News
NCC says Telephone Subscribers Increase to 174 million in January
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), says there was 174,012,136 active subscribers on the telecommunication networks in January 2019, as against 172,871,094 recorded in December 2018.
The telecommunications regulator disclosed this in its Monthly Subscriber and Operator Data made available on its website on Friday. The active subscribers increased by 1,141,042.
According to the data, 173,625,306 of the 174,012,136 active numbers subscribe to the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network services.
The GSM operators’ active customers’ figure increased by 1,139,501 in January, after the 172,485,805 subscribers recorded in December 2018.
The reports stated that out of the GSM operators, MTN had 66,665,378 users in January, showing a decrease of 467,631 from the 67,133,009 it recorded in December 2018.
Globacom’s figure increased in January by 348,341 with 45,603,638 customers, as against 45,255,297 in December 2018.
Airtel had 44,970,973 subscribers in the month under review, which showed an increase of 790,489 users, from the 44,180,484 recorded in December 2018.
9mobile recorded 16,385,317 customers in January, having an increase of 468,302 subscribers, against 15,917,015 in December 2018.
The Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators recorded 124,257 subscribers in the month under review, indicating a decrease of 165, from 124,092 users in December 2018.
Visafone, which is one of the two surviving CDMA operators had 119,797 customers in January 2019, showing an increase of 165 from the 119,632 recorded in December 2018.
On the other hand, Multi-Links had 4,460 in the month under review, same with the record of December 2018.
The monthly subscriber/operator data showed that the Fixed Wireless Network (landline) consumers remained at 26,865 in January 2019.
One of the two landline networks, Visafone had 26,437 subscribers, while Multi-Links maintained its record of 428 customers in the month under review.
It also revealed that the Fixed Wired operators (landline) subscriber base decreased by 5,677; reducing to 107,949 users in January, as against 113,626 recorded in December 2018.
In the Fixed Wired arena, MTN Fixed moved from 5,450 users in December 2018 to 5,480 users in January 2019, thereby increasing by 30 customers.
Glo Fixed had 2,896 users in January, increasing by 17 customers from the December 2018 record of 2,879.
IpNX network moved from 2,281 subscriber base in December 2018 to 2,248 in January 2019, hence, its customers decreased by 33.
It said that 21st Century Network had 97,325 customers in January, recording a decrease of 5,691 users from its December 2018 record of 103,016 subscribers.
The report also showed that the two Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) networks had 127,759 active users in January, as their customers increased by 7,053, from their December 2018 subscriber base of 120,706.
Of the VOIP networks, Smile Communication had 121,261 customers, giving an increase of 8,060 users to its December result of 113,201.
Ntel had 6,498 consumers subscribing to its products and services in January, showing a decrease of 1,007 users to the December 2018 record of 7,505.
The regulatory body said that Section 89, Subsection 3(c) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 mandated it to monitor and report the state of the telecommunications industry.
“The commission is mandated to provide statistical analyses and identify industry trends with regard to: services, tariffs, operators, technology, subscribers, issues of competition and dominance.
“This is to identify areas where regulatory intervention will be needed.
“The commission regularly conducts studies, surveys and produces reports on the telecommunications industry.
“Therefore, telecommunications operators are obligated, under the terms of their licenses, to provide NCC with such data on a regular basis for analytical review and publishing,” NCC said.
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce a biometric identity verification system, known as V-Pass, to speed up passenger processing and enhance security at domestic airports nationwide.
This initiative is aimed at strengthening aviation security, reducing passenger processing time and eliminating dependence on physical identity documents.
A statement issued yesterday by Henry Agbebire, director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, said the new facial recognition platform, developed in partnership with Verxid Technologies Limited, would enable passengers to verify their identities through biometric authentication, allowing them seamless access through airport security checkpoints and boarding gates.
According to him, the initiative formed the focus of a strategic meeting between FAAN and Verxid Technologies Limited, where both organisations reviewed deployment plans, security safeguards and measures to improve passenger experience.
The statement hinted that the authority centred on ensuring the successful rollout of the digital platform while maintaining high security standards.
The statement quoted, Adebola Agunbiade, director of Commercial and Business Development, FAAN, as describing the V-Pass as another milestone in the authority’s ongoing digital transformation programme.
According to her, the platform indicated FAAN’s commitment to deploying innovative technology that enhances passenger facilitation while reinforcing aviation security across domestic airports.
She assured that the system would provide every traveller with a secure digital identity through a one-time enrolment process.
Under the arrangement, Nigerian passengers would register using their National Identification Number (NIN) alongside facial biometric capture, while foreign travellers would enroll with their passports through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) supported by biometric authentication, the statement added.
FAAN said the system would verify passenger identities before they gain access to restricted airport areas and once again before boarding their flights.
The agency noted that the dual-verification process was designed to prevent identity fraud, impersonation and unauthorised access to airport facilities, while giving security agencies greater confidence in passenger authentication.
Passengers would be able to complete the verification process either through self-service kiosks or with assistance from trained FAAN personnel.
The deployment would also include electronic gates to automate access into controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger movement across airport terminals.
According to the developers, first-time registration is expected to take about one minute, while subsequent biometric verification would take less than 30 seconds.
Apart from passenger processing, the V-Pass platform would also provide airlines with secure digital access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics.
FAAN assured travellers that data protection remained a critical component of the project, stressing that the platform fully complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has launched a new system to monitor how Bureau De Change (BDC) operators buy foreign exchange in the country.
Under the new arrangement, all licensed BDCs must report their foreign exchange purchases through a platform called the FX BDC Purchase Tracker (FXBT). The portal will allow the CBN to monitor transactions in real time or on the same day they take place.
The directive was announced in a circular dated July 15, 2026, and signed by the Director of the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department, Aderinola Shonekan.
According to the apex bank, the new framework is designed to support its February 2026 policy that allows licensed BDCs to buy foreign exchange directly from authorised dealer banks in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).
The CBN said the initiative will improve transparency, strengthen compliance, increase liquidity in the retail forex market, and ensure proper participation by market operators.
A major feature of the framework is the FXBT portal, which will serve as a central database for tracking all foreign exchange purchases made by BDCs from banks.
Under the guidelines, every licensed BDC must register on the platform and submit transaction details either in real time or on the same day the transactions occur.
The CBN stated that the system will help regulators identify violations, detect suspicious transactions, monitor compliance with market rules, and improve confidence in the foreign exchange market.
The framework builds on the CBN’s February 2026 decision to allow licensed BDCs back into the official foreign exchange market. Under that policy, each eligible BDC can purchase up to $150,000 weekly from authorised dealer banks at market rates.
The apex bank said only BDCs with valid licences will be allowed to access foreign exchange through the framework. Operators whose licences have been suspended or restricted due to regulatory issues will not be eligible until those restrictions are lifted.
The CBN also directed banks to carry out thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) and customer due diligence checks before onboarding any BDC. Required documents include valid operating licences, Tax Identification Numbers (TIN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration documents, and information on beneficial ownership.
Banks have also been warned not to sell foreign exchange to BDCs that fail to meet the required compliance standards.
To encourage fair competition, the CBN said BDCs can buy foreign exchange from any authorized dealer bank of their choice. Banks are prohibited from forcing BDCs into exclusive arrangements or charging referral fees that limit their ability to transact with other banks.
Under the new process, BDCs must submit electronic requests for foreign exchange through a bank’s designated portal. Banks are required to acknowledge requests within two business hours and communicate approvals or rejections immediately after processing.
Requests can only be rejected for valid reasons, such as incomplete documentation, exceeding weekly purchase limits, unresolved compliance concerns, or internal risk management issues.
The CBN also introduced stricter rules on how purchased foreign exchange can be used. All transactions between banks and BDCs, as well as between BDCs and customers, must be conducted through accounts held with licensed financial institutions. Third-party transactions remain prohibited.
In addition, BDCs are not allowed to keep unused foreign exchange purchased through the official market. Any unused funds must be sold back into the market within 24 hours after the permitted usage period expires.
The apex bank warned that failure to comply could lead to forfeiture of funds and suspension from the market.
BDC operators must also disclose any unused balances from previous allocations when applying for new purchases, while banks are expected to consider those balances when calculating weekly allocations.
Beyond reporting through the FXBT portal, BDCs must continue submitting weekly reports to the CBN. These reports must include details of foreign exchange purchased from banks, sales to end users, unused balances, and settlement records.
The CBN said the reporting requirements will improve transparency and help regulators better monitor foreign exchange flows in the retail market.
The bank warned that violations of the framework could attract penalties under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and the Foreign Exchange Act. Sanctions may include fines, suspension from the foreign exchange market, withdrawal of BDC licences, revocation of banks’ authorised dealer status, and referrals to law enforcement agencies where necessary.
The CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department will oversee compliance through regular and surprise inspections carried out in collaboration with other departments.
The apex bank said the new directive is part of its wider efforts to reform the foreign exchange market, improve transparency, boost liquidity, and restore confidence in the system.
Concerns over compliance breaches, speculative trading, and abuse of foreign exchange allocations had continued even after BDCs were reintroduced into the official market earlier this year.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced the commencement of another exercise to remove 100,000 companies from Nigeria’s register of companies for failing to comply with statutory requirements under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, and dated July 15, 2026, the commission said the exercise was being carried out pursuant to Sections 692(3) and 692(4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.
The notice stated: “This is to notify the General Public and Esteemed Customers that the Corporate Affairs Commission has commenced another round of striking off names of companies from the Register pursuant to the provisions of Section 692 (3) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.”
According to the commission, the affected companies are listed on its official website.
“The list of the affected One Hundred Thousand (100,000) companies can be accessed at the Commission’s Website,” the notice said.
The CAC directed all affected companies to update their records by filing outstanding annual returns and beneficial ownership information within 90 days.
“The affected companies are hereby advised to take steps to file all outstanding Annual Returns (and by extension Persons with Significant Control/Beneficial Ownership information) and regularize their records within ninety (90) days of this notice,” the commission said.
It added that companies must send proof of compliance to the designated email address, [email protected], within the stipulated period.
The commission warned that failure to comply would result in the affected companies being removed from the register without any further notice.
“Please note that companies that fail to comply within the stipulated timeline shall be struck off the Register without further notice,” the notice stated.
The CAC reiterated its commitment to improving service delivery, saying, “The Commission remains committed to providing prompt and efficient services to the satisfaction of our valued customers.”
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