Telecom
NITRA Felicitates With Danbatta Over Reappointment As EVC, NCC
The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) has congratulated Professor Umar GarbaDanbatta the Executive Vice Chairman EVC/CEO of the nation’s regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on his reappointment for second tenure.
President MuhammaduBuhari GCFR last week confirmed second five-year tenure for the EVC through the recommendation of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
In a letter to Prof. Dambatta, the technology media body noted that the reappointment is indicative of the fact that he had performed creditably well in his first tenure; and therefore has become a call to continue in order to see his plans and programmes to fruition.
According to Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, Chairman of NITRA , the first tenure has given yield to so many notable achievements that have brought succour to consumers, sanity and growth to the industry, revenue to the government and operational efficiency and ease to operators.
Commenting on the milestone achievements of the EVC, he further stated: “In the light of your achievements with regards to reduction of RoW charges, lowering of the cost of calls/data, universal telecom access which as you said is premised on three ‘A’s, Availability of service, Accessibility of Service, and Affordability of service, among other initiatives, the reappointment is most deserving.
“Your reappointment has come at a time when the industry needs consolidation and tidying up of your noble initiatives.
“It also comes at a time when the nation, and Africa as a continent, needs to see the success of the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the total digitization of the economy and the acceleration of the InfraCo model, among other developmental efforts to grow the Nigerian economy through ICT.”
He commended the EVC for constantly bringing to bear his academic and professional experience in the running of the Commission, and in fostering growth in the sector.
Mr. Onwuegbuchi noted that the reappointment of Prof. Danbatta will enable him to complete his plans and programmes at the Commission, which include effective kick-off of the InfraCo project, ensuring resolution and total compliance to the Right of Way (RoW) agreement, steering the telecommunications sector post-COVID-19 period, facilitating the realization of the set targets of the NBP 2025 and ensuring universal access, among other initiatives.
NITRA assured the EVC of the Association’s readiness to partner with the Commission in its mandate and quest to grow the Nigerian telecommunications industry to an enviable height.
The NCC boss was born in Danbatta Local Government Council of Kano State, obtained his Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science, and PhD degrees from the Technical University of Wroclaw in Poland, and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK, respectively.
A Professor of Electronics engineering, Danbatta, took over from Dr. Eugene Juwah, whose five-year tenure at the NCC ended July 28, 2015.
Professor Danbatta, an accomplished academician of repute, had served as a lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Bayero University, Kano for 28 years, where he taught courses in telecommunications engineering, and electronics and held academic positions of Dean of the Faculty and Head of Department at different times.
He also held high profile administrative responsibilities, including Chairmanship of the Implementation Committee of Kano State University of Science & Technology, and subsequently became its pioneer Deputy, and Acting Vice-Chancellor when it took off in 2001.
He had served two terms of five years as a Member of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and also a COREN registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).
Professor UmaruDanbatta was also a member of over 60 University committees and task forces, including numerous stints as Chairman.
The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) is the umbrella association for information and communication technology reporters in Nigeria.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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