Telecom
Ikpoki, MTN Boss Parleys Fashola, Donates Security Vehicles
Michael Ikpoki, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, has expressed gratitude to the Lagos State government for its leading role in the provision of critical infrastructure and support for the ICT industry in the state.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the state governor, Ikpoki said the government’s impressive implementation of its development agenda has given Lagos residents renewed hope.
He reiterated MTN’s willingness to continue to partner with the state in its transformation drive.
“The development agenda of Lagos State ties in with MTN’s vision to lead in the delivery of a bold new digital world. Therefore, we will offer strong support in actualizing the dream by providing relevant ICT services,” Ikpoki said.
Welcoming the MTN Team, Governor Babatunde Fashola, acknowledged the company’s giant strides in the ICT sector and urged them to continue to deliver services in a more efficient manner so as ultimately enhance the livelihoods of all members of the community.
In his welcome address to the MTN delegation, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey, executive secretary of the Lagos State Security Fund applauded MTN’s contributions to the State Government in the area of security.
In his response, Ikpoki noted that positive development can only be achieved in a state of law and order, hence MTN’s decision to assist the Lagos Security Trust Fund, (LSTF) with the provision of 25 patrol vehicles.
According to Ikpoki, the initiative is in furtherance to MTN’s commitment to supporting the State Government in their efforts to ensure the safety of lives and property in Lagos State.
During the formal handing over ceremony of the patrol vehicles, His Excellency Governor Babatunde Fashola expressed his appreciation to the MTN for its voluntary show of concern for security in the state through the donation of security patrol vehicles through the MTN Foundation.
He said the initiative would go a long way in helping the state government fulfill its cardinal responsibility of securing the lives and property of Lagosians.
“Government cannot handle the security challenge alone which is why we are particularly pleased by this intervention and we are calling on other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture of MTN and support government’s effort in providing adequate security for residents of Lagos State as well as the entire country,” he noted.
Also speaking at the event, Fola Arthur-Worry, noted that ‘MTN through its Foundation has donated approximately N600 Million to the Lagos Security Trust Fund since the inception of the Fund till date. MTN Nigeria is one of the leading contributors to the state’s security project’.
It will be recalled that the MTN Foundation has invested over N7billion in social projects in the areas of education, health and economic empowerment in 338 locations across the 36 states of Nigeria including the FCT, Abuja.
In this second phase of the MTNF-SSP, the Foundation has presented security vehicles to Ondo with plans to donate vehicles to other states around the country.
Phase one of the project witnessed the provision of fully kitted security vehicles to Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Delta, Oyo, Ogun, Jigawa, Imo, Katsina, Kano, Plateau and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Telecom
FG Plans EO to Criminalise Fiber Cable Damage Costing Telcos Billions
Nigeria will criminalize the destruction of broadband fiber cables following repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecommunications companies that they are losing billions of naira, according to people familiar with the matter.
Federal ministry of works, which supervises federal road constructors, is finalizing the regulation that will be signed as an executive order by President Bola Tinubu, said the people, asking not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to comment.
While there are presently laws against vandalism, the authorities are aiming to regulate construction firms more closely.
The order will enforce stiff penalties on offenders, said the people, declining to provide more details or say when it will be signed.
“Telecom assets are critical backbone that supports the economy across sectors,” said Temitope Ajayi, a senior presidential aide, who noted that the Association of Telecommunications Companies (ATCON) has been demanding the classification for years.
New rules will provide “further assurance that the Nigerian government will protect their investments against vandals and criminal elements.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that the sector will make up more than a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product by the end of 2027, up from 13.5% in the third quarter of last year.
The move will help alleviate pressure on the telecoms sector, which is facing increased operating costs and sales pressures from a sharp depreciation in the currency and a threefold increase in energy prices.
Repairs and revenue losses from damaged cables is estimated to have cost the sector almost 27 billion naira ($23 million) last year alone, documents seen by Bloomberg show.
MTN Nigeria, the biggest wireless operator in Africa’s most-populous nation, and Airtel Africa Plc bore the brunt of the costs, the documents show.
MTN suffered more than 6,000 cuts on its fiber cable last year, the documents show. On Feb. 28, a cut on its network in three different locations by a road construction firm, an oil serving company and someone burning rubbish in a manhole meant customers faced more than five hours of data and voice outages.
The operator relocated 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) of vulnerable fiber cables between 2022 and 2023, at a cost of more than 11 billion naira – enough to build 870 kilometers of new fiber lines to areas without coverage.
A presidential order on the matter would be welcomed, said Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria.
“When it comes to communication infrastructure, they are destroyed at will, so we are eagerly awaiting the president’s order,” he said. “It would be a great boost to the industry, and it will also encourage investment.”
Telecom
Telegram Eyes 1Bn Users amidst Political Pressures
Telegram, the messaging giant founded by Pavel Durov and headquartered in Dubai, anticipates hitting a remarkable milestone of one billion active monthly users within the next year.
Durov’s departure from Russia in 2014, prompted by governmental pressures to stifle opposition communities on his VK social media platform, underscores Telegram’s commitment to neutrality despite geopolitical challenges.
With 900 million active users currently, Telegram stands as a beacon of free speech in the digital realm, particularly influential in former Soviet Union republics and pivotal during conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine standoff.
Durov’s staunch advocacy for freedom of expression and opposition to censorship by tech giants like Apple and Google reinforces Telegram’s status as a neutral platform.
Opting for the UAE as its base, Durov cites its neutrality and openness as conducive to Telegram’s ethos, serving both opposition groups and governments alike while maintaining impartiality.
In Durov’s vision, the pursuit of freedom eclipses material gain, shaping Telegram’s trajectory as a bastion of digital liberation.
Telecom
NITDA, NIMC Announce Collaboration To Strengthen Digital Economy
To further strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have announced a collaboration on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance and create synergy between digital identity, payment ecosystem, and secure & seemless data exchange capabilities for Nigeria.
During the meeting between the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and Director General of NIMC, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, with some management staff of both organisations, they discussed various initiatives, which include building DPI stacks for a secured and seamless data exchange and forming partnerships to transform the national identity system.
This collaboration also aims to harness the potential of the innovative ecosystem and emphasise the use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to drive digital transformation in Nigeria.
To ensure a smooth implementation, a 12-man committee was set up. This committee will play a crucial role in kickstarting and harmonising the initiatives. It is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report within the next 4 weeks
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