Business

Spectrum Licences Followed Due Process – NCC Boss

Published

13 years ago

October 8, 2012

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications
Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, has broken his silence over newspaper reports
alleging underhand dealings in the allocation of spectrum licences.

The major bone of contention has been the allocation of a
frequency slot belonging to the Nigeria Police to a private firm, OpenSkys.

Juwah noted in a
telephone chat that “due process was followed in the allocation and the process
was initiated long before he assumed office.

“When I assumed office, I pledged to myself to avoid the
Nigerian penchant of jettisoning projects initiated by past administrations.
All we did was to bring to a conclusion a process that began in 2009.”

Media reports have alleged frequent spectrum racketeering by
the current leadership of the telecoms industry regulatory agency to OpenSkys
and Smile Communications.

A statement from the NCC has attempted to put the issues in
perspective by providing clarification regarding how the spectrum allocation
process is carried out.

According to the NCC, the Frequency allocations to OpenSkys
were not only in “compliance with the Nigerian Communications Act, but also in
full implementation of a Presidential Directive of July 5, 2007.

This directive was fully deliberated upon by the Board of
the Commission during its 62nd, 63rd and 64th Sittings and other subsequent
meetings. “

The commission noted that the provisional offer of frequency
was made to OpenSkys as far back as October 2, 2009 and at that period “the
Nigerian Police was still occupying some of the frequencies in the 450MHz Band.

The then Ministry of Communications had on October 5, 2005,
conveyed to the Police the decision of the National Frequency Management Board,
for it to be relocated by the Commission.

“The decision to allocate part of the 450Mhz frequency was
therefore not made by the NCC nor by Dr, Juwah. It was a decision that predated
his appointment by almost five years.

In fact, the NCC noted that the approval for commercial and
corporate entities to “use the 450 MHz for commercial telecommunications
was given by the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) on
November 5, 2004.

After this approval, occupants in this band like the police,
NITEL, Shell, Chevron, and some others, were relocated to specific portions of
the band. The NCC was categorical that the frequency reserved for the police
has not been tampered with or reallocated to OpenSkys, as has been alleged in
some media reports.

The relocation of occupants in the various portions of the
band was ongoing till 2009. The NFMC approved Frequency bandwidth of 500 KHz
for the Nigerian Police specifically on 469.375 – 469.975 MHz / 459.375 –
459.975 MHz of this spectrum for relocation away from the Commercial Band.

When the Inspector General of Police approved the
relocation, following further meetings with NIGCOMSAT on behalf of OpenSkys,
NIGCOMSAT also submitted the cost of the relocation. The Commission then made
an initial offer of frequency to OpenSkys on February 4, 2009, with a condition
of acceptance within 30 days. OpenSkys accepted the offer on February 23, 2009
almost two years before Dr. Juwah was appointed as EVC.

On October 2, 2009, a clear one year before Dr. Juwah was
even appointed EVC, the NCC management upon review of the status of the offer,
thereafter “issued a provisional offer of the frequency to Openskys on the
condition of payment of total spectrum fees for the 5MHz spectrum for a tenure
of 5 Years of N1,140,000,000 (One Billion, One Hundred and Forty Million Naira
Only), out of which the sum of N247,544,989.40 was earmarked for the
replacement of digital radio equipment of the Nigerian police as may result
from the relocation. The sum of N892,455,010.60 representing the balance of the
spectrum fees for the offer was to be paid to the Commission.”

The NCC noted in their statement that such fees for
Frequency allocation are “paid, mandatorily, into the federation account and a
letter of frequency assignment stating the exact frequency channels, and other
conditions of use is usually issued to the company upon receipt of proof of
payment.”

These, the NCC explained are the processes in place to
ensure transparency in the process and they were all followed to the letter.

Business

Customs Seek Support To Curb Smuggling In Ogun

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, has solicited support in fighting smuggling and other economic crimes at the Nations border.

The Area Comptroller, Olukayode Afeni made the appeal in an interview with Newsmen in Idiroko, Ogun.

The comptroller stressed the need for the public to provide timely and reliable information to the Service, saying noting that fighting smuggling is a collective effort

“I urge the general public to join hands with NCS by providing timely and credible information that would help toward suppressing smuggling and other economic crimes.”

“Together, we can build a prosperous nation where compliance is the norm, and criminality has no place,” he said.

Afeni reiterated the command’s commitment to combat smuggling, and facilitating legitimate trade, as well as generate revenue for national development.

Chinedu Wosu

Business

IFAD: Nigeria Leads Global Push For Youth, Women Investment In Agriculture

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The 49th Session of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Governing Council has concluded in Rome, with Nigeria taking a prominent leadership role in advancing global agricultural development priorities, particularly strategic investment in youth and women.

The biennial meeting, themed “From Farm to Market: Investing in Young Entrepreneurs,” underscored the growing recognition of young people as critical drivers of job creation, innovation, and inclusive economic growth across global food systems.

The session opened with the election of Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, as Chairperson of the IFAD Governing Council.

Having previously served as Vice Chair, his emergence as Chairperson reflects the strong confidence reposed in Nigeria by Member States, recognising the country’s constructive engagement and leadership in promoting global food security.

In his acceptance remarks, Senator Kyari expressed deep appreciation to Member States for the trust placed in him, pledging to serve with humility, diligence, and a strong commitment to improving the livelihoods of rural women and men across the world.

Addressing delegates during the session, the Chairperson emphasised that prioritising youth and women in agriculture is key to unlocking economic opportunities, accelerating innovation, and driving inclusive growth.

He noted that such investments would ultimately strengthen global food systems while helping to reduce hunger and poverty.

Senator Kyari also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for placing food security at the centre of Nigeria’s national priorities.

He noted that Nigeria’s leadership role at IFAD aligns with the President’s directive to boost agricultural productivity, expand economic opportunities for youth and women, and build resilient food systems capable of withstanding climate and market shocks.

The Minister further praised the IFAD Nigeria Country Office, led by Country Director Ms Dede Ekoue, for translating global development commitments into measurable outcomes for rural communities.

He highlighted the office’s role in strengthening agricultural value chains, empowering youth and women, and improving resilience among smallholder farmers nationwide.

Business

Expert Tasks FG On Food Imports To Protect Farmers

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has been urged to balance consumer protection with farmers’ sustainability by ensuring timely food imports, input subsidies expansion and price stabilisation mechanisms to secure investments across the agricultural value chain.

An agriculture expert, Dr Fatai Afolabi, gave the advice at a forum organised by the Plantation Owners’ Forum of Nigeria (POFON), in collaboration with the Oil Palm and Other Oil Seeds Value Chain, themed ‘Current Government Food Strategy, the Concomitant Effects and Implications for Food Security in Nigeria’, and held in Lagos, Wednesday.

Afolabi cautioned that the recent food import policies, while easing consumer prices, could undermine local farmers and long-term food security if not carefully managed.

He noted that Nigeria’s food system was navigating an exceptionally difficult period, marked by inflationary pressures, climate variability, insecurity in major food-producing regions, and rising energy and logistics costs.

He said the Federal Government’s decision to temporarily relax restrictions on selected food imports was understandable, noting that the market had responded swiftly with a reduction in prices of major staples.

However, the convener observed that while the policy had brought much-needed relief to consumers, it posed significant challenges for local farmers and agriculture value chain investors.

“While output prices have fallen, the cost of producing food in Nigeria remains stubbornly high.

“Farmers continue to contend with expensive fertilisers, rising transport costs, costly improved seeds and agrochemicals, limited access to affordable credit, poor electricity supply, weak road infrastructure, and inadequate storage and processing facilities, which result in significant post-harvest losses.

“This situation, where farmers sell produce at declining prices while production costs remain elevated, has created widespread distress across agricultural ecosystems,” he said.

Afolabi said the effects were being felt across all segments of agriculture, with rice farmers among the hardest hit.

He said reports from producing states indicated that about 3,500 rice farmers were considering exiting rice cultivation after incurring estimated losses of over N93 billion.

He added that cassava farmers were selling produce at prices that barely covered harvesting costs, leaving them unable to recover their investments.

According to him, vegetable and edible oil producers are also under pressure as imported vegetable oil brands reduce demand for locally processed alternatives.

He added that cocoa farmers continue to battle price volatility in international markets amid rising domestic labour and maintenance costs.

Afolabi noted that tree crops such as oil palm and cocoa, which require long gestation periods, were particularly vulnerable to sudden market disruptions that undermine investor confidence and discourage new investment.

He said the effects extended downstream to agro-processing and value addition, with soybean farmers supplying vegetable oil processors experiencing reduced demand and lower prices.

He said the development threatened not only farm incomes but also rural employment and agro-industrial growth, raising concerns about national food security.

According to him, sustained losses could force farmers out of production, increasing Nigeria’s dependence on food imports and exposing the country to global supply shocks, foreign exchange pressures and long-term vulnerabilities.

Afolabi cited India and the Netherlands as countries offering useful lessons in balancing consumer protection with farmer sustainability.

He said India deploys food imports strategically during shortages, while complementing them with strong domestic support systems.

He added that the Netherlands, despite being one of the world’s leading agricultural exporters, supports farmers through input subsidies, tax incentives, affordable energy, strong cooperatives, and close integration with research and extension services.

He said agricultural students in both countries also benefit from subsidised tuition, transportation and meals, as well as grants and start-up support for farm enterprises.

“This approach ensures generational continuity and innovation in the agricultural sector,” he said.

Afolabi said Nigeria’s current food import policy could play a stabilising role if complemented by deliberate measures to protect local producers.

He recommended carefully timed imports to avoid peak harvest periods, strengthened price stabilisation mechanisms, aggressive subsidies for critical farm inputs, and support for agro-processors to remain competitive.

He also called for clear communication of policy intentions to reassure farmers that import measures were strategic and temporary.

“Food imports should function as a strategic shock absorber rather than a permanent market feature.

“Government should develop and publish a national crop production and harvest calendar for major staples and align import decisions with documented supply gaps.

“Affordable food and profitable farming are not mutually exclusive goals. With thoughtful coordination and sustained support for farmers, Nigeria can achieve both,” he said.