SVP 2021-2025 is Catalyst for 5G, Broadband Penetration, Telecom Infrastructure-Danbatta

07/10/2022

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says its Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVP) 2021 -2025 which was unveiled on September 7, 2021 was meant to speed up Broadband penetration, 5G deployment and rapid development of telecom infrastructure in Nigeria.

Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC) said at the 2022 Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos that the SVP 2021-2025 Plan has five major items namely:

Organisational Renewal for Operational Efficiency and Regulatory Excellence;
Facilitating the Provision of Infrastructure for a Digital Economy which fosters National Development;
Promoting Fair Competition, Inclusive Growth, Increased investment and Innovative Services;
Improve Quality of Service (QoS) for Enhanced Consumer Quality of Experience (QoE); and
Facilitating Strategic Collaboration and Partnership.

Danbatta, who was represented by Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, Deputy Director at the NCC, emphasised that the Plan will lead to sustained implementation of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020 – 2025, increase Broadband penetration which was 44.65 percent as at August 2022 and support the deployment of optic fibre cable using the infrastructure company (InfraCo) Project under the Open Access Model.

“The Commission has instructed all licensees to commence immediate rollout without recourse to counterpart funding since the licence is independent of the counterpart funding agreement.”

On 5G deployment, the NCC EVC/CEO said the Commission already licensed two operators (MTN and MAFAB) for the two available slots (3.5-3.6 GHz & 3.7-3.8 GHz bands) respectively, generating a total revenue of $563.1 million in the process.

Danbatta stated that NCC is working towards the establishment of the Nigeria Office for Developing the Indigenous Telecom Sector (NODITS), implementing government directives on local production of Sim cards in Nigeria and review of other regulations of the ICT and digital economy sector.

A key element in the NCC Strategic Plan, according to the Commission, is active collaboration with relevant stakeholders and partners for sustainable growth of the telecom sector in Nigeria.

The NCC Chief cited the participation of the Commission at the GOCOP Annual Conference 2022 as an example of such partnership, in addition to recent signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) amongst others.

“Last week, the Commission inaugurated a joint committee with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to address issues about the operation of mobile lotteries to protect the interest of telecom consumers.”

Going forward, the Commission said it has equally embarked on other initiatives such as provision of funding for telecoms R&D to universities and Academia in the last five years, endowment of two professorial chairs in two Nigerian universities, disbursed over N500 million to universities for telecom research in addition to annual grants in telecommunications fields, developed a database of all tech hubs in Nigeria across the six geopolitical regions and provided sponsorship for young local innovators to ITU Telecom Worlds in Thailand & South Korea.

2023 Elections: INEC Moves to Stop Excessive Spending by Parties, Candidates

Business Journal

07/10/2022

L-R: Mustapha Isah, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Dr. Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, Regional Director, WA, Ford Foundation; Dr. Umar Ardo, Founder, Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy (CAPPS); Maureen Chigbo, President, GOCOP; Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, INEC; Nnenna Ukoha, Deputy Director, NCC and Dr. Solomon Arase, former Inspector-General of Police at the 6^th Annual Conference of GOCOP in Lagos.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would pay special attention to the observance of limits on parties and candidates’ finances in the forthcoming 2023 elections.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this Thursday at the 2022 Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) 6th Annual Conference in Lagos.

Prof. Yakubu, whilst speaking on the theme: “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome” implored political parties and candidates to carefully study the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and familiarise themselves with their obligations as well as the penalties under the law.

He noted that the Commission would pay particular attention to the conduct of parties, candidates and their supporters, adding that as a regulator, the Commission would play its role to ensure compliance with the provision of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.

“We will pay particular attention to peaceful campaign devoid of abusive, intemperate and slanderous language as well as the use of innuendoes or insinuations likely to provoke a counter-reaction resulting in the breach of the peace. Similarly, we will pay special attention to the observance of limits on party and candidate finance. I urge political parties and candidates to carefully study the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and familiarise themselves with their obligations as well as the penalties under the law,” she posited.

The INEC boss commended GOCOP for holding the conference, adding that it was most appropriate for a number of reasons, especially as the 2023 general election is fast approaching.

He noted that it is now 141 days to election day and that polling units will open at 8.30am on Saturday 25th February 2023 for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) and same time on Saturday 11th March 2023 for State elections (Governorship and State Assembly).

He said that campaign in public by political parties officially commenced eight days ago on Wednesday 28th September 2022, adding that the tempo of political activities has increased as parties, candidates and their supporters commence campaigns, rallies, processions and media advertisement to canvass the support of the electorate.

He said the Commission has published the final list of 15,322 candidates for the general election contesting for 1,491 seats (one Presidential, 28 Governorship, 109 Senatorial, 360 House of Representatives and 993 State Assembly constituencies).

Yakubu reaffirmed the commitment of INEC to credible elections, stressing that votes will continue to count and will be the sole determinant of electoral outcome.

The INEC boss said the Commission has introduced many new innovations, supported by the deployment of appropriate technology, to protect the sanctity of the choice made by Nigerians at the polls ranging from voter registration to voter accreditation and result management, adding that the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with its dual fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation process has ensured that only genuine voters are accredited to vote during election. This, he said, has curtailed the incidence of multiple voting and other sharp practices associated with voter accreditation during elections.

He maintained that the BVAS has come to stay and will be the only means by which voters will be accredited in the 2023 general elections.

He stated that the introduction of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal has made the result management procedure more transparent, stressing that polling unit results are now uploaded in real-time to the IReV portal for public view. This, he noted, has enhanced the transparency, credibility and consequently public confidence in the outcome of elections.

He maintained that the IReV has come to stay and polling unit results will be uploaded to the portal in real-time in the 2023 General Election.

“As campaigns commence, I also wish to remind political parties and candidates that only last week, you all signed the Peace Accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in which you committed yourselves to peaceful electioneering campaign. I urge you to be guided by the letter and spirit of the Accord,” he said.

On vote buying, he noted that the INEC would continue to innovate to stem the menace

Chairman of the event, Dr. Umar Ardo, implored politicians to play according to electoral stipulated rules, adding that they should understand that in every election there must be winner and a loser.

He commended INEC for the introduction and deployment of technology to stem issues of election malpractices.

He also commended GOCOP for organising the event

Former Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, called for synergy between all stakeholders in the electoral process, whilst canvassing the need for prosecution of election offenders.

Dr. Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye of Regional Director, Fond Foundation (West Africa), commended INEC for the new Electoral Act, stressing that there should be continuous fine-tuning of technology deployed for elections.

She underscored the importance of the Police and Judiciary, stressing that every nation that hopes to develop should develop its Police and Judiciary.

She also called for collective efforts in tackling the menace of vote buying.

Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye implored the media to go beyond tackling the menace of fake news to addressing also irresponsible reporting, adding that all parties involved in the elections should note that there would still be Nigeria after the election.

Interswitch Unveils 2022 Global Payment Innovation Report in Partnership with World Bank, Global Processing Services

Business Journal

05/10/2022

Today in Nairobi, Interswitch Group formally unveiled the 2022 Payments Innovation Jury Report, which was also supported by The World Bank and Global Processing Services (GPS).

The report titled: “Payment Innovation: Myths and Realities”, comes as part of the series of the which reveals some surprising insights from senior decision makers across the industry, and the 2022 report, which coincides with Interswitch’s 20^th anniversary commemoration explores several key areas where payment innovation is currently focused, including A2A payments and BNPL, what actually drives innovation, and which areas of innovation are most overhyped, amongst other incisive global payment themes.

The 2022 Payments Innovation Jury whose expert insights and perspectives essentially drove the report was made up of 79 senior payments leaders across 30 different markets. To give a full, 360- degree picture, a significant number of senior regulators and investors were recruited to the Jury for the first time since its inception, alongside national payments companies, banks, fintechs, and payments policy bodies. Importantly, all Jury members participate on an anonymous basis to allow them to speak freely, unencumbered by the innovation priorities of their current organisation. The 2022 report is the tenth in a series spanning 14 years.

According to Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer at Interswitch, “As one of the leading and influential players in payments who regard Africa as both our origin and primary catchment market, we are extremely enthused at Interswitch to yet again facilitate this timely and important research effort, which curates practical insights and expert perspectives of senior leaders globally, and across the entire spectrum of African retail payments. It is worth mentioning that this edition coincides with the 20^th anniversary of Interswitch’s inception, and I am thoroughly delighted that at such a significant milestone in our journey as a front-row contributor to payment innovation in Africa, we once again have the privilege of supporting this worthy initiative that is facilitating balanced appraisal and better understanding of the payments industry as it continues to evolve”.

John Chaplin, Founder/Chairman of the Payments Innovation Jury and Board Director at Interswitch opines that “In the payments industry there have long been competing ideas on what will be the ‘Next Big Thing’, particularly as many good ideas fail to achieve the scale to operate economically. As such, what is surprising about the 2022 Payments Innovation Jury is the level of consensus achieved in almost all areas, from the future of BNPL to the end user benefits of CBDCs.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to gather the insights of 79 of the most senior players shaping the global payments industry. My grateful thanks to them for taking the time to share their views, which have been curated in this report. The support of Interswitch, the World Bank, and Global Processing Services is much appreciated, as their patronage allows us to operate on a not-for-profit basis and

distribute the report free of charge to anyone with an interest in the future of innovation in the payments industry.”

Some of the report’s key findings include:

Market share of account-to-account (A2A) transactions is expected to increase steadily over the next five years, but the lack of a sustainable income stream for participants calls elements of the A2A business case into
Although the dominance of the card model in developed countries will be hard to shake, volume growth in card payments will be harder to achieve as alternative payment methods such as A2A grow their market share.
In terms of which initiatives regulators should prioritise to promote innovation, the establishment of payment institution licenses with lower regulatory capital than full-service banks was seen as most effective, with sandboxes not being viewed as
There was an almost even split between whether Banking as a Service (BaaS) is a technology model or a business Hopes that traditional banks would benefit seem largely misplaced, as it is a new generation of specialist platform providers that are leading the charge.
BNPL usage is set to increase in the short/medium term because of strong benefits for consumers and However, its rapid expansion is likely to be a short-term phenomenon in the face of future regulation and rising credit losses.
The introduction of CBDCs is seen as highly likely in most The Jury was not convinced that there is market demand for CBDCs, however, and highlighted the significant operational costs of deployment. Essentially, the Jury believes that CBDCs will happen, but not that there are tangible benefits for much of the industry nor end users.
Payment data is still not being utilised to its full advantage, with the exception of fraud Regulatory restrictions on the use of personal data are leaving the field largely clear for a small number of global bigtechs who have better technology and a different business model than conventional payment providers.
Whilst the mobile is becoming the preferred form factor for payments globally, and gathering particular momentum in developing markets, mobile money has significant regulatory hurdles to
Asia continues to lead the global charge on payments innovation and Africa comes out ahead of the USA and Europe, despite traditionally having much lower levels of
The two areas of payments innovation where the Jury feel reality will diverge most from the promises were cryptocurrency and

The 2022 Payments Innovation Jury report: Payment Innovation: Myths and Realities can be read in full here: www.interswitchgroup.com/2022paymentinnovationjuryreport

Issues from Buhari’s Last Independence Day Broadcast

Business Journal

04/10/2022

By Haniel Ukpaukure

I sat through the agony of watching President Muhammadu Buhari’s October 1, 2023 Independence Day broadcast not because I expected any cheering news – something different from his previous speeches, especially the recent ones – but because of its significance as his last in his capacity as Nigeria’s fourth democratically elected leader in the Fourth Republic.

It was more out of curiosity to hear what he would tell Nigerians as he begins to round off his two-term tenure.

My main takeaways from the speech, from the perspective of his promises on assumption of office in 2015, were that in the last seven years, his government has “worked methodically in reducing insurgency in the North East, militancy in the Niger Delta, ethnic and religious tensions in some sections of Nigeria along with other problems threatening our country; made “significant progress” in the fight against corruption, as evidenced in the “increasing number of prosecutions and convictions, with associated refunds of large sums of money,” and made efforts “in re-setting the economy manifested in Nigeria exiting two economic recessions by the very practical and realistic monetary and fiscal measures to ensure effective public financial management.”

It should be recalled that while campaigning for the 2015 general election, Buhari had promised to bring insecurity to an end, with a firm commitment to secure the return of the Chibok girls whose abduction was a major tool of his campaign.

He did not promise to merely reduce insurgency. He promised to wipe out corruption because, “if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us.” He did not promise “significant progress” in the fight against corruption. He promised to revamp the economy, create jobs and improve the standard of living of Nigerians.

While the administration talks glibly about its success in reducing insurgency in the North East, it carefully avoids mentioning the fact that in 2105, Nigerians could travel to any part of the country at any time, day and night, without fear of ending up in kidnappers’ dens, as it is the case today.

The government does not want to mention the fact that under the watch of a president whose military background recommended him as the right man at the right time, terrorists have shown the level of dare-devilry and bravado never witnessed in the country.

The administration has been helpless as terrorists shot down a military aircraft; invaded the country’s premier military institution, killing soldiers and abducting some; issued a threat to abduct a sitting president and attempted to make good the threat by attacking his advanced convoy and also attacking the elite Guard’s Brigade that protects him and his family.

They also have attacked a strategic prison in the seat of government, freeing hundreds of their comrades. If this is evidence of reducing insurgency from the level it was seven years ago, then we should wonder what it could have been if insurgency hadn’t been “reduced.”

Buhari mentioned “increasing number of convictions” as proof of his administration’s success in the fight against corruption. It is possible the president was referring to the routine conviction of internet fraudsters, something the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission periodically flaunts as its achievements in the fight against corruption.

He couldn’t possibly have referred to the fight that is being waged through press statements and press conferences by his spokesmen, when Nigerians know that corruption now walks on four legs under his nose. It speaks volumes about the war on corruption that one man was able to steal over N190 billion, despite the various “measures” the administration has put in place to tackle corruption.

From what we are hearing, the man may walk away with a slap on the wrist through a plea bargain that may allow him keep the larger chunk of his loot, while he returns to the state an infinitesimal fraction that would not pay for his new, 17-year-old wife’s holiday in Dubai.

It is a measure of Buhari’s seriousness and commitment in the war on corruption that his ministers effortlessly spent N100 million to buy forms to contest presidential primaries, without any question from him.

On the economic front, the relevant figures and statistics, including the macro-economic indices – compared with what they were in 2015 – are there to confirm the administration’s effort in “re-setting” the economy.

These statistics are reflected in the cost of living for the average Nigerian – the prices of foodstuff and other essential commodities that have gone out of the reach of the generality of the people.

But we must give Buhari the credit of having the Petroleum Industry Bill that languished in the National Assembly throughout the life of the previous PDP administration passed during his tenure.

The Petroleum Industry Act that would reposition the nation’s oil and gas industry for the required growth bears his signature. If not for anything, he would be remembered for breaking what had turned into a jinx.

Ukpaukure, a media/publicity consultant and writer, lives in Lagos

[email protected]

‘New Mortgage Policy Will Catalyze Pension Industry, Boost Economy’- PENOP

Business Journal

04/10/2022

The Pension Operators would like to commend the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) for the recent release of the guidelines that brings into effect the use of a portion of one’s Retirement Savings Account (RSA) as equity contribution for obtaining residential mortgages.

The provision for this had been part of the amendments that occurred when the Pension Reform act was amended in 2014. We are aware that the process of actualising this portion of the act has gone through a number of iterations and stakeholder engagement and we are happy that it has finally been released.

Whilst we realise that there might be some initial teething problems, we the pension operators are excited and are primmed to partner with the commission, RSA holders and other stakeholders to ensure that this policy actualises the reason for why it was set up.

The homeownership ratio and first-time home buyer statistics in Nigeria is very low and we believe that this policy will help to improve this and also provide increased benefits to RSA holders in the immediate.

This policy is very catalytic in nature and has the potential to spur growth in other sectors of the economy. It should boost the mortgage finance and home loan sector, in addition to having a positive effect on the construction value chain and building materials sector.

We believe it will create massive jobs for artisans and blue color workers involved in the construction value chain and also further open up wealth management and financial planning industry.

RSA holders will now begin to plan towards a target RSA balance because they have a goal of owning a home.

We also believe that voluntary contributions will increase because people can use the contingent portion of their voluntary contributions as part of the equity contribution for residential mortgages. In addition, more companies will now take their contributions more seriously as will staffs of these companies.

For those who do not have an RSA account and are working in the formal sector, we urge them to commence the process in conjunction with their employers. For those in self-employment, we also encourage them to take advantage of the Micro Pension Plan (MPP).

Regarding the MPP, we are also happy that the policy extends to this is extended to self-employed individuals and those in the informal sector. We believe this will help to grow the Micro Pension business and ensure that millions of Nigerians in the informal sector will have the opportunity to enjoy structured pensions when they retire and also benefit from the gains of the pension reform.

Overall, we believe this policy is net positive for the pension industry and the economy as a whole. The effects are catalytic and will help to galvanize various sector of the economy. The pension industry over the years has played a significant role in the local debt and equity market, financing National and Sub National projects and debt programs and financed transformational companies and projects.

The industry is primmed to do more and we believe that this new policy is another milestone in the positive effect of the pension industry on the economy and also another example of the collaborative nature of the pension regulator that leads to gains for the wider economy.

About PenOp

Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) is an independent, non-governmental, non-political and non-profit making body.

PenOp was established to promote the operations of the pension industry, provide for self-regulation and ensure that international best practices relating to the industry are observed by the operators registered in Nigeria. It is the umbrella association for all the Licensed Pension Fund Custodians, Pension Fund Administrators and Closed Pension Fund Administrators (PFCs, PFAs and CPFAs) operating in Nigeria.

Its role internally, is to add value to its members across all levels; information, education, visibility, networking, strategy, product development, etc. Externally its role is to increase the awareness and visibility of the pension industry and enable external stakeholders understand and participate in the development of this financial sub-sector wherever and whenever possible.

Stanbic IBTC PMI: Output Growth Quickens to 5-Month High

Business Journal

04/10/2022

The end of the third quarter of 2022 saw growth gather momentum in the Nigerian private sector. Sharper rises in output and new orders were recorded, while there were emerging signs of capacity pressures. Cost inflation remained elevated, in large part due to currency weakness, while business confidence waned.

The headline figure derived from the survey is the Purchasing Managers’ Index. Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions on the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show a deterioration.

The headline PMI rose to 53.7 in September, up from 52.3 in August and signaling a solid strengthening in the health of the private sector at the end of the third quarter. The improvement in business conditions was the most marked since May.

In line with the headline figure, both output and new orders increased at sharper rates during the month. Firms often linked higher new business to rising demand, with some reporting that customer referrals had supported growth. In turn, output rose for the third month running, and at the fastest pace since April.

Rising new orders, and some reports of difficulties securing necessary funding, resulted in a renewed increase in backlogs of work during September, the first in 28 months.

Companies also increased their staffing levels and purchasing activity, largely in response to greater new business volumes. In both cases, however, rates of expansion eased from the previous survey period. Higher purchasing activity fed through to a further accumulation of inventories.

Purchase costs rose sharply, with anecdotal evidence often linking higher prices to currency depreciation. Meanwhile, staff costs increased at the fastest pace in three months. Panelists reported that efforts to motivate staff and help them with higher living costs had been behind salary increases.

With overall input costs again rising at one of the sharpest rates since the survey began, Nigerian companies increased their selling prices accordingly. Although marked, the rate of charge inflation slowed sharply and was the joint-weakest in 21 months. Suppliers’ delivery times continued to shorten, often as a result of strong competition among vendors. The latest shortening of lead times was marked, and the most pronounced in four months.

Despite the improving growth picture in September, firms reported waning confidence in the year-ahead outlook. Sentiment remained positive overall but was the lowest since August 2021 and among the weakest on record. Those firms that expressed optimism often mentioned business expansion plans.

Nigeria Re-Elected as ITU Council Member

Business Journal

04/10/2022

Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) casting his vote at the on-going ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 in Bucharest, Romania on Monday.

In clear recognition of the critical role Nigeria is playing on the global telecom stage, the country was re-elected earlier today as a Council member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialised agency that oversees global telecommunication operations. Nigeria will serve on the Council again from 2023-2026.

The election of Nigeria and other countries, on Monday, October 3, 2022, into different regional groups that constitute ITU Council, was the highpoint of the Plenipotentiary Conference 2022 (PP-22) on-going in Bucharest, the capital city of the Republic of Romania.

The Nigerian delegation was successfully led to the global event by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami. Other members of the delegation include the Chairman, Board of Commissioners of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande, and the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta.

At the conference, which started on September 26, 2022 and scheduled to end on October 14, 2022, member states at the event voted on the composition of the next ITU Council and the 12 representatives to serve on the Radio Regulations Board (RRB) for the next four years.

The 21st Plenipotentiary Conference of the Council, also saw the election by member states, of Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the United States of America as the organisation’s next Secretary-General.

Like Nigeria and the countries elected into the Council, Bogdan-Martin, as the first woman to lead ITU in its 157-year history, will begin her four-year term from January 2023, when Houlin Zhao would have completed his second final term of four years in office as ITU Secretary General.

The seats in ITU Council are divided into five regions, A to E. Nigeria was elected into the ITU Council, Region D for Africa, which has 13 seats. Other 12 countries elected alongside Nigeria are Algeria; Egypt; Ghana; Kenya; Mauritius; Morocco; Rwanda; Senegal; South Africa; Tanzania; Tunisia; Uganda.

Elections of member states also took place into the Region A for The Americas (nine seats); Region B for Western Europe (eight seats); Region C for Eastern Europe & Northern Asia (five seats); and Region E, for Asia and Australasia with 13 seats as Africa.

Commenting on Nigeria’s re-election as ITU Council member, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Umar Danbatta, thanked the ITU member states for the confidence it has in Nigeria expressed by the re-elected into the ITU Council, in which the country has been playing critical role over the years.

“The re-election of Nigeria as a member of ITU Council for the next four years, again, points to the globally-recognised leadership role Nigeria is playing in Africa and at the level of ITU Council in the area of telecommunications policy formulation and technical regulations development to drive ITU’s mission and vision,” the EVC said.

The ITU, originally established in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union and became a United Nations specialised agency in 1947, was set up to co-ordinate telecommunications operations and services throughout the world. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Nigeria became a member of ITU on November 4, 1961. The USA joined on July 1, 1908; United Kingdom, February 24, 1871, and UAE on June 27, 1972.

The ITU is governed by the Plenipotentiary Conference and the Administrative Council. The Plenipotentiary Conference is the supreme organ of the Union. It is the decision-making body which determines the direction of the Union and its activities.

The Council, on the other hand, acts as the Union’s governing body in the interval between Plenipotentiary Conferences. Its role is to consider broad telecommunication policy issues to ensure that the Union’s activities, policies, and strategies fully respond to today’s dynamic, rapidly changing telecommunications environment.

ITU Council also prepares a report on the policy and strategic planning of the ITU, and it is responsible for ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the Union, coordinating work programmes, approving budgets, and controlling finances and expenditure.

The Council also takes all steps to facilitate the implementation of the provisions of the ITU Constitution, the ITU Convention, the Administrative Regulations (International Telecommunications Regulations and Radio Regulations), the decisions of Plenipotentiary Conferences, and where appropriate, the decisions of other conferences and meetings of the Union.

Arase, Adegboruwa, Aniagolu-Okoye, Ardo Lineup for GOCOP Confab’22

Business Journal

04/10/2022

The 2022 conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) slated for Thursday, October 6 at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos will be headlined by experts and moral authorities from different fields of human endeavour listed to serve as panellists at the conference.

They include the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Solomon E. Arase, human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, and Dr. Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, Regional Director, Ford Foundation (West Africa).

The chairman, 2022 Conference Committee, Mr. Ken Ugbechie was quoted in a press statement by the Publicity Secretary of GOCOP, Remmy Nweke, as saying that the event would be chaired by the founder, Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy (CAPPS) Dr. Umar Ardo.

The theme for this year’s conference is “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome,” while the keynote speaker is the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

The statement recalled that latest partners for the event comprised Delta State and Lagos State, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Chevron Nigeria Limited, and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Other partners are Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Access Bank Plc, Unity Bank plc and Globacom.

The statement said GOCOP 2022 conference committee had earlier announced partnerships with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc.), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), First Bank Plc, Nigeria Liquefied National Gas (NLNG) Limited, The Presidency, Wema Bank, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) among others.

Ugbechie urged both the electorate and politicians to play by the rules and conform to acceptable electoral behaviour, especially now that the peace accord has been signed by key political actors.

He said that the conference shall be preceded with a strategic business luncheon with GOCOP partners on Wednesday, October 5, at the same venue.

Former speakers at GOCOP conferences include Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto who delivered the 2019 lecture on “Economy, Security and National Development: The Way Forward”. In 2021, Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation keynoted the Conference in his capacity as Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19. He spoke on: “Post Covid-19 Pandemic: Recovery and Reconstruction in Nigeria.”

“The Guild was established to ensure that online publishers uphold the tenets of journalism in doing their jobs and our membership is a constellation of Editors and senior journalists who, having distinguished themselves in their various stations, ventured into online publishing which is both the present and future of journalism globally,” Ugbechie said.

NDIC to Host African Deposit Insurance Leaders to Strengthen Operational Resilience

Business Journal

02/10/2022

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) is scheduled to host a regional workshop in Abuja, Nigeria bringing together leaders of African Deposit Insurance Agencies to share knowledge and expertise to strengthen the implementation of deposit insurance systems on the African Continent.

The event which is scheduled to take place between the 4^th and 7^th of October 2022, is a Technical Assistance Workshop (TAW) under the auspices of the African Regional Committee (ARC) of the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI).

The weeklong workshop with the theme “Normality in Turbulent Periods: The Stabilising Role of Deposit Insurance”, will explore issues such as the role of deposit insurance in early detection and timely intervention in resolving bank failures as well as crisis management and strengthening operational resilience of deposit insurance agencies.

Deposit Insurance organisations from more than 15 African countries including Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Somaliland, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe are expected to attend. Representatives of Deposit Insurance Agencies from Chinese Taipei, Kenya, Indonesia, United States of America as well as the Financial Stability Institute (FSI) and the IADI Secretariat both in Basel, Switzerland are expected to form part of the resource persons and panellists at the Workshop.

The workshop is taking place against the backdrop of the 20^th Anniversary of IADI which was established in May 2002 with a mission to share deposit insurance expertise with the world. As a deposit insurer and member of the financial safety net in Nigeria, the NDIC is a founding member of IADI, pioneer member of its executive council and founding Chairperson of the Africa Regional Committee (ARC).

The NDIC joined IADI as a founding member in 2002 and was a pioneer member of the IADI Executive Council and Chairperson of the IADI-Africa Regional Committee (ARC) respectively.

In addition, the NDIC had also served on various IADI Council and Technical Committees such as Audit and Risk Council Committee (ARCC), Core Principles and Research Council Committee (CPRC), the IADI Strategic Planning Working Group (SPWG), the Islamic Deposit Insurance Technical Committee (IDITC) and the Training & Technical Assistance Council Committee (TTAC), to mention but a few.

The hosting of the IADI – ARC Technical Assistance Workshop by the NDIC is a recognition of the Corporation’s international standing and significant achievements and expertise in the implementation of the Deposit Insurance System in Africa.

NCC, Lottery Commission Inaugurate Consumer Protection Committee

Business Journal

30/09/2022

L-R: Banji Ojo, Head, Consumer Policy Development and Monitoring, Nigerian communications Commission (NCC); Olayemi Ajayi, Director, Legal Services, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC); Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC; Chizua Whyte, Head, Operator Relation and Correspondence, NCC and Obi Iregbu, Deputy Director, Licensing and Regulatory Services, NLRC, at the inauguration of a joint-committee to review existing Memorandum of Understating (MoU) between the two agencies in Abuja recently.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) in Abuja set up a committee to work towards the protection of the interest of telecom consumers against malpractices that may attend mobile lotteries in the country.

The Committee, which was inaugurated at the NCC Head Office in Abuja, was tasked with the responsibility of articulating measures to address mutual regulatory issues, including the review of revenue-sharing formula between Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and lottery operators.

The NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), Barrister Adeleke Adewolu, who presided at the meeting comprising senior staff of the two agencies, recalled fondly previous engagements between the agencies and stated that the committee was important in order to review and update an NCC-NLRC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed on the 6th of August 2018 but has now expired.

The ECSM said the Commission is committed to regulatory collaboration and strategic partnerships and has carefully reviewed NLRC’s requests and is convinced that both organisations can conclusively address issues and other concerns that have been identified in the operation of lotteries in the telecom industry.

“We expect that the Joint Committee of senior members of staff in both organisations will work closely to develop a collaborative framework to progressively improve gaming service delivery for telecoms consumers and further accelerate holistic development in Nigeria’s digital economy,” Adewolu stated.

In addition, the ECSM reiterated that the Committee is expected to articulate a new MoU to address issues around revenue sharing between MNOs and lottery operators, the need to review and recommend a workable model for addressing the needs of both organisations, and present informed recommendations to deepen regulatory collaboration between the two regulatory agencies.

“Given the strong professional pedigree of the members of this Joint Committee, I have no doubt that they will meet and even exceed the expectations of the Managements of both the NCC and the NLRC, and I wish you all success in this task,” Adewolu added.

Speaking on behalf of the Director-General, NLRC, Lanre Gbajabiamila, the Director, Legal Services, NLRC, Olayemi Ajayi, expressed her organisation’s commitment to improving revenue generation from the lottery industry while appreciating NCC for being receptive to inter-organisational collaborations.

Ajayi reiterated the need for renewal of the expired MoU with amendments to accommodate new provisions that will be favourable to stakeholders and fast-track the development of Nigeria’s digital economy.

Ajayi assured that, “The NLRC is working tirelessly to ameliorate its functions and service delivery to stakeholders. Therefore, this renewed collaboration with NCC will help for better and efficient service delivery by both agencies.”

NAICOM, Edo State Partner on Compulsory Insurances, Market Dev Initiatives

Business Journal

30/09/2022

L – R: Karachi Anyanwu, NAICOM; Rasaaq Salami, Head of Corporate Communications and Market Development, NAICOM; Bar. Osarodion Ogie, Secretary to Edo State Government; Adeyemi Abubakar, Assistant Director, NAICOM and, John Osagie, Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Services at the meeting between NAICOM and the Edo State Government in Benin City.

MY VIEW: It’s Time to Address the Issues!

Business Journal

30/09/2022

By Haniel Ukpaukure

In the next five months or so, Nigerians will have the opportunity to assess the suitability or otherwise of the 18 candidates that have presented themselves as the best to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari as the tenant in Aso Rock, from May 29, 2023.

It will be an opportunity to separate the wheat, from the chaff; the serious, from the unserious. Most importantly, the electioneering period should provide opportunity for us to discuss the issues; to breath some fresh air that is devoid of the suffocating and nauseating stench of mudslinging, hate speech, fake news, character assassination, exchange of brickbats and name calling that have dominated the public space since political parties announced their candidates for the February, 2023 general election.

The past few months have witnessed a complete neglect of the germane issues that confront Nigeria as a country – issues that border on its continued existence as an entity – which constitute an existential threat to its people. And these are issues for which the general election of next year should provide answers through the emergence of someone with the idea of what those answers should be.

This anomaly has been propagated by a social media mob that includes, quite regrettably and shamefully, as well, people who are regarded as experienced journalists who, for political expediency, have thrown overboard their role as shapers of POSITIVE public opinion on issues that affect the country – people who should set agenda for public discourse on the way out of the dire straits in which the country currently finds itself.

We have been fed with such nonsensical and utterly useless issue of a picture showing a candidate dozing off during a courtesy call, with the conclusion that he is mentally and physically unfit to be president; the hogwash about a candidate not being competent to discuss the economy because he has a degree in Sociology, instead of a PhD in Economics – even though he has attended the best business schools around the world and has been highly successful in the world of business, or the fact that a candidate regularly spends time in a home outside Nigeria, which makes him unaware of what is happening in his own country.

Can a Diaspora Nigerian not come home to contest election to bring his country out of the pit if he has the wherewithal to do so, since he keeps tab on developments in the country, minute by minute?

The time has come for each of the candidates to tell Nigerians why he should be the one, and not others. Let us hear them speak directly to us, not through campaign spokesmen or running mates. Let us hear them speak to the issues that threaten our collective existence. By this, I mean that they should tell us the solutions they have to the problems. We don’t need any more lectures on the problems, because we know them.

We know, for instance, that poor leadership recruitment is the reason a country that was the 40th richest in the world at independence in 1960, with only agriculture as the economic mainstay, is today, 62 years down the road, the poverty capital of the world, despite its position as the ninth biggest oil producing country in the world and sixth biggest in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

It is the same leadership, in succession, that makes Nigeria the only oil producing country in the world that imports petroleum products, while four refineries remain permanently in a coma to act as a conduit through which tax payers’ money enters the pockets of corrupt officials; the same bad leadership that spends money that could build new refineries to create a subsidy racket from which officials of the government and the nation’s oil company reap bountifully, while the thoroughly abused, exploited and helpless citizens struggle to cope with astronomical prices of kerosene, petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and cooking gas.

We need to know how the problem of insecurity, which was confined to the North East in 2015, but which has now been fully democratized to involve all sections of the country, will be tackled and solved once and for all, so Nigerians can move about, freely, in their own country.

The candidates should tell Nigerians how they would correct the misnomer and paradox of being the biggest economy in Africa with probably the highest unemployment rate on the continent, and depending solely on imports. We want to hear what would be done to make the daily exodus of youths out of the country no longer attractive.

Let’s hear the issues, please.

Ukpaukure, a media/publicity consultant and writer, lives in Lagos.

[email protected]

Auditing Brand Media Performance PR Agency or Media Intelligence Specialist?

Business Journal

29/09/2022

The repetition of the same act and expecting different results is said to be a sign of insanity. Expecting a different outcome when the input is the same is ridiculous. Worse still, when we do the same thing over again and don’t know what the outcome will be, we can only hope for the best.

Public relations agencies have cross-channel expertise and their functions are constantly evolving, thus there are some tasks that should be completely outsourced. Media Monitoring and Intelligence is a prime example.

This is because PR agencies have too much control over their client’s media engagement.

They cross the line when they start measuring and evaluating the impact of the work they do for their clients. As the saying goes, “you cannot be the accused, the judge and the jury in your own case”. You can’t create the message, communicate it, and finally, they audit and evaluate.

This is not in the best interest of the clients for so many reasons, being that such analysis would lack independence and objectivity, utilisation of the most basic tools, no in-depth analysis of outtakes, no actionable and human-curated insights or learnings.

This confirms the inappropriateness of PR agencies auditing their own performance. For efficiency, independence, Fairness and objectivity. Companies collaborate with Media Intelligence and audit partners to measure the efficiency and competitive performance of their media engagements for reasons of impartiality, objectivity, independence, and credibility.

To understand the impact that a company or brand is making through its earned media profile, you really do need objectivity and impartiality.

Media analysis is about giving the CEO meaningful intelligence and data-driven insights that he/she can act on, and this should not be undertaken by the very agency charged with generating this critical content.

NCC-CSIRT: The Countermeasures Against Website Scams on Microsoft Edge Browser

Business Journal

28/09/2022

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has issued an advisory for users to install trusted, up-to-date anti-virus software with an Internet security component and to customise News Feed in Microsoft Edge Browser.

This is part of the countermeasures to lessen the chances of falling for a malicious attack that has been discovered in the browser.

The NCC-CSIRT further advised users of the browser to practise safe Internet browsing habits and to refrain from clicking on links they are unsure of in the face of the malicious attack that has been rated as high in probability and potential damage to systems.

The advisory stated that the malicious advertising campaign, unearthed on the Microsoft Edge Browser News Feed, redirects victims to fraudulent tech support websites and that cybercriminals have resorted to posting bizarre, attention-grabbing stories or advertisements on the Edge news feed to entice users to click on them. The malicious advertisements appear legitimate but contain malware and/or other threats.

According to the advisory, “The Microsoft Edge News Feed is the default page that appears when a new tab is opened, and it displays information such as news, advertisements, weather, and traffic updates. Also, the following are the steps that result in being redirected to a bogus tech support page: The user clicks on a story or advertisement, the Edge browser setting is analysed for various metrics.”

Based on the aforementioned metrics and prior results, the advisory said “if the user is adjudged to be a BOT or in a location that is not of interest, the user is redirected to a harmless dummy page that is relevant to the story or advertisement initially clicked on; However, if the user is adjudged a potential victim, then the user is redirected to a tech support scam website for further exploitation.”

Victims of the tech support website scam could have their Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other data harvested or they could be with malware.

The NCC, therefore, urges telecom consumers and other stakeholders in the ecosystem to install up-to-date AntiVirus software and be alert to the wiles of cybercriminals in order not to fall victim to cyber scams.

The CSIRT is the telecom sector’s cyber security incidence centre set up by the NCC to focus on incidents in the telecom sector and as they may affect telecom consumers and citizens at large.

The CSIRT also works collaboratively with the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), established by the Federal Government to reduce the volume of future computer risk incidents by preparing, protecting, and securing Nigerian cyberspace to forestall attacks, and problems or related events.

Emirates Bag 3 Honours at Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022

Business Journal

28/09/2022

Emirates has taken home three awards at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022, including World’s Best Economy Class, World’s Best Economy Class Catering, and for the 17^th consecutive time, World’s Best Inflight Entertainment.

The awards are a testament to the airline’s commitment to offer the very best customer experience in the sky, where travellers in Economy Class can look forward to spacious cabins, carefully crafted menus, an unmatched range of in-flight entertainment choices, thoughtful amenities like kid’s toys, and much more.

At a time when cost-cutting has become the norm, the airline is making long-term investments to further elevate its product and service strategy in every cabin class.

This latest recognition from Skytrax comes on the heels of the airline’s recent announcement that it is investing over US$ 2 billion to enhance its inflight customer experience. This includes one of the largest retrofit projects in aviation history spanning 120 aircraft which will soon sport the airline’s latest interior concepts, a new hospitality-focused service delivery model, and best-in-class product enhancements across all cabins, starting this year.

Emirates will also be investing over US$ 350 million in next-generation inflight entertainment systems with Thales for passengers to experience the airline’s massive library of 5,000 channels on high-definition screens, along with a host of other high-tech features on its incoming fleet of A350 aircraft.

Customers flying Emirates’ Economy Class, no matter where they choose to travel on the airline’s 130 destination strong network, can look forward to a menu infused with regional and seasonal flavours, featuring hearty main dishes and sides, and an indulgent dessert inspired by their destination. Emirates also prides itself in celebrating unique cultures and traditions from around the globe by offering signature dishes for occasions like Diwali, Christmas, Ramadan, Eid Al Adha, Lunar New Year and more recently, Oktoberfest and Onam.

Emirates offers one of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art entertainment and communications services in the skies. ice, the inflight entertainment system awarded by Skytrax for the 17^th time this year, offers over 5,000 channels of entertainment, with 4,000 hours of movies and TV, and close to 3,500 hours of music and podcasts.

Customers can also choose content in 40 languages. In addition to entertainment, Emirates ice offers a range of other useful features, such as: the ability to check the status of your flight; a real-time view of the sky during take-off and landing from cameras fixed on the aircraft’s nose, tail and underbelly; EmiratesRED; the world’s first inflight TV shopping channel and LIVE TV.

ice is also the only inflight entertainment system that offers exclusive programming from Shahid, with over 135 hours of highly popular Arabic content across 15 shows, with more to be added in the coming months.

Emirates was the first airline in the region partner with HBO Max, offering exclusive hits only offered through the streaming service. Emirates’ on-board product experience is complemented by the airline’s cosmopolitan team of cabin crew who hail from over 130 nationalities.

Crew members, already trained on providing the very best inflight service, are further levelling up their hospitality experience through a rigorous training programme that was designed in partnership with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. The latest programme is focused on mastering the four service pillars: Excellence,

Attentiveness, Innovation and Passion

Driving radical changes in the customer experience also includes small touches that make a big difference, not only for customers but the planet as well. Economy Class customers can snuggle up in warm and soft sustainable blankets made of 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The airline also offers sustainably-made amenity kit bags for Economy Class customers on select long haul flights, which have been newly redesigned to represent the four elements – fire, water, earth and air, as a reminder of the careful balance required to preserve for the future of our planet.

The kit’s travel essentials – socks, eyeshades, toothbrush and tooth paste, as well as bookmark, are all made from environmentally-friendly materials and come in natural earth tones.

Little flyers travelling across all classes can also keep busy with special plush toys and blankets as well as a selection of ‘fly with me’ belt bags, duffle bags and backpacks. All children’s items and toys have been consciously made of 100% recycled raw materials including drinking bottles, and swing tags use non-toxic soy-based ink printed on recycled cardboard.

On the ground, Emirates has been working hard to create a smart contactless journey for its customers. Travellers can choose to use its integrated biometric path in DXB to check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, and board their flights. Customers can also use the airline’s touchless self-check-in and bag drop kiosks at Dubai International (DXB).

The smart contactless experience continues on board with digital menus available on the Emirates app, and customers can also use the app to create a preferred playlist for ice.

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