Telecom
NCC Accelerates Broadband Deployment with New Measures
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has outlined measures to accelerate nationwide fibre penetration; non-discriminatory and open access; optimized deployment strategy; and co-operation of existing operators.
The Commission said that in order to achieve the nation’s economic transformation blueprint crystallized vision 20:2020, need has risen for a long term widespread deployment of a robust nationwide comprehensive backbone and metropolitan fibre infrastructure hence it mulls a typical Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN) deployment to drive broadband growth.
Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, extolled the measure, stressing that a robust national broadband policy is a sure means of sustaining investments and ensure greater penetration of broadband in the country.
She said that they are her Ministry is working harmonise and reduced Right of Way (ROW) cost charges across states through the National Economic Council and the Presidency.
“We have made enough impact as an industry, in the last 10 years, but if we can deliver broadband it will spur greater growth in areas like e-commerce, agriculture, health; in fact, every sector of the economy will feel the impact. And that is why our broadband plan is very clear.
Highlighting on the backgrounds of the new model, Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman of NCC, said that the Commission is committed to putting in place a new broadband deployment environment through an ‘Open Access Model’ in line with the National Broadband Plan.
“The ‘Open Access Model’ has been examined as the model for optic fibre transmission network deployment to bridge the current gap and deliver fast and reliable broadband services to households and businesses. The model is also envisaged to address the challenges of congested and unplanned towns, the challenges around infrastructure sharing and other issues such as high cost of Right of Way,” he said.
Under the new model, a typical NBN network and services infrastructure shall be segregated into three main layers including Passive Infrastructure layer comprising those responsible for the design, build and operation of the passive NBN infrastructure (e.g. rollout of fibre, maintenance of ducts, handholes and manholes).
Others are Wholesale layer who are involved in the design, build and operation of the active NBN infrastructure (e.g. terminal equipment, optic fibre electronics, routers, switches, data centers). And Retail Service Providers (RSP) that purchase bandwidth connectivity from wholesale operator (s) and compete with each others in providing competitive and innovative services to end-users.
The proposed industry structure, thus consists of InfraCos (Layer 1B and Layer 2); Licensed InfraCo(s) that are geographically focused.
Juwah explained that InfraCos would provide wholesale Layer 2 transmission services on a non- discriminatory, open access, price regulated basis, among other functions.
Mr. Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said that the model is a welcome development, although the Association members would debate on the nitty-gritty of the implementations plans.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief Enterprise business officer, MTN Nigeria, has assured the network subscribers that the new end-user billing system for the use of USSD services will jot affect them.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes are commonly used for banking transactions, airtime recharges, and other mobile services.
The telco said that there is no significant impact or change other than the fact that they will now pay the same N6.98 per session (120 seconds) with their airtime instead of direct bank debit.
Saint-Nwafor, said this during a chat with MTN MIP fellows, explaining that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered telecom operators to ensure that the new billing model resolves trust issues and ensures transparency in the billing process.
“Our regulator insisted that at the end of every month, we are going to be providing history and statistics on the performance of the service across the board”, she explained.
Saint-Nwafor added that the new billing model has standardized messaging across all operators and ensures consistent communication with customers.
“We will take all the error codes and map them into messages that are standardised across the board. So, if you initiate a transaction, you will know if it is failing. And, when the transaction fails, you will know if it is from your bank or the telco,” she explained.
The U.S. government has recovered $225 million in what is now the largest seizure of funds linked to a cryptocurrency investment scam.
In a statement released Wednesday, June 18, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the recovery followed an extensive investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, using blockchain analysis and other forensic tools. The statement did not confirm whether any arrests had been made.
According to the authorities, the stolen funds originated from fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes that tricked victims into believing they were making legitimate investments. More than 400 individuals around the world, including dozens in the United States, were reportedly affected.
The operation involved a sophisticated money laundering network that carried out hundreds of thousands of blockchain transactions to obscure the source and ownership of the stolen assets.
“These scams prey on trust, often resulting in extreme financial hardship for the victims,” said Shawn Bradstreet, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service office in San Francisco.
Bradstreet added that U.S. officials hope the recovered funds can eventually be returned to the rightful victims.
Cryptocurrency investment fraud accounted for over $5.8 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone, according to the statement.
In a rousing declaration that is electrifying minds across the continent, Hon. Nnaemeka Ani, Special Adviser on ICT to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for a homegrown digital revolution under the banner “Africa Will Rise: By Code, By Courage, By Us.”
Hon. Nnaemeka Ani
The message, part challenge, part philosophical—seeks to galvanize African innovators to move beyond buzzwords and build technology with impact and legacy in mind.
“Let’s stop building for hype. Let’s start building for legacy,” Ani urged while speaking to ICT journalists over the weekend. “Let’s stop waiting for someone else. Let’s start creating the future—on our own terms.”
At the heart of Ani’s vision is a shift from tech consumerism to tech authorship. With innovation hubs sprouting across cities like Enugu, Lagos, Kigali, Jo’Burg, and Nairobi, and a growing community of developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs determined to solve Africa’s unique challenges, the movement is already taking shape.
Ani emphasized that Africa’s future lies not in flashy apps or international admiration but in persistent, intentional solutions that uplift communities—solutions that digitize public services, bridge rural-urban divides, empower women and youth, and build resilience in food and climate systems.
“We have the talent,” he said. “Now it’s time to harness it—to stop building for likes and start building for lasting impact.”
With support from leaders like Ani and rising momentum in Africa’s tech corridors, it seems that a new chapter is being written—one line of code at a time.
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