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Sierra Leone’s Telecoms Regulator Visits NCC for Benchmarking

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Cross section of NCC Staff with Sierra Leonean delegation during the visit on Thursday
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 Nigeria’s global ranking as a model in telecom regulation, and her status as a leading light of operational efficiency, solidarity and collaborative partnering in sub-regional and Continental telecommunication sphere, received a boost recently when a delegation from the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) of Sierra Leone, paid a visit to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for benchmarking of NCC’s regulatory policies, programmes and activities.

Cross section of NCC Staff with Sierra Leonean delegation during the visit on Thursday

Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, in a statement on released on Thursday, said that the Sierra Leonean delegation, led by Amara Brewah, NATCOM’s Deputy Director-General, was received at NCC’s head office by Engr. Ubale Maska, NCC’s Exectutive Commissioner Technical Services (ECTS), on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta.

Brewah expressed gratitude to NCC for the reception despite the short notice given, and stated that NCC’s gesture resounded the value it accords the relationship that exists between the two organisations.

He thanked the Management of NCC for the opportunity offered his team and described their interaction with many departments of the NCC as very engaging, quite rewarding and very contextual, considering that the two countries operated under similar circumstances and have had to contend with similar operational issues.

Brewah regretted that the short notification was due to an equally engaging sessions he and his team had at a recent forum of the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA).

Maska, who warmly received the visitors, informed them that the EVC was scheduled to carry out an important international assignment before the planned visit of the Sierra Leonean counterpart was received by the Commission.

He told the visitors that, otherwise, the EVC would have loved to personally receive them because the NCC attaches great importance to visitations and exchanges by its counterparts, especially in the sub-region and on the Continent.

The ECTS said that the value NCC bestows on sub-regional and continental collaboration and partnership explained EVC’s gracious approval of the request and directive to him to receive the Sierra Leonean delegation despite the short notice.

Maska said the NCC Management was pleased by the fact that the NATCOM delegation found the visit and the engagement with many departments of NCC quite rewarding.

He said the Nigerian Communications Commission is quite appreciative of the trust and confidence reposed in it and in Nigeria by institutions like NATCOM, and the NCC looks forward unreservedly “to also learn how Sierra Leone handled some of its challenges in telecom regulation and other matters of similar interest, because we are also seek ways of improving our operations.”

Engr. Bako Wakil, the Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity (DTSNI) at NCC, also expressed joy at seeing the Sierra Leonean delegation.

He thanked them for the visit and expressed NCC’s willingness to share more information with the visitors, especially on Quality of Service (Qos) matters, one of the central issues on which NCC never rested its oars in ensuring continuous improvement.

The NCC Management team that received the visitors include Reuben Muoka, Head Special Duties, whose Department co-ordinated the reception for the NATCOM team, Hafiz Shehu, Chief of Staff to the EVC, and Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head Online Media, who represented the Director Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde.

Other members of the delegation from Sierra Leone were: Hon. Brima Mansaray, Member of the Information and Communications Committee of the Parliament of Sierra Leone; Paul Squire Esq., Member of NATCOM Board of Commissioners; Abdul Bah, Director Information Technology at NATCOM; Harding Tommy, Director Policy and Government Relations; and Shaka Sasha, Manager, Fraud Management Systems. The delegation had engaging interactions with many arms of NCC including, the Departments of Digital Economy, Licensing and Authorization, Legal and Regulatory Services, TSNI, and Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis.

 


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Telecom

MTN Mulls Establishment of Fintech Firm in Nigeria, Others

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MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.

According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.

If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.

Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.

The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.

Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.

MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.

“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.

 


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Netflix Expands European Presence with €1 Billion Investment in Spain

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Netflix has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in Spanish film and television productions over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to Spain as a key creative hub in Europe.

The announcement was made by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos at an event held at Netflix’s production studios near Madrid, celebrating the company’s 10-year presence in the country.

Sarandos emphasized that the investment would contribute significantly to Spain’s economy, create jobs, and enable the streaming platform to produce more local content. He was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in unveiling the initiative.

Netflix first established its international production studios in Madrid in 2019, following the success of the Spanish-language hit series Money Heist.

Since then, its 22,000-square-meter facility has become one of Netflix’s major production centers within the European Union.

The company currently supports over 20,000 jobs in Spain, highlighting the nation’s growing influence in global entertainment.

The investment reflects Netflix’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in European markets through original content and local talent.


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ngCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones

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Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) has raised alarms over a new wave of advanced cyberattacks targeting Android mobile phones through a malware campaign dubbed Tria Stealer.

ngCERT Issues High Alert to Nigerians Using Android Phones

The malicious software is designed to infiltrate Android devices, hijack messaging accounts, intercept One-Time Passwords (OTPs), to steal sensitive personal and financial data.

According to ngCERT, Tria Stealer spreads primarily through deceptive tactics, such as fake event invitations distributed via popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Unsuspecting users are enticed to download an infected  (APK) file, often disguised as a harmless system application, to evade detection.

Once installed, Tria Stealer requests extensive permissions, including access to SMS, call logs, and app notifications.

It immediately commences data harvesting activities, sending stolen information to a Command and Control (C2) server operated via Telegram bots.

This trojan spreads through fake links, usually disguised as wedding or event invites, and tricks users into downloading malicious APK files

“Account takeover of messaging platforms. Impersonation of victim for fraudulent money transfer requests. Compromise of banking and financial applications. Identity theft and credential harvesting.”

In plain terms, if your phone is compromised, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Your financial apps are vulnerable, your reputation could be ruined by impersonation and even simple personal messages could be twisted into tools for scams.

Here’s what users should be doing now:

Don’t download apps outside the official Play Store.

Be suspicious of random invites or links, even from people you know.

Turn on 2FA for everything—banking, emails, social platforms.

Get a reputable antivirus and keep it updated.

If you run an organisation, you should already be taking this seriously.

ngCERT’s guidance says you should raise awareness, monitor mobile devices, and not let your team click on unverified links.

“Deploy network monitoring for suspicious outbound connections to known C2 domains,” it said, meaning, keep an eye on every digital door in and out.

This isn’t one of those cases where you wait to see if it affects you. By the time you realise it, it may already be too late.

 

 

 


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