Telecom
NCC Spreads Digital Dividends to Varsities, Others via ADAPTI, DAP
AS part of its deliberate digital inclusion policy to address digital divides across a broad spectrum of the society generally and the school system in particular, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently took digital dividends to some institutions of higher learning in the country.
These schools included Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Benin, Government Junior Secondary School, Jabi, Abuja, Katsina State College, Katsina, Government Secondary School Dan Musa, Katsina State, among others.
The NCC acknowledged the gap in ICT services early enough and opted to cushion these needs by taking services, equipment and infrastructure to these centres of learning.
The Commission through the Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) has been able to empower several of these higher institutions by donating digital centres, computer laboratories fitted with laptops and internet connectivity, generating sets as part of the digital dividends.
While secondary schools benefit through the Digital Awareness Programme (DAP). DAP ensures that teachers are empowered first to pass knowledge to the students.
DAP promotes hands-on digital empowerment by creating an environment where students have direct knowledge of usage of computers and ICTs in support of their studies.
Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive viice chairman (EVC) explained that this is one of the ways we can reach the unreached and serve the unserved and underserved members of the society.
Juwah further assured that many more institutions and schools will be covered especially now that the broadband revolution has begun. “Broadband will make a world of difference”.
Mr. Tony Ojobo, director, Public Affairs, in a statement explained that to continue the distribution of digital knowledge, and awareness in schools and support students in acquiring knowledge of computer in their studies, the Commission donated ICT/Telecommunications books to Ekiti State University, recently.
Juwah specifically said the Commission wants to put smiles on the faces of students and the school system.
The EVC who was represented by Ms. Josephine Amuwa (Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis), stated in Ekiti that one of the core functions of the NCC is the implementation of programmes and plans that promote the development of the communications industry and in order to achieve this, the NCC has implemented several capacity building initiatives to enhance the knowledge base of the participants in the telecoms industry in Nigeria.
Some of these initiatives include the establishment of the Digital Bridge Institute in 2004 in order to contribute to the creation of knowledge-based information society in Africa, through human resource capacity building in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
The EVC stated that the Commission in 2005 also established the NCC library for use of researchers and undergraduate students from various tertiary institutions across the country.
He further explained that higher institutions in Ekiti State, which fall within South West geo-political zone, have not benefitted from the National Books Donation Initiative of the Commission since inception of the project which is carried out in phases, Hence the need to begin from the Ekiti State University.
Eighty Seven ICT/Telecom engineering books on behalf of the EVC were donated by Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, commissioner of NCC, and received by Prof. Oladipo Aina, Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University.
The Vice Chancellor thanked the Commission for contributing ICT/ Telecommunications books to the University which will impact and add value to the lives of the students.
The Commission has also taken the ADAPTI project to The Polytechnic, Ibadan Oyo State, where 110 laptops were commissioned.
The Advanced Digital Awareness programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) is one of the programmes through which the NCC strives to bridge the digital divide through the provision of computers in order to equip lecturers and also to improve the skills of students.
The EVC who was represented by the NCC zonal coordinator in Ibadan, Mr. Banji Ojo in his speech stated that The Polytechnic, Ibadan was among the 52 beneficiaries of the ADAPTI project of the Commission in 2013, and that more than 222 institutions of higher learning across the country have so far benefitted from ADAPTI since it began in 2008.
Speaking at the event, Juwah stated that the key objectives of these programmes are to prepare the nation for a digital tomorrow and equip the youth with the necessary skills to tap into the potentials of the digital age and in the case of ADAPTI, it is aimed at improving the resource persons in the process of impacting knowledge. The EVC further explained that the Commission is committed to assisting the nation in the quest for ICT penetration through ADAPTI.
Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, chairman of the House Committee on Communications, urged the students to take advantage of the computers, which were commissioned, advising that the laptops are for the use of lecturers to improve their administrative skills.
He also advised the students of The Polytechnic to stay away from crimes such as cybercrime and focus on their education in order to contribute to the nation’s wellbeing.
The Digital Awareness Program (DAP) is a special intervention programme by the Commission to address the digital information knowledge gap in the country especially among the teeming youthful population.
The strategy in this programme is to expose schools and colleges to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) awareness, usage and application by facilitating access to ICT tools.
Under the project, selected institutions of learning spread across the country are equipped with computer laboratories fully installed with internet facilities and their teachers exposed to ICT training in order to equip them to teach their students, Ojobo further explained in the statement.
By the last count, the DAP Project has supported 229 secondary Schools across the six (6) geopolitical zones of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory with the provision of twenty one (21) desktop computers, Local Area Network, printers, scanners, VSAT dish and deployment of one year bandwidth subscription for Internet access.
These facilities are complemented with standby generators and a special accommodation built for that purpose; thus aggregating everything into a fully kitted Computer Laboratory.
The programme also entails human capacity building and managerial training for key personnel in charge of the Centres from the beneficiary institutions.
As part of the Commission’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to facilitate ICT Awareness in secondary schools and support students in acquiring knowledge of computer in their studies, the Commission commissioned two projects in Katsina state recently.
One of the beneficiaries is Government Secondary School, Dan Musa, Katsina State
A newly constructed computer laboratory with 20 Desktop computers with internet access, Generator Set, Air conditioners, NCC branded window blinds, was commissioned at the school.
Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, executive governor of Katsina State, was represented by Alhaji Suleiman Nuhu Kuki, special adviser (Science and Tech) at the event.
The projects were facilitated by Alhaji Jamilu Mohammed Dan Musa, a former commissioner of Water Resources in the State. So many stakeholder graced the occasion.
Katsina College, Katsina State also benefitted
A new constructed Computer Laboratory, 20 Desktop Computers with internet access, Generator Set, Air-conditioners, NCC branded window blinds were commissioned at Katsina College, Katsina, a prestigious institution and an Alma Mata of so many prominent Nigerians.
In Imo State a constructed computer laboratory, installed generator, air conditioners and branded window blinds at Omuma Secondary Technical School in Oru East LGA was one of the DAP projects while ADAPTI projects with 110 laptops were supplied and installed at each of the following locations:
.Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo
. Skills Acquisition Centre, Orlu (a campus of Imo State Polytechnic)
.St. Damian School of Nursing, Okporo
.Federal Polytechnic Nekede
These are some of the initiatives by the Commission to spread digital awareness through digital inclusion, Ojobo added.
About nine Nigerian states suffered network disruptions in the first week of June 2025 due to multiple fibre cuts, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) live incident portal.
As a result, the issues subscribers face include prolonged blackouts affecting voice, SMS and data services.
The affected customers are Airtel and 9Mobile subscribers in Lagos, Enugu, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Abia.
The nationwide disruptions have underscored vulnerabilities in telecom infrastructure.
The outages have left customers stranded, impacting everything from basic communication to digital transactions and business operations.
Data from the platform of the NCC showed that residents of Ikorodu in Lagos are currently experiencing disruptions in SMS, voice, and data services from 9Mobile following a power outage that began in the early hours of June 9, 2025.
The outage has been traced to a diesel shortage at the network’s switch site, leading to a complete power failure.
As of now, the issue has persisted for nearly nine hours, with restoration efforts still ongoing.
Other affected customers are Airtel subscribers. Airtel customers in Ughelli South, Delta State, have been facing a prolonged disruption in data services due to an ongoing power outage that began on June 7, 2025.
The outage stems from multiple generator faults at site DL0231 — DG1 has a faulty injector pump, while DG2 remains unstable due to the same issue.
When Okezie Kelechi lost his SIM card, the one he had used since his secondary school days, he didn’t think much of it.
He was shocked weeks later to find out it had been reassigned to someone else.
“I had no idea that if your SIM card has been inactive for more than three months, they will resell it,” he wrote on social media.
“They recycled my SIM card and sold it. Same number, I have had it since secondary school.”
Kelechi’s story is far from unique.
Across Nigeria, more people are waking up to the realities of what is known as SIM recycling, a process where telecommunication companies reassign inactive phone numbers to new users. While allowed under existing rules set by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the practice is now raising serious concerns over data privacy, fraud, and national security.
A regulatory gap with real-life consequences
Experts in Nigeria’s telecommunications and security sectors are increasingly warning that the NCC’s failure to establish stronger oversight of SIM recycling is endangering millions.
“Beyond the data breaches, this issue posed a big threat to national security. I have always maintained the need for a central data system in Nigeria,” said Daniel Makolo, a retired senior official of the Nigerian Immigration Service to The ICIR.
“There’s much more to this if we don’t pay attention to an appropriate central data mining system that gives us a history of each person in the country.”
Ayodele Ajayi, an engineering professor at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, explained the security risks from his own experience.
“I used to have one Airtel number, but I travelled out. Before I came back, it was reallocated to another user,” he said.
Because phone numbers are tied to Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and National Identity Numbers (NINs), reassigning them can expose people to identity theft and financial loss.
The NCC should find a way to notify users when their numbers are at risk of being deactivated, Ajayi urged.
He also recounted an incident he witnessed at a bank, “a woman was narrating how she used to have a particular number but lost it. Somebody saw the number and started using it.
The woman said that before she could act, the person who got the number had started using it and had connived with a bank office to almost wipe out all her savings.
“Upon arriving at the bank to check her account balance, she found out that she had only N50,000 left from about N5 million she had saved up.”
Ajayi emphasised that while recycling is a practical move for telcos to manage limited number availability, more caution is needed.
“Let people know so they can migrate their data to another line, particularly now that almost every channel we use is linked to the phone number, including our bank verification number (BVN)”, he stated.
Kelechi recalled that his number was reassigned to another user despite still being active on WhatsApp.
“I used to wonder why random Hausa boys were always messaging me and calling me baby.
He added that “when I finally visited MTN office in Nigeria, I was told the line has been sold to someone else. E pain me, I no go lie.”
Another social media user Elizabeth Kandi, @DrETKandi warning others about the hidden risks of SIM inactivity alleges that when reassigned the new user can have access to your USSD banking.
“If your Nigerian number was connected to your Nigerian bank accounts for USSD, if you didn’t use it for long, the network provider can disconnect and sell the number to someone else…but that person would be able to access your money via USSD,” Kandi wrote.
Her post underscores the growing fear that recycled numbers, still linked to sensitive services like mobile banking, can open the door to fraud and financial loss
Why do Telcos recycle SIMs?
At a virtual stakeholder meeting in April 2025, NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida acknowledged the concern noting that with the evolving landscape, it has become necessary to address emerging challenges that could undermine consumer rights.
He further noted that the Quality-of-Service Business Rules 2024 stipulate that a prepaid line without a revenue-generating event for six months must be deactivated.
This means if a prepaid SIM card goes unused for six months (i.e., no calls, texts, or data use), it must be deactivated.
If the inactivity continues for another six months, the number may be recycled/reallocated to a new user.
In Section 28 of the NCC’s draft business it is stated that all recycled SIMs must be purged of any NIN attached to allow a new user to link their own NIN. But real-world cases suggest that in practice, many recycled numbers are not properly sanitised before reassignment.
The business case for SIM recycling
For telecom operators, recycling isn’t just a technical choice, it’s economic.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), explained that subscribers do not have ownership rights to SIM cards in their possession, as the telecom operators pay procurement and recurring costs for each registered subscriber.
He further explained that SIM cards are “recycled” to prevent number exhaustion while reducing the cost of generating and maintaining them.
“SIM cards are reassigned to reduce the dormant subscribers, as telcos are profit-oriented organisations,” Adebayo said.
In the exercise of its powers under Section 70 of the NCC Act (2003), the commission made provisions for the development of a new numbering plan for Nigeria. Under the provision, telcos are obligated to pay a sum that is the ‘numbering plan fees’ to maintain their allocated numbers.
Airtel Nigeria has restated its commitment to transparency, customer safety, and regulatory collaboration following recent regulatory enforcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The NCC had served Airtel Nigeria a notice of sanction over some alleged SIM infractions in Kano State and consequently slammed a fine of N104 million on the telecommunications firm.
NCC had in a letter, addressed to Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, dated May 26, 2025, signed by Chizua Whyte, head, Legal and Regulatory Services, and Mohammed Dari, acting head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, on behalf of Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, titled: ‘Notice of Sanction: Non-Compliance with SIM Registration Directive in Kano,’ where the infractions were spelt out.
According to NCC, Airtel infractions include unauthorised SIM registrations using 198 unapproved devices, resulting in 8,275 registrations outside the 281 verified Airtel shops; premature activation of 63 MSISDNs prior to proper SIM registration, contrary to the provisions of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022; failure to conduct effective eyeballing, leading to 407 fraudulent SIM registrations with multiple NINs, contrary to the provision of the Registration of Communications Subscribers Regulations 2022 and failure to provide satisfactory explanation for SIM registrations conducted between 12.00 a.m and 6.00 a.m.
On the matter, the letter revealed that there were some letter exchanges and subsequent meetings on the infractions between the telecom regulator and Airtel, starting from January 12, 2025, March 19, 2025, March 24, 2025, and March 27, 2025, respectively.
Apparently, after investigations and responses from Airtel, the NCC was not satisfied and this led to the fine of N104 million, which was to be paid within seven days from the date the letter was issued.
Specifically, NCC fined Airtel N5 million, N12 million, N81.4 million and N5 million for the infractions respectively.
Reacting, Airtel, expressed appreciation to the NCC for uncovering the infractions, describing the development as a critical opportunity to strengthen internal processes and further align with national security and regulatory expectations
“We thank the NCC for its vigilance and continued support in protecting the integrity of the telecoms ecosystem. Airtel takes these findings seriously and is already implementing corrective measures,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Only recently, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO recently announced that the company is doubling its investment in the country, focusing on network expansion, fiber-to-the-street rollout, 4G/5G deployment, customer care upgrades, and digital infrastructure security.
These investments reinforce Airtel’s long-term vision of building a resilient and forward-looking telecom network that meets the evolving needs of Nigerians.
“Our systems are constantly evolving to stay ahead of scammers and malicious actors,” the spokesperson added. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about our responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who rely on Airtel daily.”
Airtel Nigeria says it will continue to work closely with the NCC and other arms of government to ensure high standards of service and safety for all telecom users nationwide.
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