The Nigerian federal government, has re-appointed Umar Garba Danbatta as Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission. A look back on milestones from his previous tenure.…
Here is why telcos recycle phone numbers
With more cases of people getting into distressing situations for acquiring recycled phone numbers, Techpoint gets the standpoint of a network provider representative on the need for recycling and how…
The curious case of an allegedly dying VAS industry in Nigeria
Some VAS industry players may have caved under the weight of the NCC’s DND regulation, but others still thrive with creative innovations, proving all hope is not lost for the sector.…
9 million Nigerian subscribers have activated the DND code so far
Since the NCC initiated the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) code, millions of Nigerians have been able to put unsolicited messages from telcos on eternal snooze. This year, the number rose to 9 million.…
Why there will be many more billionaire-kidnappers like Evans
In 2016, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the FCT and Lagos State reported a total of 58,566 crime cases. In Lagos State alone, 246 persons were murdered, 542 vehicles stolen and …
Unsolicited text messages: We should all sue our telcos
As we enjoy the benefits of an interconnected world, telcos gain access to sensitive information which is at the risk of being misused or abused. Telcos in Nigeria are known to disregard consumer’s p…
Access to GSM network by rural dwellers may not happen in 2017
NCC has proposed that 40 million Nigerians would have access to telecommunications services in 2017. How would this be realised without building more BTS?…
Understanding DND: The pains and gains of stopping unsolicited text messages
The rise in the rate at which subscribers receive unsolicited text messages is alarming. This prompted many people to petition the Nigerian Communications Commission, a body saddled with the technical…
Now that data prices in Nigeria have crashed
Events of the last couple of weeks seem to have done more to indicate the direction the Nigerian telecom industry is headed than all that has happened in the last twelve months put together. What had …
Data Wars: A race to the bottom
First, it was Airtel, then Glo. MTN and Etisalat maintained their data plan prices for a long time after, but eventually, they let up.…
Etisalat sues MTN Nigeria over Visafone spectrum acquisition
Etisalat has reportedly challenged MTN Nigeria over the later’s acquisition of Visafone’s 800 MHz spectrum. According to BiztechAfrica, Etisalat claims the action is necessary to prevent t…
NCC reduces MTN fine by 35%
The NCC has reduced the fine imposed on MTN to the sum of Naira equivalent of about ₦677 billion ($3.4 billion). This is coming after it was reported earlier in November that The NCC was in talks w…
Why small Nigerian businesses should care about the outrageous MTN Nigeria fine
I like looking at numbers, they excite me, because numbers don’t lie. But back to the topic at hand… MTN was fined approximately $5.2 billion for failing to disconnect customers with unregistered SIM …
Re: Econet Nigeria Saga – The long arm of the law
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth part in a series of narratives culled from Strive Masiyiwa’s blog. Read Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3 and Part 4. Abraham Lincoln once observed, “Nearly a…
Nigerian Telcos are not Smiling as Revenues Drop
The proliferation of calling and short message alternatives provided by over-the-top players/apps such as BBM, WhatsApp and Skype are eating deep into the voice and SMS revenue of Nigerian telecommuni…
The ‘App Economy’ will drive Innovation in Africa
The mobile economy has finally arrived in Africa. Anyone who doubts should simply take a look around them. The millennial generation have become the leading purveyors of the emerging “App Economy”. Th…
NCC Sets New Rules on SIM Card Retrieval
NCC, Nigeria’s telecoms regulator, has just released a new set of guidelines for SIM card retrievals titled “Guidelines on SIM Replacement in Nigeria”, the rules are purposefully set to curb ill…
The NCC and 5 Telcos Now Owe The APC N500 million in Damages
Back in January, ahead of the General Elections then set for February 14, 2015, the APC setup an SMS-based crowdfunding platform to raise funds for the General Buhari Campaign. They enlisted the servi…