…As Danbatta pledges support for small operators*

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has enjoined telecom licensees to always comply with the provisions of extant laws, subsidiary legislations and other regulatory frameworks put in place by the Commission to ensure a more competitive and sustainable telecoms sector in Nigeria.

The EVC gave the charge at a two-day tripartite dialogue of the Commission tagged, ‘Talk To The Regulator (TTTR) Forum’ which held in the ancient city of Kano on Friday, October 15, 2021.

The programme had in attendance representatives of more than 104 telecoms licensees in different categories and segments of the Nigerian telecoms market as well as consumers of telecoms services.

Prof. Danbatta said while the Commission continues to engender effective regulatory environment, there is a need for licensees to support several initiatives carefully designed to enhance market opportunities for all its licensees.

“Telecoms industry sustainability can only be guaranteed where all licensees ensure full and effective compliance with licence conditions and other regulatory prescriptions. So, this forum provides an opportunity to discuss areas where some of our licensees are falling short of their licence obligations, and how we can collectively improve on the present situation,” he said.

The EVC highlighted some of the key policies that have been articulated by the Federal Government, including the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS, 2020-2030); the Nigerian national Broadband Plan (NNBP, 2020-202), the Revised national Digital Identity Policy for SIM Registration, among others, and sought the licensees’ full and unalloyed commitment to ensure their successful implementation.

Danbatta also briefed the licensees about some activities which the Commission is pursuing to further facilitate the achievement of its regulatory mandate.

These include the recently-launched NCC’s five-pillar Strategic Vision Plan (SVP, 2021,2025); commencement of a comprehensive review of its licensing frameworks; ongoing reviews of other key regulatory instruments to align with the rapidly emerging contemporary developments; ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage exercise; as well as the ongoing efforts to launch the Fifth Generation (5G) network in Nigeria.

The NCC CEO said, as the regulator, the NCC provides the enabling environment for healthy competition in the industry.

Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Adeleke Adewolu, who amplified Danbatta’s voice on the need for strict compliance with telecoms regulations by the licensees, said telecoms has continued to lead national economic growth through effective regulation and adherence to rules of engagement by the licensees.

Thus, Adewolu said the sector has consistently driven growth of the Nigerian economy and has provided critical infrastructure required for the digital transformation of practically all spheres of life. He declared that in the second quarter of 2021, the Information and Communication technology (ICT) sector sustained its trajectory of growth and contributed 17.9 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic product (GDP).

Adewolu, however, identified three key factors driving the sector’s performance to include a stable policy environment engendered by various digital economy policies; a consistent tradition of firm, fair, forthright, transparent and developmental regulatory oversight provided by the NCC; as well as long-term infrastructure investment and service commitments of telecoms licensees.

“The NCC has, therefore, organised this forum to enable us to strengthen collaboration along these three lines, to enable our valued stakeholders give us feedback on ongoing initiatives and to enable you seek clarifications on issue of concern,” Adewolu told the forum.

In his remarks, Director, Licensing and Authorisation, NCC, Mohammed Babajika, said while the Commission is fully aware and committed to discharging its mandate, especially in facilitating conducive telecoms environment and guiding the industry to sustain the achievement already recorded in the industry, these can only be possible with the cooperation and support of the licensees.

Babajika said the Commission recognises the importance of various service providers, hence the need to constantly engage the licensees with a view to identifying generic and unique challenges and collectively proffering solutions to them.

The overarching objective of the forum, which is in line with NCC’s vision of strategic collaboration and partnership, was to get first-hand feedback from NCC’s licensees.

The programme will be hosted in other cities across the country during the year.

Considering the vital roles of women as homebuilders, their empowerment has been described as very crucial to achieving economic growth and stability in Lagos State.
The Director, Women Development Centre, (WDC), Mrs. ‘Deola Adepoju, stated this in her address on networking during a business training programme organised for women and youth at the WDC in Agege, Lagos.

Mrs. Adepoju reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State government to the continued empowerment of women and youth, stressing that it is one of the chief priorities of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

She noted that the government’s concentration on the empowerment of women stems from the belief that womanhood comes with a lot of responsibilities.

Speaking on the import of the training tagged: “Networking in Business: Using the Social Media as a Tool to Achieve Economic Growth and Sustainability”, the Director said digital marketing is now the in-thing, hence Lagos women and youth must not be left behind.

She said: “We now live in a digital-driven world where businesses are transacted digitally. We are now in a world where customers meet clients online without any physical contact and transact valuable businesses. Thus, this training is quite appropriate, especially looking at it from the context of the current global dispensation”.

Disclosing that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) recently trained 150 small scale business owners in the State on digital marketing, Mrs. Adepoju said “With the knowledge of digital marketing, there is room for empowerment and wealth generation. No one can complain of being short-changed because it is a free space for all.”

The WDC, she said, is convinced that the growth of digital entrepreneurship can lead to a new methodology that offers value for businesses at a reduced cost.

Earlier, the Director, Finance and Accounts, WDC, Mrs. Oluyemi Odefisayo, noted that social media has continued to redefine the global landscape, saying it has become a legitimised forum for not only communication but also for business transactions.

Her words: “Social media has become useful platforms in networking and conducting businesses. It has driven significant global economic growth by unlocking new opportunities and connecting people, brands and businesses more efficiently”.

Mrs. Odefisayo stressed that the workshop is a one-stop-shop initiative that is aimed at enhancing productivity and profitability via social media.
“It is spurred by the need to support and expand participants’ business ventures from the position of redundancy to inventiveness”, she said.

The Director, therefore, urged participants to make the best use of the once in a lifetime opportunity, stressing that it could make the difference in their bid to become entrepreneurs.

The outbreak of the Corona Virus Pandemic is not only affecting the health of citizens across the globe, its impact on the relationships among some nations is beginning to tell on the fate of some nationals in order spheres.
Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates(UAE) have had a positive diplomatic relations particularly from 2009 when UAE established its embassy in Nigeria – Abuja followed by a visit to UAE by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 as a first country of visit in Asia and Middle East upon his assumption of office as President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

By December 2020 a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was executed to provide a platform for both countries to engage each other bilaterally in many areas – legal, commercial, etc.
The country UAE cebrated the growing cooperation with Nigeria at its 49th anniversary in Abuja. The UAE Ambassador to Nigeria did say on that occasion that he was excited about the growing bilateral relations between the two countries across all sectors. According to him “Today marks the importance of unity and coming together to celebrate our achievements in 2020 even though it has proved to be challenging for many reasons… This relationship is nurtured, developed and reinforced by the wise leadership of both friendly nations who have continued to forged strategic partnerships for prosperity of both countries. As at 2019, the total volume of nin oil bilateral trade between Nigeria and UAE stood at $1.4 billion, but as at December 1, alongside with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, on behalf of our respective governments signed an MoU for the establishment of a Joint Commission for Cooperation”. This was the testimony of the UAE highest official in Nigeria.

Understandably, it’s been a mutually beneficial relationship amongst the two countries in both trade and tourism relations with no major setbacks for over a decade.

However, recent events are beginning to cast some doubt on the continuity of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. As at March 2021, the UAE had declared Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa as it commenced a series of trade and investment promotion activities aimed at bolstering the bilateral trade and investment volume between Nigeria and UAE.

Earlier in 2020 at the outset of the global lock down due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the UAE national carrier Emirates airline had shut down flights to and from Nigeria owing to disagreement between the airline and the Nigerian aviation authorities on the propriety of subjecting passengers traveling from Nigeria to certain Covid-19 protocols upon arrival in Dubai. While the Federal government through the Ministry of Aviation stipulated a negative PCR test, the UAE authorities introduced additional rapid antigen test for passengers, a development that Nigeria government frowned at and resisted, thus resulting in suspension of the airline from flying to and from Nigeria. This has resulted in huge losses for the airline and travel agencies’ business for both countries.

Nigerians, very adventurous people, who desire to visit Dubai for their usual holidays, shopping and medical tourism had to use alternative airlines like Kenyan Airways or go through Cotonou, Accra or other West Africa countries. Even when they take such a detour they would have to be quarantined in Dubai for a minimum of 14 days upon arrival in Dubai. It is such a grueling experience for our nationals on the Dubai route and this has created a lot of discomfort for many travellers, with aviation practitioners proposing a diplomatic resolution between the two countries.
Speaking on the state of affairs about the suspension of the Emirates airline flight Comrade Olayinka Abioye, former Secretary General of the National Union of Air Transport Employees(NUATE) said both countries must come to use diplomacy to resolve the impasse. I cannot agree less with him.

In the midst of all of these, I stumbled recently on a news item which I understand has been running for some time now about how Nigerians in different parts of the UAE are losing their jobs in their hundreds on account of the refusal of the authorities to renew their work permits. I was jolted and seriously alarmed considering the fact that at the moment returning home for these Nigerians cannot be an option at all. I decided to put a call through to a friend who is a railway staff in Dubai to ascertain the true situation of things and his response was as shocking as he sounded.

From the confirmed news report no fewer than 500 Nigerians have lost their jobs in UAE with many more whose working permits or visas are approaching different times for expiration. I also understand that the Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa had taken steps to address the problem with the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria. As it is the usual case, the diplomat appears to feign ignorance of the treatment of Nigerian nationals in his country. According to him ” we are yet to get the report of Nigerians losing jobs in our country but certainly if it is the case, steps will be taken to address the problem”

Now here is my worry. The coincidence of the refusal of the authorities of the United Arab Emirates to renew working permits for legally resident Nigerians and the suspension of flights of the national carrier of the country is suspect. It appears to be a calculated strategem of the UAE authorities to pressure the Nigerian government into accepting their conditions of service for their national airline that may have lost humongous revenue from the Nigeria route since the beginning of the impasse. It cannot be less than a reprisal of some sort.

It is therefore important for the Nigerian government to swiftly engage the Arabian country in the interest of thousands of Nigerians living and working in the country to save their jobs and means of livelihood.
Refusing to renew the working permits of the nationals of a given country is the highest level of discrimination and such act offends International Conventions and the spirit of the bilateral /multilateral agreements which both nations are signatories to. In the absence of any malfeasance or criminal conduct, it is submitted that if a resident has fulfilled all the necessary conditions to live and work in a country other than his country of origin its is within his or her right in the eye of International human rights law to have his permit renewed. If there are specific cases of criminal conduct of any Nigerian citizens, such should be dealt with on its own merit or otherwise rather than subjecting every Nigerian to hardships.

What is more intriguing and saddening about the conditions Nigerians are currently facing in the United Arab Emirates now is that, that country is perhaps one of the destinations of looted funds from Nigeria owing to the tremendous investment in real estate and other businesses some unpatriotic Nigerians have done in that economy. It is indeed an eye opener. Such investments would probably have generated more jobs for Nigerians back home if they were made here and the environment conducive enough to guarantee adequate return on investment.
By and large, we owe our citizens the abiding responsibility anywhere they are in the world to intervene for them particularly in circumstances where they are being discriminated against or treated poorly on account of their country of origin.

In the final analysis, talks between the two nations need to resume in earnest in order to resuscitate what might result in a full blown diplomatic row.

Dr Samson Osagie is a Lawyer based in Abuja.

Airbus will join this year’s Gitex Technology Week to shed light on the role of its mission-critical communication and collaboration solutions.

During the international exhibition happening in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai, Airbus will demonstrate its portfolio of hybrid solutions with multimedia capabilities. The company’s exhibition stand will be part of Nedaa pavilion.

Airbus’ solutions provide seamless, secure, and fast communication and collaboration tailored to various needs and types of users. These include front-line workers, security and emergency personnel, public safety officials and government employees, as well as transportation, and aviation sector employees, among others.

Solutions to be highlighted during Gitex 2021 include Airbus’ Tactilon Agnet new Unified Client feature, Tactilon Agnet with Multimedia capabilities, Everus Manpack, and Airbus’ Tactilon Dabat.

Tactilon Agnet Unified Client combines Tactilon Agnet Multimedia capabilities and Tactilon Agnet 800 hybrid solution on the same cloud, while Tactilon Agnet Multimedia with drone imagery is designed to enable live video streaming to Tactilon Agnet from a drone through LTE Network.

Airbus’ lightweight Everus Manpack provides high bandwidth mobile IP connectivity using standard LTE, allowing coordination anywhere, anytime. Tactilon Dabat is a smartphone and a Tetra radio in-one. Thanks to its Hybrid Roaming feature, it allows users to communicate efficiently and seamlessly switch between Tetra or LTE network services, according to availability.

 “Deploying reliable and secure hybrid communication solutions with multimedia capabilities is vital to saving and protecting lives and properties. Our technologies are designed to support and enhance team coordination and collaboration, leading to more efficient emergency response. We aim to help bridge gaps in coordination and lower safety risks through our solutions. At Gitex, we will put the spotlight on the key features of our Tactilon Agnet communication and collaboration platform to help build a safer and more connected society, and support UAE’s ambition and vision for the next 50 years.” explains Selim Bouri, Head of Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific for Secure Land Communications at Airbus.

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated uncommon passion fo inclusive social protection through the creation of lasting structures and institutions that will outlast his administration.

The Minister, who stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the 2021 FRCN Annual Lecture, with the theme ‘The Imperative of Disability Inclusion in National Transformation,’ said the President’s passion was demonstrated in the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to cater for, among others, the vulnerable in the society.

In addition, he said the Buhari Administration has also created the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), headed by an Executive Secretary from the community of persons with disabilities, in the person of Mr. James David Lalu, to formulate and implement policies favourable to persons with disabilities.

“Another significant step came in January 2019 with the ratification of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, which has become a major plank for ensuring inclusive social protection in the country.

“It is instructive to note that in all the various social protection programmes of the present administration, such as the Conditional Cash Transfer, the Government Enterprising and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), the N-power and the Home-Grown School Feeding programmes, to mention just a few, special consideration was given to the plight of people with disabilities,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said the Buhari Administration has recorded many firsts in the area of disability inclusion by appointing persons with disabilities to his government, including a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters (a Blind); Special Assistant to the President on Disability (Person with Physical Disability); Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs (a Blind); Six Members of the Governing Council of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities as well as Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons
with Disability (a Deaf).

The Minister also listed the Administration’s achievements in the area of disability inclusion as the accommodation of 100,000 beneficiaries with disabilities in the Conditional cash transfer; Inclusion of 40,000 persons with disabilities in the Batch C, stream 1 of the N-Power programme of the Federal Government; ongoing design and construction of accessibility facilities in three Nigerian Universities (Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the University of Ilorin)

Other achievements listed by the Minister are the ongoing development of National Assistive Technology Scale-up Strategy/Roadmap, in collaboration with Clinton Health Access Initiative; development of minimum accessibility standard, a policy document that provides detailed accessibility facility requirements for buildings, roads, transportations; and the approval by the Inspector General of Police for the establishment of disability services units in all Nigerian Police formations in the country, in partnership with the National Commission for Persons with Disability, to curb discrimination and other ill treatment of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.

He said the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities has commenced the enrolment of Persons with Disabilities in a special health insurance scheme specially designed to commence with 800 pilot beneficiaries cutting across the federation, while the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, is currently developing a National Accessible Housing Programme for Persons with Disability in the FCT and the 36 states, with a view to solving the housing needs of the disability community.

Alhaji Mohammed commended the FRCN for sustaining its platforms of public engagement beyond news and programming, describing the corporation’s annual lecture series as an opportunity for all to key into the various programmes of government to foster inclusion and participatory governance.