Osun Demands Over N900m Dues from Telecom Firm

TECH DIGEST – The Osun State government has accused a leading telecommunications company of owing over N900 million in unpaid dues. The state’s telecommunications infrastructure consultant, Mr. Rotimi George Taylor, has called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to sanction the company for the outstanding debt.

Taylor expressed dismay over the company’s recent high-profile donations to the federal government while neglecting its financial obligations to Osun State. He emphasized the importance of companies adhering to statutory requirements before engaging in corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The consultant highlighted the inconsistency of the company operating extensively in the state while avoiding its tax responsibilities. He urged the government to enforce compliance with relevant laws and regulations to ensure fairness for all businesses operating within the state.

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TECH DIGEST- In a move that has sparked concern among telecommunication companies, Multichoice recently issued a notice to subscribers, detailing a scheduled three-day technical downtime. This announcement came barely 48 hours before concerns were raised regarding the potential impact of ongoing construction on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Multichoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, acknowledged the expected effect of the Lagos-Calabar construction project on their uplink facilities. However, telecommunications firms have since voiced broader concerns, underscoring the critical role of telecommunication services and the ramifications of potential technical disruptions.

The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway corridor is not just any thoroughfare; it serves as a pivotal landing point for multiple submarine cables connecting Nigeria to Europe. These cables, which include the West Africa Cable System (WACS), MainOne, Glo1, ACE, and NCSCS, form the backbone of international communications and data transmission within the country.

Approved by the Federal Executive Council in February, Phase One of the ambitious 700-km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project has been entrusted to Hitech Construction Company Limited. This project aims to link Lagos to Cross River, traversing the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom before reaching its destination in Cross River.

However, the construction process has not been without its challenges. Numerous properties and recreational centers in Lagos have been demolished to expedite highway construction, raising concerns among telecommunications stakeholders.

In response to these developments, telecommunication companies are emphasizing the importance of stakeholder consultations with the Ministry of Works to address potential risks and implement robust mitigation measures. Despite the urgency of the situation, dialogue between the Federal Government and telecommunication stakeholders has yet to take place.

Expressing their apprehension, Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), confirmed that the Ministry of Works had failed to engage with telcos on environmental impact assessments. Adebayo highlighted the exclusion of telecom operators from stakeholder engagements led by David Umahi, the Minister of Works, further exacerbating concerns within the industry.

As construction progresses on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, telecommunication companies are urging caution from Hitech Construction to prevent any damage to critical national infrastructure. Amidst the evolving situation, stakeholders await a proactive response from the government to safeguard telecommunications services and maintain uninterrupted connectivity throughout the construction process.

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TECHDIGEST- The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has recently released new guidelines aimed at improving the quality of service and customer experience provided by telecommunication companies in Nigeria. In line with Section 57 of the NCC Act, the commission has allowed stakeholders to contribute to the policy.

The guidelines, titled “Draft Quality of Service Business Rules,” outline the minimum quality and standards of service, along with associated measurements and key performance indicators for evaluating service quality.

One of the key provisions in the guidelines is the requirement for telecom companies to promptly address customer concerns. Telcos are directed to attend to customers within 30 minutes of their arrival at any service center nationwide. The NCC also emphasized that customers should be able to speak with a customer care representative within five minutes when calling a telco’s helpline.

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The guidelines further stipulate that call waiting times should not exceed three rings, and if a live agent is unavailable within five minutes, customers should have the option to be called back within a maximum of 30 minutes.

Additionally, the NCC has granted telecom operators the authority to deactivate inactive subscribers on their networks after a period of six months of inactivity. If a subscriber’s line remains inactive for another six months, they may risk losing their number, except in cases where a network-related fault inhibits a revenue-generating event (RGE). However, subscribers have the opportunity to recover their lines by providing proof of a valid reason for their absence and by requesting line parking.

In terms of call alerts, telcos are required to provide a single short beep to the call initiator two minutes and 30 seconds prior to the termination of an ongoing call if a credit alert is received during the call. Furthermore, in situations where a call lasts less than 30 seconds, telcos are instructed to play a low credit announcement at the beginning of the call.

These new guidelines from the NCC aim to enhance the quality of telecom services in Nigeria, ensuring that customers receive timely assistance, inactive numbers are managed efficiently, and relevant alerts are provided during calls.

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TECHDIGEST – Azeez Amida has been named as the new Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Towers (PAT), one of Nigeria’s top telecom and digital infrastructure providers.

Azeez’s appointment, which began on April 1, 2022, will see him oversee the company’s commercial operations as it seeks to improve its position as Nigeria’s largest indigenous telecom and digital infrastructure provider.

“Amida is a young professional who brings with him knowledge in the operation of telecom and digital infrastructure assets across markets in Africa,” stated PAT Chairman Mr. Oluwole Adeleke in response to the appointment. The Board of Directors is delighted to have Amida on board at this key juncture in the economy’s communications industry.”

“It is indeed an honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the management of PAT, and I am delighted that I will be working with a highly-skilled team, and together, we will build a leading strong and competitive indigenous telecomm and digital infrastructure company,” said a visibly excited Azeez.

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Prior to joining PAT, Amida worked for IHS in Nigeria and Rwanda, most recently as the CEO of IHS Rwanda, where he helped the company become the fastest-growing in 13 markets. He previously served as a consultant for Merit Telecoms as Chief Operating and Growth Officer, helping the company integrate its operations with global best practices and position itself to attract institutional investors.

Amida holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and is a graduate of the IE Business School in Spain. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the author of EPE Principle: Understanding the Opportunity Cycle, which will be released soon.

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