General News
Direct Carrier Billing Industry Consolidates Footprint in Africa and the Middle East
The global rating of the region keeps stable at 2.8 points; 4 countries enter the DCB Index for the first time; Data shows promising DCB potential for countries such as South Africa, Morocco, UAE, Nigeria, and Congo
Evina, a cybersecurity for Carrier Billing company and Telecoming, a tech firm developing DCB experiences, released the 2022 edition of the DCB Index today.
This initiative is part of the strategic alliance between the two companies to place Direct Carrier Billing at the forefront of the payments industry and reinforce their commitment to developing a transparent, secure, and stable mobile economy.
The DCB Index provides insights into the Direct Carrier Billing market of countries in the Middle East and Africa region (MEA), ranking them according to their current DCB status and potential to further develop this growth-boosting mobile payment method.
Direct Carrier Billing is a payment technology that allows mobile users to pay for any service by charging the purchase to their carrier bill.
The classification ranges from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest DCB potential. The ranking is based on 4 main factors: mobile players’ actions to prevent fraud on DCB, their bent to innovate in DCB, the country’s overall DCB penetration and the DCB growth potential.
For ready reference, the results of the Evina & Telecoming DCB Index reveal that South Africa is the leading country in the ranking, with the highest score (3.4 out of 5). All mobile operators are deploying DCB, and there is an overall increase in fraud protection compared to last year.
In the Middle East and North Africa, Morocco and UAE steal the show, surpassing last year’s leader Bahrain. Morocco (3.3) has significantly increased DCB deployment and invested in cybersecurity measures to protect this payment technology, while in UAE (3.2) all mobile operators offer end users DCB to pay for various types of services yet major organizations still have to implement adequate protection.
Nigeria (3.1) and DR Congo (3.0) follow close behind, differentiating themselves by opening more opportunities for DCB deployment and increasing their level of protection against fraud attempts on Direct Carrier Billing.
“The DCB Index seeks to provide the market with a standard indicator of an industry we know well. MEA is an extraordinarily dynamic and very mature region regarding mobile payments.
“In fact, the average level of innovation in DCB has increased by 13% compared to 2021 with the enlargement of new uses of this payment technology, such as sports subscriptions, that has grown considerably during the last year.”, said Roberto Monge, Chief Operations Officer at Telecoming.
And he added, “we want to go along with operators and brands that wish to develop the market in a safe, sustainable, and profitable way. The countries analyzed have demonstrated their commitment to Direct Carrier Billing as a strategic growth lever for the so-called mobile economy in the region.”
David Lotfi, CEO of Evina explained that “the overall fraud prevention of mobile players across the Middle East and African region has increased by 0.2 compared to 2021, showing a collective willingness to safeguard the powerful payment tool that is Direct Carrier Billing. Businesses have yet to understand that DCB can become even more powerful than credit cards and that mobile operators already have all the advantages to elevate DCB and become the biggest fintech companies. DCB is without a doubt a major opportunity for the African continent alongside mobile money, if protected with the right cybersecurity solutions.
“This DCB Index has been created with the sole purpose of giving mobile players an overview of the development of DCB in the MEA region in order to better understand how to improve their business in their own country, or what conditions to consider when deploying in these countries.”
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has announced the signing of a chain of contracts with major airlines for the provision of total handling solutions.
In a statement on Tuesday, the company announced the signing of contract renewals with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, as well as the African operator, RwandAir.
NAHCO also signed fresh contracts with United Nigeria – Regional, Bellagio and Malaikair.
According to the statement, the contracts with Air France and KLM are for three years and will run till 2028, respectively. The duration of the contract with Virgin Atlantic was also put at three years.
The duration for the RwandAir contract is for three years, effective 1 October 2025.
The statement read, “The new contract with United – Regional would be for a period of five years, effective from 1 August 2025. For Bellagio and Malaikair, the contracts are for three and five years, respectively.
“Bellagio Air, Nigeria’s rising star in aviation, is redefining air travel with a blend of luxury, efficiency, and reliability. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Ikeja, Lagos, Bellagio Air is committed to providing world-class service across key domestic and regional routes.”
The Group Executive Director, Commercial and Business Development, NAHCO Plc, Saheed Lasisi, who expressed his delight with the new contracts, said NAHCO is already ready to exceed customers’ expectations.
According to Lasisi, NAHCO’s more than 46 years of unblemished excellent service delivery puts it heads and shoulders above any other service provider in the industry.
“This is what we have been doing for almost half of a century. We will continue to delight our customers and make our stakeholders happy by exceeding expectations in all aspects of our service offerings. We are always willing and ready to do more,” Lasisi added.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NAHCO Plc, Olumuyiwa Olumekun, added that with the new fleet of equipment the company is deploying, service delivery will only be better.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a forward-looking strategy that places satellite-enabled mobile connectivity at the heart of the country’s drive to bridge its long-standing coverage gaps.
The draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector for 2025 to 2030 lays out how satellite technologies could help deliver reliable voice and data services to millions of Nigerians who live beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The direction is outlined in the Commission’s draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector covering the period.
The proposed approach highlights non-terrestrial networks as a complement to existing mobile infrastructure, especially in areas where terrain, insecurity, or high costs limit the deployment of base stations.
The NCC said D2D satellite technology, which allows standard mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, is gaining traction globally as a means of delivering voice and data services without reliance on ground towers.
According to the regulator, the technology could help close persistent coverage gaps in rural, riverine, and border communities that remain outside the reach of conventional networks.
It also noted that satellite-backed connectivity could improve network reliability by providing alternative links during fibre cuts, power failures, or other disruptions affecting terrestrial systems.
The Commission added that wider adoption of D2D services could support emergency communications, public safety operations, Internet of Things applications, and services such as smart agriculture in underserved regions.
It also pointed to potential investment opportunities through partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, including more efficient use of shared spectrum resources.
Beyond D2D services, the roadmap places emphasis on Low-Earth Orbit satellites to expand broadband access to remote parts of the country.
It also proposes better utilisation of Geostationary Orbit satellites and the exploration of high-altitude platforms, such as stratospheric balloons, to support mobile backhaul and rural connectivity.
The policy signals come shortly after Airtel Africa announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink-powered direct-to-cell services in Nigeria.
The NCC’s roadmap is expected to shape future spectrum allocation, licensing decisions, and technology adoption across the telecommunications sector.
General News
House of Reps Releases Certified Copies of Tax Reform Acts amid Gazette Discrepancy Claims
House of Representatives has released certified true copies of the four tax reform Acts signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, addressing public concerns over alleged discrepancies between legislative versions and circulated gazetted documents.
Tax Reform Acts
House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, disclosed this in a statement, noting that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the immediate publication of the Acts—including endorsement and presidential assent pages—for public verification, in collaboration with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The move followed allegations raised by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki on the House floor, highlighting inconsistencies between Bills passed by the National Assembly and executive gazetted versions, which he warned could erode legislative integrity and public trust.
Abbas constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Rep. Aliyu Betara, with members including Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi and Babajimi Benson, to investigate the alleged alterations, unauthorised circulation and preventive measures.
The committee’s mandate includes probing circumstances around the discrepancies, while Abbas ordered internal verification and public release of certified copies to dispel doubts and safeguard legislative records. Legal experts, tax professionals and civil society had demanded clarification and implementation suspension amid heated debates triggered by Dasuki’s intervention.
The released laws comprise the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; National Revenue Service Establishment Act, 2025; and Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act, 2025, described as foundational to modernising Nigeria’s tax system.
These reforms aim to enhance compliance, curb inefficiencies, eliminate overlaps and bolster fiscal coordination across federal, state and local tiers, following extensive stakeholder consultations, committee reviews and plenary debates under Abbas’s leadership.
Rotimi reassured Nigerians: “The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway.”
He emphasised that only National Assembly-certified versions hold authority, urging the public, institutions and stakeholders to disregard all other circulating documents as unofficial.
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