BREAKING: ICPC Storms IHS Towers Abuja, Seizes Devices and Restricts Amnesty International Staff

Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday reportedly stormed the IHS Towers office in Wuse 2, Abuja, disrupting a World Human Rights Day presentation by Amnesty International personnel. Witnesses said the officers confiscated over 40 mobile phones, laptops, and smartwatches while preventing staff from leaving or entering the building. Some Amnesty International workers were allegedly held inside as ICPC operatives threatened to shoot anyone attempting to exit. The incident occurred as IHS Towers—one of Nigeria’s major telecom infrastructure firms with operations across several cities—hosted the human rights awareness event.


-


#ICPC #AmnestyInternational #AbujaNews

Glo Restores Nationwide Data Services After Hours-Long Outage, Apologises to Millions of Users

Globacom (Glo) has restored data services across Nigeria after a nationwide outage that began around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, leaving millions of subscribers without internet access for hours. In a statement, the telecom giant apologised for the disruption and acknowledged the widespread frustration experienced by users in multiple states. Glo explained that its technical team worked to resolve the issue and confirmed that services have now been fully restored. The company thanked customers for their patience as online transactions and connectivity gradually returned to normal.

Glo Confirms Nationwide Data Outage, Millions of Users Affected Across Nigeria

Glo has confirmed a nationwide data outage affecting millions of subscribers across Nigeria since 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The telecom company apologised for the disruption and assured users that its technical team is working urgently to restore internet services. The outage has disrupted connectivity, online transactions, and access to digital services in several states.

BlackRock reportedly loses over $500 million to Indian-Origin CEO in massive Loan Fraud.

Bankim Brahmbhatt, the Indian-origin CEO of US-based telecom firms Broadband Telecom and Bridgevoice, has been accused of orchestrating a large-scale loan fraud that cost lenders, including BlackRock’s private credit unit, over $500 million, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Lenders allege that Brahmbhatt’s companies falsified accounts receivable to use as collateral, creating the appearance of strong business activity while secretly moving funds offshore to India and Mauritius. 

A lawsuit filed in August claims the firms’ financial strength “existed only on paper.” Brahmbhatt, however, denies any wrongdoing.

The alleged scheme began in 2020 when BlackRock’s credit arm, HPS, started lending to one of Brahmbhatt’s financing companies. The loan amount eventually grew to about $430 million by 2024, with French banking giant BNP Paribas also involved in financing the debt.

The fraud reportedly came to light in July when HPS staff noticed that emails supposedly from Carriox (another Brahmbhatt-linked company) customers came from fake domains mimicking real telecom firms. 

Further checks revealed that customer emails and contracts provided over the past two years were fabricated, and some fake documents dated as far back as 2018.

When questioned, Brahmbhatt initially dismissed the concerns but soon stopped responding. When investigators visited his company offices, they reportedly found them shut down.

Court filings also allege that assets meant to secure the loans were moved into offshore accounts in India and Mauritius.

Brahmbhatt’s companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August — the same day Brahmbhatt himself filed for personal bankruptcy after agreeing to provide a personal guarantee for the loans. Lenders believe he is currently in India.

The Minimum Wage Has Been Increased" - Akpabio Reveals What They're Planning For Civil Servants.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has assured Nigerians, particularly civil servants, that the federal government is committed to improving welfare and creating a more supportive environment for workers across the country.

In an interview on Viable TV, Akpabio highlighted the resilience of Nigeria over the past 65 years, noting that the nation has endured a civil war, insecurity, and economic challenges yet continues to move forward. He said Nigeria’s survival was not by human effort alone but by the grace of God, stressing that the country’s progress is worth celebrating.

The Senate President outlined some of the reforms initiated by the administration, which he believes are directly impacting the lives of ordinary Nigerians. According to him, “The minimum wage has been increased.” He explained that the government is not only focused on raising wages but also improving the working environment for public workers, ensuring they remain motivated and productive.

He also spoke about tax reforms, pointing out that those earning less than one million naira annually are now exempt from taxation. This, he said, has provided relief for market women, artisans, and low-income workers. In addition, Akpabio praised advancements in education funding, healthcare accessibility, and infrastructure development, describing them as signs that the country is gradually transforming.

On the issue of security, Akpabio lauded the sacrifices of men and women in uniform, noting that despite global terrorism trends, Nigeria has remained united. He also emphasized that investments in road projects, telecommunications, and agriculture would further strengthen the economy and provide more opportunities for Nigerians.

Concluding, Akpabio urged citizens to be patient with ongoing reforms, assuring them that the administration’s policies are laying the groundwork for a more prosperous and stable nation.

Nigeria @ 65: The worst is over, we’ve turned a new corner Tinubu.

Remembering the founding fathers, Tinubu recalled the sacrifices and vision of the country’s founding fathers, Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Margaret Ekpo, Anthony Enahoro, Michael Okpara, Aminu Kano, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and others, saying “they believed it was Nigeria’s manifest destiny to lead the entire black race as the largest black nation on earth.”

We have not strayed too far

Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since October 1, 1960, Tinubu said: “While we may not have achieved all the lofty dreams of our forebears, we have not strayed too far from them. In 65 years, we have made tremendous progress in economic growth, social cohesion, and physical development.

“At independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools and two tertiary institutions. Today, we have over 23,000 secondary schools, 274 universities, 183 polytechnics and 236 colleges of education. We have witnessed a significant surge in healthcare, infrastructure, telecommunications, aviation, and defence.’’

Civil war, military rule, resilience
The President acknowledged Nigeria’s turbulent history but noted that Nigerians weathered the storm and kept hope alive.

“We fought a bitter civil war, endured military dictatorships and political crises. But in all, we weathered every storm and overcame every challenge with courage and grit,” he said.

According to him, for 65 years, Nigeria has endured profound social, economic, and political trials.

He said: ‘’We survived a civil war, military dictatorships, and recurring political crises. In spite of these setbacks, we have recorded progress in economic growth, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social cohesion.

‘’At Independence, Nigeria had just 120 secondary schools with 130,000 students. Today, there are over 23,000 secondary schools. In 1960, we had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology. As of 2024, Nigeria boasts 274 universities, 183 polytechnics, and 236 colleges of education. Healthcare, telecommunications, aviation, and financial services have all expanded remarkably.

Unfinished business
Declaring that like the founding leaders, he had committed himself irrevocably to the unfinished business of nation-building, President Tinubu said he inherited a near-collapsed economy, distorted by decades of bad policies.

Dangote Refinery Cuts Petrol Price, To Begin Direct Supply Nationwide

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and will begin direct distribution of the product to filling stations across Nigeria starting Monday, September 15, 2025.

In a statement on Thursday, the refinery said the gantry price has been reduced to N820 per litre, with pump prices varying across key states. Lagos and other South-West states will retail at N841 per litre, while Abuja, Rivers, Delta, Edo, and Kwara will sell at N851 per litre.

“The first phase of the deployment will cover the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, Kwara, Delta, Edo, Rivers, and South-West states, with nationwide expansion planned as more trucks are delivered,” the company stated.

The refinery noted that the use of CNG-powered transportation in the supply chain will save Nigeria over N1.8 trillion annually, cut distribution costs, and help ease inflationary pressures. It added that the initiative will directly benefit more than 42 million MSMEs by lowering energy costs.

The company also disclosed that it is investing over N720 billion in the programme, which is expected to create thousands of jobs and revive dormant filling stations nationwide.

Stakeholders such as fuel station operators, telecom companies, and large-scale fuel consumers have been urged to partner with the initiative. Petrol station owners were also encouraged to register for free delivery and other benefits tied to the scheme.

Source: Dangote Group

President Tinubu Abolishes 5% Telecoms Tax For Nigerians.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the scrapping of the controversial 5% excise duty, which applied to mobile voice and data services in the nation’s telecommunications services.
President Tinubu Abolishes 5% Telecoms Tax For Nigerians
This development was disclosed by the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, during a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

He confirmed that the excise levy, which was initially suspended in 2023, has now been officially removed under revised national tax laws.

Naija News understands that the total removal of the tax is aimed at easing financial pressures on consumers and businesses in Nigeria’s digital economy.

“The 5% excise duty is no longer in effect.

“Initially, it was only suspended, but the President has now completely removed it. I was present when the issue was raised, and he firmly said, ‘No, we cannot place this burden on Nigerians.’ I was very pleased to see that this directive was upheld in the new legislation,” Maida said during the press briefing.

President Tinubu first suspended the tax in July 2023 as part of a broader fiscal policy overhaul aimed at mitigating the impact of multiple tax burdens on businesses and households. The suspension came through a series of executive orders signed shortly after he assumed office.

However, the issue resurfaced in October 2024, when the National Assembly proposed reinstating the tax as part of broader revenue-generating measures, which also included levies on gaming, betting, and lottery services.

The proposal was met with strong resistance from the telecom sector.

The matter has now been laid completely to rest based on the revelation by the NCC boss during his press briefing.

Nigerians Applaud as Pres Tinubu Scraps 5% Telecom Excise Duty in New Tax Law.

President Bola Tinubu has permanently removed the 5 per cent excise duty on telecommunications services, a move expected to reduce cost burdens on subscribers.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, confirmed the development during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. “The excise duty… is no longer there,” Maida said.

“Before it was suspended, but now the president has removed it entirely. I was in the room when it came up, and he said, ‘No, we cannot put this on Nigerians.’ I was very pleased when the bills came out and his words were followed through.” The scrapped levy was part of a broader tax reform initiative under the proposed Nigeria Tax Act, aimed at consolidating and repealing existing taxation laws.

Introduced in 2022 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the duty faced heavy criticism from industry players and consumers alike.

President Tinubu suspended the policy in July 2023, citing its negative impact on Nigerians and the economy. Its full removal, Maida noted, would now ease pressure on subscribers and encourage growth in the telecom sector, which is central to Nigeria’s digital economy.

He added that the NCC is pursuing broader reforms focused on transparency, accountability, and consumer protection. One of the initiatives, a public map of network performance showing independent data on download speeds, latency, and service quality, is expected to be released in September.

Tinubu Scraps 5% Telecoms Tax — NCC

President Bola Tinubu has permanently abolished the 5% excise duty on telecommunications services, a levy that had drawn widespread criticism from industry players and consumer advocates.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida, confirmed the decision at a media briefing in Abuja, noting that while the duty was only suspended in 2023, it has now been completely removed under revised tax laws.

“The President said clearly that we cannot place this burden on Nigerians, and the directive has now been enshrined in the new legislation,” Maida said.

The excise duty, which applied to mobile voice and data services, had been faulted for driving up digital access costs and threatening telecom operators already struggling with rising expenses. Proposals to reinstate it in 2024 were strongly resisted by stakeholders, who argued it would stifle growth in Nigeria’s digital economy.

#DigitalEconomy #Telecoms #Nigeria

9mobile Rebrands as T2: Customers Demand Better Services

Telecom operator 9mobile has rebranded to T2, unveiling a bold orange identity under the theme “Tech Meets Tenacity.” The move, announced on August 8 in Lagos, marks another major shift for the company since its transformation from Etisalat in 2017.

While T2’s management promises “technology-powered and customer-obsessed” services, subscribers say the rebrand must go beyond aesthetics. Customers in Lagos called for better call quality, wider coverage, affordable tariffs, and stronger customer support.

CEO Obafemi Banigbe said the rebrand reflects Nigeria’s youthful energy and positions T2 as a cloud-native, AI-driven operator. But users remain cautious, stressing that only tangible improvements will determine whether T2 can regain market trust in Nigeria’s competitive telecom space.

#9mobile #T2 #Rebranding #Telecom #Nigeria #CustomerExperience

Watch the Iranian Nahid-2 telecommunication satellite blast off into space onboard the Soyuz-2 rocket earlier today.

Nahid-2 uses a domestically developed hot-gas propulsion system to maintain orbit for 2 to 5 years.

Built entirely in Iran, it also features other local technologies such as composite fuel tanks, thermal insulation coatings, adhesives, and lithium-ion batteries.

It marks a major step toward Iran’s self-reliance in advanced space systems.

Mike Adenuga’s Globacom is Launching Public Wi-Fi in Lagos.

Nigerian billionaire Mike Adenuga’s telecom giant, Globacom wants to boost digital access and ease the pressure on mobile networks, is teaming up with Wave5 Wireless to roll out public Wi-Fi across key parts of Lagos.

The new partnership, which kicks off with a pilot phase, aims to serve over 200,000 users by targeting bustling locations like Tejuosho and Arena markets, as well as 15 Lagos bus shelters managed by LAMATA.

The project is expected to offer internet access at an affordable daily rate of ₦500, giving users about three hours of Wi-Fi use per day.

For Globacom, this is more than just a technical upgrade, it’s a strategic step in its long-term plan to deepen its digital footprint and ease congestion on its mobile networks.


The company will offload some of its 3G and 4G traffic onto Wave5’s infrastructure, allowing users to switch seamlessly between mobile data and public Wi-Fi in busy areas.

“This partnership redefines connectivity in Nigeria,” said Biola Akinyemi, Wave5’s CTO and co-founder. He described the project as a response to the everyday frustration of unreliable network service, especially in dense urban zones.

Wave5 believes the model could generate over $7 million in recurring annual revenue, and the company is currently raising $3 million to take the project beyond Lagos and into other parts of Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

The broader vision is to create a shared infrastructure system, one that can be used by multiple telecom operators, not just Glo. Wave5’s founder, Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ, sees this as a way to close the digital gap across Nigeria, especially for small businesses and low-income users who are often left behind in the data revolution.

This move also fits into a wider pattern of investment from Globacom. Earlier this year, the company extended mobile coverage to Kura, a remote community near Abuja, connecting 12,000 residents many of whom had never had mobile service before.

After years of subscriber decline, 9mobile is staging a major comeback, thanks to a newly approved national roaming agreement with MTN Nigeria. The deal, backed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), will allow 9mobile subscribers to access MTN's extensive network nationwide.

With only about 2 million active users left, 9mobile hopes to restore access to over 22 million former subscribers by the end of July. Under this three-year agreement, users will now be able to enjoy seamless service coverage wherever MTN operates, beginning with Lagos and rolling out nationwide in the coming weeks.

According to 9mobile CEO Obafemi Banigbe, this partnership is part of a broader network recovery strategy to make 9mobile competitive again, focusing on strategic infrastructure sharing.

Representing MTN’s CEO, Linda Saint Nwafor emphasised the partnership as a step toward industry sustainability and digital acceleration, aligning with national objectives to improve telecom reach and efficiency.

Source: The Guardian Nigeria.

Will you give 9mobile another shot?

15 K+lled in Sokoto Village Att+ck by Suspected Lakurawa Members.

At least 15 people have been k+lled in Kwalajiya village, Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following an att+ck by suspected members of the Lakurawa group.

The a§§ault occurred around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday while residents were observing the afternoon prayer.

According to locals, the att+ck was a reprisal for the k+lling of three Lakurawa members—including a suspected leader—during a failed raid on the village days earlier. Armed men stormed the village, opening fire on worshippers and farmers alike. They also b¥rned down homes, shops, and farmlands, and d+stroyed the community’s telecommunications mast, cutting off mobile network access.

“This is the first time they’ve att+cked us directly,” one community leader said. “But it’s likely retaliation for the earlier incident where their men were k+lled."

Another source suggested growing tensions may have also played a role, pointing to recent opposition from local leaders to marrying daughters into the Lakurawa group, a stance that reportedly angered them.

In the aftermath, the village has been deserted as residents flee to nearby towns like Gidan Madi for safety. “They spared the women, but k+lled our men and d+stroyed everything,” one displaced resident said.

Seven people reportedly sustained g¥nshot inj¥ries and are receiving treatment. Local officials and security forces attended the victims’ burial on Wednesday, and additional troops are expected to be deployed.

Police spokesperson DSP Ahmed Rufa’i confirmed the att+ck but said casualty figures were still being verified. Community members are urging the government to restore security and telecommunications in the area to help prevent further v+olence.

BREAKING: The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria says there will be temporary disruption of SIM-related services across all mobile networks in Nigeria.
The disruption is due to a directive by NIMC to switch to a new identity verification platform.

USSD Services: Telcos to charge subscribers directly from June 18.

Telecom subscribers in Nigeria will now be charged directly by their mobile network operators for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services, starting Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

This was made known in a statement signed by Mr Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), and the Publicity Secretary, Mr Damian Udeh.

BREAKING:

The Federal Government has announced plans to deploy 7,000 telecom towers nationwide — with 80% heading to Northern Nigeria to tackle severe connectivity gaps.

A major push for digital inclusion.

— @NigeriaStories

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gr3R-O-XIAA3SDk?format=jpg&name=small