Telecom
Barred Phone Lines: Lagos Lawyer Demands N10Bn Damages from Telcos, NCC
Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, Lagos-based activist and lawyer, has dragged telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria as well as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to a Lagos Federal High Court, challenging the recent barring of phone lines of citizens.
Ogungbeje joined Dr. Aminu Maida, chief executive officer of NCC, and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Airtel Networks Nigeria Ltd. and Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd. (EMTS 9 Mobile).
The lawyer, aside from seeking the order for award of N10 billion as general damages is also seeking the following reliefs: “A declaration that the act and action of further barring, restricting and deactivating of the applicant’s phone lines/SIM cards and the phone lines/SIM cards of Nigerian citizens by the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th respondents, upon the directive of the 1st and 2nd respondents from 28th of February 2024 till date, despite a valid and subsisting order of court granted against the respondents is wrongful, illegal, unlawful, undemocratic, unconstitutional and thus prejudicial against applicant’s and other affected Nigerian citizens fundamental rights to fair hearing as enshrined under Section 36 of the 1399 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“A declaration that the respondents being creations and creatures of law are subject to the court of law and the judicial powers of the courts of law and under a legal duty and constitutional obligation to obey valid and subsisting order of court as enshrined under Section 6 (6) (b) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“An order setting aside the entire directive and all its consequential effects in connection with the subject matter of this suit issued by the 1st and 2nd respondents to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents having been made in gross violation of a valid and subsisting order of court.
“An order compelling the respondents to jointly and severally to immediately activate, debar, unlock, unblock and unrestrict the applicant’s phone lines/SIM cards and the phone lines/SIM cards of the affected Nigerian citizens forthwith.
“An order compelling the respondents to jointly and severally tender a public apology to the applicant and other affected Nigerian citizens and to pay the sum of N10 billion only as general and exemplary damages for the prejudicial, wrongful and unconstitutional action of the respondents and the inconvenience, damages and injury caused the applicant and other affected Nigerian citizens in flagrant violation of a valid and subsisting order of court.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their agents, officers, officials, members, servants, ministries, organs, agencies or privies or anybody deriving authority from them by whatever name called from barring, restricting and of deactivating the applicant’s and other affected Nigerian citizens, phones lines/ SIM cards or taking any step, action, further step or action or untoward action or proceedings against the applicant and other affected Nigerian citizens on any fact connected with or related to the facts of this case.”
The motion which is supported with 33 paragraphs affidavit, according to the lawyer, is pursuant to Sections 36 and 46 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria; Order II Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction imbued by Section 6 (6)(B) of constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
He also listed the following grounds upon which the reliefs were sought: “That there has been grave constitutional infraction perpetrated by the respondents against the applicant and other law abiding Nigerian citizens.
“That on the 22nd of February 2024, the court of law granted an order restraining the respondents from barring, deactivating and or restricting any phone lines/SIM cards of the applicant and Nigerian citizens.
“That the respondents have took the law into their hands by barring, deactivating and restricting the phone lines/SIM cards property of the applicant and other Nigerian citizens upon directive by the 1st and 2nd respondents despite a valid and subsisting order of court granted against the respondents on the 28th of February 2024.
“That the applicant has a constitutional right to fair nearing and right to own property guaranteed by the constitution.
“That the actions of the respondents have overreached the order of court and thus prejudicial against the applicant’s right to fair hearing.
Hence, it is not in accordance with due process of law. “That the act and action of the respondents is clearly wrongful, illegal, unconstitutional and prejudicial against the applicant’s right to fair hearing.
“That the respondents are creations and creatures of law and thus must act within the limit of the law.
“The respondents have no right to take the law into their own hands and that the constitutional safeguards to persons alleged to have committed any offence are sacrosanct and must be jealously guarded by the court.
“That the applicant has his fundamental rights protected and guaranteed under the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“That the applicant has the right under Section 46 of the 1999 constitution to approach the court for redress for the breach of his rights. And that the applicant is entitled to the reliefs sought in this case.”
The lawyer in his affidavit stated that his fundamental right to fair hearing and the rights of millions of Nigerian citizens guaranteed under Sections 36 of the constitution have been and is being violated by the respondents.
“That based on the above, he has filed this suit for himself and in public interest pursuant to the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement procedure) Rules 2009.
“That he is the telephone subscriber of the respondents with phone numbers/lines (09139128873) and (08027208563), 08055382155, 08090220200, respectively. And that sometimes in January 2024, the respondents threatened in barring, deactivating and restricting the phone lines of Nigerian citizens whose phones lines are not linked with the National Identity Number (NIN).
“That he immediately challenged the action of the respondents culminating to the valid and subsisting court order granted on the 22nd of February 2024, restraining the respondents from barring, deactivating and restricting my phone lines and the phone lines of Nigerian citizens.
“That surprisingly, while daring the court, the first and second respondents threatened to go ahead with the act and action of barring, deactivating and restricting of phones despite a valid and subsisting court order restraining the respondents.
And that to his utmost shock, on the 28th of February 2024, he woke up only to discover that his phone lines have been barred, deactivated and restricted by the second to sixth respondents, based on the mere directive of the first and second respondents despite a subsisting order of court.
“That act and action of the second to sixth respondents in barring, deactivating and restricting his phone lines and that of Nigerian citizens upon a mere directive by the first respondent without any order of court and despite a valid and subsisting court order have caused me great loss of business opportunities, embarrassment, untold hardship, discomfort and inconvenience and hampered my business as a legal practitioner and businessman.
“That he immediately contacted his solicitors, who wrote letters to the respondents demanding a prompt reversal of their illegal act and action having been carried out without recourse to due process of law.
But the respondents have failed and refused to reply or respond to his solicitors letters till date.
“That the act and action of the respondents of restricting, barring, deactivating the phone lines of millions of Nigerian citizens is a clear brazen act of undermining the court of law and its judicial powers and thus prejudicial against their rights to fair hearing.
And that the act and action of barring, blocking deactivating and restricting my phone lines by the respondents despite a valid and subsisting court order is clearly wrongful and prejudicial against my rights and the rights of Nigerian citizens to fair hearing and right to own property.” However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Samsung Electronics has laid off hundreds of employees in its United States consumer electronics business as part of a headquarters relocation from New Jersey to Texas, amid mounting pressure on its mobile and home appliance divisions.
The South Korean technology giant said Samsung Electronics America (SEA) would relocate its headquarters to Texas, a move affecting 739 positions in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
The company said most affected employees had been offered relocation packages, while others were laid off.
In Plano, Texas, about 100 employees, including workers in Samsung’s mobile division, were also dismissed, according to a source familiar with the development.
Samsung said the relocation could lead to workforce changes involving employees unable to relocate and the restructuring of certain functions to align with business priorities.
Documents cited by Reuters indicated that affected employees were informed on June 30 of an enterprise-wide workforce reduction that would have a significant impact on staff.
Several employees also disclosed their departures through posts on LinkedIn, including senior sales and marketing executives based in Texas and New Jersey.
The layoffs come despite Samsung’s semiconductor division recording strong growth driven by rising global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips.
The company recently projected a 19-fold increase in second-quarter profit, supported by booming AI-related chip sales, and announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in expanding chip manufacturing.
However, Samsung’s consumer electronics business continues to struggle with higher semiconductor costs and increasing competition.
Its mobile division is expected to record its first-ever operating loss as it faces stiff competition from Apple, while Chinese brands, including TCL and Hisense, continue to gain market share in the television and home appliance segments.
Industry observers say the contrasting performance highlights Samsung’s growing reliance on its semiconductor business as consumer electronics revenues weaken.
Samsung denied reports of a broader global restructuring, insisting there was no company-wide overhaul of its consumer products division.
According to the company, relocating its U.S. headquarters is intended to improve collaboration and strengthen operations within Texas’ expanding technology and AI ecosystem.
Texas has increasingly attracted major technology companies due to its lower taxes and business-friendly environment, with firms such as Tesla and Oracle also relocating significant operations to the state.
Samsung already operates semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Texas, alongside its mobile operations hub in Plano.
As of the end of 2025, Samsung Electronics employed about 11,770 workers across the United States, including staff in its semiconductor business.
Meanwhile, Samsung SDS America, the company’s IT services affiliate, has also notified authorities that 179 positions could be affected by the relocation of its North American headquarters, although Samsung said the move was unrelated to layoffs or corporate restructuring.
Telecom
NCC Urges African Unity Ahead of ITU 2026 Conference, Calls for Stronger Telecom Collaboration
Nigerian Communications Commission has urged African countries to adopt a unified and technically coordinated position ahead of the 2026 International Telecommunication Union Conference, saying stronger regional collaboration is essential for the continent to influence global telecommunications and digital economy policies.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the African Telecommunications Union Conference Preparatory Committee meeting.
Maida said Africa must strengthen cooperation to shape global telecommunications and digital economy policies, noting that the two-day meeting was expected to produce greater continental alignment ahead of ITU 2026, establish practical collaboration mechanisms between conferences and sustain Africa’s technical participation in ITU processes.
“Preparation is not a procedural step; it is the place where coherence is built,” he said. “Africa must prepare together, work together and arrive at global forums with solutions that are both coherent and technically compliant.”
He said the committee would review the ATU’s activities between 2023 and 2026 and prepare agenda items, resolutions, decisions and recommendations for the 18th Conference of the Union.
According to him, while the forthcoming ATU conference will determine the direction of the continental body, the ITU conference will shape global telecommunications leadership and priorities.
Maida stressed that Africa’s influence at international forums would depend less on the size of its delegations than on the quality of its preparation, the coherence of its positions and consistency in advancing them.
He identified spectrum management, artificial intelligence governance, data protection, universal access, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure development as priority areas requiring stronger collaboration among African countries.
“No administration can address these challenges effectively in isolation. Our regulatory cooperation must therefore become more continuous, more technical and more institutionalised,” he said.
The NCC boss also called for greater support for African experts to participate actively in technical discussions where international standards and frameworks are developed.
“Our objective in Africa is not to resist global standards. It is to help shape standards that are globally sound and sufficiently informed by African realities,” he added.
He commended the leadership of the African Telecommunications Union for strengthening the coordination of Africa’s positions at the ITU and other international platforms.
Maida reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the ITU process through technical expertise, regulatory experience sharing and peer learning among African administrations.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nadungu Gagare, described the meeting as critical to advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
He said the committee’s recommendations would provide the foundation for decisions at the forthcoming ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries and expressed confidence that the deliberations would strengthen the union’s capacity to promote inclusive and sustainable digital development across the continent.
“As we navigate an era of rapid technological advancement and digital innovation, the importance of collaboration among member states has never been greater,” Gagare said.
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the ATU, John Omo, said the Conference Preparatory Committee plays a vital role in processing documents and proposals ahead of the main conference to enable member states to adopt common positions.
Omo disclosed that the union’s membership had increased from 49 to 52 countries, while associate membership had risen from 50 to 56, with 18 African academic institutions now participating in its activities.
He said the ATU had recorded progress in broadband development, satellite communications, spectrum coordination, internet governance, rural broadband, standardisation and digital infrastructure resilience.
However, he expressed concern over irregular financial contributions by some member states, warning that predictable funding remained essential for implementing the union’s programmes effectively.
Omo added that the forthcoming conference would elect members of the Administrative Council and a Secretary-General for the 2027–2031 tenure.
He commended the Federal Government, the NCC and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for hosting the preparatory meeting, which brought together representatives of African countries, academia, sector members and development partners to discuss the continent’s telecommunications and digital future.
News
NITDA Communications Director Hadiza Umar Named in 2026 PR Power List, Graces Glazia Magazine Cover
Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Director of the Corporate Communications and Media Relations Department at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has been officially recognised as one of Nigeria’s top public relations professionals in the prestigious 2026 PR Power List.
The definitive annual list, compiled by GLG Communications in partnership with The Guardian, was unveiled to commemorate World PR Day.
It celebrates 50 outstanding professionals within Nigeria and the diaspora whose strategic communication strategies have significantly shaped organisations, influenced public discourse, and advanced the profession over the past 12 months.
Adding to the momentous milestone, Mrs. Umar was hit with a major surprise at the exclusive PR Power List Soirée and Awards ceremony held at the Alliance Française in Ikoyi, Lagos, where she was unveiled as a front-cover personality for the Glazia Magazine PR Power List Special Issue.
The double recognition highlights her exceptional distinction and impact in public sector communications and narrative management.
Speaking on the dual achievement, Mrs. Umar expressed profound gratitude for the honours, describing the magazine cover appearance as a breathtaking surprise.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be recognized on the 2026 PR Power List and to feature on the cover of Glazia Magazine alongside other exceptional industry titans,” Umar said.
“This milestone is a testament to the enabling environment and visionary leadership of the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, which has allowed us to strategically drive the narrative of Nigeria’s digital economy and technological innovation.”
Mrs. Umar, a highly respected corporate communications strategist, holds professional fellowships in the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (Chartered), the African Public Relations Association (APRA), and the Institute of Corporate Administration (CICA).
Under her supervisory role, NITDA’s media relations have consistently projected national information technology frameworks, start-up support frameworks, and digital literacy initiatives, to position Nigeria competitively on the global stage.
The 2026 PR Power List selection process involved a rigorous, independent evaluation led by a distinguished international jury.
The organisers noted that the class of 2026 represents professionals raising the standard of strategic communications and introducing new ideas to the industry.
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