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TCN Boss Risks Jail for Shutting Down Phase 3 Telecom Plants

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High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered Mr Usman Gur Mohammed, managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), to appear before it and explain why he should not be committed to prison for disobeying its order restraining them from shutting down the plants and machinery of Phase3 Telecom Limited.

 

The court had on May 28, 2018 restrained TCN from shutting down the plants and instruments of the independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services provider pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed by the telecom firm.

 

The court also stopped Mohammed from acting on the letter by TCN dated August 30, 2017, purportedly terminating the agreement between it and Phase3 Telecom on March 20, 2006 to design, build, finance and operate the Fibre Optic Telecommunications Infrastructure (Phase3 Concession agreement) pending the determination of the suit.

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The Abuja High Court on Friday August 16, 2019 gave an order granting leave to Phase3 Telecom to effect service of form 49 (notice to show cause why order no: R/N 11623088 and 11623089 should not be made) on TCN and its MD, Mohammed who are being sought to be committed to prison for contempt by substituted means.

 

The court ordered that the applicant should serve Mohammed and TCN the committal to prison notice by pasting the processes at the head office of TCN at Plot 441 Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja and by publishing same as advert in LEADERSHIP Newspaper or THISDAY Newspaper respectively.

 

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The court adjourned the matter to September 5, 2019.

 

Recall that the TCN had on March 20, 2006 signed an agreement with Phase3 to design, build, finance and operate the fibre optical cable telecommunication infrastructure.

 

But in a letter dated August 30, 2017 and addressed to the management of Phase3 Telecom Limited, the TCN cancelled the agreement, citing breach of contract terms.

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Phase3 Telecom Limited had repeatedly denied the alleged breach of the agreement terms, insisting on the ownership of the fibre optic infrastructure.

 

He said despite inheriting a non-existent fiber optic network from TCN, the concessionaires have deployed a total of over 3000km and installed state-of-art fiber optic equipment, expending more than $100million as capital and operating expenditure on building the infrastructure.

 

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Phase3 Telecom said TCN continued to make all the unfounded allegations in an attempt to resist the harmonisation of right of way charges for deployment of fiber optic cables as agreed and communicated by the National Economic Council (NEC) towards affordable broadband services in the country.

 

Regulators and industry experts have said this runs contrary to the efforts of the federal government aimed at providing the enabling environment for private sector investments .to grow the economy.

 

 

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Dimension Data to Channel Funds to Support Nigerian Fibre Expansion

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Dimension Data has said that the proceeds from its Series 1 corporate bond, will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.

Dimension Data to Channel Funds to Support Nigerian Fibre Expansion

This followed the successful subscription of the corporate bond.

Recall that Dimension Data Limited said that it has completed the signing ceremony for the issuance of N4.05 billion (approximately US$2.9 million).

This sum marks the first tranche of a N20 billion (US$14.7 million) bond programme announced earlier this year.

The bond programme was raised under Dimension Data SPV Funding Plc, following approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria.

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The company says the proceeds will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.

Speaking at the ceremony, Olugbenga Olabiyi, managing director of Dimension Data Limited, said the investment reflects the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.

The planned investments will fund the continued expansion of Dimension Data’s fibre network, supporting increasing demand from financial institutions, fintechs, enterprise customers and other technology-driven sectors.

Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Johannesburg, the company has grown its footprint across the Middle East and Africa.

Today Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Ltd Group, one of the world’s leading technology companies.

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As cloud adoption, digital financial services and data-intensive applications continue to grow, the company believes resilient fibre infrastructure will remain a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.

 

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FG Commences 90,000km Fibre Optic Rollout within Weeks

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The Federal Government has announced that work will commence within weeks on a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network expected to connect every state, local government area and ward in Nigeria, marking what officials describe as one of the country’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects.

Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on the progress of three flagship digital transformation initiatives being implemented by his ministry.

According to the minister, all resource mobilisation and contractual processes for the nationwide fibre project have been completed, paving the way for physical deployment.

“We’re now at the point where, in a few weeks’ time, we should start to lay those fibre, so people will start seeing us around the country deploying the fibre. This is going to transform Nigeria for good,” Tijani said.

He explained that the project would deliver fibre optic infrastructure to every geopolitical zone, state, local government area and ward, significantly expanding broadband access and improving the quality of internet connectivity across the country.

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“This is a project where every state, every geopolitical zone, every local government and every ward in this country will be covered with fibre optic cables, which will transform the quality of connectivity,” he added.

Bosun Tijani attributed the progress in the digital economy to a series of reforms approved by President Tinubu, including the designation of digital infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, tariff adjustments and tax harmonisation measures sought by industry operators.

“I think our sector has been extremely fortunate. Mr. President has given us quite a number of things that the sector has been demanding for a long time. Whether it’s the Critical National Infrastructure designation for all digital infrastructure, the slight adjustment in tariff, or the tax harmonisation, these are reforms the industry has long requested.

“I think it’s probably the sector that is most appreciative of this government because when we came in, the sector was contributing between 16 and 18 per cent to our GDP, but today it is tracking close to 21 per cent. That represents significant growth,” he said.

The minister noted that the reforms had also improved the financial performance of major operators in the telecommunications sector.

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On efforts to bridge the digital divide, Tijani disclosed that the government would begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to provide network coverage for more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in underserved communities without access to telecom services.

He said the President had approved the project after months of capital mobilisation and planning.

“Today we’re at a point where, before the end of the year, we’ll also start to deploy close to 3,700 towers. It’s taken a lot to put this project together and raise the required capital, but we are now ready to begin deployment around October,” he said.

The minister also announced that Nigeria would officially launch an alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, a move he said would place the country among a select group of nations operating an advanced digital addressing system.

“Nigeria will be amongst maybe 10 or 15 countries in the world with an alphanumeric postcode. It’s the latest design in postcode systems, where we can identify every property in this country. We’re hoping to launch that on the 1st of October,” he said.

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Tijani explained that the new system would assign a unique address to every property nationwide, enhancing logistics, accelerating e-commerce, improving emergency response and strengthening public service delivery.

“Inability to locate places comes at a cost. You can imagine what this will do for e-commerce. It means goods can now be delivered in record time,” he said.

He added that integrating the postcode system with existing government identity databases would improve security and make public services more efficient.

“Our alphanumeric postcode is unique because it allows us to assign a unique address to every property. In many countries, such as the UK, postcodes cover clusters of buildings. What we are introducing will uniquely identify every building, and that will be a game changer for Nigeria in terms of security, commerce and public service delivery,” the minister stated.

 

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Treepz Partners with CMS T&M to Digitize Public Transportation for Millions of Lagos Commuters

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Treepz has officially announced a strategic partnership with CMS Taxi & Motor Nigeria Limited (CMS T&M) to modernize public transportation through digital technology to ensure cashless, transparent and more efficient commuting for passengers across CMS – Ajah routes.

The partnership brings together Treepz’s transportation technology and CMS T&M’s decades of experience moving passengers.

By integrating Treepz’s digital mobility platforms into CMS T&M’s operations, passengers will enjoy a faster, safer and completely cashless payment experience, while the transport operators gain access to real-time operational insights, digital ticketing and improved revenue management.

Speaking on the partnership, Johnny, Co-Founder of Treepz, said: “Public transportation is the backbone of every thriving city. Our mission has always been to use technology to make commuting easier and more efficient for everyone.

“Partnering with CMS T&M represents another important milestone in digitizing public transportation in Nigeria and empowering operators with the tools they need to scale sustainably.”

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He added: “By replacing manual ticketing and cash collections with digital systems, we’re creating greater transparency for operators while delivering a better everyday experience for commuters.”

Also commenting on the partnership, Andrew Akhigbe, Managing Director of CMS T&M, said: “CMS T&M has proudly served Lagos commuters for decades, and innovation has always been essential to our growth.

“This partnership with Treepz allows us to embrace modern technology that improves operational efficiency, enhances accountability, and delivers a more convenient travel experience for our passengers.”

The collaboration reflects a shared commitment by both organizations to accelerate the digital transformation of Nigeria’s transport sector while improving the quality, reliability and accessibility of public mobility.

Treepz continues to expand its footprint across Africa by providing technology solutions that help transport operators digitize their services and deliver better customer experiences.

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Beyond public bus operators, the company also powers mobility solutions for businesses, educational and religious institutions as well as governments seeking smarter transportation systems.

As Lagos continues to evolve into one of Africa’s largest smart cities, partnerships like this demonstrate how technology can reshape urban mobility, making transportation more connected, efficient and accessible for millions of commuters.

Visit website: https://www.cmstaxiandmotor.com

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