Category: Information Technology - Page 4

Nigerians to Submit Phone IDs from July – NCC

21May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Nigerians to Submit Phone IDs from July – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has announced that Nigerians will be required to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, of their mobile phones to the regulatory body with effect from July. This was contained in the commission’s Revised National Identity Policy for SIM Card Registration. The decision of the regulatory body to commence the implementation of the Device Management System (a Centralised Equipment Identity Register) is approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. The NCC said, “With the aim to curtail the counterfeit mobile phone market, discourage mobile phone theft, enhance National Security, protect consumer interest, increase revenue generation for the government, reduce the rate of kidnapping, mitigate the use of stolen phones for crime, ...

Twitter Favours Nigeria, Turkey to Test Voice Messaging Feature

18May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Twitter Favours Nigeria, Turkey to Test Voice Messaging Feature

A popular social messaging platform, Twitter, has added a voice messaging feature to its offerings, choosing Nigeria and Turkey as choice pioneer countries to experiment it before rolling it out globally. The choice of Nigeria is speculated to be connected to the huge subscription it enjoys from Nigeria. Statistics suggest over 7 million Nigerians use Twitter. The voice messaging feature will afford users a limit of 140 seconds for each recording. Twitter while adducing the rationale behind the feature said that there’s a lot that can be left unsaid or un-interpreted using text, and, so with the voice features it hopes to create a more human experience for listeners and storytellers alike. The company in a statement said, “We want to encourage everyone to start private conversa...

18May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

NIN: NCC Clarifies Fate of Foreigners

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has said that foreigners not spending more than two years in the country do not need to obtain a National Identification Number, NIN, to register SIM cards. This was disclosed in a commission’s Revised National Identity Police for SIM Card Registration. The document partly read, “Foreigners validly transiting through Nigeria or are employed in or reside in Nigeria for less than 24 months are exempted from the mandatory use of NIN requirement. “Persons in this category need to provide justification that they will be residing in Nigeria for less than two years.” However, NIN is compulsory for foreigners who have legal residency, or those who have lived in Nigeria for two years and above. “NIN is mandatory for foreigners with legal r...

SERAP Chides NBC, Issues 48 Hours Ultimatum Over ChannelsTV Suspension

27Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, Judiciary, Nigeria

SERAP Chides NBC, Issues 48 Hours Ultimatum Over ChannelsTV Suspension

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has issued a 48 hours ultimatum to the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to reverse what it described as the unconstitutional and illegal suspension and a fine of N5 million on Channels Television or face a lawsuit. Reports say the Acting Director-General of the Commission, Professor Armstrong Idachaba, in a letter to the Managing Director of Channels Television, referred to Channels 7pm live broadcast programme of Sunday, 25th April 2021, in which it indicted the TV station of interviewing a leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) allegedly without "caution or reprimand." Reacting to the suspension, SERAP, in a statement issued by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said: "The suspension of Channels Tele...

MTN snubs Banks, links 77 Million Subscribers to Fintech Platforms

4Apr

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, Interview, News, Nigeria, Press Statement

MTN snubs Banks, links 77 Million Subscribers to Fintech Platforms

MTN customers in Nigeria now have alternative electronic payment platforms to recharge their phones as the mobile network operator on Saturday announced that customers can recharge airtime through payment solutions platforms such as Flutterwave, Jumia Pay, OPay, Kuda, Carbon and BillsnPay. MTN in a statement on Saturday by its Senior Manager, External Relations, Funso Aina, also said customers could recharge airtime by dialing *904# and *606# This is coming barely 24 hours after commercial banks on Friday disconnected MTN customers from banking channels including the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data and banking apps, leaving millions of MTN subscribers frustrated as they were unable to recharge airtime via USSD amid the Easter celebrations. MTN, with about 77 million subscr...

Why We Introduced NIN for UTME Registration – JAMB Registrar

27Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Education, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Why We Introduced NIN for UTME Registration – JAMB Registrar

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Friday said security reasons and checkmating examination malpractice informed its decision to introduce the use of the National Identity Number, NIN, for the registration of the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The examination body noted that the directive was issued by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu. This was disclosed by the Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, during a virtual meeting with owners of computer-based test centres, service providers and other stakeholders to commence the 2021 UTME registration. Oloyede asked candidates to make provide only their NIN at the registration centres and not their names. He said, "We don't even require the name of the candidate; we wan...

Court Orders Extension of NIN Enrolment by Two Months

24Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

Court Orders Extension of NIN Enrolment by Two Months

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the extension of the deadline for National Identity Number enrolment by two months with effect from Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The extension was granted by Justice Maureen Onyetenu while passing a ruling in a fundamental right suit file by a legal luminary, Monday Ubani, against the Nigerian government, the Attorney General of the Federation, Nigerian Communications Commission and the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy. Ubani had in the suit contested that the two weeks ultimatum previously issued (now extended to April 6, 2021) to telecommunications operators to block SIM cards of Nigerians who have not registered their SIM cards with NIN, will infringe on their constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression, rig...

Buhari approves Paternity Leave for NITDA Staff

10Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, Nigeria

Buhari approves Paternity Leave for NITDA Staff

The Federal Government has approved paternity and compassionate leave, among others, for the staff of the National Information Technology Development Agency. This was disclosed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, at the unveiling and presentation of the NITDA’s Employee-Centric Condition and Scheme of Service in Abuja on Tuesday. In his address as the chief convener and host, the minister appreciated the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for his approval of both documents for NITDA on the 12th of February, 2021, as well as his general support for the digital economy sector. He stated that the scheme and conditions of service took almost five years to complete, adding that they presented a holistic approach to the development of t...

NIN Mandatory for Bank Account Opening, Voter Registration – Pantami

15Feb

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, Interview, News, Nigeria, Science

NIN Mandatory for Bank Account Opening, Voter Registration – Pantami

Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, says the national identification number (NIN) is compulsory for transactions such as bank account opening, payment of taxes and voter registration. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, he said the government is determined to ensure that all citizens have NIN. Pantami quoted section 27 of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) act as stating that benefitting from government services as a citizen without NIN is an offence punishable by imprisonment. “This is most important in the area of NIN, which is a mandatory number, based on the NIMC order of 2007 that has actively been neglected for years, ” he said. “It is key to our national planning, budget, security, social development and many more. But it was neglected despite...

NIN Compulsory for Bank Accounts, Voter Registration – FG

12Feb

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Communication, Information Technology, News, Nigeria

NIN Compulsory for Bank Accounts, Voter Registration – FG

The Federal Government on Thursday said that the National Identity Number, NIN, is compulsory for the opening of bank accounts, payment of taxes, and voter registration. This was disclosed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami in Abuja while hosting the newly elected National Executive Council of the Association Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria. It came at a time when operators have urged the Federal Government to align with the development of a strategic plan to bridge the over N15tn infrastructure funding gap for the telecoms/information communication and technology industry. Pantami in his speech assured the guests that the government was determined to ensure that all Nigerians had their various NINs. He said, “This is most important in th...