NEWS FLASH
NEWSPAPERS REVIEW Monday, 25th NOVEMBER 2019
Varsities’ IPPIS begins today, ASUU urges boycott
The Punch, Page 11
The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Sunday directed its members nationwide to disregard a circular from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to enrol academic staff on the Integrated Payment and Personnel Information System from Monday (today).
ASUU stated that the same Accountant General of the Federation had challenged the union to develop a template that accommodates the peculiarities of academic staff and present same to him.
Ditto: Vanguard, Page 10
37 million Nigerians now have unique identity- Osinbajo
Vanguard, Page 41
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to financial inclusion, delivery of social programmes to the remotest parts of the country, and creation of more effective e- commerce opportunities.
TSA: Tech firms, Senate plan REMITA monopoly break
The Punch, Page 44
The Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and other Financial Institutions has started a probe of the SystemSpecs Limited with a view to breaking its monopoly over the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government.
The Chairman of the Senate panel, Uba Sani, has already summoned the management of the firm to appear before his committee on Tuesday, with relevant documents, especially its audited accounts.
Advertorial by NITDA: National Digital Economy
The Nation, Page 10
CBN mulls new BVN rules to tackle e-fraud
The Nation, Page 26
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will soon release a new Bank Verification Number (BVN) guideline and set additional rule that will guide it in watch-listing fraudulent banks customers and tackling e-fraud, the apex bank has said.
NCC fines CWG N25m for contravention
Daily Trust, Page 26
The Nigerian Communications Commission has fined CWG plc, an integrated information and communications technology company, N25m for violating some provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act.
The telecom industry regulator said during its enforcement activities in the second quarter of the year, it discovered the DCC Satellite Limited transferred its license to CWG contrary to Section 38 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Revenue: ALTON seeks agreement between OTT operators, Telcos
Daily Trust, Page 27
The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has recommended that Over The Top (OTT) operators enter into agreement with telecommunications companies (Telcos) for revenue sharing or payment of a kind of interconnect fee to Telcos.
ALTON chairman, Engineer Gbenga Adebayo made the recommendation in his speech during a visit to the Minister of Communication, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami.
An editorial on e-voting
Daily Trust, Page 44
IPPIS: ASUU Dares FG, Mobilises for Nationwide Strike
THISDAY, Page 1
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set for a showdown with the federal government over the Integrated Payment and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and has directed its branches to shun the enrolment into the scheme, which commences nationwide today at federal universities, THISDAY investigation has revealed.
The Office of the Accountant General of Federation (OAGF) had directed all staff of federal universities to come with their credentials to their various institutions between November 25 (today) and December 5 for enrolment into IPPIS.
NACCIMA, NECA Fault Senate’s Passage of Finance Bill
THISDAY, Page 8
Two key members of the organised private sector (OPS), the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), have raised objections to the Finance Bill (2019) passed into law last week by the Senate, saying that it is an indication that the legislative arm along with its executive counterpart are unmindful of the hardship Nigerians are going through.
Information/Press/Public Relations Unit
NEWSPAPERS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28th, 2019
‘Pantami’s First 100-days Critical to Future of Communications Sector’
The Guardian, page 31
THE task before the new Communications Minister, Dr. Ali Isa Pantami, appears enormous, but also surmountable. it is surmountable because, he has been in the industry for the past four years, and has also enjoyed cordial relationship with other agencies of Government in the ministry, while he held sway as the Director-General of the National Information and Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The industry needs help, and indeed someone to match policies with actions. Feelers from stakeholders in the sector on the last administration have been that the industry could have done far better and earned some accolades if a technocrat had been in charge.
DATA Value driven Business solution, says Hitachi Vantara
Vanguard page 23
Data and general Information and Communication Technology, ICT Company, Hitachi Vantara, has advised the Country to drive its institutions with Data to achieve desired values.
The Company gave the advice at a joint event it recently co-hosted with Blue-chip Technologies in Abuja.
Digital Transformation to the Rescue
Vanguard page 23
The problem of Nigerian power sector is increasingly becoming critical at least, more than half of the Country’s population has no access to the grid –connected electricity and those who are connected to the grid experience constant blackouts.
Majority of Nigerians rely on expensive diesel backup generators which costs the country an estimated $14bilion yearly.
Although the power sector is partly privatized, investment in the sector has failed to deliver the required bail-out, and Nigerians are groaning under epileptic power supply and unclean energy, when developed economies of the World are competing on the best source of clean energy to serve their people.
Payback for Nigeria as US Raises Visa Fees
The Guardian, page 1
After more than 18 Months of unfruitful negotiations with the Nigerian Governments to reduce its high visa fee, the United States Embassy yesterday invoked its reciprocity rule.
“The total cost for a US citizen to obtain a visa to Nigeria is currently higher than the total cost for a Nigerian to obtain a comparable visa to the United states. The new reciprocity fee for Nigerian citizens is meant to eliminate that cost difference” says a statement by the Public Affairs Section (PAS) U.S Consulate General in Lagos.
MEDIA REVIEW MONDAY 9TH JULY, 2018
NCC, Protect Consumers from TELCOS’ Tyranny.
Punch, Page 22
The commencement of a directive by the telecommunications industry regulator that operators must roll over customers’ unused data is long overdue. New rules by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last week require data service providers to roll over subscribers’ unused but pre-paid data onto the next data subscription. What remains is a rigorous enforcement to consumer protection by the agency.
Although long in coming, the rule seeks to address one of the many oppressive practices mobile network operators and other Telcos inflict on Nigeria subscribers.
Call Masking: SIM-boxing Endanger National Security.
The Guardian, Page 1
Although there have been sanctions against telecommunications operators involved in call masking, SIM-Boxing and related fraud, the menace still persists.
About this time last year, The Guardian exclusively brought the issue to light. This spurred the Nigerian communications Commission (NCC) to carry out some investigations, leading to the sanctioning and suspension of some operators earlier this year.
NCC Warns Against Sale, Purchase of Pre-registered SIM Card.
The Authority, Page 11
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is a criminal offense for any person to sell and buy pro-registered SIM cards in Nigeria.
This fact was made public by Director, Public Affairs of NCC, Chief Reuben Muoka in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State during the 96th edition of Consumer Outreach Programme (COP).
NIRA Scores FG High on Internet Development.
Daily Trust, Page 31
The President of Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NIRA) Rev. Sunday Folayan has said the Federal Government has done credibly well in establishing and enhancing friendly internet ecosystem in Nigeria.
He gave the commendation while appraising the impact of internet governance process in Nigeria in the last six years during the 2018 Edition of Nigerian Governance Forum in Abuja.
FG Promises to Uplift ICT Sector.
Daily Trust, Page 31
The Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu has pledged the Ministry’s readiness to partner with the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4Ai) to move the telecoms and ICT industry forward.
Shittu made the pledge while addressing participants at a coalition meeting, with a theme: Digital inclusion: opportunities and strategies for a new Nigeria Broadband Plan, organized by Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4Ai).
MEDIA REVIEW FRIDAY 6TH JULY, 2018
FG Sets up Panel to Review Broadband Policy.
Punch, Page 27
The Federal Government has set up a committee to review the nation’s broadband policy and come up with a new one that will help to realize the yearnings of Nigerians for efficient broadband services.
The Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu, disclosed this at a meeting of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4Ai) in Abuja on Thursday. Shittu, who was responding to a challenge by the National Coordinator of the Alliance for Affordable Internet, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, said broadband had played a critical role in promoting economic growth.
Shittu says China has Invested $16 Billion in Nigeria Telecoms.
The Guardian, Page 31
Bar. Abdur-raheem Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, said Chinese companies have invested over $16 billion in Nigerian telecommunications industry.
He disclosed this in Abuja at a one-day conference on “Africa-China Cooperation in Information Technology and Digital Economy: Prospects and challenges”, organized by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), in association with Chinese Embassy and Huawei Technologies.
NCC, CPC Collaborate to Investigate Call Masking.
The Guardian, Page 31
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) this week held a meeting to investigate call masking in Nigeria on the directive of the National Assembly.
The meeting was also to review the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two government organisations and discuss how to work together to improve complaints resolution of telecommunications consumers. Speaking at the meeting, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, EVC, NCC, said masking of calls with another number, especially international calls is a matter that has been trending and the NCC has been directed to address it as it has security implications.