Telecom
Stakeholders Seek Increased Adoption of IT in Governance
Information and Communications Technology stakeholders have urged Lagos State Government to increased adoption of Information Technology in its governance.
They made this call at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Lagos 2019 Stakeholders Forum held in Lagos on Wednesday.
The theme of the event was ‘NCS @ 40: NCS Lagos Roadmap in the next Dispensation’.
Speaking at the event, Mr Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, Managing Director, Infographics, said that in order to build Lagos of our dream, there is need to build the capacity of the people, who will in turn build the mega city that we desired.
According to him, everything today is digital and so the need to ensure that the country’s capable hands in many fields do not leave the country.
“Our software people are leaving the country and this is so because they become instantly in demand and our local companies cannot afford to pay for them.
“There is need to rapidly scale the capacity of the state to produce the human capital that is needed to push the state forward”.
Mba-Uzoukwu, said that as regards the educational sector, there should be huge deployment of broadband and creation of local cloud that would enable the sector to go to the next level.
He added that broad partnership with private sector would help in the development of educational sector in the country.
He noted that the only way to grow technology was to grow the NCS and the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria, urging that all ICT projects should be given to registered members of these bodies so as to enable them monitor their performance and apply sanctions where necessary.
Dr Charles Onyeukwu, Managing Director, ETO Investment said that transport was a big issue in the state and if not well managed would affect productivity.
According to him, if there were adequate lagbuses, people will gladly pack their cars and join the buses to checkmate the constant gridlock on the roads.
“A partnership with NCS and CPN will ensure that local content is adopted in tackling the transport issue in the state,” he said.
Mr Bayo Atekoye, Managing Director, PowerSoft said that the state had the capacity to build rail system in the state but the issue is that there is no political will to make it happen.
He advised the state to use ICT to curb the menace of yellow buses by adopting e-ticketing system, noting that the failure of lagbus was their inability to adopt e-ticketing system.
Mr Bayero Agabi, Managing Director, DigiVation Network, said that there is need to make Lagos a digital hub in Africa, adding that to attain that we need to make Lagos a digital environment.
He also called on the state to massively embark on the catch them young system for children in order to ensure that they are part of the digital process.
Mr Rogba Adeoye, Member National Executive Council, NCS, said that the constant outflow of the countries experts was not good, adding that it would not drive the smart city that we are clamoring for.
He said that identity management would ensure that the state had a smart city, stressing that Lagos must take its prominence in data management, noting that identity management is important in making Lagos a smart city driven state in the country.
Dr Femi Hamzat , Deputy gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) said that if elected, they would address these issues raised by the stakeholders.
Hamzat who was the special guest of honour at the event stated that for Lagos state to attain the mega city status, it needs to leverage on the private sector participation.
He also said that if elected into government, they would set up an incubation centres where the youth would converge and come out with technological solutions that would aid the state in achieving the mega city initiative.
“As a city we need to first of all fix our home and this will come in form of training of the youths with the digital skills that will help them in the future.
“Lagos on its own has 518 tech startups and what we must do is to leverage private sector in building their capacity, using these startups solutions to try and tackle the challenges that are facing in the state,” he said.
He further noted that local content development is an integral component in achieving the smart city of our dreams.
MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with ONErpm and Ultima Studios, has announced Ayodeji Benson, popularly known as Ayo Benzi, as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star reality show.
L-R: Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria; Ayodeji Benson, Winner, Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1) and Emamoke Ogoro, General Manager, Brand and Communication, MTN Nigeria, at the grand finale of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show (Season 1), held at the Ultima Studios, Lekki, Lagos on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
The grand finale, held on Sunday night at Ultima Studios in Lekki, Lagos, marked the climax of a nationwide talent search that began in September with over 15,000 aspiring musicians.
After weeks of auditions, mentorship, and rigorous training, five finalists – Ayo Benzi, Dave Cash, Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay – battled for the top prize in a high-energy showcase of performance and artistry.
At the end of the electrifying contest, Ayo Benzi emerged victorious, securing a ₦150 million music deal. Dave Cash was named first runner-up with ₦100 million, while Kaeko, Somto O’Laker, and Lucky Yay received ₦75 million, ₦50 million, and ₦25 million respectively.
Throughout the season, contestants were mentored by leading Afrobeats producers Sarz, Puffy Tee, P Prime, and Andre Vibez. Benzi, who was part of Puffy Tee’s team, credited the mentorship programme for sharpening his craft and stage presence.
Speaking at the event, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to youth empowerment and cultural expression.
“The Next Afrobeats Star platform is about creating real opportunities for young Nigerians and giving their talent the structure, visibility, and support it deserves.
“Afrobeats continues to place Nigeria on the global cultural map, and MTN is proud to be enabling the next generation of artists who will take this sound even further,” she said.
She added that the finale was not just a competition but a celebration of growth and readiness for the global stage.
In his acceptance speech, Ayo Benzi described the victory as a defining moment in his career.
“A big thank you to MTN. From the audition days, the treatment MTN has given us has been amazing. God bless the brand,” he said.
The finale also featured guest performances by Afrobeats stars Iyanya and Bella Shmurda, adding glamour to the night and reinforcing the show’s connection to the wider music ecosystem.
With the successful conclusion of the season, MTN Nigeria and its partners reaffirmed their role in championing youth ambition, supporting creative industries, and shaping the future of Nigerian music through platforms that turn potential into opportunity.
T2, formerly known as 9mobile, is under investigation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Benue State for an undisclosed incident disrupting USSD, SMS, voice, and data services across nine local government areas.
T2
The affected areas include Ado, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Konshisha, Obi, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and Otukpo, as detailed in an advisory on the NCC Major Outages Portal, which tracks significant disruptions reported by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Neither T2 nor its public relations firm, Chain Reactions, has responded to inquiries on the outage’s cause or restoration efforts as of this report.
The NCC’s continued reference to the operator as 9mobile, months after its public rebranding to T2 in August 2025, has sparked questions about whether the name change was formally notified to the regulator.
This probe aligns with NCC mandates requiring operators to disclose major outages, their impacts, and timelines for fixes, with compensation obligatory for disruptions exceeding 24 hours under the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations.
Industry watchers note that such incidents, often linked to fibre cuts, power failures, or infrastructure faults, underscore ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, particularly amid T2’s subscriber losses post-rebrand. NCC vows transparency via its portal to hold operators accountable and protect consumers.
Telecom
NCC Unveils Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap, 60 GHz License-Exempt Guidelines to Boost Broadband, Innovation
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled two pivotal regulatory draft documents aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s communications sector over the next five years and fast-tracking deployment of ultra-high-speed wireless technologies.
NCC
In a public notice dated December 19, 2025, and issued pursuant to its mandate under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, the Commission published the Draft 5-Year Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector (2025–2030) and Draft Guidelines for the Use of the 60 GHz License-Exempt Band for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Systems.
Both documents are accessible on the NCC website for stakeholder review, with the roadmap outlining strategic spectrum planning, allocation, and management to optimise utilisation, support emerging technologies like 5G and IoT, expand broadband access, and align with global best practices.
The Spectrum Roadmap emphasises four core pillars: bridging the digital divide through low-band spectrum and satellite services, attracting investments via flexible licensing models, enhancing service quality with mid-band optimisation, and fostering innovation in areas such as direct-to-device connectivity and secondary spectrum trading.
It sets ambitious targets including universal 4G coverage nationwide, 50 per cent 5G penetration in state capitals, and average broadband speeds of 100 Mbps by 2030, while addressing rising data demand through band refarming and efficient management.
Complementing this, the 60 GHz Guidelines establish a license-exempt framework for the 57–66 GHz band, enabling multi-gigabit speeds up to 10 Gbps for short-range applications like WiGig, fixed wireless access, enterprise connectivity, urban broadband, and backhaul solutions.
The rules mandate NCC type approval for equipment, site registration for outdoor use, and interference mitigation measures, while prohibiting wide-area networks to safeguard primary users.
In line with Section 58 of the NCA 2003, NCC invites comments from industry operators, equipment manufacturers, consumer groups, and the public, with submissions due by Friday, January 16, 2025, via email to [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
The notice, signed by Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, stresses that stakeholder inputs will refine the frameworks to drive innovation, investment, competition, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem.
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