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Expert Cautions Telecom Operators Against Standards Violation

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13 years ago

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An environment consultant, Mr Sulaiman Daudu, has cautioned telecommunication operators against violation of environmental standards in Nigeria.

The warning followed National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) misunderstanding with the National Communication Commission (NCC) over an MTN base station in EFAB Estate, Mbora District in the FCT.

NESREA had earlier sealed-off the base station for not meeting the environmental requirement of 10 metres distance from residential homes.

NCC, on the other hand unsealed the station, insisting that it had the sole mandate to regulate telecom industry and not NESREA, adding that NESREA had encroached in to its operational boundary.

Daudu, who gave the warning yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, advised the NCC against misinterpretation of its constitutional mandate.

He added that the constitutional responsibilities of NESREA and NCC were unambiguous.

“There is no doubt that the NCC is solely set up to supervise and regulate matters concerning the telecommunication sector in Nigeria.

“What is in doubt is whether the NCC has satisfactorily executed its task, as NESREA has done what it ought to have done as its constitutional mandate.

According to him, residents of EFAB Estate have been complaining since 2009 about an MTN base station erected dangerously close to some houses.

“From our investigations, the base station fell far short of all health expectations, not to even mention environmental regulations.

“It did not meet the required standard of 10 metres distance from residential building and has no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.

Daudu announced that the facility in question was not captured in the recent nationwide Environmental Audit of Base Stations carried out by NESREA, confirming the contempt with which the operators treat their customers.

He commended the NESREA Director-General, Dr Ngeri Benebo, “who stood her ground that the station be sealed to ensure an environmentally sustainable practice at base stations across the country.’’

The Director-General had earlier warned that any practice that would not take human consideration into practice would not be condoned, adding that “the economic consideration must not override our health and safety conditions.’’

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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