Broadcasting
New Book Reveals How Atiku, Joda, Ndukwe Saved 2001 GSM License Auction
Expectations were high on January 19, 2001, the day scheduled for the GSM auction technically referred to as the Digital Mobile License auction. NCC officials, observers, and accredited journalists were already seated in a secured room at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The bidders, five of them, MTN, Econet ( now Airtel), Communications Investment Limited ( CIL) now Globacom, United Network Consortium, and MSI International, were in a palpable frenzy and set to outbid each other.
The lead auctioneer, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe wasted no time in kick-starting the auction process that was billed to showcase the regulatory resolve of the Commission and put Nigeria on the map of countries providing mobile phone services.
Unknown to many at the Transcorp room, Nigerians who were watching and international community, certain officials in the president Olusegun Obasanjo’s government had laid siege to the process, in a last-ditch effort to scuttle it.
At some point in the bid process, they acted causing a temporary halt to proceedings.
Not many knew what was amiss. Some thought it was a temporary technical hitch or some other operational challenge. The matter was far from the two reasons.
A 472-page new book titled: Nigeria Drivers of Digital Prosperity: written by Aaron Ukodie, Nigeria’s pioneer ICT journalist, billed for launch on July 7, 2022, at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, has narrated the high-wired intrigue that played out at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the venue of the auction.
The content of the book made available to reporters narrated the personalities that were involved in the many bids to scuttle the process, who eventual tried their schemes on the day of the auction to scuttle it. The book reveals what Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, at the time Vice President and Head of the Economy, late Ahmed Joda, then chairman of the NCC and Ndukwe did to outsmart those who were bent on putting spanners on the process and put the country and the NCC to ridicule.
The book presented in five sections dealing with various aspects of the Nigerian digital revolution process and also narrated in more refreshing detail the manifold battles fought by the NCC, and some stakeholders to overcome the landmines put in the way of the regulatory process in the early years to achieve the model is to Africa.
Oftentimes, when people record history, the role of the media is relegated, even though they have played and continue to play an equally remarkable role in energising and stirring processes that worked and stakeholders to perform optimally, but the Digital Prosperity book is remarkably different.
“The ICT media in Nigeria deserve a place in a book such as this one dealing with the trajectory of the Nigeria digital evolution, because of the unique and remarkable role the IT media has played and continues to play in the sector, Aaron Ukodie, author of the book noted.
The ICT Media has been even involved in ICT advocacy spanning a period of more than 20 years and has organised numerous conferences, workshops, and exhibitions in magnitude and variety no other sector of the Nigerian media has done, Ukodie said.
The launch edition of the book comes in hard paperback printed in glossy colours and splashed with illustrating pictures.
Ndukwe will chair the event which will also be preceded by a lead talk on 4G, 5G, Broadband Connectivity and the Economy to be presented by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, simply known as Fela, legendary Nigerian musician, has made history as the first African artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Fela
This is coming after he was posthumously honored with the 2026 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive this prestigious special merit recognition.
Fela will be honoured in the early influence category this year, along with Queen Latifah, rapper MC Lyte, country rocker Gram Parsons, and Cuban singer Celia Cruz at this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame event.
The honorees were revealed on Monday night in the US, during an airing of American Idol.
Sade Adu, Nigerian-born British singer, will be honoured in the performance category.
However, Shakira, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, New Edition, and Pink, missed out on the final cut despite being nominated.
Over 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals voted to decide the honorees.
The induction ceremony will be held on 14 November at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is set to launch so-called FreeTV, with over 100 channels for news, sports, education, entertainment and children’s programming in multiple Nigerian languages.
The launch is scheduled for May 15.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed this, said the new platform will offer free-to-air access with no carriage fees, leveraging hybrid satellite and internet delivery via NigComSat-1R.
The new plan is not an upgrade, the NBC stressed. This is a rebuild, according to Ebuebu .
FreeTV will be true free-to-air – no encryption, no set-top box barrier.
Any DVB-T2/S2 television will work. A mobile app will extend reach to phones and tablets.
The platform will launch with over 100 national, regional and state channels across sports, news, children’s programming, education, entertainment and cultural content in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Tiv, Ijaw, Edo, Fulfulde, Ibibio, Efik and Nupe – all in HD.
Crucially, the NBC has partnered with a Bulgarian firm, GARB (operating since 2006 and recognised by the European Broadcast Union), to deliver a 94 per cent-accurate audience measurement system using return-path data, app analytics, demographic panels, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
To qualify broadcasters, must commit their channels, produce a minimum of 60 per cent local content, and promote FreeTV until January 2029.
After that, a regulated tiered rate card takes effect.
According to NBC, the strategic rationale is simple: build viewers first, monetise later.
The document further revealed that six regional production hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin would function as local content factories, expected to generate 500 to 1,000 jobs per zone within two years.
Popular Nigerian artist Adekunle Gold has lent his support to the growing youth-driven movement behind The Gathering on 100, further amplifying conversations around what is fast becoming one of the most talked-about upcoming experiences among young Nigerians.
Adekunle Gold
Known for his music and his strong connection with youth culture and evolving creative expression, Adekunle Gold’s involvement signals a deeper alignment between the event and the kind of audience it is attracting, a generation that is bold, expressive, and constantly redefining what community looks like.
While details of his involvement remain understated, his visible support adds a new layer of support and cultural relevance to the movement. In a landscape where attention is currency, endorsements from artists of his stature often act as a signal, drawing more eyes, more curiosity, and ultimately, more participation, but beyond visibility, the significance lies in what it represents.
The new father has, over the years, built a reputation for embracing creativity in its many forms, from music to visual storytelling, fashion, and digital engagement. His brand has consistently resonated with young Nigerians navigating similar spaces of self-expression and identity.
From interactive experiences like live music sessions and open performance moments to fashion runways and content creation spaces, the event is designed to blur the lines between audience and participant. It invites attendees to move beyond observation and become part of the moment.
This is a concept that closely mirrors the kind of cultural shift Adekunle Gold has been part of, one where boundaries between creator and consumer continue to dissolve.
His support also reflects a broader trend within Nigeria’s entertainment industry, where artists are increasingly engaging with youth-led initiatives that go beyond traditional performances. Rather than simply appearing on stage, they are aligning with movements that foster community, creativity, and shared experience.
For fans and attendees, this adds another dimension to what The Gathering on 100 represents.
As registrations increase and conversations expand across social platforms, the movement is gradually taking shape through the collective interest of those drawn to it.
Head to gathering.com to register.
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