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FG Lifts Ban on New SIM Cards’ Issuance

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The federal government yesterday reversed its policy banning the sale of new Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, in agreement with industry stakeholders, also yesterday revised the National Digital Identity Policy for SIM card registration.

According to him, the activation of new SIM card, banned in December last year, will begin in April.

Pantami directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure the provisions of the National Digital Identity Policy for SIM card registration are strictly followed by all operators and subscribers.

He said the implementation of the policy and issuance of new SIMs and other suspended activities would resume on the same date, provided that verification had been completed and the guidelines fully adhered to.

According to a statement by the Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the Minister, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, an earlier policy was approved on February 4, 2020, while the revised policy was developed in early March 2021. The policy was further improved and endorsed for implementation by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 26, 2021.

According to the statement, the final amendments to the revised policy, based on the directives of Buhari to make the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) mandatory for all SIM registration, were completed on April 14, 2021.
The policy includes guidelines on new SIM acquisition and activation, SIM replacement, new SIM activation for corporates and Internet-of-Things/Machine-to-Machine (IoT/M2M), among others.

The statement said: “For the corporate registration, institutions will be required to appoint a telecoms master (at the minimum of an executive management level) to provide the operational primary NIN representation. The telecoms master will also be responsible to ensure that the users provide their NINs to serve as a secondary NIN.

“For IoT/M2M activations, SIM security protocols would be implemented on the SIM profile to ensure that SIMs can only be used for point-to-point data services specific to the URL they are working with. All other services will be barred.”
Pantami stated that progress had been made in the NIN registration process.

“Nonetheless, the federal government is committed to supporting all Nigerians and legal residents to obtain a NIN. The biometric verification process has been slower than anticipated, owing largely to the non-adherence of many previous SIM biometric capture processes to the NIMC standards.

“The revised policy will ensure that operators conform to the required standards for biometric capture. The guidelines in the policy have been painstakingly developed and while they are thorough, it should be noted that they have been developed that way in national interest since the SIM is essentially a national resource. Citizens and legal residents are encouraged to bear with the government as the process has been developed in the best interest of the country,” the statement added.

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Telecommunications

NCC Files Copyright Infringement Charges Against MTN Nigeria and Others

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The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has taken legal action against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four individuals, including its Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, over alleged copyright infringement.

The charges, filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, revolve around the unauthorized use of musical works belonging to artist Maleke Idowu Moye.

According to the NCC, the defendants are accused of offering for sale, selling, and trading musical works of Maleke without his consent between 2010 and 2017. These works were allegedly used as Caller Ring Back Tunes without proper authorization.

The musical pieces in question include popular tracks such as “911,” “Minimini-wanawana,” and “Stop racism,” among others.

The commission further alleges that the defendants distributed these musical works to subscribers without authorization, infringing upon the rights of the artist.

The charges are based on provisions of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

As the case awaits assignment to a judge and a fixed date for mention, it marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to uphold copyright protection in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

This legal action underscores the NCC’s commitment to safeguarding the intellectual property rights of artists and creators within the country.

MTN Nigeria, a major player in the telecommunications industry, now faces a legal battle that could have broader implications for how intellectual property rights are respected and enforced within Nigeria’s digital landscape.

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MTN’s MoMo Sees 32.2% Surge in Transaction Volumes

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MTN Group’s mobile money platform, MoMo, has experienced a 32.2% surge in transaction volumes.

With 72.5 million active users, MoMo continues to solidify its position as a leading fintech service provider in Africa, tapping into the continent’s burgeoning mobile banking sector.

The company’s success underscores the growing trend of Africa’s young and tech-savvy population embracing mobile technology to address financial needs.

Mobile phones are increasingly becoming a tool for bridging gaps in services, particularly in banking, presenting a lucrative opportunity for wireless carriers like MTN to capitalize on the burgeoning fintech market.

MTN’s achievement comes as it finalizes a deal with Mastercard Inc., valuing its fintech business at an impressive $5.2 billion.

This strategic partnership further enhances MTN’s position in the digital finance space, positioning it for continued growth and innovation.

However, MTN is not alone in its fintech endeavors. Rivals such as Airtel Africa Plc, Safaricom Plc, and Vodacom Group Ltd. are also making strides in digital transformation, with plans to separate and monetize their fintech businesses in the long term.

Airtel Africa, for instance, is reportedly considering an IPO for its mobile money unit, indicating the high stakes and intense competition within the sector.

Despite the remarkable success in its fintech ventures, MTN faced challenges in its core telecommunications business, with service revenue growth slowing to 6.8%.

Inflation and currency devaluation in key markets, particularly Nigeria, impacted profitability, highlighting the complexities of operating in diverse African markets.

As MTN continues to expand its fintech footprint and invest in infrastructure to enhance connectivity across the continent, it remains poised to capitalize on the immense potential of Africa’s digital economy.

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Telecom Operators Grapple with Rising Diesel Costs, Spending Hits N50.28 Billion

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As diesel prices continue to soar, Nigeria’s telecom operators are facing mounting challenges with expenditure on fuel hitting N50.28 billion in February.

This represents a 50.20 percent increase from the N33.48 billion spent in the same period last year, reflecting the growing financial burden imposed by escalating fuel costs on the sector.

Diesel serves as a critical component in powering telecom infrastructure, including base stations, which heavily rely on generators due to the country’s unreliable grid electricity.

Industry estimates suggest that operators consume an average of 40 million liters of diesel per month to sustain telecom sites, with prices reaching N1,257.06 per liter in February 2024.

The reliance on diesel for powering essential infrastructure has become increasingly unsustainable, threatening the sector’s operational viability.

Gbenga Adebayo, president of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), emphasized the adverse impact of diesel costs on the industry’s sustainability, noting that infrastructure companies bear the brunt of these expenses.

Adebayo highlighted the urgent need for new pricing regimes to address the widening gap between production costs and current telecom service prices.

While investments in alternative energy sources such as solar power present opportunities for mitigating diesel reliance, challenges such as intermittent supply and vulnerability to theft underscore the complexity of the situation.

The escalating diesel costs have prompted telecom operators to advocate for adjustments in service pricing to ensure the sector’s long-term viability.

As the industry grapples with these challenges, stakeholders are calling for collaborative efforts to address the root causes of the rising fuel expenses and safeguard Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure.

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