Four people have been killed, with over 20 injured after a fire at Cairo data centre disrupted telecom services nationwide.

A fire at a major Telecom Egypt facility in Cairo on Monday has left four workers dead and at least 22 others injured, plunging parts of the capital into a communications crisis.

According to Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for Egypt’s Health Ministry, most injuries were due to smoke inhalation.

The blaze, which broke out at a key data centre operated by Telecom Egypt, the country’s primary fixed-line and internet provider, was brought under control later that day.

However, it caused widespread disruptions, halting phone services, affecting internet connectivity, and even interfering with digital banking operations.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that national connectivity dropped to just 62% of normal levels following the incident.

Residents across Cairo struggled with poor network access, and banks—although already closed for the day—reported interruptions in ATM services and online transactions.

In a statement on Tuesday, Telecom Egypt mourned the loss of its employees and pledged support to their families.

Amr Talaat, Egypt’s minister of Communications and Information Technology,  assured the public that service restoration was underway and expected to be completed within 24 hours.

To address the disruption, the Health Ministry released alternative emergency contact numbers across Egypt’s governorates, in case its primary ambulance hotline remained unreachable.

The state-run MENA news agency reported that the fire was prevented from engulfing the entire building and nearby rooftops, thanks to the efforts of emergency responders.

A preliminary investigation suggests the fire was likely triggered by an electrical short circuit, according to a security source cited by MENA.

As the nation works to restore full connectivity, the incident has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the need for enhanced fire safety protocols in sensitive tech facilities.

Bright Echefu, chief executive officer, Telecom Satellites Limited (TStv), and three co‑defendants appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday on an amended twelve‑count indictment brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges allege money laundering, tax evasion, and investment fraud involving approximately ₦1 billion and $1.3 million.

Bright Echefu, chief executive officer, TStv

In addition to Echefu, the defendants are TStv Executive Director, Felix Igboanuga, Telecom Satellites Limited itself, and Briechberg Investment Ltd.

According to the April 5, 2025, amended charge sheet the EFCC accuses the quartet of defrauding Mr. Tanimu Turaki, Managing Director of Kalsiyam Global and former Minister of Special Duties, alongside BYI General Limited, out of a combined investment of ₦1 billion and $1.3 million. The commission has also included a ₦66 million alleged tax default.

The revised indictment lists:

Count 2: ₦33,909,542.47 in unremitted Company Income Tax

Count 3: ₦13,519,382.00 in unremitted VAT

Count 4: ₦19,488,860.00 in unremitted PAYE

Counts 5–12: Various fraud‑related transactions, including ₦380 million from Kalsiyam Farm, ₦400 million from BYI General Ltd and $1.35 million in loans secured under false pretences.

All defendants pleaded not guilty once again. At the hearing before Justice Mohammed Umar, Echefu’s lead counsel, Senior Advocate Eyitayo Fatogun, informed the court of ongoing settlement discussions with the complainants.

“There are moves to settle this matter and there was a meeting on Saturday between myself and the Nominal Complainant as it is about investment,” Fatogun stated.

“The Defendants have paid some money and I was thinking that the matter be adjourned for report of settlement.”

EFCC counsel A.S. Tomwell confirmed receipt of those payments but emphasized the necessity of entering a plea before considering any adjournment. The court thus ordered the formal reading of the charges and adjourned the trial to October 15, 2025.

Federal government has declared that any admission into tertiary institutions conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), will be deemed illegal.

Dr Tunji Alausa, minister of Education, gave the directive in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2025 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Alausa, therefore, warned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country against illegal admission.

He said institutions and individuals involved in such practices would be prosecuted and severely sanctioned.

“Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intentions, is illegal.

“Both institutions and the candidates involved in such practices will be held accountable.

“Sanctions may include withdrawal of institutional assets and prosecution of culpable officers or governing council members,” he said.

CAPS, introduced in 2017, automates the admission process to eliminate human interference and administrative bottlenecks.

Alausa, however, reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthen transparency, fairness, and accountability in the nation’s tertiary education system.

He explained that while the responsibility for initiating admissions rests with the academic boards of each institution, JAMB, as a statutory regulatory body is mandated to oversee and regulate the process to ensure fairness and equity.

The Minister urged vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and governing councils to intensify oversight functions to prevent unauthorised practices.

He assured that the Ministry would monitor compliance closely in collaboration with JAMB.

The minister also reaffirmed the policy mandating integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) into the JAMB registration process.

“The NIN requirement has proven vital in safeguarding the integrity of our admission system by curbing identity fraud and multiple registrations.

“Any abuse of the NIN system will be identified and punished,” he said.

He highlighted the need for data-driven policies in the admission processes.

The Minister also presented statistics showing a mismatch between available admission quotas and actual student intake across many programmes, especially in agriculture, education, engineering, and the health sciences.

“We have capacity, but we are not admitting enough students.

“We need to start closing the gap, so that more children can access tertiary education,” he said.

He also criticised the proliferation of underutilised institutions, revealing that over 120 universities in Nigeria received fewer than 50 applications in the current admission cycle.

“The problem is not about access, it’s about alignment and capacity.

“We don’t need to open new tertiary institutions in every ward. Instead, we must expand and strengthen the capacity of existing ones,” he said.

On his part, Sen. Shuaib Salisu, chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity,  called for stricter sanctions against institutions and administrators who undermine Nigeria’s admission process.

Salisu proposed the criminalisation of fraudulent admission practices.

He also warned institutions that exploit loopholes in the admissions system, allowing students to unknowingly pursue flawed admissions for years to desist from such practices.

He assured that the Senate Committee would explore legislation to criminalise such fraudulent practices, holding admission officers and institutional management accountable.

Salisu also called for an inclusive education system that drives peace and economic growth.