Telecom
Jaiz Bank Extols NCC for Effective Regulations
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been applauded for its efforts in ensuring effective regulations aimed at protecting the rights and interests of consumers of telecom services as well on its efforts in promoting the provision of improved services at fair and affordable prices to Nigerians.
The commendation came from the Management of Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s first Islamic non-interest commercial bank, which paid a familisation visit to the Commission (NCC) to seek areas of collaboration between the two corporate entities.
Speaking during the visit on Thursday, Hassan Usman, chief executive officer of the Bank, said while Nigeria has not reached the promised land of telecom regulation, the “NCC deserves commendation for its efforts in consistently ensuring regulatory efforts that have now made telecoms services more affordable to majority of Nigerians, a reality that can easily be benchmarked against what is happening in other countries.”
Usman also affirmed that the fact that ICT had become crucial to the development of every sector of the economy with positive multiplier effects in the life of every business and Nigerian, is the reason NCC deserves commendations.
The Jaiz Bank CEO equally noted that because banks currently rely on broadband Internet to provide efficient and effective services through seamless connectivity for intra and inter-banking services provision, the Commission’s efforts in further deepening access to seamless broadband connectivity to businesses and individuals have been of tremendous benefit to Jaiz Bank.
Speaking about the bank’ operations, Usman said it remains the first Islamic commercial bank established by the Federal Government to operate on a non-interest business model, which makes it different from conventional banks that charge interest in every area of its transaction.
He said the bank was committed to supporting individuals, the public and private sector to attain financial goals through loans for mortgage, supporting start-ups as well as those in real estate businesses.
Overall, Usman said the significant role NCC plays and does well, necessitated the visit to the Commission to see how NCC and its staff can work with Jaiz Bank to derive banking benefits from Jaiz Bank financial services.
Responding, Yakubu Gontor, director, Finance Services, NCC, who received the bank’s team on behalf of Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, thanked the Bank’s Management for its recognition of the regulatory role of the NCC in deepening access to broadband, which has enhanced promotion of digital financial inclusion in the country.
Gontor noted that, though the Commission, like other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), now remits directly to the Treasury Single Account (TSA) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is paid from the TSA by the CBN as directed by the Federal Government.
Gontor, however, called on the Bank to patronise the staff of the Commission to open accounts since its has enticing packages at low interest rates to support mortgaging and loans. Gontor also tasked the Staff Cooperative of NCC to leverage on the opportunities at Jaiz Bank to source funding to build its proposed Staff Estate at Lugbe.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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