Telecom
Minister Commends NCC for Reducing Invalidly-Registered SIM Cards by 74%
Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, minister of communications has commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for quick implementation of his directive to the Commission to tackle over 9.2 invalidly-registered Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards on Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country, saying the NCC has worked with MNOs to reduce the number by 73.61 per cent within one week.
The Minister gave the commendation during the presentation and oath-taking of four new members of Board of Commissioners of the NCC, already cleared by the Senate, to him in his office on Monday, September 16, 2019 in Abuja.
The new NCC board members were presented to the Minister by Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, the NCC Board Chairman, and in attendance were the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Clement Baiye, a non-executive commissioner on the Board of NCC, other senior management members of the Commission, officials of the Ministry, other industry stakeholders and members of the press.
At the occasion, the oath of office was subsequently administered on the new board members including Engr. Ubale Maska, as Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Prof. Millionaire Abowei; Salman Abdul-Azeez and Aliyu Abubakar, three of who are non-executive commissioners.
While congratulating the new members over their appointments by the President, Pantami urged them to “work together with existing board members of the Commission on how we can effectively utilise telecoms and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in general to support the tripartite agenda of the President to improve security, improve economy and reduce poverty as well as fight corruption.”
Pantami further enjoined the Board members to work harmoniously with each other and leverage their wealth of experience to double the contribution of ICT to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the next coming years.
According to him, “By the second quarter of this year, ICT had contributed 13.86 per cent to the country’s GDP and this is encouraging.
“Generally, non-oil’s GDP contribution to economy was 91 per cent. The NCC has played a significant role in this direction and I will enjoin the NCC Board members and management to always challenge yourselves to exceed current or previous successes.”
Pantami also noted that NCC had briefed him on the 200 access gaps in the country where almost 40 million Nigerians do not currently have access to telecommunication services and which, he said, must be addressed.
“We would have succeeded in doubling the sector’s GDP contribution if we work together to close about 80 per cent of this 200 access gaps.
“As part of measure to achieve this, the NCC has told us about its plan to have access points in all the 774 local government areas in the country and as a ministry, we won’t hesitate to give you necessary support in this regard,” Pantami said.
Elaborating on the reduction in invalidly-registered SIM cards success by the NCC, the Minister thanked the Commission for its promptness in implementing the directive he had given to the Commission last week to take immediate measures towards reducing the over 9.2 million invalidly-registered SIM cards on the networks.
“Last week, I made an official statement that we had directed the NCC to ensure operators address the issue of over 9.2 million invalidly-registered SIM cards on their networks.
“By today, report from NCC indicated that 6.75 million of the SIM cards have been rectified and this is highly commendable,” he stated.
While noting that the number of cleared SIM cards represents an appreciable 73.61 per cent reduction in the 9.2 million figure, leaving only 2.4 million yet to be cleared, the Minister urged the NCC to ensure the remaining numbers “are cleaned up by September 25, 2019, so that every SIM card that is involved in any crime-related issue can easily be identified.”
According to him, “Ninety per cent of security issues today lies on ICT and as such, NCC has a critical role to play in helping to address the issue of insecurity in the country, which is one key agenda area of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I believe we have a strong team at the Commission to build the ‘Next Level NCC’ for the country.”
In his remarks, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, chairman of NCC Board thanked the Minister for his readiness to support the Commission in his various efforts at leveraging the ICT/telecoms to create economic prosperity for the country.
He stated, though “we are still expecting two new board members already appointed by the President to join the Commission once the National Assembly resumes from recess to have the full complement of 9-member Board of NCC, the Commission is committed to leveraging ICT to support Mr. President’s agenda at improving security, bolstering the economy and reducing poverty as well as in fighting corruption.”
Viral rumors about a “Tesla Pi Phone” a new phone, being developed by Elon Musk, CEO and largest shareholder of Tesla and SpaceX, are entirely fake.
AI Generated Tesla Pi Phone and Elon Musk
Instead, the tech giant said on Monday it has filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission for permission to deploy the constellation by 2028.
It said the system would provide voice, messaging, data and emergency services.
A quick fact-check revealed that Tesla Inc. has never manufactured, developed, or released a smartphone.
Videos and articles claiming a release (often priced between $150 and $800 with solar charging or satellite-only connections) rely on AI-generated concept art and recycled internet hoaxes dating back to 2021.
Musk has only mentioned a phone in hypothetical remarks, stating Tesla would build one only if major app stores completely blocked or censored essential apps like X (formerly Twitter).
On Monday however, his company said that “Amazon looks forward to delivering on the promise of D2D [direct-to-device] connectivity, including to the millions of people living, travelling and working in places beyond the reach of existing networks today,”
The filing is the first step from Amazon into satellite mobile connections, which has until now been dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink service.
Musk’s group has signed partnerships with existing operators such as T-Mobile US and the UK’s Virgin Media O2 to provide phone services for customers where their conventional networks do not reach.
Starlink operates across more than 150 countries, offering high-speed internet connections through its constellation of satellites.
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has attributed rising mobile data consumption to increased use of smartphone applications, cloud services and emerging digital technologies.
Mr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON
Mr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) conference in Lagos.
Adebayo said smartphones had transformed access to digital services, with many applications consuming data continuously, even when users were not actively browsing the internet.
He explained that automatic software updates, cloud backups, application synchronisation, video streaming, social media autoplay and location services significantly increased data consumption.
According to him, internet usage had changed considerably from a decade ago when consumers mainly relied on direct browsing with fewer digital applications running simultaneously.
He said growing adoption of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other emerging technologies would further increase demand for reliable connectivity and greater network capacity.
“The evolution of smartphones has fundamentally changed how consumers access digital services, with many applications now consuming data continuously,” Adebayo said.
He stressed that digital literacy had become increasingly important because consumers needed to understand how their devices and applications consumed mobile data.
He advised subscribers to monitor application activity, adjust device settings and use built-in data management tools to better control their data consumption.
Adebayo said greater understanding of digital tools would help dispel misconceptions about data usage and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
Responding to allegations that operators deliberately depleted customers’ data, Adebayo dismissed the claims, insisting telecommunications companies had no commercial incentive to engage in such practices.
He said every megabyte consumed on telecom networks was recorded through internationally standardised billing systems supplied by recognised technology vendors and regulated by authorities.
“Such a practice would be unlawful, unethical, commercially self-defeating and subject to stringent regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Communications Commission,” he said.
Adebayo explained that operators’ billing systems were designed to guarantee accuracy, transparency and verification, while genuine consumer complaints were investigated through established protection channels.
He added that the Nigerian Communications Commission’s complaint resolution mechanisms and technical audits provided consumers with credible avenues for seeking redress over billing concerns.
According to him, trust remains essential to expanding Nigeria’s digital economy because telecommunications infrastructure supported banking, healthcare, education, commerce and government services.
He said the telecommunications sector had evolved beyond basic communication services into a critical driver of productivity, investment, innovation and national economic growth.
Adebayo noted that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, financial technology, smart manufacturing and digital agriculture, depended on resilient telecommunications infrastructure.
He said Nigeria could only maximise these opportunities through sustained collaboration among government, regulators, telecommunications operators and consumers.
Adebayo reaffirmed operators’ commitment to improving customer experience, strengthening network resilience and promoting transparency in telecommunications service delivery.
He urged stakeholders to encourage evidence-based discussions on digital services, stressing that public trust remained indispensable for the sustained growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
(NAN)
Telecom
Galaxy Backbone Soft Launches Government Service Portal to Simplify Access to Public Services
Galaxy Backbone (GBB), in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), officially conducted the soft launch of the Government Service Portal (GSP), a groundbreaking digital platform designed to transform how citizens, businesses and government institutions interact.
The event, held at the Galaxy Backbone National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) Headquarters in Abuja, brought together senior government officials, development partners, technology stakeholders and members of the media to unveil services.gov.ng—Nigeria’s new one-stop digital gateway for accessing government services.
The Government Service Portal is designed to provide a single, trusted platform through which Nigerians can easily discover, access and interact with digital services offered by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). By consolidating government services into one unified portal, the initiative aims to improve accessibility, enhance service delivery and create a more seamless citizen experience.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone. Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, stated that the launch represents another significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to building a more connected, efficient, transparent and citizen-centred public service.
He emphasized that the Portal is more than a website; it is the foundation of a unified digital gateway that places the needs of citizens and businesses at the centre of government service delivery.
He further noted that while the event marks the beginning of the Portal’s journey, the soft launch provides an opportunity to onboard pioneer MDAs, gather user feedback, strengthen system integrations and continuously improve the platform ahead of a wider national rollout.
Representing key stakeholder institutions at the launch were the Deputy Director of KOICA Nigeria, Mr. Ki Yun Baik; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, represented by Mr. Joseph Bareiye, Director of e-Government; the Permanent Secretary, State House, represented by Mr. Oguntuyi Olusegun, Head of ICT; and the Executive Director, Digital Exploration and Technical Services, Galaxy Backbone, Olumbe Akinkugbe.
The Government Service Portal aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and supports Nigeria’s broader Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agenda by creating a citizen-facing gateway that complements existing investments in digital identity, secure infrastructure, cloud services, cybersecurity and digital government platforms. It can be accessed using the link: services.gov.ng . The initiative is expected to strengthen public service delivery, increase transparency, improve operational efficiency and foster greater trust between government and citizens.
Galaxy Backbone reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in integrating their digital services into the Portal, noting that collaboration across government will be critical to building an inclusive, interoperable and efficient digital ecosystem that benefits every Nigerian.
The Government Service Portal is expected to evolve into Nigeria’s central digital gateway for public services, making government services simpler, faster and more accessible for citizens and businesses alike.
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