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FG Bars Home Based Operators From Buying M-Tel

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Following a directive from the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has said that no telecommunications company that already has presence in Nigeria should be allowed to buy M-Tel.
The BPE Director-General, Dr. Christopher Anyanwu, said there are fears that if the privatization agency allowed any of the four GSM-licensed operators to buy M-Tel, it would present competition challenges and conflict with the regulator’s guidelines and licensing conditions.
Consequently, the BPE has blocked three international mobile operators and a local one from buying M-Tel, the GSM (Global System of Mobile Communications), component of Nitel because they already hold GSM licenses in Nigeria.
India’s state-run Mahanager Telecom Nigam has also been disqualified from bidding for Nitel because of the company’s low equity base. In addition, the government wants bidders for Nitel to have a $200 million equity base.
Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN), Zain, Etisalat and the country’s second national carrier, Globacom, have all been blocked from buying M-Tel.
Nigeria, is Africa’s largest mobile market by subscriber base and level of investment, followed by South Africa.
The government is eager to sell its 75 per cent equity in Nitel to another core investor after it reacquired the firm from TRANSCORP on ground of breach of contract agreement.
Following that development, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, directed that the company be sold to a new investor within 60 days following months of wrangling, political intrigues and corruption allegations by the Federal Government, BPE and NCC over the sale of the company.
The problems surrounding the sale of Nitel underline the difficulties that African governments face in privatizing incumbent telecom companies. Generally, corruption and lack of transparency among senior government officials, have been at the root of problems surrounding the privatization of African Telecom companies.
“We urge all African countries that are in the process of privatizing their incumbent operators not to make the same mistakes that have been made by the Nigerian government in the privatization of Nitel,” said Amos Manyarara, Communications Officer for Southern Africa Mobile Communication market.
The four service providers that have been blocked from the race to buy M-Tel were among many international service providers including Telefonica Consortium in Spain, Omen International in the UK, Ericsson Consortium and Galaxy Back-bone.
The NCC has also directed BPE to unbundle Nitel in units to be sold separately. Following the directive from NCC, the Nigerian government said it has started unbundling Nitel and that any of the four barred local operating mobile service providers could be allowed to purchase Nitel alone without M-Tel and SAT.3
Nitel is being unbundled into a digital mobile licensing and infrastructure (M-Tel), long-distance license and infrastructure (Fiber and microwave), international gateway and SAT-3 submarine cable access and fixed network – CDMA fixed wireless, digital switches, metropolitan fiber cable networks and external line plants cable networks.

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Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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June 12, 2026

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The leadership of Bonny Maritime Boat Association has called on Rivers state Government and oil companies operating in the state to provide sustainable employment to unemployed boat Operators.
The Association also want the government, companies and other relevant employers of labour to provide trainings for boat Operators to enhance their skills
Safety Officer of the Association, Comrade Kingdom Kingsley made this known in  a  telephone interview with  The Tide.
He noted that most of the boat Operators and owners plying Bonny route lacks jobs due to the fleets of boats introduced by Bonny Road Transport that had taken over the passengers to the Island
He noted that passengers are no longer patronizing boats owned by the Association, thereby rendering the operators redundant
“Most of our operators can not afford to feed their families due to no jobs, we don’t want to indulge in crime, government should fix our members with  sustainable jobs to take care of their immediate needs”
He called on oil companies operating in the state to engage their skilled boat Operators in their companies to reduce the sufferings faced by the Association.
The Safety Officer called on the state government  to made funds available to unemployed youths in the state to start up business than roam the streets.
He noted that provision of funds to youths would reduce crime rates and reposition their mindsets for a better life
“The  youths of Rivers state are suffering, have no job to feed their families, thereby indulging in criminality daily”
“The youths need empowerment,  jobs,  recreational facilities and better things of life as citizens of this Nation”, Kingsley said.
CHINEDU WOSU
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FG Approves $1 Bn AFCFTA Credit Facility For Nigerian Exporters

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June 12, 2026

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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this  during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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1 day ago

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June 12, 2026

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The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
 NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
 Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said  the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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