Telecom
NCC to Strengthen AOL Administration
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is unwavering in its commitment to deploy a Revenue Assurance Solution (RAS) in the telecommunication sector to ensure a more robust Annual Operating Levy (AOL) administration in the telecom industry.
L- R: Mr. Akwu Okolo, Head, Energy and Urban Infrastructure,Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission; Mr. Yakubu Gontor, Director of Finance Services, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, NCC; Danbatta; Ms.Josephine Amuwa, Director, Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC; Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs NCC; Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, Deputy Director, NCC; Mr. Reuben Muoka, Head Special Duties, NCC
This subject matter was the focus of an industry stakeholder consultative engagement organized by the Commission at its Head Office in Abuja on Friday, February 25, 2022, which is in congruence with the NCC’s renowned commitment to inclusive participation and consultative stakeholder engagement as part of its regulatory practice.
The RAS application is designed to ensure a linkage with licensed telecommunications operators’ systems and will have the capability of capturing and reporting in near real-time, billing activities by the operators for the purposes, amongst others, of computing and assuring with minimal margin of error, the accruable AOL to NCC from the licensees.
When deployed, the NCC RAS will bring significant solutions to the industry’s challenges, including a more effective and enhanced monitoring and regulation of the licensed telecommunications operators.
Speaking at the event, which was well attended by representatives of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Licensees of the Value Added Service chain, officials of the Commission and other industry stakeholders, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, said AOL remains the bedrock of an efficient and effective telecommunications regulatory environment.
Danbatta said the event was organized to sensitize industry stakeholders through a conversation on the Commission’s plan to deploy RAS that will instill greater transparency and increased accuracy in the administration of AOL in the sector, as stipulated by the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003.
According to the EVC, since the NCA 2003 came into force and pursuant to Section 72 of the Act, various efforts have been made by the Commission towards achieving an effective AOL administration, including the development of AOL Regulations 2014, which is being reviewed.
He said the Commission believes that the deployment of appropriate RAS would enhance monitoring and regulatory activities around AOL administration and confer higher levels of integrity and fidelity on the AOL figures obtainable in the industry.
In a contextual recall, Danbatta stated that the need to deploy the most appropriate Revenue Assurance Systems in the Nigerian telecommunications industry began since 2015 when Commission published an invitation to bid for the services, in which 3R Company Nigeria Limited emerged the preferred bidder.
“The EVC informed that during the bid process, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), indicated a ‘no objection’ to the process.
“However, it was reasoned thereafter, that due to the scope of the project, the solution would be more appropriately procured under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“This led to the invitation of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to guide the process, as mandated by its regulations.
“Following this, the Commission set up a Project Delivery Team (PDT), which worked with a consortium of legal advisers, financial modelers and PPP experts under the guidance of ICRC, and took the appropriate steps required under the ICRC Regulations 2005,” he said.
He said part of the process included a proper due diligence of the preferred partner, which received a clean bill of health from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) while the Commission also subjected the software and hardware components of the proposed RAS to the certification of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The EVC stated further that the Commission recorded a major feat in December 17, 2021, as the transaction received the Certificate of Compliance from the ICRC in line with the Provisions of the ICRC Act 2005.
“Thus, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), minister of Communications and Digital Economy, graciously presented the NCC RAS project to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting on January 26, 2022, where the final approval was given for the implementation of the solution,” he said.
Underscoring the EVC’s position, the Head, Special Duties, Reuben Muoka, stated that the industry has been waiting for the RAS from the Commission. He also signaled that this current regulatory intervention will bring about a multiplier effect on the economy, local content and several other sectors in the Nigerian economy.
Speaking in the same vein, Edoyemi Ogoh, Deputy Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, NCC, stated that the approval of the RAS project by the FEC is a major success in finding a transparent process for an independent assessment, validation and completeness of the Annual Operating Levy (AOL).
Ogoh said the solution has the capability to limit the loss of revenue due to faulty billings, inaccurate or incomplete data and information from service providers, redundantly provided services and frauds.
“It will enable the resolution of inconsistencies in billings for services provided by licensed service providers to their subscribers as well as AOL bills from NCC to service providers, resulting in optimum efficiency and accuracy.
“The RAS would enable the Commission to validate the information, records and data that are supplied to the Commission by the licensees,” Ogoh emphasised.
MTN Nigeria expanded its lead in Nigeria’s fixed broadband market after adding 13,433 subscribers to its fibre-to-the-home service in December 2025. The gains come as smaller providers struggle to retain users amid rising demand for high-speed internet.
Industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed sharp subscriber losses among smaller operators.
21st Century Technologies saw its subscriber base fall from 175 in December to 82 in January, a drop of more than 50 percent.
SWIFT Nigeria recorded an even larger decline.
The company lost 11,285 users, with total subscribers falling from 25,484 to 14,199, a 44.3 percent decrease.
The gap between large infrastructure providers and smaller operators is widening as broadband demand grows across Nigeria.
Companies with extensive fibre networks can offer faster speeds and wider coverage, while smaller competitors face higher costs and limited scale.
MTN has accelerated its investment in network infrastructure to maintain its lead.
The company spent ₦1 trillion, or about $715 million, in capital expenditure in 2025, more than double the ₦443.5 billion invested in 2024.
The investment followed a return to profitability, with profit after tax reaching ₦1.1 trillion after losses in 2024 linked to foreign-exchange pressures.
Spending focused on network modernization, 4G expansion, 5G rollout and deeper fibre deployment.
The operator expanded its fibre-to-the-home footprint to about 4 million households, concentrating deployments in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Ibadan as data traffic rose 34 percent.
Network vandalism remains a challenge. MTN recorded 9,218 fibre cuts in 2025, an average of 25 incidents per day, affecting 211 base stations.
Key Takeaways
Nigeria’s broadband market is entering a scale phase where infrastructure investment is becoming the main competitive advantage.
Telecom operators with strong balance sheets are deploying billions of naira into fibre networks to capture demand for high-speed connectivity driven by streaming, remote work, digital payments and cloud services.
Fibre infrastructure also strengthens mobile networks by connecting base stations and improving 4G and 5G performance.
However, the economics of building and maintaining fibre networks remain challenging in emerging markets. Infrastructure vandalism, power supply instability and high deployment costs increase operational risk.
These factors make it difficult for smaller internet service providers to compete with large telecom operators that can spread costs across millions of customers.
As demand for broadband continues to grow in Africa’s largest economy, the sector may see further consolidation, with dominant operators strengthening their market position while regulators face increasing pressure to maintain competition and affordable access to high-speed internet.
credit…. dabafinance.com
Telecom
VDT Communications Achieves Two Prestigious Certifications ISO /IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Reinforcing its Leadership in Broadband Service Provision
VDT Communications Limited, a provider of Enterprise communication solutions, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management System (ISMS) and ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Cybersecurity Management System certifications.
These prestigious certifications demonstrate VDT’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of information security and cybersecurity, ensuring the protection of sensitive customer data and maintaining the trust of its clients.
These certifications are a testament to VDT’s dedication to implementing robust information security and cybersecurity measures, aligning with international best practices.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification recognizes VDT’s ability to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve its ISMS, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of customer information. The ISO/IEC 27032:2023 certification highlights its commitment to protecting its customers’ information assets and preventing Cyber threats.
VDT Communications Limited has consistently demonstrated its commitment to excellence, previously earning and maintaining ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and ISO 20000-1:2018 IT Service Management certifications. These certifications have enabled the company to deliver high-quality services, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty.
“We are thrilled to receive these two prestigious certifications, which reinforce our commitment to information security and cybersecurity. These certifications demonstrate our dedication to implementing robust security measures that ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of customer data” said Engr. Abiodun Omoniyi, GMD of VDT Communications Limited.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27032:2023 certifications bring numerous benefits to VDT’s customers, including:
- Enhanced information security and cybersecurity posture
- Protection of sensitive customer data
- Compliance with international standards and regulations
- Improved risk management and incident response
- Increased trust and confidence in VDT’s services
“We are proud to serve our customers with the highest level of security and quality,” Bimbo Ikumariegbe, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VDT. “These certifications demonstrate our commitment to excellence and our dedication to delivering innovative communication solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers” – Olufemi Akinola, Head, Information Technology.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a stern warning to content creators filming and sharing videos of unsuspecting citizens on social media, describing such practices as direct violations of citizens’ rights to informational self-determination.
NDPC
The Commission drew attention to individuals capturing pictures and footage of the general public without consent, breaching Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
NDPC specifically flagged a content creator in Lagos State who films unsuspecting passersby at roadsides for a “reality show”. The Commission stressed that processing personal images in this manner demands explicit consent or a justifiable lawful basis under the NDP Act.
Preliminary investigations revealed no public or legitimate interest served by this “wilful invasion of privacy”. Data subjects, the Commission noted, have no reasonable expectation that their images would be captured and broadcast globally by an unknown individual.
National Commissioner/CEO Dr Vincent Olatunji has instructed social media platform owners—including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta—to intensify enforcement of community guidelines to prevent harm from unlawful and unfair personal data processing.
Platforms failing to act promptly face sanctions under the NDP Act. Individual creators remain personally liable for violations, potentially facing criminal prosecution for infringing citizens’ and data subjects’ privacy rights.
The advisory was signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, Esq. CDPRP, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations.
NDPC emphasised that abuse of rights under the guise of entertainment will not be tolerated, urging compliance to safeguard Nigerians’ data privacy in the digital age.
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