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Judiciary key to protecting Nigeria’s digital economy, NCC Says
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that the judiciary plays a critical role in protecting Nigeria’s digital economy, telecommunications infrastructure, and online ecosystem from growing cyber and security threats.
KANO FOCUS The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, stated this on Thursday at the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications held in Lagos.
Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Ms. Rimini Makama, said Nigeria’s increasing dependence on digital connectivity underscored the need for stronger legal and institutional protection of the telecommunications sector.
According to him, Nigerians consumed more than 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026, compared to 995,000 terabytes recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
He noted that the development reflected the country’s growing reliance on digital platforms and online services, driven by increased digital payments, e-commerce activities, startups, and technology-driven literacy programmes.
Maida added that daily data usage had risen to approximately 15 million hours of high-definition video streaming, up from 10.7 million hours recorded a year earlier.
He further disclosed that broadband penetration increased from 47.7 per cent in 2025 to 54.3 per cent in 2026, expanding access to faster and more reliable internet services across the country.
The NCC boss also revealed that telecommunications operators invested more than one billion dollars in network expansion projects in 2025, adding thousands of new telecommunications sites to improve coverage, service quality, and digital access, especially in underserved communities.
Despite the progress, Maida warned that vandalism, fibre cuts, theft, and sabotage continued to threaten telecommunications infrastructure, thereby endangering service reliability, national security, and public confidence in the digital economy.
He recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had designated telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, stressing that such assets require stronger protection from government institutions, security agencies, operators, and citizens because of their strategic national importance.
According to him, the NCC is collaborating with security agencies and telecommunications operators through a nationwide initiative involving asset mapping, advocacy, mediation, and enforcement to safeguard critical infrastructure.
He said the commission’s partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser had already disrupted criminal syndicates involved in the theft, vandalism, and illegal resale of telecommunications infrastructure and network equipment across the country.
Maida also disclosed that the NCC had introduced the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System to tackle SIM-related fraud, cybercrime, identity theft, and financial scams associated with telecommunications services.
He added that the commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Bank of Nigeria to address electronic fraud and telecom-related financial crimes affecting consumers and financial institutions.
The NCC, he said, would further strengthen collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the National Identity Management Commission, and other relevant agencies to combat cybercrime and protect legitimate telecom subscribers and digital consumers nationwide.
He identified misinformation, hate speech, child exploitation, data privacy breaches, and cybersecurity threats as major concerns associated with increasing internet penetration and the widespread adoption of digital communication platforms.
Maida said the commission had reviewed the Internet Code of Practice to promote responsible internet governance while balancing innovation, investment opportunities, and the protection of vulnerable citizens from online harms.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Idris Olorunnimbe, said digital technologies had transformed governance, commerce, security systems, and social interactions globally.
Olorunnimbe noted that issues relating to cybersecurity, online harms, infrastructure protection, artificial intelligence, and consumer rights required stronger institutional collaboration and improved judicial understanding of Nigeria’s evolving digital and telecommunications regulatory environment.
He expressed confidence that the workshop would enhance the capacity of judges to effectively adjudicate telecommunications-related disputes while supporting innovation, protecting citizens, and safeguarding Nigeria’s critical digital infrastructure and broader digital economy.
Hauwa Umar
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has introduced a device verification platform to strengthen regulatory compliance, protect consumers and curb the circulation of counterfeit, cloned and unauthorised communication devices in Nigeria.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commission said the NCC Device Checker Platform would enable consumers to verify the regulatory approval status of SIM-enabled devices before purchasing them, while helping ensure that devices connected to Nigerian telecommunications networks meet established technical standards.
The Kano Zonal Controller of the NCC, Engr. Maigana Gidado, disclosed this on Thursday during a media briefing at the commission’s zonal office in Kano.
Engr. Gidado said the initiative was part of the commission’s efforts to strengthen Type Approval compliance and improve the integrity of communication devices used on Nigerian networks.
According to him, the commission has made progress in implementing the initiative through the regularisation and licensing of device dealers, as well as sensitisation engagements with importers and other industry stakeholders.
He said the commission had streamlined its licensing and regularisation processes, enabling a significant number of device dealers in Kano State to obtain licences.
The NCC had also conducted stakeholder sensitisation engagements in Lagos and other parts of the country to improve awareness of Type Approval requirements and obligations under the Device Checker framework.
“These initiatives have strengthened accountability across the device supply chain and improved compliance with regulatory requirements,” he said.
Engr. Gidado added that the commission had developed a user-friendly Device Checker application that allows authorised stakeholders to scan device International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and upload information directly to the platform.
He said the application was designed to simplify compliance procedures, improve efficiency and make the verification process more accessible to relevant industry participants.
The zonal controller urged consumers to verify the status of devices before purchasing them through the commission’s *Check Your Device* portal at [www.ncc.gov.ng/devicechecker](http://www.ncc.gov.ng/devicechecker) by entering the device’s IMEI number.
He also directed manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers to consult the Type Approval and Device Verification Guide available at [www.ncc.gov.ng/DeviceCheckerGuide](http://www.ncc.gov.ng/DeviceCheckerGuide) to understand their responsibilities under the regulatory framework.
According to him, organisations seeking Equipment Type Approval can access the relevant application requirements and procedures through the Type Approval section of the commission’s website.
Engr. Gidado, however, clarified that the Device Checker Platform was not a surveillance tool and would not access users’ personal data, messages, photographs, contacts, financial information or other private content stored on their devices.
He explained that the platform’s purpose was limited to device identification and verification of regulatory compliance.
The NCC urged consumers to patronise reputable and licensed dealers and take advantage of its online resources to make informed purchasing decisions.
It also encouraged industry stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the commission’s Type Approval requirements and ensure full compliance.
Engr. Gidado said consumers requiring assistance or wishing to lodge complaints could contact the commission through its 315 toll-free consumer line.
He reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to consumer protection, fair competition and network integrity, adding that the commission would continue to promote a trusted communications ecosystem in Nigeria.
Suspect returned to Kano to face investigation, prosecution
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has arrested a suspected gang leader and sponsor, Ishaq Lawan Ibrahim, popularly known as Malam Keya, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
KANO FOCUS reports that the 27-year-old suspect, from Yelwa in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, is accused of sponsoring violent gang clashes that have claimed lives and heightened insecurity in parts of the state.
The task force disclosed this in a statement, saying the suspect was arrested following intelligence-led operations after allegedly fleeing Kano as security operations against gang violence intensified.
According to the statement, operatives tracked him to Port Harcourt and arrested him in an operation led by the task force’s Head of Operations, CSP Bashir Gwadabe. He has since been returned to Kano.
The task force alleged that Malam Keya played a leading role in orchestrating and financing hoodlums involved in violent attacks in Dala and other affected communities.
The areas reportedly affected by the gang violence include Jakara, Madigawa, Yalwa, Sanka, Kul Kul, Dogon Nama, Kukar Bulukiya, Dala, Shatsari and Dandalin Turawa.
Confirming the arrest, the task force chairman, Barr Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the operation demonstrated the agency’s determination to pursue suspected sponsors of violence beyond Kano State.
“Let me assure you that those who bankroll violence should know that no distance, and no hiding place, will protect them. This arrest is only the beginning. We will not rest until peace is fully restored,” he said.
The task force said the suspect remained in custody for further investigation and would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of the investigation.
It added that its operations would continue in accordance with the law, with all suspects entitled to due process.
The agency also pledged to sustain efforts to dismantle criminal gangs, identify their alleged sponsors and disrupt drug supply networks linked to criminal activities.
It urged residents, community and religious leaders, parents and youths to support security efforts by reporting suspicious persons and activities, monitoring their neighbourhoods and discouraging young people from being recruited into criminal gangs.
The task force described public cooperation as essential to restoring peace and security across the state.
It also acknowledged the support of the Kano and Rivers state police commands and other law enforcement agencies in the operation.
Ibrahim Khalil
The Kano State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KASSTOWA) has strengthened security at Joda Waterworks to prevent vandalism, theft and unauthorised access to the facility.
KANO FOCUS reports that the agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, following an assessment visit to the waterworks by its interim managing director to evaluate the security situation.
According to the statement, additional security personnel have been deployed to protect the facility and ensure uninterrupted water supply.
The agency said the measure was part of efforts to safeguard critical water infrastructure and protect public assets from potential threats.
It added that the intervention aligned with the commitment of the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to protecting government facilities and ensuring the delivery of essential services, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Water Resources.
KASSTOWA also emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration in strengthening infrastructure protection.
The agency called on community leaders, traditional institutions, youth organisations and residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities and cooperate with security personnel deployed to the facility.
It stressed that protecting water infrastructure was a shared responsibility requiring the cooperation of government agencies and host communities.
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