Telecom
NCC Blames Taxes for Poor QoS, Warns Against Unauthorized Radio
Peter Igho, chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decried multiple taxation on telephone service providers by different levels of governments, denials of rights of way for expansion of telecommunication infrastructure and vandalization of equipment as the major factors militating against the attainment of quality service in the country’s telecommunication sector, regarded as one of the fastest growing in the world.
This is coming as the commission yesterday warned that it is illegal to sell, install or use in Nigeria any Radio Frequency (RF) Jamming device without its authorization.
But speaking during a courtesy call on Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo State governor, in his Akure Office during the week, Igho, appealed to governments to ease these burdens for the sector to record the desired growth.
The NCC chairman specifically appealed to Mimiko, who is a member of the National Economic Council on Multiple Taxation, Levies and Charges on ICT Infrastructure in Nigeria, under the chairmanship of Namadi Sambo, Vice-President,to further influence the reduction in the taxes and levies payable by telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria.
He described the outlined impediments as being beyond the scope of the NCC as the regulatory body of the telecommunication industry “but within the mandate of the government”, and that the commission is already tackling those under its control to achieve maximum results.
According to him, “the issue of right of way and multiple taxations deserves serious attention. There are multiple taxations and regulations that await the service providers at the various levels of government, including state governments and even some communities.
“In most cases, unfortunately, telecom masts and towers easily become specific targets for multiple taxes and regulations even where there are other masts and towers in existence, or even when appropriate taxes have been imposed at the Federal level.
“The resolution of these issues would go beyond enhancing quality of service as it would contribute to expansion of infrastructure and attraction of investment in the sector for the benefit of the nation.
“As we all know, rights of way for deployment of infrastructure determines the ease with which service providers can easily and quickly deploy or add new infrastructures at a given time and place. Related also is the vandalization of equipment across the nation, which also contributes negatively to quality of service.”
The NCC boss, who was accompanied on the visit by members of the board and management of the commission also blamed ignorance of how the communication system works across the globe on the way authorities in Nigeria seek to limit the infrastructure of the service providers especially in the erection of masts.
He said: “In the United Kingdom, there are more than 65,000 base stations for telecommunication services in a land that is far less than Nigeria’s. Nigeria is yet to achieve 25,000 installations across its huge land mass, yet many feel that we already have enough and are defacing the environment.
“This of course is causing infrastructure deficit and the situation is alreasy becoming very discouraging to the service providers who are being forced to depend on very few base stations to serve the populace.”
Igho however sought the support of the Ondo governor as the commission according to him, “is currently pursuing a major broadband infrastructure deployment programme and we would expect progressive governments to join hands with us and also plan ahead to tap on these potentials.”
He also disclosed that the commission is currently putting on efforts in the provision of Emergency Communication Centres (ECC) across the country and that by this, the NCC “has elected to assist the Federal and state governments to introduce this most desired service across the nation in partnership with state governments.
“The pilot of these centres in Awka and Minna were currently commissioned. Few more centres located in some other state would be commissioned soon. It may not be out of place to say that all citizens of Ondo state would appreciate this service.”
Mimiko who requested the NCC to assist the state in the provision of a three-digit line to be deployed in the operations of the state’s intervention programmes in healthcare delivery such as the Abiye Safe Motherhood programme, the Trauma and Kidney Care Centres, charged the commission to put in place a quality measurement mechanism ‘that will tell us the efficiency of our telecom service.”
According to him, “the perception of Nigerians that the service providers are only out to cheat them and milk them dry must be changed and the NCC must see to it because for each minute that subscribers are denied usage of their telephones through bad service, billions of naira are skimmed from them.”
Elsewhere, NCC said it is illegal to sell, install or use in Nigeria any Radio Frequency (RF) Jamming device without its authorization.
Radio Frequency (RF) Jammers are devices used to disrupt or prevent communication via a broadcasted RF signal.
“Individual towers partition cities into small sections called cells. As a cell phone user traverses the cells in an area, the signal is passed from tower to tower.
Jamming devices take advantage of this fact by transmitting on the spectrum of radio frequencies used by cellular devices.
Through its concurrent transmission, the jamming device is able to disrupt the two-way communication between the phone and the base station. This form of a denial-of-service attack inhibits all cellular communication within range of the device.
Thus, “Radio jamming is the (usually deliberate) transmission of radio signals that disrupt communications by decreasing the signal to noise ratio”.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity building/workshop for ICT journalists in Lagos, Engineer Austine Nwaulune, director, Spectrum Administration at NCC lamented the spray in radio frequency jammers usage in churches, mosques, hotels and other social outlets, especially without the permission of the Regulator.
He said that the effect is evident in the low quality of service (QoS) which has become topical in the industry in recent time, particularly, polarizing the Regulator, operators and telecom subscribers in the country.
He said, “These devices are illegal to sell, install or use in Nigeria without authorisation from the Commission and have been found to be used by Hotels, Security operatives, Courts, Religious institutions to prevent the operation of phone devices in their premises and areas of security concerns.
“They contribute to degrade the QoS in the areas they are deployed and could affect a large area depending on the range and transmit power of the jammer.
“Like any radio transmitter they can radiate beyond the intended perimeter of coverage.
The use is prohibited by extant laws of the country”.
He warned the perpetrators to obtain permission from the Commission, desist from the act or face full wrath of the law, adding that NCC is unrelenting on its responsibilities to monitor the trend.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) had established National & International Frequency Coordination, that is a technical and regulatory process which is intended to remove or mitigate radio-frequency interference between different radio systems which utilize the same operational frequency.
International coordination is carried out through Intergovernmental treaties in line with coordination procedures in the Radio Regulations of the ITU.
NCC’s powers are drawn from its enabling Act 2003 in Nigeria and as a national coordination under ITU to undertaken by spectrum regulators/operators within an administration to ensure coexistence between inter and intra service users of the spectrum.
Tony Ojobo, (4th from left), director, Corporate Communications (NCC), flanked by speakers and staff off NCC at the opening of a two-day capacity building/workshop for ICT journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.
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MTN Group has moved a step closer to taking full ownership of telecommunications tower operator IHS Towers, after shareholders of the infrastructure company approved the proposed acquisition at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).
The telecommunications group announced that IHS shareholders voted in favour of the transaction by the required two-thirds majority at the EGM held on 4 August, satisfying one of the key conditions precedent to the deal.
MTN first announced in February that it had entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining shares in IHS, a move that would give the mobile operator full ownership of one of Africa’s largest independent tower companies.
The acquisition forms part of MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, which aims to strengthen the group’s digital infrastructure capabilities and diversify revenue streams as demand for connectivity, cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow across the continent.
“The approval by IHS shareholders is an important step toward completion of the transaction,” says Ralph Mupita, MTN Group president and CEO.
“Within our Ambition 2030, the three-platform strategy, towers are a critical value-creation driver that will strengthen MTN’s strategic and financial position for the future, in a world where digital infrastructure and AI are becoming increasingly essential to Africa’s growth and development.”
Tower infrastructure has become increasingly strategic for mobile network operators as demand for high-speed mobile broadband, cloud computing and AI-powered services drives the need for expanded and more efficient network capacity.
The proposed acquisition is expected to strengthen MTN’s position as it continues expanding its digital ecosystem across Africa, where it serves more than 300 million subscribers.
IHS is one of the world’s largest tower companies, with nearly 29 000 towers in Africa serving various mobile network operators in five key MTN markets.
According to the mobile operator, the proposed transaction, which follows discussions noted in February, marks an important step to unlock compelling value for MTN, and strengthen and reintegrate its ownership of critical digital infrastructure across Africa.
For IHS shareholders, MTN notes, it provides an attractive opportunity to crystalise value.
The funding for the proposed transaction of the remaining shares MTN does not already own, for a consideration of $2.2 billion (R35 billion), will be through cash of approximately $1.1 billion on IHS’s balance sheet, along with available liquidity and debt from MTN.
MTN has approximately 24.7% shareholding in IHS, and as part of the transaction, it intends to take the company private through the acquisition of all outstanding shares it does not own, pursuant to a cash merger.
By reintegrating the tower assets, MTN says it will be able to internalise the margin currently paid to IHS, benefit from current and future incremental third-party revenues, improve cost predictability and unlock significant long-term value embedded in its existing investment.
The transaction remains subject to the receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals, which MTN says are still in progress. No timeline has been provided for the completion of the acquisition.
Telecommunications services provider Airtel Nigeria has further extended its national retail footprint with the rollout of 350 out of a planned 500 premium experience centres, which are designed to bring faster, more convenient service closer to millions of Nigerians.
The new retail shops, officially unveiled at a symbolic launch at City Mall, Onikan, Lagos, mark the latest phase in Airtel Nigeria’s grand retail strategy. They significantly expand the company’s extensive network of over 9,000 exclusive shops across every local government area, more than 350 premium experience centres, and over 73,000 retailers in all top towns and cities nationwide.
Built as compact, high-efficiency touchpoints, the newly launched shops are designed to enable subscribers complete all transactions such as Home Broadband, Fiber and Outdoor Units Subscription, Postpaid Plan Subscription, Enterprise Applications Enquiry and Subscription, as well as Prepaid Product services such as SIM registration and Data Plan purchase, other enquiries and comprehensive account support.
Simultaneously, several shops commenced operations at Purple Mall, Lekki; Marina, Lagos Island; Magodo, Lagos; Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta; Trend Setter Mall, Benin; Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Kano City Mall, Kano; Carpenters Mall, Gwarinpa, Abuja; and other parts of the country.
The rollout emphasises the company’s continued investment in customer experience and responds directly to feedback from customers seeking quicker access to everyday services without the longer waiting times that may be associated with larger retail centres.
Speaking on the company retail objectives, Joypratip Sengupta, Director, Sales and Distribution, Airtel Nigeria, explained that quality retail experience ultimately drives customer satisfaction. “Our goal is to demonstrate our dedication to exceptional quality of service, and these new shops, by their design, location, and equipment fit right within our goal to deliver superior service to every one of our customers,” he said.
He added that the expansion reflects Airtel Nigeria’s belief that excellent customer experience goes beyond technology to ensuring customers can receive support whenever and wherever they need it.
“Our business at Airtel is to ensure that we bring our services closer to our customers, and everything we do is centred on putting the customer first. These experience centres are open to help customers carry out their transactions faster and with greater ease. Whether you want to replace a SIM, purchase one of our routers, recharge airtime or data, or resolve any service issue, you can now do so more conveniently and closer to where you are,” he said.
He explained that the initiative represents a significant update to Airtel’s retail strategy, placing greater emphasis on accessibility, speed, and convenience.
“These express shops are designed to reduce traffic at our larger shops while giving customers faster access to the services they need. More importantly, they reinforce our vision of building the most accessible customer service network in Nigeria. As the telecom operator with the country’s largest retail footprint, we will continue expanding into more neighbourhoods, making it easier for customers to connect with Airtel wherever they are,” Sengupta noted.
In her remarks at the launch, Lynda Amechi, Head, Shops and Retail Postpaid Business, revealed that the new retail model was born from listening to customers and reimagining how Airtel delivers its services.
She said, “At Airtel, some of our best ideas come directly from our customers. One of the recurring concerns we received was the time customers sometimes spent waiting at our larger experience centres, even when they only needed simple transactions completed. We listened carefully and realised that many of these requests could be resolved within minutes if we brought our services closer to the communities where customers live and work.”
These new shops are also integrated into Airtel Nigeria’s broader customer experience agenda, which have seen the company continue to invest in digital self-service platforms, AI-powered customer support, nationwide customer forums, and significant network expansion across the country.
With this phase of shop launches, Airtel Nigeria has expanded customer access across the country while integrating digital innovation into physical touchpoints.
The Presidential Renewed Hope Media Tour has commended the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its progress in advancing indigenous technology development, describing the agency as a key driver of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
The commendation came during a visit by the presidential media delegation to NASENI’s headquarters in Abuja, where members inspected the agency’s technology and manufacturing facilities.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Communication, Information and Strategy, described the agency’s achievements as “impressive, impressive, impressive.”
He said NASENI’s progress demonstrated the capacity of Nigerian youths to excel when provided with the right leadership and support.
Onanuga also praised the leadership of the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, for repositioning the agency to support the Federal Government’s industrialisation objectives.
In his remarks, Halilu said sustainable industrial growth does not necessarily depend on producing goods entirely from local inputs but requires strategic investment in technology development, innovation and partnerships.
He explained that the agency is focusing on commercially viable innovations capable of creating jobs, reducing production time and supporting the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy.
According to him, NASENI is also strengthening technology transfer, commercialisation of research outputs, mentorship programmes for innovators and the Innovate Naija Challenge, which offers a ₦500 million prize fund to support promising Nigerian innovations.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended NASENI’s achievements and urged the media to give greater visibility to the Federal Government’s programmes and accomplishments across various sectors.
Also speaking, Hadiza Bala Usman stressed the need for stronger strategic communication and increased patronage of locally developed technologies and innovations.
Similarly, Sunday Dare advocated policies that would encourage Ministries, Departments and Agencies to prioritise NASENI products and other locally manufactured goods.
Other members of the delegation, including Tunde Rahman and Otega Ogra, also commended the agency’s strategic partnerships and locally developed technologies.
During the tour, the delegation inspected facilities dedicated to drone technology, helicopter assembly, reverse engineering, precision manufacturing, renewable energy, agricultural technology and recycling systems.
The visitors also witnessed the implementation of NASENI’s 3Cs framework—Creation, Collaboration and Commercialization—which the agency said is driving indigenous manufacturing, innovation and technology transfer.
At the end of the visit, stakeholders called for sustained nationwide campaigns to promote Nigerian-made products, strengthen local manufacturing, reduce dependence on imports and accelerate the country’s industrialisation agenda under President Tinubu.
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