Telecom
Pantami Commends Airtel for Compliance with ongoing NIMC Enrolment Exercise
Dr. Isa Pantami, the Honorable Minister of Communication & Digital Economy, has commended leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, for its compliance with the ongoing National Identity Number (NIN) verification and enrollment exercise during a visit to one of the telco’s enrolment centers in Abuja on Monday, February 8, 2021.
The Minister led a delegation of key government officials including Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz, Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), amongst others to the Airtel showroom, situated at Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.
During the visit, Isa Pantami expressed satisfaction with Airtel’s compliance to the ongoing exercise, extoling the company for partnering with the Government and taking definitive steps in ensuring a smooth NIN verification and enrolment process.
Specifically, the Minister profoundly thanked Airtel for its cooperation with Government in making adequate preparations for the exercise and asked that his appreciation be extended to the Chief Executive Officer and the entire Airtel Management.
The Minister was received by Airtel Nigeria’s Regional Operations Director, North West Region, ThankGod Otorkpa and General Manager, Government Relations, Kehinde Sanusi.
Other government officials in the company of the Minister during the visit were Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General, National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA); Engr. Ibrahim Nguru, Special Assistant to the Minister; Mr. Adeleke Morounfolu Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, amongst others.
Airtel became one of the first telcos to partner with the Government in expanding the NIN registration footprints following its announcement of enrolment centres across Lagos and Abuja.
Segun Ogunsanya, the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, in a statement released by the telco stated that Airtel is always seeking opportunities to partner with the Nigerian Government on initiatives that will make life easier for Nigerians; hence the company’s collaboration with the NIMC to register citizens in the ongoing exercise.
Other fully operational Airtel NIN enrollment centres in Abuja include Transcorp Hilton, situated in Mataima and Airtel showrooms at Carpet Plaza and Kano Crescent in Wuse 2, while those in Lagos include, Airtel Express Point, VI; Airtel showrooms in Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere; Tejuosho, Yaba; Isheri Road, Ogba and Oba Akran, Ikeja.
Customers are advised to visit any of the centres nearest to them to complete their verification and enrollment exercise.
Those without NIN can fulfil the requirement at any certified NIMC enrolment centre, while those who already have NINs have the option to send their NINs to Airtel via USSD, SMS or through the Airtel Self Care app or website to update their SIM registration details.
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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