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Digital Connectivity Enhances Quality of Life – Danbatta

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Dr. Austine Nwaulune, Director, Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC (Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta) at the event.
Dr. Austine Nwaulune, Director, Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC (Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta) at the event.
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Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said in Lagos that the quality of life is now being measured in terms of digital connectivity that promotes businesses, social and economic wellbeing of the citizens.

Dr. Austine Nwaulune, Director, Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC (Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta) at the event.

Dr. Austine Nwaulune, Director, Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC (Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta) at the event.

Danbatta, who spoke today through NCC’s Director of Digital Economy, Dr. Augustine Nwulunne, in a keynote at the 2022 Africa Tech Alliance Forum in Lagos on Wednesday, said digital connectivity has a major role in advancing the gains of development and sustaining the future, as well as attaining the needed quota in attaining a sustainable future and actualizing the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The EVC, who spoke on the theme, “Creating a Sustainable Future through Connectivity”, cited studies to buttress the centrality of digital connectivity to quality of life and stated that the NCC is dedicated to activating regulatory initiatives aimed at deepening connectivity for the overall economic development of Nigeria.

“Connectivity and development in Nigeria have not been fortuitous, rather they have been as a result of measured, painstaking and strategic policies implementation in the telecommunications sector by the NCC and relevant stakeholders, and we are committed to driving robust and vibrant telecoms sector to enhance further growth of Nigerian economy in all its spheres,” the EVC said.

According to him, telecommunications sector has become an enabler of economic growth, providing the necessary digital succours that bring greater efficiency in service deliveries in education, healthcare, transportation, commerce, financial services, and other sectors of the economy with greater impact on the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as enhancing other sectoral growth correlating to each of the 17 goals on the SDGs.

The highlight of the event was the decoration of Danbatta with an award of “5G Core Leadership Award” while the Commission was named as the corporate organization with “Best Digital Economy Project of the Year 2022” for the regulatory efforts of the Commission in driving commercial deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) network in Nigeria.

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Danbatta said the NCC, through various policies and initiatives, has provided an enabling environment for a fair and liberalized telecommunications industry, by emplacing appropriate regulatory tools and providing relevant regulatory services for mobile network operators (MNOs), who are the primary providers of telecommunication services in the country.

“The Commission has provided the enabling environment to stimulate the deployment of necessary infrastructure pertinent to the provision of universal and affordable connectivity.

“The resultant effect of this is that today, we now have over 210 million active telephone lines, representing 110 per cent teledensity; and over 150 million Internet subscribers as well as 45 percent broadband penetration which has enabled over 80 million broadband subscriptions.

“Telecommunications has been credited with lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty; diversifying the economy and providing over $70bn to Nigeria’s GDP; it has also provided thousands of Nigerians with various employment opportunities.

“A glance at Nigeria’s historical data on its GDP portrays the upward trajectory of the country’s GDP since the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector. In 2001, Nigeria’s GDP was $74.03 billion, in 2005, it grew to $176.13 billion, and it currently stands at $440.78 billion, and telecom has been a key driver of this growth,” he said.

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The EVC told the audience that the Commission is also driving implementation of various policies and frameworks including the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030; and the ongoing deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) network and other digital interventionist projects aimed at driving universal service availability, accessibility, and availability.

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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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Court Remands Akujobi, Ex Access over alleged Theft of N294.5m

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Chinonso Akujobi, former staff of Access Bank in Lagos, has been remanded in Ikoyi prison after she was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N294.5m.

Court Remands Akujobi, Ex Access over alleged Theft of N294.5m

Akujobi who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was arraigned before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

EFCC alleged that Akujobi stole the money between January and December 2025 while under the employment of Access Bank Plc.

As stated in one the charges, the defendant stole the money through unauthorized payments from the general ledger of Access Bank to her account number 0036668871 with the name Chinonso A., Uchechi A. and Florence A., thereby committing an offence of stealing, contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

‎The defendant pleaded “not guilty“ to the charges when they were read to her.

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‎In view of this, S.M.Yabo, prosecution counsel, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed for the remand of the defendant in a Correctional centre.

Justice Ijelu, thereafter, adjourned the case till October 8, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and the commencement of trial.

The Judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional Centre.

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NSIB Faults Runway Identification, Reveals Cockpit Disagreement in Asaba Jet Incident

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says the flight captain of the VMO Aero aircraft that landed on a roadway near Asaba Airport in Delta State told investigators that the observer pilot mistakenly identified the paved road as the runway before touchdown.

The bureau disclosed this in a preliminary report released on Thursday on the June 10 incident, which prompted the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ground the private jet.

The aircraft had seven people on board, including the pilot-in-command (PIC), second-in-command (SIC), an observer pilot, a cabin crew member and three passengers.

According to the report, the aircraft was cleared by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to approach Runway 11 at Asaba Airport after the crew requested a right orbit.

The crew initially discontinued the approach, executed a missed approach and repositioned for a second landing attempt.

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NSIB said the crew reported that the aircraft’s navigation systems indicated it was correctly established on the published RNAV Runway 11 approach.

“The PIC and SIC reported that the observer pilot identified the paved surface ahead as the runway,” the report stated.

However, the observer pilot gave investigators a different version of events.

According to NSIB, he said the aircraft remained inside cloud until late in the approach and that the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) repeatedly issued “TERRAIN, TERRAIN, PULL UP” alerts.

He also said he observed a telecommunications mast directly ahead and instructed the flight captain to abandon the approach and climb immediately.

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The bureau further disclosed that a cabin crew member reported that one of the passengers became concerned after overhearing discussions among the pilots and asked whether one of them was undergoing training. The passenger was reportedly reassured that all three pilots on board were experienced captains.

NSIB said no abnormal events were reported in the cabin before touchdown.

The aircraft eventually landed at about 8:57 a.m. on an under-construction paved roadway near Asaba Airport instead of the designated runway.

The bureau said its investigation into the incident is ongoing, while the preliminary report highlights conflicting accounts among the cockpit crew over the circumstances that led to the erroneous landing.

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EU warns Meta over addictive Facebook, Instagram designs, threatens fines

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European Union has warned Meta Platforms Inc. that it could face a significant financial penalty unless it changes what regulators describe as the “addictive design” features of Facebook and Instagram.

EU warns Meta over addictive Facebook, Instagram designs, threatens fines

The European Commission issued the warning in preliminary findings released on Friday, saying Meta had failed to sufficiently address risks posed by its platforms, particularly to children and vulnerable users.

The Commission said features such as infinite scrolling, personalised content recommendations and automatic video playback were designed in ways that encouraged excessive engagement with the platforms.

EU Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, said protecting the physical and mental well-being of European citizens should be a priority for social media companies.

The Commission said Meta should consider introducing design changes, including disabling autoplay and infinite scrolling by default, providing effective screen-time reminders and adjusting recommendation systems to reduce the focus on maximising user engagement.

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The findings were issued under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which sets obligations for major online platforms to address risks associated with their services.

Meta, however, rejected the Commission’s conclusions, saying it disagreed with the findings but would continue engaging with European regulators.

The company said it had already implemented measures aimed at protecting younger users, including Teen Accounts that allow parents to manage screen time limits and restrict access during night hours.

The EU said its investigation, which began in 2024, found that existing time-management tools on Facebook and Instagram could easily be bypassed, while parental controls required technical knowledge that limited their effectiveness.

Regulators also expressed concerns over children’s nighttime use of the platforms and the possibility that features such as Reels and Stories could encourage compulsive behaviour.

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If the Commission’s preliminary findings are confirmed, Meta could face a fine of up to six per cent of its annual global revenue under the DSA.

The warning comes as the EU steps up efforts to strengthen online safety measures for children, with an expert panel established by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expected to present recommendations on protecting minors online.

Several EU member states, including France, have also supported discussions on restricting social media access for children, following Australia’s decision to ban users under 16 from accessing social media platforms.

Meanwhile, the Commission is continuing a separate investigation into whether Meta’s recommendation algorithms create “rabbit hole” effects by directing users towards increasingly extreme content.

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