Telecom
Nigeria’s QoS Better than London’s -NCC
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday boasted that quality of service (QoS) in the country was one of the best in the world and even better than services offered in Central London, England and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Commission has also unveiled the corporate governance code that will protect the over $25billion worth of assets in the telecommunications sector.
Speaking at the 75th Telecoms Consumer Parliament in Lagos, Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman/CEO, NCC, said that QoS provided by players in both the aviation and banking sectors of the economy were worse than the one offered in the telecoms sector yet not much noise is heard about that.
“I have heard about these complaints about quality of service in Nigeria. The quality of service in Nigeria is not the worst. The quality of service in this country is better than that of Central London, better than Dubai. Wireless telephony technology is rather complex. You cannot absolutely do without drop calls.”
Juwah who was reacting to the explanation of, Akinwale Goodluck, corporate service executive at MTN that QoS get degraded during wet season because of whirlwind, said while he will neither agree nor controvert that position, the technology of global service for mobile (GSM) communication is complex.
The NCC boss explained that it is not within the mandate of the regulator to compel operators to give financial compensation to customers for poor QoS, adding that its mandate is to ensure that customers get fair deal by ensuring that they get value for their money.
He said the NCC will continue to sanction operators that fail to meet the specified key performance indicators (KPIs) while money paid from the fines will be paid to the coffers of the Federal Government for appropriation since the regulator does not have the power to “appropriate”.
He said customers that feel so aggrieved about the QoS issue should either go to the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) or the court to seek redress.
Earlier the the Commission unveiled corporate governance code, a product of consultations among stakeholders, dating back to April 2012.
The commission said stakeholders had agreed that the absence of a common code binding on all telecommunications operators was hindering the growth of the sector.
It, therefore, noted that the code would put something new in the sector and would contribute to the nation’s rebased Gross Domestic Product.
Juwah, said the telecommunications sector was of strategic and high impact significance to the economy at a macro level, and had considerable reach at the micro level.
This, Juwah pointed out, was made up of a wide range of operators with diversity in size, scope of operations, asymmetry qualifications, legal and regulatory requirements, capital market activities as well as local and cross-border relationships.
“The combined factors of the strategic importance of telecommunications and the unprecedented growth of the sector (over 130 million mobile subscribers), with extensive reach across all social and demographic groups in the Nigerian economy, makes it imperative that operators in this critical sector must uphold a code of corporate governance, which is specific to their industry,” he added.
At the launch on Thursday, Dr. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, said that the major factor in corporate governance is to create a system that holds decision makers accountable while according proper respect to their positions in the company.
Johnson added that the standard accountability mechanisms, as generally accepted, are the market, shareholders voting, and civil and criminal liability.
The Minister who was represented Engineer John Ayodele, a director at the Ministry, alluded to the theory that these mechanisms work together to create incentives for responsible decision making and to deter self-dealing or other forms of misconduct.
“In reality, however, each of these accountability mechanisms contains flaws that allow corporate governors to sometimes exercise an unreasonable degree of discretion when making decisions that affect the fortunes of stakeholders. When governance systems fail, the impact can be devastating for parties.
“Working with stakeholders, NCC has fulfilled its responsibility by putting in place a framework that adequately contains minimum best practices. The Code is however, dynamic therefore as new experiences accrue and business circumstances change its content and structure will be adjusted through periodic review and consultation,” the Minister said.
Johnson also tasked the NCC to develop and effective post-launch monitoring scheme with allocated responsibilities for supervision, implementation and enforcement among different operators in a clearly defined way.
Nodding in agreement, Dr. Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman (NCC), said that the Code became expedient as telecommunications forms strategic and high impact significance to the economy at the macro level and has considerable reach at the micro level.
He said that the sector is made of wide range of operators with diversity in size, scope of operations, asymmetry qualifications, legal and regulatory requirements, capital market activities as well as local cross-border relationships.
“The combined factors of the strategic importance of telecommunications and the unprecedented growth of the sector; having over 130 million mobile subscribers, with extensive reach across social and demographic groups in the Nigerian align to and uphold of a Code of Corporate Governance which is specific to their industry.
“Also, the recognized corporate governance principles of accountability, transparency, integrity and ethical conduct, independence, etc., are important for all types of companies operating in the telecommunications industry, whether public or private, large or small, as the requirement for good corporate governance does not wane on account of size or type of business affiliation,” the EVC added.
He maintained that shareholders and other stakeholders are now placing higher demand on companies to demonstrate these principles; hence NCC is determined to promote good corporate governance for the telecommunications industry.
Viral rumors about a “Tesla Pi Phone” a new phone, being developed by Elon Musk, CEO and largest shareholder of Tesla and SpaceX, are entirely fake.
AI Generated Tesla Pi Phone and Elon Musk
Instead, the tech giant said on Monday it has filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission for permission to deploy the constellation by 2028.
It said the system would provide voice, messaging, data and emergency services.
A quick fact-check revealed that Tesla Inc. has never manufactured, developed, or released a smartphone.
Videos and articles claiming a release (often priced between $150 and $800 with solar charging or satellite-only connections) rely on AI-generated concept art and recycled internet hoaxes dating back to 2021.
Musk has only mentioned a phone in hypothetical remarks, stating Tesla would build one only if major app stores completely blocked or censored essential apps like X (formerly Twitter).
On Monday however, his company said that “Amazon looks forward to delivering on the promise of D2D [direct-to-device] connectivity, including to the millions of people living, travelling and working in places beyond the reach of existing networks today,”
The filing is the first step from Amazon into satellite mobile connections, which has until now been dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink service.
Musk’s group has signed partnerships with existing operators such as T-Mobile US and the UK’s Virgin Media O2 to provide phone services for customers where their conventional networks do not reach.
Starlink operates across more than 150 countries, offering high-speed internet connections through its constellation of satellites.
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has attributed rising mobile data consumption to increased use of smartphone applications, cloud services and emerging digital technologies.
Mr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON
Mr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) conference in Lagos.
Adebayo said smartphones had transformed access to digital services, with many applications consuming data continuously, even when users were not actively browsing the internet.
He explained that automatic software updates, cloud backups, application synchronisation, video streaming, social media autoplay and location services significantly increased data consumption.
According to him, internet usage had changed considerably from a decade ago when consumers mainly relied on direct browsing with fewer digital applications running simultaneously.
He said growing adoption of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other emerging technologies would further increase demand for reliable connectivity and greater network capacity.
“The evolution of smartphones has fundamentally changed how consumers access digital services, with many applications now consuming data continuously,” Adebayo said.
He stressed that digital literacy had become increasingly important because consumers needed to understand how their devices and applications consumed mobile data.
He advised subscribers to monitor application activity, adjust device settings and use built-in data management tools to better control their data consumption.
Adebayo said greater understanding of digital tools would help dispel misconceptions about data usage and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
Responding to allegations that operators deliberately depleted customers’ data, Adebayo dismissed the claims, insisting telecommunications companies had no commercial incentive to engage in such practices.
He said every megabyte consumed on telecom networks was recorded through internationally standardised billing systems supplied by recognised technology vendors and regulated by authorities.
“Such a practice would be unlawful, unethical, commercially self-defeating and subject to stringent regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Communications Commission,” he said.
Adebayo explained that operators’ billing systems were designed to guarantee accuracy, transparency and verification, while genuine consumer complaints were investigated through established protection channels.
He added that the Nigerian Communications Commission’s complaint resolution mechanisms and technical audits provided consumers with credible avenues for seeking redress over billing concerns.
According to him, trust remains essential to expanding Nigeria’s digital economy because telecommunications infrastructure supported banking, healthcare, education, commerce and government services.
He said the telecommunications sector had evolved beyond basic communication services into a critical driver of productivity, investment, innovation and national economic growth.
Adebayo noted that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, financial technology, smart manufacturing and digital agriculture, depended on resilient telecommunications infrastructure.
He said Nigeria could only maximise these opportunities through sustained collaboration among government, regulators, telecommunications operators and consumers.
Adebayo reaffirmed operators’ commitment to improving customer experience, strengthening network resilience and promoting transparency in telecommunications service delivery.
He urged stakeholders to encourage evidence-based discussions on digital services, stressing that public trust remained indispensable for the sustained growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
(NAN)
Telecom
Galaxy Backbone Soft Launches Government Service Portal to Simplify Access to Public Services
Galaxy Backbone (GBB), in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), officially conducted the soft launch of the Government Service Portal (GSP), a groundbreaking digital platform designed to transform how citizens, businesses and government institutions interact.
The event, held at the Galaxy Backbone National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) Headquarters in Abuja, brought together senior government officials, development partners, technology stakeholders and members of the media to unveil services.gov.ng—Nigeria’s new one-stop digital gateway for accessing government services.
The Government Service Portal is designed to provide a single, trusted platform through which Nigerians can easily discover, access and interact with digital services offered by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). By consolidating government services into one unified portal, the initiative aims to improve accessibility, enhance service delivery and create a more seamless citizen experience.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone. Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, stated that the launch represents another significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to building a more connected, efficient, transparent and citizen-centred public service.
He emphasized that the Portal is more than a website; it is the foundation of a unified digital gateway that places the needs of citizens and businesses at the centre of government service delivery.
He further noted that while the event marks the beginning of the Portal’s journey, the soft launch provides an opportunity to onboard pioneer MDAs, gather user feedback, strengthen system integrations and continuously improve the platform ahead of a wider national rollout.
Representing key stakeholder institutions at the launch were the Deputy Director of KOICA Nigeria, Mr. Ki Yun Baik; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, represented by Mr. Joseph Bareiye, Director of e-Government; the Permanent Secretary, State House, represented by Mr. Oguntuyi Olusegun, Head of ICT; and the Executive Director, Digital Exploration and Technical Services, Galaxy Backbone, Olumbe Akinkugbe.
The Government Service Portal aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and supports Nigeria’s broader Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agenda by creating a citizen-facing gateway that complements existing investments in digital identity, secure infrastructure, cloud services, cybersecurity and digital government platforms. It can be accessed using the link: services.gov.ng . The initiative is expected to strengthen public service delivery, increase transparency, improve operational efficiency and foster greater trust between government and citizens.
Galaxy Backbone reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in integrating their digital services into the Portal, noting that collaboration across government will be critical to building an inclusive, interoperable and efficient digital ecosystem that benefits every Nigerian.
The Government Service Portal is expected to evolve into Nigeria’s central digital gateway for public services, making government services simpler, faster and more accessible for citizens and businesses alike.
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