Telecom
How we Generated over N1Trillion in 2Years – Pantami
In its bid to deliver the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari, to all Nigerians in terms of economic diversification, enhanced security and anti-corruption, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and its parastatals under the leadership of Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, have generated a total of One trillion, 54 billion naira as revenue for the Federal Government through the implementation of various policies, initiatives and interventions.
The Minister made this disclosure on Thursday during the virtual commissioning of the 12th batch of the Digital Economy Projects for a Digital Nigeria at the Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja.
The 12th batch of the digital economy projects which were virtually commissioned by Dr Pantami includes; the e-Accessibility Centre in Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable School, Bauchi; the Digital Economy Centre and e-Learning Facility at Ogba Grammar School, Lagos; the Digital Economy Centre and e-Learning Facility at St Paul Secondary School, Eke, Enugu; the Digital Economy Centre and e-Learning Facility at the Federal Character Commission, Abuja; the Emergency Communications Centre at Leko Abdulrahman Hospital, Daura; the e-Accessibility Centre at the Alderstown Schools for the Deaf, Warri; and the Virtual Examination Centre, at the College of Education, Argungu, Kebbi State.
The Honorable Minister stated that the Communications and Digital Economy sector singlehandedly lifted the country out of recession, with ICT recording the highest growth rate according to reports given by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in the fourth quarter of 2020.
“The Ministry and its parastatals have generated over N1 Trillion for the Federal Government in less than 2 years, this translates to an average of about N44 Billion every month or over N1.4 Billion every day”, he added.
He mentioned that within this period, the Ministry has been able to record some major achievements in the area of national policy formulation, infrastructure, national identification number enrollment, revenue generation and many more.
Dr Pantami further disclosed that about N360 Billion of this revenue was largely from Spectrum allocated by the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), under the Chairmanship of the Minister, to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for commercial purposes.
He also added that over N600 Billion was paid by ICT Companies to the account of the Federal Government through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
“Furthermore, over Ninety Four Billion Naira (N94,000,000,000) was generated for the Federal Government and approved by the National Assembly in line with relevant laws, as part of the 2020 appropriation for personnel, capital projects, capacity building, interventions, etc. The IT Projects Clearance Programme also saved over Five Billion Naira (N5,478,007,325.23) for the Federal Government”, the Minister recalled .
Dr Pantami, while applauding the chief executive officers of the various parastatals under the ministry at the virtual commissioning event for their support and commitment, modestly disclosed that 1,667 ICT projects and Centres have been established across the country in 2years since he assumed duty as the Honorable Minister of the Ministry.
“In addition to those already established, we have over 455 other projects and programmes that are ongoing. All these are in full alignment with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria”, he noted.
Accordingly, the Honorable Minister strongly believed that in creating and developing a sustainable digital economy, it was imperative to create a critical mass of highly skilled citizens by engaging in constant capacity programmes.
“In the last 2 years, we have offered direct world class training to well over 219,198 citizens in digital skills and emerging technologies. This number does not include the many citizens that have benefited from trainings through our Centres”, he stated.
Furthermore, he said that the mass trainings were efforts geared at promoting a paradigm shift from the general societal focus on degrees to a strong focus on skills acquisition.
While speaking on policy formulations, Dr Pantami said that within his 2 years tenure as Minister, 16 National policies have emerged, which includes; the National Digital Economy Policy & Strategy (NDEPS); Roadmap for the Implementation of the NDEPS; the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025; Sim Card Registration Policy; National Policy on Digital Identity for Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria; National Policy on VSAT Installation Core Skills for Nigerians, amongst many others that have been developed and implemented as against just one policy he inherited on assumption into the office.
The Honorable Minister agreed that a highly robust identity programme is critical to create a secure and sustainable digital economy.
He further disclosed that the Ministry has significantly increased the number of National Identification Number (NIN) enrolments since the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) joined the Communications and Digital Economy family in September 2020.
“The increase of about 20 million enrolments in less than a year is unprecedented. We have also launched the Android enrolment software and have received Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the upgrade of critical ICT infrastructure of the National Identity Management System,” Dr Pantami announced.
Earlier, the Minister thanked the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for giving him the opportunity to serve the nation and citizens. He also expressed his profound gratitude to the CEO’s of all the parastatals under the Ministry for their commitment and unflinching support towards him in the last two years in office.
“I want to use this opportunity to encourage all the host communities and beneficiaries of all our projects and programmes to ensure that they take full advantage of the facilities and skills for the benefit of their communities and the Nation”, the Minister concluded.
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, while giving his goodwill message, congratulated the Honorable Minister on his second year anniversary in office.
He noted that the Minister’s achievements were unprecedented and therefore gave assurances of his agency’s support and commitment into the full implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) in creating a sustainable Digital Nigeria.
“At NITDA, based on our Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan,(SRAP) we will key in 100% into the implementation of the NDEPS and cascade our activities in line with the policy”, Abdullahi stated.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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