgently reintroduce the indigenization policy in the form of local contents policy; if we are to reduce or eradicate the continuous unemployment of Nigerian youth whether skilled and or unskilled.
He noted that the benefits of liberalizing the telecom and ICT sector would not accrue to teeming Nigerian population until the necessary action is taking by the Nigerian government at all levels.
Ogungboye, who is also the Managing Director/CEO eStream Networks, decried the lack of zeal by government to tenaciously pursue the indigenization policy embarked upon many years earlier.
He cited the case of Ghana who has one of the most protective policies for her citizen in terms of employment and investment.
According to him, “Ghana as a case study has one of the most protective policy for her citizen in terms of employment and investment and majority of the developed countries do not play lip service to the issue of employment of their citizens.
“As a matter of fact, they make sure that their nationality is considered for any employment opportunity before any other nationality is considered as goes for South Africa.
“Nigeria as a nation needs to quickly stop the idea of her citizenry not being given the first consideration even in their own land.
“And Nigeria should rework her investment and employment policies, he added”
As a way forward, he recommended that government should draw a plan to comprehensively develop the ICT sector, ensure speedy implementation of the plan, creation of evaluation, monitoring and enforcement unit and establishment of ICT Park across the federation.
He called on government at all levels to make ICT Sector a top priority in Nigeria, adding that the sector contributes about 8% to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Speaking at the the event, Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo, Secretary, Association for Information Communication Technology Local Content, called on stakeholders in ICT industry to support the ICS 2018 exhibition for local content, adding that convergence is created for stakeholder’s and professionals, initiators, innovators and creators of products and services with local content input and execution.
He revealed that the platform would be an annual project that would base solely to advocate, promote, and protect the use and adoption of Made-in-Nigeria products with relevance to the existing Acts and Orders.
The exhibition according to him is organised to bring together government Agencies and stakeholders in the ICT industry to consider and deliberate on the Themes and Subthemes to fashion out ways we can work together for effective implementation of all Federal Government Executive Orders and Acts on the promotion and protection of Information and Communication Technology related to Local Content.
He noted that the exhibition will serve as a platform to publicize and promote products and services provided by indigenous ICT practitioners in Nigeria.
Akinbo added that the convergence will provide a platform for SMEs and entrepreneurs to meet, share ideas, rub mind and network with major stakeholders and consider ways of partnering with the objectives of promoting Local Content in line with global standard as sustained in the country.
Nigeria has exactly 156,662 active fixed wired internet subscriptions as of mid-2026.
This is a tiny fraction compared to mobile GSM networks, which dominate the market with over 154 million subscribers.
The fixed wired market primarily consists of homes and offices using direct physical cables like fiber optics.
Fixed wired services use physical cables, like glass fiber or copper wire, to bring internet directly into a building.
It is like a dedicated, private water pipe for your home. It provides very fast speeds, unlimited data, and is reliable.
In contrast, mobile GSM uses radio waves transmitted from tall towers to phones, acting more like a sprinkler that sprays a signal across an entire neighborhood.
Because laying physical cables across cities is expensive and hard to do, these subscriptions are very rare.
However, the market has seen recent growth, driven largely by Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services.
The top players are: MTN FibreX with 110,564 subscribers, which is roughly 88.7 per cent of the entire market.
SWIFTNG accounts for about 13,945 connections.
The others are ipNX and 21st Century Technologies which make up the number.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is intensifying efforts to implement Nigeria’s planned 112 national emergency number following its approval by the National Economic Council (NEC).
NCC
The commission disclosed this during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and an NCC delegation led by the Chairman of its Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing the Vice President, Olorunnimbe said the NCC had already established about 35 Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across the country to support a unified national emergency response system.
He said the next phase of implementation would focus on closer collaboration with state governments and emergency response agencies to ensure the effective rollout of the initiative.
The development follows the recent approval by the NEC, chaired by the Vice President, for the adoption of 112 as Nigeria’s single national emergency number across all tiers of government and emergency response agencies.
The council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee to be jointly coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and the NCC.
Olorunnimbe stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on the commitment of state governments to support and maintain emergency communications infrastructure, as well as the readiness of response agencies to promptly attend to distress calls.
“We need commitment at every level of all response agencies—from top to bottom—including the Nigeria Police Force, ambulance services across the states and, at the national level, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” he said.
Responding, Shettima directed the NCC to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the nationwide implementation of the single emergency number in line with international best practices.
He also urged the commission to work closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), citing the agency’s experience in disaster management, relief and rehabilitation.
The Vice President assured the commission of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining the initiative, saying funding would be mobilised through the National Economic Council and partnerships with the private sector.
He also called for greater dedication from all emergency response agencies to ensure the success of the programme.
The adoption of 112 is expected to harmonise emergency communications across Nigeria by providing a single number through which citizens can quickly access police, fire, ambulance and other emergency services.
The initiative is also expected to replace multiple emergency contact numbers currently in use and improve coordination and response during emergencies.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it was strengthening collaboration with state governments and industry players to develop a transparent, cost-based pricing framework for sharing telecom ducts as part of efforts to speed up broadband expansion across Nigeria.
Ayuba Shuaibu, director of Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, disclosed this at the Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja.
Shuaibu said the initiative was designed to build consensus among all parties.
“The primary purpose of this forum is to ensure seamless synergy between the Commission and all stakeholders,” he said.
The director said the consultation was prompted by longstanding complaints over permits, levies and other charges imposed by different levels of government.
He said bringing together state commissioners, telecom operators, tower companies and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had helped improve understanding of the issues.
“This engagement is a work in progress. We expect more input from stakeholders before presenting the outcome to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum,” he added.
Dr Helen Adeneye, commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Kogi State. welcomed the consultation, saying Nigeria needs a harmonised policy that clearly defines the responsibilities of both the federal and state governments.
“We need a harmonised policy that allows states to collaborate better with telecom operators and creates a more business-friendly environment,” she said.
Dr Adeneye added that adopting the Dig-Once policy would establish a uniform pricing system and help resolve disputes over charges for telecom infrastructure deployment.
Chidi Ajuzie, chief executive officer, WTES Projects Limited, whose firm is conducting the consultancy study, said the proposed framework would introduce a common cost structure for duct sharing to support broadband investment and economic growth.
“The study is designed to create a uniform pricing model that will drive broadband growth, economic development and wider adoption across the country,” he said.
Ajuzie explained that the consultants had developed preliminary floor and ceiling prices to guide operators while allowing flexibility within the approved range.
He added that the recommendations remain open to industry input before the NCC finalises the framework.
The Dig-Once Policy is designed to reduce the cost and disruption of deploying broadband infrastructure by requiring fibre ducts to be installed whenever roads are constructed or rehabilitated.
The NCC is developing a cost-based pricing framework for sharing these ducts to promote fair pricing, reduce duplication of infrastructure and encourage investment.
The proposed model is expected to support the Federal Government’s broadband expansion targets while improving collaboration between telecom operators and state governments.
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