Telecom
NCC Shines @2021 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, Bags Telecom E-Waste Regulator Award

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has bagged the 2021 ITREALMS Telecom E-Waste Regulator Award.

From left: Publisher/Editor Newsmart, Ms. Rose Moses; President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers and Publisher/Editor Realnews, Ms. Maureen Chigbo; presenting the plague to NCC, President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo; host, Group Executive Editor-in-Chief ITREALMS Media Group, Mr. Remmy Nweke; Head, Online Media, Public Affairs Department, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan; Teach/Admin Officer, E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation Nigeria, Ms. Mofesayo Oyedeji and Executive Director, DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkem Nweke, at the 2021 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue on “E-waste in Nigeria Consumer as a Key to Circular Economy and 20 years of GSM” in Lagos.
The award was presented on behalf of the management of ITREALMS Media group by the president of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, at the 2021 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue held Thursday at the Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos, with the theme “e-Waste in Nigeria: Consumer as key to Circular Economy & 20 years of GSM.”
Also speaking on the award, the Executive Editor-in-Chief of ITREALMS Media, Mr. Remmy Nweke, said the award was in recognition of the Commission’s commitment in the regulation of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Telecom Sector.
The event keynoted by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, who was represented by the Head of New Media, Dr. Ominiyi Ibietan, dwelt on “20 years of GSM and e-Waste in Nigeria.”
He also said that Chief Ogunbanjo was accompanied at the presentation by the president, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) and publisher of RealNews, Maureen Chigbo; publisher of Newsmart, Rose Mose; Teach & Admin Officer at the E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (E-PRON) Ms Mofesayo Oyedeji, Executive Director, DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs Nkem Nweke.
He recalled that NCC is the independent national regulatory authority for the telecommunications sector in Nigeria. The Commission is responsible for creating an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensuring the provision of qualitative and efficient telecommunications services throughout the country.
Created under Decree No. 75 by the [Federal Military Government of Nigeria] on 24 November 1992, the Commission was charged with the responsibility of regulating the supply of telecommunications services and facilities, promoting competition, and setting performance standards for telephone services in Nigeria.
Over the years NCC has earned a reputation as a leading telecom regulatory agency on the continent of Africa. The Commission strives to catalyze the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT’s) for different aspects of national development.
In this regard, NCC has initiated several programmes such as State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) and Wire Nigeria Project (WIN) to help stimulate demand and accelerate the uptake of ICT tools and services necessary for the enthronement of a knowledge society in the country.
In order to achieve its mandate, the Commission being currently led by the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has put in place some necessary licensing and regulatory framework for the supply of telecommunications services, especially using “ASPIRE 2024” – (A: Advancement through S: Strategy, P: Professionalism, I: Innovation and R: Regulatory, E: Excellence).
Telecom
FG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law

Federal government has abolished the five per cent excise duty on telecommunications services, a levy that had long sparked public concern over rising costs for subscribers.

Pic credit… Itedgenews
Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), announced the development during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
Maida explained that the duty, which was earlier suspended, had now been completely removed by President Bola Tinubu under the new tax legislation.
“The excise duty, it was the 5 per cent or so, that is no longer there. Before it was suspended, but now the president has been magnanimous to remove it entirely. I was in a room when it was raised, and he said, No, no, no, we cannot put this on Nigerians. I was very pleased when the bills came out and we saw his words were followed through,” he disclosed.
Maida stressed that eliminating the charge would ease cost pressures on subscribers and enable wider industry growth.
He added that reforms within the sector were now guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and stronger consumer protection.
The EVC revealed that the regulator was moving beyond traditional rule-based supervision to incorporate behavioural economics, which includes providing more information for consumers and operators to make informed choices.
According to him, one key initiative is a nationwide public map of network performance, expected in September, that will provide independent data on download speeds, latency, and other service indicators.
“There will also be a quarterly network performance report based on user data. It extends accountability beyond mobile operators to also include infrastructure providers who play a critical role in reliability,” he said.
The NCC boss further emphasised the importance of corporate governance as a tool to attract investment and improve industry efficiency. He noted that the ultimate goal is to nurture a telecom company that is wholly Nigerian-owned, well-structured, and globally competitive.
He listed some of the NCC’s recent achievements, including the conclusion of the NIN-SIM audit, settlement of USSD debt disputes, transition to end-user billing, and the launch of a Major Incident Reporting Portal.
On call tariffs, he pointed out that competition had helped keep rates low, with the highest in the market today at about N18 or N19 per minute, compared to N50 per minute two decades ago.
Addressing frequent consumer complaints, he disclosed that the NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had developed a new framework to standardise electronic recharge processes. In addition, Tier-1 audit firms were hired to investigate billing systems after reports of unexplained data depletion.
The results, he said, showed no systemic manipulation. Instead, factors such as background applications, device settings, and complex tariff plans contributed to user dissatisfaction.
“We are not trying to punish anyone. We want the industry to grow, so consumers are happier, operators perform better, and the government benefits from a broader tax base,” Maida added.
Telecom
Roqqu, SiBAN Unite to Drive Blockchain Innovation Across Nigeria

In a strategic move to propel the Nigerian blockchain ecosystem, Roqqu, a prominent digital finance and blockchain solutions provider, has officially partnered with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN).
This new alliance will leverage the combined expertise and resources of both organizations to foster innovation, drive development, and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across Nigeria.
The partnership comes shortly after Roqqu was welcomed into the SiBAN network as a corporate member, solidifying a joint commitment to building a more credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem.
The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.
In a statement, the organizations detailed a range of initiatives to be launched as part of this collaboration, all aimed at promoting financial inclusion and responsible innovation.
Key initiatives to be carried out by the two organisations include jointly hosting events to educate both the public and industry professionals on blockchain technology, developing training programs to equip developers and the public with the skills needed to thrive in the blockchain space and actively engaging with regulators and policymakers to help shape a more informed and compliant blockchain community in Nigeria.
“We are delighted to have this collaboration. Our collective strength lies in the diversity and commitment that we both bring to the table and ultimately, contribute to the growth of the blockchain ecosystem,” said Obinna Iwuno, President of SiBAN in the statement.
Roqqu has seen remarkable growth in recent years, establishing itself as a leading force in making cryptocurrency and digital finance accessible. With a focus on providing fast, reliable, and user-friendly services, the company has expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria into other key African markets, including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This expansion, along with a virtual currency license to operate in the European Economic Area (EEA), positions Roqqu as a truly international fintech company.
Reacting to the partnership, the Chief Compliance Officer of Roqqu, Roimot Ajiboye-Ibitoye, said partnering with SiBAN is a natural step to make blockchain technology and digital finance accessible, safe, and beneficial for everyone, insisting that together, the two organisations are not just talking about blockchain adoption. Rather, actively building the frameworks, trust, and education needed for it to thrive responsibly in Nigeria.
“This collaboration represents a united front between innovators and industry advocates to create a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By combining our expertise with SiBAN’s strong advocacy and regulatory engagement, we are setting the stage for a future where blockchain becomes a trusted driver of financial inclusion and economic growth across the globe,” he said.
This partnership highlights a shared vision between Roqqu and associations like SiBAN that play a crucial role in bridging the gap between industry innovation and responsible adoption to ensure the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience, creating a safer and more robust future for digital finance in Nigeria.
SiBAN as a body provides a platform where stakeholders can share knowledge and experiences, where companies can engage in constructive policy discussions with regulators, where communities can learn about safe, responsible participation in the blockchain space and where businesses can collaborate on solutions that serve both economic and social development goals.
Industry watchers believe that this partnership highlights a shared vision of creating a credible, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. By working together, Roqqu and SiBAN aim to bridge the gap between rapid technological innovation and responsible adoption, ensuring that the benefits of blockchain are accessible to a wider audience while prioritizing user protection and ethical standards.
Telecom
NCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that it has successfully eliminated users of unregistered subscriber identity modules (SIM), from the Nigerian telecommunication network, a development that can boost national and cyber security.

Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC,
Eng. Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of NCC, who disclosed the information at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, said, however, that it was beyond the scope of the agency to control the names with which some customers used in registered their SIMs.
The NCC CEO pointed out that while the commission had successfully removed unregistered SIMs from its network, some strange names being attached to some of the subscribers reflect what the owners used while registering with their operators.
“No unregistered SIM is operating on the network as of today, but there may be people using names they did not register with, apparently to mask their identities. We cannot control the names attached to each SIM, as they reflect what the owners used at the time of registration with their respective operators,” the EVC said.
“While NCC cannot control that behaviour, it is to be noted that it is an offence to use fake names to make or receive calls in Nigeria,” Maida warned.
The EVC, however, said that the commission has put necessary measures in place to ensure sanity and stability in the industry so that every user can determine the best network operator to patronise based on performance, service delivery and charges.
He said the commission would, in September this year, launch a public map to show subscribers which of the telecoms networks provides the best service and tariff plan to determine which to patronise based on their locations.
Mr. Maida said for the industry to make the required progress and serve the interests of the people, there is a need for a fresh injection of capital from outside the industry, adding that the commission had already revised a series of good governance guidelines to guide operators in the industry.
According to him, the guidelines are aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and boosting investors’ confidence and customers’ trust in the industry.
He said, “The need for good corporate governance guidelines requires that operators in the industry must provide audited reports to boost investors’ confidence and earn the trust and confidence of their customers”.
The ECV explained that the commission approved the recent tariff hike for the industry due to the fact that there had not been any cost-reflective tariff adjustment for a decade, adding that the commission was mindful of the need to protect the interests of both the operators and Nigerian subscribers.
On the issue of threats to telecoms infrastructure nationwide, the EVC announced that he would soon meet with governors to discuss the need for them to team up with NCC to protect telecoms infrastructure in their domains and to also eliminate multiple taxes on the operators so as to improve service delivery and ensure national security.
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