General News
Civil Service Ineptitude Kills Innovation – Nwosu
Tony Nwosu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Global Access Technologies (GAT) Limited, is a multi-skilled and charismatic personality. He holds B.Sc., in Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN) M.Sc., Electrical Engineering, University of Lagos, (UNILAG) M.Sc., Business Administration, Lagos Business School, (Pan African University, Lekki). He had worked in NTA before proceeding to TelNet Nigeria, where he resigned as the General Manager after 11 years. His interest in making Nigeria an ICT haven led to his joining Enterprise Systems as General Manager; and finally setting up Global Access Technologies (GAT) as a leading ICT solution provider.He spoke to Peter Ugwu. Excerpt.
What’s Global Access Technologies (GAT)?
Global Access Technologies is an indigenous company incorporated in 2003 with the objectives of proving leading edge ICT solutions both within and outside the Nigerian environment.
We provide both enterprise networking solutions and operator carrier-class solutions, and actively involve in building telecoms and ICT infrastructure for both GSM and CDMA operators.
We provide ICT solutions for banks and other organisations. We have been pursuing our mission to provide world class ICT solutions that deliver maximum value to the customer in terms of quality, cost and robust designs.
We aim to be a leading ICT solution provider in Nigeria and in Africa, continually using the best of technologies and human resources to launch Nigeria and Africa into global ICT relevance.
In GAT, we consider ourselves stakeholders in the customer’s business and a critical component in the value chain of the customer.
We therefore strive to excite the customer by meeting all commitments in a very professional and cost-effective manner.
We have added value to the sector in so many ways. Firstly, as a service organization, since 2003 we have been contributing in building of telecomm infrastructure in Nigeria.
There is hardly any operator in Nigeria you will mention that we have not been a part in building their network infrastructure; including alternate power supply for the Telecom operators
Assessment of ICT Draft Policy
I think it was a good development for the Minister to have first of all set up the committee and had organized such a forum for stakeholders to share their views on the document.
In terms of the work of the committee, I think a lot in certain areas need closer attention as evidenced in the reactions by majority of participants at the forum.
The draft policy is a kind of innovative document with an attempt to converge the industry.
Meanwhile, a critically examination of the document shows that the committee went through existing reports, Laws and Acts of Parliament like the Nigeria Communications Act 2003, the Broadcasting Policy, Postal Act, among others, to arrive at the present document. Actually, they need to harmonize the policies to come up with better legislation to solidify the Convergence Regulator.
A lot of people are still divided on the Convergence Regulator; that is bringing all the industrial players under one regulator. This is an area that perhaps demands more attention.
NCC and NBC under a Converge Regulator
To a large extent Nigeria will benefit from convergence in the ICT sector. There was a budged attempt do converge NCC and NBC under President Olusegun Obasanjo, even up to the period late President Umaru Yar’Adua, assumed office.
I believe the then government must have taken into cognizance the issue of converging the Ministries of Information and Communications Technology.
However, a school of thought believes they should stay separated, yet another group thinks it was better to merge.
I would want a situation we seat down and streamline their functions and remove the areas of overlap.
As far as I am concerned, broadcasting, which Nigerian Broadcasting Commission represents, is different form Information Technology, the paramount base of NCC. Broadcasting has to do more with mass communication, information content and dissemination.
Talking about Information Technology (IT), it concerns NCC more. In fact, if we take lexicon of IT, we should be focusing on IT structures, regulations, quality of service and performance.
NCC’s Fate
The bone of contention is: should NCC bow to the authorities of the Converged Regulator, how will it perform optimally?
By the time we have this supposed Regulator taking care of a vast ICT sector, the efficiency might not be attained.
So, I subscribe to the school of thought that believes NCC should remain unchanged.
That is, let the policy empower NCC more by widening its scope of monitoring and regulation instead of muzzling everything together.
For instance, if NCC when standing as a full fledge commission has been battling with telecomm operators to guarantee subscribers receive quality of service, how would they achieve such feat when it becomes just a department under the converged regulator?
The bureaucracy will not allow efficiency and even accountability will decline. Because I foresee a situation the executive vice chairman (EVC) will lack the autonomy to give order, sanction or oppose fines or even withdraw licenses of defaulting telecom operators.
Even the workload will be quite enormous, because they will be expected to perform oversight functions to monitor courier companies, broadcasting stations, trying to mediate between them and customers; of course they will lose focus and would not be able to serve the public effectively.
Local Content in ICT sector
I think the draft as it was presented has identified the imports of local content or local participation, capacity enhancement and other aspects of human engagement.
Any policy that does not encourage local participation is not desirable.
And such provision in the ICT is expected to engender manufacturing and ICT penetration.
I align with those who have expressed concern that ICT industry is yet to embrace the national development policy like it is in the oil and gas sector.
Masts Review
The issue is not something that should be politicized or handled with levity. For instance, during the storm that ravaged parts of Lagos earlier in the year, generated a lot of interests.
However, it will not do the country any good to continue pointing accusing finger at persons or corporations, rather there should be standards for building masts.
Telecom operators have different equipment, just as there are differences between towers and masts.
Towers are the structures that carry most of the equipment, while masts are the smaller ones that dot everywhere carrying antenna.
At the level of masts, most banks have the infrastructure in their vicinities.
At that point, I don’t think there is any regulation.
They just approach companies to construct for them.
I can say it is very rare to see an operator’s tower collapse.
There are standards for building towers, whereas the entry point to constructing masts is very low, if not porous.
That is one of the reasons NCC should be allowed to look more into IT affairs as they affect the country.
Broadband
Broadband is part of global ICT strategy. It is not surprising looking at where we are with regards to broadband penetration, the emphasis was more on telephoning.
NITEL then monopolized the market with less than 400,000 lines at the time of deregulation in 2001.
But the reform in telecom sector has freed the market to not only accommodate multiple operators, but in just one decade we have achieve over 100 million active customers.
Having achieved such magnificent feat, operators have been providing the subscribers with internet services, though not at broadband speed.
Access to internet is growing; unfortunately, very few of them are hooked to the broadband space, and that is the challenge.
Meanwhile, there are some programmes on-going and others in the offing. I am aware that NCC has a programme called State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI), geared towards the penetration of broadband in rural areas.
There is also USAID fund managed by NCC as well with an aim to assist the rural or under-serviced areas and provide service for them.
And NCC is working on a national broadband policy that will have a holistic assessment of broadband penetration.
Community Broadcasting
If the broadband initiative receives a boost, it will ensure that communities are covered with adequate high speed internet backbone.
It will not only promote community broadcasting, but also serve as a wealth-enabler. People will have access to it at short distance.
Even hospitals in the rural areas will get connected to teaching hospitals and carry out emergence operations.
NITEL/M-TEL Failure
The problem with NITEL and M-Tel is synonymous with other aspects of the public sector: slow-paced development.
Neither NEPA nor PHCN has fared well. In the oil and gas sector, the NNPC is beset by corruption.
For NITEL, the government has tried every possible means to get it on the right path, but to no avail.
They have gone through the route of commercialization and several rounds of privatization, the whole thing failed. I don’t think there was neither transparency nor accountability in the whole process.
Now, NITEL and M-Tel are going through liquidation, all points to the fact that government has no reason being in business.
Anything government delves into, particularly in this regards, will never achieve the target. Ghana equivalent of our PHCN is doing well.
Insecurity
This has become multi-faceted in Nigeria.
ICT has a big role to play in curbing civil insurgencies. It remains the reserved duty of the security agencies to track criminals.
If ICT has not contributed much, it cannot be for lack of ideas; instead government should be bold enough, approach the industry to galvanize certain gadgets to tackle the problem.
The issue of kidnapping has reduced drastically following the GSM tracking apparatus; the gesture can be replicate in other areas of security application.
Breathe Life Foundation partnered with Teach Nigeria Fellow, Ms Bunmi Rotimi, to deliver a respiratory health awareness session for over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos.
The session equipped students aged 15–19 years with practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha, while challenging the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education. By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the Foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
Breathe Life Foundation is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
Nigeria’s technology retail landscape reached another significant milestone on Monday, August 3, 2026, as global technology giant ASUS, in partnership with Konga, officially commissioned its first flagship experience store in West Africa.
Strategically located at 16 Otigba Street, Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos; the heartbeat of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, the state-of-the-art facility represents a major investment in customer experience, product accessibility, and digital innovation.
The launch also reinforces Konga’s growing reputation as a preferred gateway for leading global technology brands into the Nigerian market.
The landmark event attracted Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, who officially commissioned the store.
Also in attendance were the Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh; Chief Operating Officer of Konga, Dave Omoregie; VP Omni-channel & Commercial Planning, Melvin Onochie; and Head of Marketing and Communications at Konga Group, Victor Oluwaleye.
The ASUS team was led by E.EMEA General Manager, Aaron Tsai, alongside Business Development Manager, Sunnie Chen; Sales Manager, Mohammed Kazim; Gaming Product Manager, Joy Chen; Marketing Manager, Adeola Odeleye; and Sales Specialist, Williams Okenna.
The Honourable Minister described the facility as a defining achievement for Nigeria’s digital economy, noting that it is far more than the opening of a retail outlet.
He called it a strong vote of confidence by a global technology brand in Nigeria’s innovation, science, and technology ecosystem and the immense potential of its market.
He noted that his presence underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to fostering stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors, describing such partnerships as essential to achieving Nigeria’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy driven by private enterprise and enabled by government.
The Minister paid tribute to Leo Stan Ekeh, describing him as one of the foremost architects of Nigeria’s digital transformation.
He announced that Ekeh had recently agreed to champion the Federal Government’s Youth and Students in Innovation initiative, a flagship programme aimed at equipping young Nigerians with entrepreneurial and technology skills.
According to him, Ekeh’s decades of visionary entrepreneurship have played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s technology ecosystem and attracting prominent technology companies into the Nigerian market.
Using the occasion to address the international business community, the Minister encouraged global investors and brands to look beyond establishing commercial operations in Nigeria and actively partner with the government in driving national development.
He assured investors of the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment that safeguards investments and delivers sustainable returns.
Speaking at the event, ASUS E.EMEA General Manager, Aaron Tsai, expressed appreciation to partners, government representatives, and customers for their support.
He explained that the flagship store was conceived to provide consumers with direct access to authentic ASUS products, and expressed confidence that the partnership with Konga will further accelerate the brand’s growth and strengthen customer engagement in the region.
The experience centre features dedicated sections showcasing ASUS’ complete portfolio of premium laptops, gaming devices, AI-powered PCs, and cutting-edge innovations. A standout attraction is an interactive digital display that allows visitors to explore ASUS’ latest technologies virtually before making purchase decisions, creating a more engaging and informed customer journey. Plus, every ASUS device purchased through the flagship store or online on Konga comes with a special one-year replacement warranty at no extra cost.
In his remark, Chief Operating Officer of Konga Group, Dave Omoregie, said the flagship store reflects Konga’s deliberate strategy to give Nigerian consumers a seamless blend of online and offline retail.
He noted that Konga’s logistics network, payment infrastructure, and nationwide retail footprint uniquely position the company to support global brands like ASUS at scale, while ensuring customers enjoy authentic products backed by reliable after-sales service.
According to him, the partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when world-class technology brands trust Nigerian platforms to deliver exceptional experiences, adding that Konga remains committed to setting the operational standard for authentic technology retail across the country.
The launch further reinforces the enduring partnership between ASUS and Konga, built on shared values of innovation, authenticity, and customer satisfaction.
It also highlights Konga’s continued evolution beyond traditional e-commerce into a comprehensive omnichannel technology ecosystem that combines online convenience with physical retail experiences.
For Nigerian consumers and businesses, the new ASUS Flagship Experience Store represents more than a retail outlet; it is a symbol of confidence in Nigeria’s technology market. It highlights Konga’s commitment to bridging the gap between global technology brands and Nigerian consumers. With its robust logistics infrastructure, digital payment solutions, and nationwide physical retail presence, Konga continues to set the standard for authentic, accessible, and reliable technology retail across Africa.
The flagship store opening featured guided product demonstrations, immersive technology experiences, exclusive launch-day offers and customer engagement activities celebrating this historic milestone.
Customers can begin shopping immediately at the ASUS Flagship Experience Store, located at 16 Otigba Street, Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos. Visitors can explore authentic ASUS products, experience live product demonstrations, receive expert guidance, and access dedicated Starlink customer-support services.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice; Olatunji Rilwan Disu, inspector-general of Police, and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations that more than ₦6.79 billion in public funds were missing, diverted or misapplied within the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
The allegations are contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 Annual Report, published on September 9, 2025.
In a letter dated August 1, 2026, and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director, SERAP, the organisation urged the government to ensure that anyone implicated in the report is prosecuted and that all missing public funds, firearms and ammunition are recovered.
“Anyone suspected to be responsible—including contractors, companies and public officials implicated in the report—should be promptly prosecuted, while all missing public funds, firearms and ammunition should be fully recovered, secured and properly accounted for.”
SERAP described the Auditor-General’s findings as a serious breach of public trust.
“The Auditor-General’s findings suggest a grave betrayal of the public trust and raise serious concerns about corruption and the management of public funds, police exhibits, firearms and ammunition.”
The organisation also expressed concern over allegations involving missing firearms, unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, and poor storage of weapons.
“The report also raises serious concerns over missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for exhibits, and the insecure storage of firearms, creating significant risks to public safety and national security.”
According to SERAP, the alleged diversion of funds meant for policing and the reported irregularities have weakened the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force.
“The diversion of funds meant for policing, abandoned security projects, missing firearms and ammunition, and the misuse of police exhibits undermine the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force, weaken public confidence and may contribute to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.”
The organisation said the Auditor-General’s report documented several alleged financial irregularities, including payments for projects that were never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract costs, irregular procurement, unretired cash advances, unsettled insurance claims and payments for services allegedly not rendered.
“The report documented numerous alleged financial irregularities within the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, including payments for projects that were never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract costs, and irregular procurement.”
“The report also documented unretired cash advances, unsettled insurance claims, payments for services allegedly not rendered, and other suspected diversion and misapplication of public funds amounting to over ₦6.79 billion.”SERAP further cited allegations of missing firearms and ammunition, failures to properly account for recovered weapons and exhibits, and insecure storage of firearms.
“The allegations also include missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for recovered firearms and other exhibits, and the insecure storage of firearms, posing serious risks to public safety and national security.”
The organisation gave the Federal Government seven days to act on its demands, warning that it would pursue legal action if no response is received.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal action to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
SERAP also argued that the allegations, if left unaddressed, would violate constitutional provisions requiring the government to combat corruption and safeguard the welfare and security of Nigerians.
Among the specific findings cited from the Auditor-General’s report were allegations of payments for abandoned and unexecuted police projects worth hundreds of millions of naira, inflated contract values, unretired cash advances, irregular procurement processes, unsettled insurance claims exceeding ₦681 million, over ₦1 billion in uncleared insurance policy liabilities, missing firearms and ammunition, unauthorised release of police exhibits, and contracts allegedly awarded without due diligence by the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
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