Telecom
Uncertainty over SIM-NIN Linkage as Deadline Nears

The fate of many telecommunication subscribers hangs in the balance following a court ruling restraining telecom providers from implementing a directive by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that mandated them to bar telephone lines without National Identity Numbers (NIN) on or before February 28.
BusinessDay reported that iIn the ruling by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, telecom operators were restrained from deactivating or barring any line or SIM not linked to their NINs following an application filed by Olukoya Ogungbeje, a Lagos-based lawyer.
Ogungbeje filed a suit against MTN Nigeria when his SIMs were barred in April 2022, and the court, at the time, dismissed his suit for lack of merit. He later filed an appeal, pending at the court of appeal.
Ogungbeje has now asked the court for an injunction pending his appeal to restrain all the respondents (Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Airtel Networks Nigeria Limited) from further outright barring, deactivating and or restricting any SIM cards or phone lines on Feb. 28, 2024, or any other scheduled date, pending the hearing and determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa granted the lawyer’s request and restrained the telecommunications companies (telcos). The justice also ruled that his order subsists till the hearing and determination of the appeal filed by the lawyer.
This ruling has cast a shadow over the NCC’s directive, particularly for MTN and Airtel subscribers. The NCC, in a December 2023 notice, asked telcos to bar SIMs that have not submitted their NINs by February 28, 2024, bar those whose NINs have been submitted but not verified by March 29, 2024, and bar those who have less than five lines linked to an unverified NIN by April 15, 2024.
According to Reuben Mouka, director of public affairs at NCC, the commission is not one of the parties to the case.
He also noted that once the court has restrained an operator, there is nothing the regulator can do.
“Nonetheless, if a law court restrains an operator, what can we do…There may be an official position from us soon. Our management will look at this, and we may say something,” he said.
Sources in MTN and Airtel said the telcos would obey the court order. O
ne source, however, said the ruling does not cover every subscriber, as some might still get blocked. On Monday, telecom subscribers asked the Federal Government for an extension for SIM-NIN linkage.
Adeolu Ogunbanjo, president of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, disclosed to BusinessDay that a one-month extension will ensure more people can get their NINs and link their SIMs before the deadline.
“We want them to extend the deadline to March 31. There are still queues at NIMC centres. These centres are trying, but they can’t attend to everyone,” he said.
If the deadline stands, millions of subscribers will be affected.
The NCC’s directive to restrict outgoing calls in April 2022 affected over 72.77 million active mobile subscriptions. About 125 million lines had been linked to NINs out of a total of 197.77 million active lines. Also, there were over 78 million unique NINs then.
Since then, the National Identity Management Commission has not updated the number of SIMs linked to a NIN. The number of unique NINs grew to over 104 million as of December 2023, and total active lines rose to 224.41 million as of the same period.
Telecom
Court Affirms FCCPC’s Authority in Regulating Telecoms Sector

Federal High Court in Lagos has declared that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has secured a landmark legal victory after the Federal High Court in Lagos reaffirmed its authority to regulate competition and consumer protection across all sectors, including telecommunications.
This was disclosed in a press release by Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s director of Corporate Affairs on Sunday.
Ijagwu, said Justice F.N. Ogazi gave the verdict in a case that was filed by Emeka Nnubia, a shareholder of MTN Nigeria and a legal practitioner.
In the suit, Nnubia wanted the court to stop the FCCPC from investigating MTN Nigeria on the ground that Nigerian Communications Commission was the sole regulator of the telecom sector.
But the judge maintained that the law gives the FCCPC the power to regulate on competition and consumer protection across all sectors, including telecommunications.
The court said that the NCC does not have exclusive control over competition regulation in telecoms. H said both the FCCPC and the NCC are both regulators.
The court said, “FCCPC acted within its statutory powers in issuing a Summons to MTN Nigeria as part of its ongoing inquiry,” emphasising that the commission’s “Summons and Request to Produce was found to be lawful and within the scope of FCCPC’s investigative powers.”
The court also held, “FCCPC’s request for information from MTN did not violate any data protection laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the NCA 2003.”
It said, “No personal data was requested, and MTN’s obligation to disclose information in the public interest is a legitimate basis for compliance with FCCPC’s inquiry.”
Telecom
DBI, US-Based Partner SBTS to Create 50,000 Jobs

Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) has partnered with US-based SBTS Group to create 50,000 immediate job opportunities and upskill over five million Nigerian youths by 2030.

Mr. Daser David, president and CEO of DBI
A statement by Mr. Akin Ogunlade, head of Public Affairs at DBI, confirmed that both organisations will officially launch the strategic partnership in Abuja this February.
The initiative is designed to equip Nigerian youths with essential digital skills, enabling them to compete in the global job market.
Mr. Daser David, president and CEO of DBI, described the collaboration as a direct effort to bridge the gap in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy by providing advanced training in digital literacy, coding, and other high-demand skills in the labour and employment market.
“As Nigeria’s digital economy rapidly expands, industries such as financial services, healthcare, entertainment, transportation, and ICT are witnessing unprecedented job creation
“However, a significant skills gap remains, with millions of digital and ICT-related jobs going unfilled due to a shortage of qualified professionals.
“This collaboration is, therefore, a direct effort to bridge this gap by providing advanced training in digital literacy, coding, and other high-demand skills in the labour and employment market.
“The effort aligns with the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020–2030) and the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy under Minister Dr Bosun Tijani,” Mr David said.
Emphasising the transformative impact of the initiative, Mr. David highlighted that Nigerian youths are the catalyst for transforming the nation’s economic future.
“To pivot from an agriculture-dependent economy to a thriving digital landscape, they require targeted IT upskilling.
“This initiative bridges opportunity gaps by providing after-school programmes in digital literacy and vocational training for underserved youths, empowering them to compete in a tech-driven job market and fuelling inclusive economic growth.”
He added that the collaboration would contribute to the government’s broader mission of fostering decent, productive, and freely chosen employment opportunities for young people while supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national development agenda.
“The partnership between DBI and SBTS is a direct response to Nigeria’s digital skills deficit, focusing on job creation and economic empowerment.
“Each DBI campus will host a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) centre, designed to create thousands of job opportunities for young Nigerians, enabling them to secure both local and remote employment in the global digital economy,” he said.
He further noted that the training would integrate digital skills into vocational education, establish comprehensive on-the-job training systems, and engage public and private sector employers in digital job creation.
The president added that the initiative has already commenced with facility upgrades and training programmes at DBI’s campuses in Enugu (South-East) and Kano (North-West), with other locations scheduled for subsequent rollouts.
Similarly, Evelyn Lewis, CEO of SBTS Group, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to empowering Nigerian youths.
“Despite the negativity and sense of hopelessness often portrayed, there are abundant opportunities for youths in Nigeria.
“We are excited to collaborate with DBI in advancing the Federal Government’s agenda to train and equip unemployed youths with digital skills and comprehensive ICT knowledge, empowering them for a brighter future.”
Under the agreement, the SBTS Group will provide technical and financial support to ensure that young Nigerians receive industry-relevant training that meets global standards.
The initiative also emphasises youth-led digital entrepreneurship, equipping participants with the tools to launch and scale their businesses in the digital space.
By integrating over 400 new digital courses into the training curricula and promoting hands-on learning, the DBI-SBTS partnership is set to drive Nigeria’s economic diversification through ICT. The initiative’s strong focus on digital entrepreneurship will further accelerate Nigeria’s transition into a tech-driven economy, ensuring sustainable job creation and long-term growth.
With facility upgrades, BPO centre rollouts, and nationwide training programmes underway, this collaboration represents a landmark effort in positioning Nigeria’s youths for success in the global digital economy.
DBI is a training institute under the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), established by the Federal Government in 2004 for ICT and digital training.
Telecom
ATICEN Commends NLC for Suspending Strike over Telecoms Tariff Hike

Comrade Adede John Williams, president of the Association of Telecommunications, Information Technology, Cable Satellite Network Operators and Allied Services Employers’of Nigeria (ATICEN), has commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for suspending the planned strike over tariff hike by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the Nigeria telecommunications operators.

Joe Ajaero, president, NLC,
He called on members and the general assembly of the Nigeria Labour Congress, telecoms subscribers, stakeholders, and all interested parties to see the need to accept the reality of things as they unfold.
He emphasised that rising inflation, energy costs, operational costs, and currency devaluation challenges faced in the country were the key reasons for the recent tariff hike, adding that the costs of importing telecommunications equipment, the maintenance support system, and unreliable electricity supply had affected the profits supposedly accrued to telecoms operators.
He, therefore, urged the telecommunications subscribers and Nigerians to always have the interests of the services of telecommunications operators at heart for the industry’s sustainability, as the industry regulator is always championing the consumer’s protection rights.
“So, it is important to know that the recent increase in telecoms tariff was approved according to its regulatory power under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA) to regulate and approve tariff rates and charges for telecommunications operators operating in Nigeria,” he said.
Williams equally acknowledged Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister, Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and Dr. Aminu Maina, EVC/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for taking a proactive step in managing the NLC’s planned strike.
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