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Tariffs increase will not be by 100%, says minister

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Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has said telecom tariffs would soon increase but not by 100 per cent.

Rising from a stakeholders meeting with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on Wednesday in Abuja, Tijani said that consultations and engagements were ongoing on the issue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the MNOs are proposing a 100 pee cent increase in tariffs.

According to the minister, very soon the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will approve and make the new tariffs public to Nigerians.

“You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase tariffs. They are requesting for 100 per cent tariff increase.

“But it will not be by 100 per cent; the NCC will soon come up with a clear directive on how we will go about it.

“We want to strike the balance as a government, to protect our people, but also protect and ensure that these companies can continue to invest significantly,” he said.

He said that there was a need to ensure that the telecommunication sector get its acts together to ensure that the right regulations are put in place to ensure the growth of this sector.

The Minister also said that the Federal Government would no longer leave investments on infrastructure in the sector to private companies alone.

“As a country, over time, we have left this investments in the hands of the private sector. They typically invest where they can see returns in the short to medium term.

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“We will not want this conversation to just be about tariff increase. What the world is talking about today is meaningful connectivity, people want to have access to quality service.

“A part of it that the consumers may not be aware of is the investment that needs to go into the infrastructure that is used to deliver these services,” he said.

The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC), of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said that the meeting with stakeholders was about the sustainability of the industry.

“We have looked at all of these factors, and that is why, like the minister said, it is not likely that we are going to approve 100 per cent tariff increase.

“I know that Nigerians are agitated to hear the exact percentage approved. There is still some stakeholder engagements that we are going through, but you will hear from us within a week or two,” he said.

He said that the NCC had put a number of tools and instruments in place to ensure compliance to service quality.

He urged the MNOs to adopt simplified templates to show Nigerians charges per minute for voice calls, SMS and a megabyte of data.

“We are moving away from the regime where you will have a main rate, then you will now have a bonus which is at a different rate.

“It makes it often complicated and difficult for Nigerians to actually understand what they are being charged for. There is this agitation that the MNOs are stealing our data,” he said.

The CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, represented by Femi Adeniran, Airtel media spokesperson, said that the economic realities of rising operational and capital costs necessitated the proposed tariff adjustments.

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Balsingh said that for the telecommunications companies to deliver superior connectivity and foster digital inclusion, there is need for tariff increments.

“The economic realities of rising operational and capital costs, necessitated the proposed tariff adjustments

“This is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the sector, while unlocking significant benefits for Nigerian consumers,” he said. (NAN)

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National

Akpabio-Natasha fued: CAN calls for elders’ intervention 

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March 4, 2025

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By Amos Tauna, Kaduna

The chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has called on well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in the feud between the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.

ln a telephone interview, the cleric said that as a responsible religious body, CAN considers the feud “shameful and unfortunate”, calling on Nigerians to intervene to ensure sanity in the National Assembly.

According to the chairman, “There is a need for elders to intervene. Akpabio and Natasha as well as the entire members  of the National Assembly are honourable members that should be accorded respect, Nigerians hold them in high regards. The members of the National Assembly should also do whatever at their disposal to ensure they address the matter to give peace a chance.”

He added, “We should show that we are responsible people in addressing any matter that wants to cause any problem, it is not to find fault but to mend fences and move forward as a nation.”

Hayab stated that no one should toy with an allegation of sexual harassment, saying that Nigeria has gone past such things because Nigeria has gone past the era when people claim they are underdogs or minorities.

He urged the media not to fuel the feud in their reportage, saying that doing so would only further confuse and divide Nigerians.

The CAN chairman urged the members of the National Assembly to channel their energies toward making the lives of Nigerians better with their official engagements, having passed the 2025 national budget.

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He expressed CAN’s appeal for all groups involved or affected by the Akpabio-Natasha feud to sheath their swords and refrain from making comments capable of further dividing Nigerians along gender or regional lines, stressing that Nigerians should use their as a source of strength to achieve things that are to the overall interests of Nigerians.

Hayab advised, “Let’s give peace a chance.”

 

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National

FG approves N2.5bn satellite gadget to combat illegal mining

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March 4, 2025

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The Federal Executive Council (FEC), at its third meeting of the year on Monday, approved the procurement of a N2.5 billion satellite gadget to combat illegal mining in the country.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, said this while briefing State House Correspondents, after the FEC meeting.

He said the technology was an integrated solution framework to combat unlicensed, unregulated, underreported mining activities.

The Minister said the deployment of the technology would curb activities that had led to revenue leakages, illegal operations and illegal extraction and exploitation of the country’s minerals.

“We are procuring satellite equipment, satellite gadgets that will be installed in strategic places all over the country that would enable us to have visual effect, real time of the operations that are ongoing in sites all over the country.

“There will be a centre like a screen in the operation centre, the mines martial centre, and in my office as well.

“At a glance, at the click of a button, you can surf any mine site and see the operations there; the volume of the mineral extracted, the number of trucks going out, and, of course, the security situation in the environment,” said the Minister.

Alake said his ministry introduced the technology in addition to a two-prong strategy to combat illegal mining.

He said on assumption of duty, the ministry adopted a two-prong approach: persuasive and coercive strategies.

He said the persuasive strategy entailed appealing to the sense of responsibility of artisanal miners to form cooperatives.

“When they form cooperatives, they become structured, formalised and legalised, and their operation can now add some value to the nation.

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“When they form cooperatives they become bankable. They can even have access to financial institutions to procure loans to expand their businesses.

“And of course, it means they have to pay their obligations to the Nigerian state,” he said.

He said the ministry had been able to persuade the illegal and artisanal miners to form over 300 cooperative societies.

Alake said the second approach, the coercive strategy was for those who were recalcitrant, who failed to yield to the persuasive method.

“We used the coercive measure, and that is epitomised by the Mining Marshalls that we established. To date, we have arrested apprehended, prosecuted and convicted illegal operators, including foreigners,” he said. (NAN)

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National

LG Chairman Impeached In Bauchi

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3 hours ago

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March 4, 2025

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The Assembly of Councillors in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi State has removed the local government Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli, and his Deputy, Hon. Usman Adamu, from office.

Their removal followed a committee investigation that found them guilty of gross misconduct, financial mismanagement, failure to perform their duties, and abuse of office.

A resolution signed by 10 councillors, including the council leader Hon. Wali Adamu and his deputy, officially declared the offices of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman vacant with immediate effect.

The resolution explained that, “The removal of the Chairman and his deputy is based on the findings of the investigation committee, which has established that the chairman and his deputy were engaged in financial, mismanagement, failed to perform their duties, breached the trust placed on them, and abused their office.”

While briefing journalists of this development, the Council Leader explained that both Beli and Adamu have faced increasing scrutiny for their management of the local government’s affairs.

He claimed that they have failed to perform their duties and have severely breached the trust placed in them by the people of Shira despite several warnings, and they can no longer afford to tolerate such conduct.

All efforts to get the reaction of Beli and Adamu have proved abortive so far.

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