Telecom
NCS urges FG to Ensure Strict Compliance of EOs 003, 005
Prof Adesola Aderounmu, President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has called on the federal government to ensure 100 percent compliance of Executive orders 003 and 005 if we are to solve the unemployment menace in the country.
He noted that presently, compliance to the orders are not being implemented 100 percent, stating that government should ensure that it supports ailing local IT Firms to scale up in order to stop mass exodus of exceptionally brilliant indigenous ICT skills to other countries who will sell the same skills back to Nigeria at exorbitant rates and attendant capital flight.
Prof Aderounmu made this call on Tuesday during a press conference to announce the 14th International Conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) billed to hold from Tuesday 16th to Thursday 19th of July, 2019, at the International Conference Centre, Gombe.
He emphasized that support for local content in public procurement by the Federal Government will definitely contribute in the creation of more jobs for our present and youthful population.
He decried the disturbing high level of disregard for contracts entered into with indigenous firms compared with the “high level of respect” accorded to foreign counterparts by the government.
Using REMITA as an example, the NCS President urged federal government to lead by example by ensuring that it comply with its obligation with regard to the services rendered to her through REMITA software.
He bemoaned them for their inability to hold its part of the agreement entered with SystemSpecs despite the services rendered to her through REMITA software.
He implored on them to pay SystemSpecs the total cost of all their services rendered to date.
Prof Aderounmu noted that the ICT Roadmap of the Federal Government could only achieve its desired goals, when local IT Firms are appreciated and respected for their innovation, intellectual property and pace setting accomplishments.
Giving further insight on how government could solve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria, Prof Aderounmu said that IT projects in the country could resolve the unemployment crisis if properly executed.
He noted that the National Identity Management System (NIMS) project as one of the projects that could address the lingering unemployment crisis if backed with regulatory innovations that will ensure economic growth.
He commended the current administration for the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) into the issuance and renewal of International Passports by the Nigeria Immigration Service, stressing that such regulatory innovations will definitely result in economic growth.
Prof Aderounmu also called on government to quickly mediate on the lingering debacle between Chams Plc and NIMC, stressing that an amicable resolution of the impasse will restore faith in the Executive orders 003 and 005 of the present administration.
According to him, “NCS calls for urgent and decisive intervention to salvage Chams Plc’s position and allow Chams Plc and Chams Consortium Ltd reap the fruits of an amicable resolution freely entered into with the NIMC.
“It is on record that Chams made huge investments, in excess of N9bn, into the concession.
“Chams however suffered many frustrations which eventually snowballed into an unresolved state of affairs.
“It is in the light of the foregoing, NCS request that NIMC stand by and enforce the Terms of the Mediation Agreement dated 19th December, 2017 to enable Chams Plc execute assigned business opportunities under the NIMS project and hence regain stability towards restoring its Share Valuation which has suffered massive erosion consequence of the plight on the NIMC project.
“That NIMC, in line with Clause 3.1 of the Terms of Agreement collaborate with Chams Plc to provide adequate financial cushion and compensation to CCL for the funds invested into the project already by CCL.
“CCL has indicated its immediate willingness and ability to perform its own side of the Terms of Agreement.
“Furthermore, under a conducive environment, CCL has indicated that it has the capacity and capability to enrol more than 50 million Nigerians annually and could, if well-empowered, issue the enrolees with National ID cards.
“To that end, CCL has engaged some international partners who are willing to support the Government in achieving these noble goals at record speed.
“It is our understanding that early resolution of this crisis will lead to creation of additional 1000 jobs for the youths through Information Technology.
Also, Prof Aderounmu urged government to intervene in the matter between Omatek Group and Bank of Industry (BOI) in order to bring amicable resolution to the problem.
The NCS president called the FG to prevail in the matter and urge BOI to vacate court order, noting that locking up a factory for over 24 months with goods worth billions of Naira is not in the best interest of any of the stakeholders.
He emphasized that Omatek is a major employer of Nigerian youth at peak production, capable of employing over 600 teeming youth both directly and indirectly.
He noted that some of the goods and materials for which the loans were sorted would have been obsolete and rusted away.
He stated that the problem should be settled out of court, stressing that Omatek Ventures has indicated that it is open to settlement out of court.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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