Review Of Nigeria’s Telecoms Sector In 2011

The country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry witnessed a remarkable growth last year.

Though a bunch of challenges greeted the industry, but experts in the area arrested all situations with a firm promise to keep the ship a float amidst the tempest.

From January till about July 2011, there was normal business growth in the ICT world as it affected Nigeria.  When sometime in the year under review, the Federal Government announced the compulsory registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, it threw many into panic due to the fear of what may befall them should they (subscribers) fail to register their SIM cards within the specified time frame (March-September) by the Federal Government.

At this point, the Federal Government had threatened through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to block all those whose SIM cards were not duly registered.

All the registration centres visited then were crowded by enthusiastic  subscribers who never wanted their lines blocked. Some heaved a sigh of relief when the Federal Government later announced September 2011 as deadline of the registration and later extended it indefinitely.

Within that time, some dealers had commenced the sales of pre-registered SIM cards to unsuspecting members of the public who did not know its, implication.

In a swiff  reaction, the Federal Government, through the NCC again, ordered the arrest and prosecution of any dealer caught selling pre-registered SIM card .

The Federal Government’s threat acted as “healing balm” as fear gripped both suspected dealers/buyers.

The NCC then, had earlier announced that its agents saddled with the exercise were ready to register all the 90 million subscribers in the country without qualms.

All the visit to the NCC’s office in Port Harcourt last year during the exercise indicated that they were not mincing words about the exercise.

Around August, Nigeria launched another satellites (Sat 2 and Satx) to the existing ones.  Many attributed it to the erudite leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan.  Players in the industry were optimistic that the lunch of Sat 2 and Sat X will go a longway  to bridge the gap between Europe and Nigeria, technology-wise. They believed that the country now had an edge over most African countries who are yet to launch their first satellite.

Here in Rivers State, an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Team that paid a courtesy call on the Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT,  Engr Goddliffe Nmekini, rated the ICT development in the state high.

According to the team, the ICT development in the state was upto international standard and at the same time, has all its takes to transform the state economically.

They also expressed hope that the ICT provision in the state will enable the younger generation to appreciate ICT earlier even as it will create employment opportunities for graduates in the state.

The month of September, brought a lot of challenges in the ICT/Telecoms industry. Around September 14, 2011, the issue of killer number (09141) ensued.

There was repeated calls warning their loved ones not to call or answer any call from any five digit number.

The atmosphere remained tensed until the Federal Government through the NCC’s spokesman, Ruben Mouka, announced that it was “unimaginable that somebody will die while receiving a call”. Before the announcement, there were rumours that about five persons have died in some parts of the country.  In the same month, Senator David Mark, hinted that the Senate has started investigations to help unearth the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the government-owned NITEL/M-Tel telecommunications.  Until the end of last year, the Senate Committee on Communications was yet to make open its findings why all the government-owned telecommunications outfits were not functional.

To add to subscribers’ joy in Rivers State, Samsung indicated interest to carry out free repairs of all its products for Rivers State residents.  The notice which came through its corporate head, marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Donald Etim when he visited Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, as part of efforts of the company to celebrate its week with its teeming customers.

The Minister of Communication Technology  Mrs Omobola Johnson, tasked the Committee on National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the urgent need to harmonise ICT policies. Johnson informed that the call became imperative so as to quicken its records in the market structure.

She also charged investors/stakeholders to increase their commitments by investing more on ICT infrastructure.

In October, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), commenced full process of number portability in the country.  It explained that the process will boost subscribers interest due to its uniqueness.

Some oil companies operating in the state like Chevron and NNPC donated ICT equipment to the state-owned University of Science and Technology in order to boost Information and Communication Technology  (ICT) development in the area.  In a similar development, about 16 students from the state who under- took post-graduate courses in information and communication technology (ICT) at Teeside University, United Kingdom returned to the state.  The Tide was told that the students will be part of ICT development in the state as they will be made to man the ICT centre in the state.

In November, the Minister of Communication Technology, Johnson, gave insight to the certification of Galaxy Backbone certification by the British Standard Institute (BSI). Johnson said it will boost public confidence in internet technology organisation.  The Galaxy Backbone was one of the smartest ICT/telecoms developments of last year as it was certified by an international organisation.          Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) was not left out in the development of ICT last year as it also adjusted to meet the latest ICT training needs.  The Tide learnt that NIPOST now operates e-transfer and other packages as one of its efforts to improve on its services in a bid to compete favourably in the ICT/telecoms industry.

In December, NCC said it decided not to sanction the three main telecommunication providers in the country (MTN, Glo andAirtel) when it discovered a considerable service improvement by  the service providers.  The threat to sanction the big three after poor network was experienced throughout the country in the previous month.  The NCC’s Director, Public affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo said the commission would have thrown its weight on the big three if not for the remarkable change they made in the last quarter of the year.

The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (Nigcomsat), also launched Nigcom Sat-1R  into orbit at the Xichang Satelite Launch Centre in South  West China.  It was a replacement of Nigcom Sat-I which was launched years ago.

The commission (NCC) established Emergency Call Centres (ECCs) in the 36 states including Abuja so as to enhance telecommunication in the country.  The ECC, as The Tide learnt, was established to also boost security networking on the parts of government as a means of check-mating insecurity in the country.

At the tail end of the year (December), there was increment in the price of recharge cards in the country. N400 MTN card was sold for N420,  while N100 and N200 cards attracted N10 each.  Subscribers were left with no choice but to purchase.