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NCC sets new mobile international termination rate for voice services
Nasiru Yusuf
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has determined the new International Termination Rate (ITR) for voice services paid by overseas telecom carriers for terminating international calls on local networks in Nigeria at $0.045.
KANO FOCUS reports that the new rate is contained in the ‘Determination of Mobile International Termination Rate’ issued by the Commission on November 25, 2021.
A statement sent to KANO FOCUS by Director Public Affairs, NCC, Ikechukwu Adinde said the $0.045 rate is the floor price for ITR services and shall take effect from January 1, 2022. The rate is to be paid in US Dollar to enable Nigerian operators to receive an increasing rate in Naira terms to accommodate devaluation.
No licensee shall charge and/or receive effective rate per minute below determined ITR floor rate. As such, payment discounts, volume discounts and any other concession that has the effect of bringing the effective ITR lower than the rate determined shall be deemed a contravention of the new determination and will attract sanctions in line with the Nigerian Communications (Enforcement process, etc.) Regulations, 2019.
The ITR Floor is the minimum that can be charged. Operators will be free to negotiate a rate above the floor and this will be entirely left to commercial negotiation between the operators and international carriers/partners.
However, while the ITR only pertains to the cost of bringing traffic into Nigeria, Nigerian operators will continue to pay the regulated Mobile Termination Rate (MTR), the local termination rate among themselves.
The MTR of N3.90 for generic 2G/3G/4G operators and N4.70 for new entrant Long Term Evolution (LTE) operators determined in 2018, will continue to apply for local call terminations until a new rate is determined by the Commission pursuant to its powers as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003.
The subsisting regime of interconnection rates was sustained by the Commission’s Mobile (voice) termination rate issued on June 1, 2018. In the determination, it was stated that the ITR of N24.40 determined in 2016 will continue to apply until a new determination is made.
The ITR, being denominated in Naira had multiple negative impacts on local operators which was further exacerbated by episodes of devaluation of naira which ultimately left Nigeria from being a net receiver with respect to international minutes to a net payer.
The Commission also observed that operators continue to face series of challenges occasioned by the denomination of ITR in Naira, necessitating a need for a cost-based study on ITR.
In view of the foregoing and in fulfillment of its statutory mandate of periodic review of regulatory policies, the Commission engaged Messrs’ Payday Advance and Support Services Limited to undertake a cost-based study of voice MTR that is most suitable for the Nigerian telecommunications industry.
Commenting, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said in arriving at the new MTR of $0.045, “the Commission has carefully considered the information provided by stakeholders and taken a view on parameters and regulatory measures in the light of relevant information such as international experience, cost model results, the state of competition in the sector and the Nigerian macro-economic environment.”
He added that the process of arriving at the ITR had been conducted transparently with a view to providing maximum clarity to all parties without compromising the confidentiality of commercially-sensitive information. “We are confident that the result the review will make a significant contribution to the development of the telecoms sector in Nigeria and be beneficial to subscribers, operators and the country at large,” he said.
The EVC, on behalf of the Board and Management of the NCC, extended the Commission’s gratitude to all operators and industry stakeholders, who submitted information relating to the regulation of interconnection rates and the costing models as well as the consultant, for their participation in the process leading to the Determination.
Former Kano State Governor and Senator, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, has voiced his disappointment and concern regarding the Federal Government’s approach to distributing rice palliatives in Kano State.
During a recent week-long visit to Kano, Senator Kwankwaso observed that while governors in 35 other states received the palliatives directly, Kano’s allocation was controversially handed over to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), sidestepping the state government entirely.
Senator Kwankwaso condemned this move as a blatant violation of constitutional principles, accusing the government of taking partisanship to an unacceptable level.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately suspend the distribution process and address the issue.
In addition, Senator Kwankwaso expressed concern over the frequent reshuffling of State Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kano, noting that three different directors had been posted and reposted within just two weeks, potentially jeopardizing the state’s security.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Determined to support government effort in bolstering youth empowerment and fast-tracking economic development in Nigeria, the Dangote Cement Plc is set to deliver a multi-million naira Skills Development Centre in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Skills Centre was conceived by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and the government of Kogi State.
A statement from the Company’s Corporate Communications Department quoted Engr. Azad Nawabuddin, Plant Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana, as affirming that the company is poised to deliver the project within the coming months.
He stated that the Skill Centre is part of a series of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives undertaken by the cement company.
The Plant Director indicated that numerous CSR programs are scheduled for implementation.
Engr. Nawabuddin stated that the Skill Centre will contribute to Nigeria’s industrialization efforts by facilitating the transfer of essential skills needed for the country’s industrial advancement.
He noted that the state-of-the-art facility will significantly generate skills and, in turn, create job opportunities for Nigerian youths, who will be the primary beneficiaries.
“Dangote Cement Plc is a socially responsible company, committed to implementing various developmental programs for our host communities. We have an active Community Development Agreement (CDA) in place, ensuring that we coexist in harmony,” he said.
He said development projects delivered to communities include the construction of Nigeria’s longest concrete road, spanning from Obajana to Kabba, worth several billion naira; the establishment of a multimillion-naira clinic in Iwaa; and the provision of essential amenities such as water, electricity, and hospitals.
“Additionally, we have implemented various empowerment schemes totaling billions of naira,” he added
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has inaugurated a postgraduate foreign scholarship program under his foundation, aimed at providing advanced educational opportunities for students from Kano.
The scholarship will enable beneficiaries to pursue postgraduate studies in cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity and Forensic Science, and Robotics Technology in India, China, and Thailand.
During a ceremony in Kano on Monday, where admission letters were distributed to the first batch of 70 recipients, Jibrin emphasized that the selected students would embark on two-year postgraduate programs in these technologically advanced fields.
Jibrin highlighted the rigorous and transparent selection process overseen by a dedicated committee, which prioritized academic excellence.
Only candidates with first-class or second-class upper degrees were considered, ensuring that the most qualified students were chosen.
He stressed that the process was impartial, noting that he had no personal connections with any of the beneficiaries.
Importantly, the scholarship is not limited to students from Kano North, Jibrin’s senatorial district, but is inclusive of all 44 local government areas in Kano State.
“Our goal is to invest in the future of our youth through education,” Jibrin stated.
“We carefully selected these areas of study because they are at the forefront of modern technology.
“This initiative is designed to equip our students with the skills needed for the overall development of our nation.”
Jibrin encouraged the beneficiaries to be diligent in their studies and to represent Nigeria positively in their host countries.
He also expressed that students who find opportunities abroad after their studies are welcome to stay and gain further experience before returning to Nigeria.
Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, the Minister of State for Education, lauded Jibrin for his commitment to advancing education and providing such opportunities for Kano’s youth.
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