TECHDIGEST – Most organisations backing the NITDA Bill at the National Assembly are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. This was the conclusion of a fact-check done by PRNigeria.

In a report, it dubbed as “fact check,” an online platform, ITREALMS, claimed that its “investigation” unraveled 12 fictitious stakeholders supporting the National Information Technology Development (NITDA) Bill 2022.

However, PRNigeria reached out to the respective organisations mentioned by ITREALMS to confirm if they are truly not operational and not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as claimed by the self acclaimed digital news blog. In response, most of the organisations sent their CAC Certificates as proof of legal standing. https://prnigeria.com/2023/05/24/fictitious-organisations-nitda-bill/

Based on the documents screened by PRNigeria fact-check desk, the Network of Advocates for Digital Reporting (NADIR) was officially incorporated in February 2023 with registration number 6880172 as against the claim by ITREALMS that it was an unregistered entity.

Further checks revealed that NADIR, a non-political organisation that counters misinformation and fake news and promotes digital inclusion and fact-checking to enhance positive narratives and digital literacy, has been active and existence since 2021 before it was officially registered with the CAC.

A simple online check revealed that in April this year, a serial award-winning journalist and fact-checker, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, was appointed as Executive Secretary of the Network.

Also, Mansurah M Abdullah, the Chief Executive Officer of Heroic Discovery and Community Development Centre told PRNigeria fact-check desk that the organisation was incorporated in February 2014 with registration Number CAC/IT/NO 67586.

Besides the document she shared to support her claim, a simple online keyword check revealed a site map for the organisation, its registered presence with NG-Check and its affiliation with other NGOs like the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN).

Furthermore, findings revealed that the North East ICT Development Initiatives was incorporated on the 11th day of November, 2021 as limited by guarantee with registration number 1859972 with Abdulrahman Barkindo Alkali as the Project Lead. It also has a registered domain http://www.neicti.com.ng but a click visit indicates that the site is currently under renovation.

Similarly, documents obtained from Zainab Abdulkadir, the Senior Program Officer, Digital African Youth Forum revealed that it was incorporated in March 2023 with registration number 68720162. An inquiry by PRNigeria into the record of the CAC corroborated the legal registration status and corresponding documents to be genuine.

Based on facts unravelled by PRNigeria and documents accessed in both the CAC record and founders of the affected organisations, the claim by ITREALMS that some stakeholder organisations supporting NITDA Bill 2022 are unregistered, is unreliable.

PRNigeria therefore concludes that the claim by ITREALMS that its “investigation” unraveled 12 fictitious stakeholders supporting the NITDA Bill 2022 is not only FALSE but also MISLEADING.

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TECHDIGEST – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has supported the 2022 edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D), scheduled for Thursday, June 9, at the prestigious Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos, with the theme: ‘5G: Enthroning Internet Governance for Digital Economy.’

Affirming this development, the organisers of NDSF 2022 through its Lead Consulting Strategist and Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media inc, Mr. Remmy Nweke, said that NCC made this known via the office of the Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, noted that the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has been scheduled to address stakeholders on “5G Enthronement in Nigeria’s Telecom Sector.”

The 13th edition of the forum, Nweke, who is an author and online personality of repute, said, will be co-hosted with the formal public presentation of his latest book: ‘Sagacity Of A Digital Revolution.’

Nweke pointed out that DigitalSENSE Africa, a project of ITREALMS Media group is made up of internationally reputed and award-winning Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry analysts and perception managers; professionally affiliated to African Regional At-Large Organisation (AFRALO) for shaping the future of the Internet.

Also, he said that DigitalSENSE Africa is a certified At-Large Structure (ALS) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which coordinates the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespaces and numerical spaces of the Internet, by ensuring the network’s stability and secured operation.

Nweke brings to mind that NCC is an independent regulatory authority for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria was created under Decree number Decree 75 by the [Federal Military Government of Nigeria] on 24 November 1992. NCC has since transformed into a leading telecom agency in the continent.

Just as NCC recently engaged stakeholders by opening up the telecom space in the country for processes leading to auction and licensing of fifth generation (5G) operators.

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TECHDIGEST – The commitment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in the regulation of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in the telecom sector, has earned it the 2021 ITREALMS Telecom E-Waste Regulator Award.

Presenting the award to the telecom regulator, Executive Editor-in-Chief of ITREALMS Media, Mr. Remmy Nweke said over the years, NCC has earned a reputation as a leading telecom regulatory agency on the continent of Africa.

He noted that the Commission strives to catalyze the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT’s) for different aspects of national development. Thus, the creation of several programmes such as State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI) and Wire Nigeria Project (WIN) to help stimulate demand and accelerate the uptake of ICT tools and services necessary for the enthronement of a knowledge society in the country.

The event keynoted by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the Head of New Media, Dr. Ominiyi Ibietan, dwelt on “20 years of GSM and e-Waste in Nigeria.”

Created under Decree No. 75 by the [Federal Military Government of Nigeria] on 24 November 1992, the Commission was charged with the responsibility of regulating the supply of telecommunications services and facilities, promoting competition, and setting performance standards for telephone services in Nigeria.

In order to achieve its mandate, the Commission being currently led by the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has put in place some necessary licensing and regulatory framework for the supply of telecommunications services, especially using “ASPIRE 2024” – (A: Advancement through S: Strategy, P: Professionalism, I: Innovation and R: Regulatory, E: Excellence).

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TECHDIGEST – Apex telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have drummed support for the 2021 edition of the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue scheduled at Adam’s Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos by 9am next Thursday.

Just as experts from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) and E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (EPRON) to name a few, have lined up to dissect the theme of the dialogue “e-Waste in Nigeria: Consumer as key to Circular Economy & 20 years of GSM.”

Confirming these at the weekend, the editor-in-chief, ITREALMS Media group, Mr. Remmy Nweke, said that the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, slated for Thursday, December 9, 2021, at Adams Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos would have the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta deliver a keynote address to the occasion.

Danbatta’s keynote, Nweke revealed would focus on “20 years of GSM and e-Waste in Nigeria” while ALTON chairman, Engr Gbenga Adebayo would share insight on “ALTON: 20 years of GSM and e-Waste in Nigeria.”

Nweke noted that the importance of tackling electronic waste in the country cannot be over-emphasised, as the nation celebrates 20 years of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) which made it easier for inflow of electronic devices and usage in the most populated African nation.

Pointing out that the Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) emanates from the likes of mobile phones, computers, TV-sets, and fridges among other electronic devices have become a set of fastest growing waste streams across the globe.

Nweke also noted that Professor Danbatta as the Chief Executive Officer of NCC is serving a second term of five years in office, following the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020.

Danbatta earned his BEng, MSc degrees from the Technical University of Wroclaw in Poland and received his PhD from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST).

As a multiple award-winning professor, Danbatta successfully spearheaded the attainment and surpassing of Nigeria’s national broadband target in 2018, and he is currently among those leading the charge for the realization of the new national broadband target of 70 per cent by 2025, after the country achieved and surpassed its earlier national target of 30 per cent penetration in 2018.

In no small measure, Danbatta has strengthened the role of the telecommunications sector as a major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, and boosted telecoms investment inflows from $36 billion to over $70 billion since 2015, among others.

Prior to his appointment as EVC/CEO of NCC in 2015, Danbatta, was a professor of telecommunications engineering, who worked in academia as lecturer where he supervised over 60 PhD, MEng and BEng projects in diverse areas of telecommunications, rising to the position of Acting Vice-Chancellor in a Nigerian university.

He was the Vice-President of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), an international centre for advanced communications studies established in 2004 by the Commission (NCC) for capacity in diverse areas of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Further, Nweke said that ALTON is a body corporate, duly registered in Nigeria and recognized by the government of and NCC as the official industry body for all providers of telecommunications and subsidiary services in Nigeria.

ALTON is ably led by Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Communication Network Support Services Limited Group of Companies, whose operations cuts across Telecommunication Network maintenance, Call and Contact Centre Service, Media, Broadcasting, Agriculture, Hotels and Hospitality Services, Medical and Hospital Services.

ITREALMS Media, he said, in commemoration of the International E-waste Day (IeWD) 2021, has advanced plans to host a day discourse on e-Waste in Nigeria: Consumer as key to Circular Economy & 20 years of GSM under its flagship ITREALMS e-Waste Dialogue scheduled for Thursday, December 9, at the Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos.

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