General
NCC, Consultant Seal Deal to Deploy RAS for Higher Revenue
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with a consultant, 3R Company Nigeria Limited, for the execution of the Revenue Assurance Solutions (RAS) to boost the revenue generation process in the telecommunications industry.
According to a statement, the agreement-signing ceremony happened at the commission’s head office in Abuja on Friday, June 17, 2022, and was witnessed by representatives of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The ICRC has been guiding the partnership implementation process to give expression to the decision to procure the solution within a PPP framework due to the scope of the project.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Mr Umar Garba Danbatta signed the agreement on behalf of the NCC while the Chief Executive Officer of 3R Company Nigeria Limited, Mr Raymond Wodi, signed on behalf of his organisation.
Speaking at the event, Mr Danbatta said the decision of the NCC to opt for RAS was to bolster the efforts of the federal government in increasing revenue generation, especially at a time when the resources at the disposal of the government were dwindling by the day.
The EVC stated that the deployment of RAS would enhance monitoring and regulatory activities concerning Annual Operating Levy (AOL) administration in the telecommunications industry and confer higher levels of integrity and fidelity on the AOL figures obtainable in the industry.
“It is our belief that if we can be able to deploy RAS and ensure we get the true picture of what the Mobile Networks Operators (MNOs) are supposed to be paying by way of AOL, we would have accomplished an important milestone in the area of revenue generation for the Commission as well as for the government,” Mr Danbatta said.
The EVC commended the ICRC for the guidance provided in the process of consummating the partnership and also praised the Project Delivery Team (PDT) comprising staff of the commission, who worked tirelessly in ensuring that the project was brought to fruition and for all their efforts.
He urged the 3R Company Nigeria Limited to ensure effective deployment and implementation of the project within its scope, objective and government expectations.
In his comment, Mr Wodi thanked the NCC for the opportunity given to the company to serve the industry and the government through the deployment of 3R’s technology solution to ensure a more effective revenue generation from telecommunication licensees, assuring stakeholders that his firm was ready to meet and exceed expectations on the assignment.
Director, Internal Audit, ICRC, Mr Togunde Dada-Hammed, who represented the Director-General of ICRC, Mr Michael Ohiani, commended the NCC for the bold decision to deploy RAS.
“Anybody that is familiar with the trends around the world, especially in Nigeria with respect to revenue challenge that the country is facing, will know that the deployment of RAS solution is the right way to go, as demonstrated by the NCC,” Mr Dada-Hammed said.
The RAS project is designed to be connected to the licensed telecommunications operators’ systems and will have the capability of capturing and reporting in real-time the billing activities by the operators for the purposes of computing and assuring with minimal or no error margin, the accrued AOL payable to the NCC by the licensees.
When deployed, the NCC RAS will bring a lot of solutions to the industry, including more effective and enhanced monitoring and regulation of the licensed telecommunications operators by the Commission.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
One Mr Daniel Ameh living in Abuja has convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for duping one Mr Inalegu Egwa of the sum of N35 million.
While delivering judgement on Monday, May 5, 2025, Justice S. M. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, however, gave the convict an option of N1 million fine.
Mr Ameh found himself before the judge after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on a one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation.
The commission said the offence was contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section and to which he pleaded “not guilty.”
During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr Ibrahim Buba, presented three witnesses and tendered relevant documents, which convinced the judge, who passed the judgement.
Mr Ameh was directed by Justice Mayana to pay the sum of N22 million, in restitution to his victim.
Investigation revealed that in 2021, Mr Ameh advised Mr Egwa to register a Bureaux de Change (BDC) company, which the victim agreed and engaged the convict to do the registration for him in the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and to apply for the relevant licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Mr Egwa paid the sum of N36 million through the convict’s bank account for remittance to the CBN, but in 2022, the apex bank announced the cancellation of BDC registrations and directed all affected applicants to forward their account details for refund of payments they made.
Rather than inform Mr Egwa of the new development for the channelling of the refund accordingly, Mr Ameh kept his victim in the dark, received the money in his personal account and converted it to his use.
As part of its continued commitment to sustainability, Access Holdings PLC will be amongst the leading participants in the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for Africa and the Middle East.
Taking place from May 6-7, 2025, in Marrakech, Morocco, the event will bring together regulators, policymakers, and key stakeholders from the financial sector to discuss and shape critical sustainability issues, including climate mitigation and adaptation, nature-positive finance, just transition and financial inclusion, carbon finance, among others.
The Chief Brand and Communications Officer of Access Holdings; Amaechi Okobi; the Group Head of Credit Administration, Governance andProject Monitoring, Edmund Otaigbe; and Group Head of Products and Segments, Njideka Esomeju, will be contributing insights from their extensive experience in driving sustainability within the financial sector.
Among the discussions will be sessions dedicated to accelerating the transition of real economy sectors towards sustainability, addressing climate risks, and ensuring financial inclusion.
One of the focal points will be how financial institutions can support climate adaptation and resilience, particularly in vulnerable sectors across Africa and the Middle East. The event will further tackle the challenge of unlocking private finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), exploring innovative ways to align capital flows with regional sustainability needs.
Other high-level dialogues will explore regional collaboration to support sustainability goals, advancing action on climate adaptation, and the regulatory developments promoting sustainable finance across the region.
Panels will focus on topics such as financing and insuring MSMEs for climate resilience and fostering an inclusive transition by ensuring that vulnerable communities and underserved populations are not left behind in the push for green growth.
Prominent speakers at the event include Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda; Louise Gardiner, Senior Operations Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Lily Burge, Policy Manager, Climate Bonds Initiative; Samuel Tiriongo, Director of Research and Policy, Kenya Bankers Association; Walid Ali, General Manager, Sustainability Department, Central Bank of Egypt; Yasser Mounsif, Director of Issuers, Moroccan Capital Market Authority, alongside other leaders in sustainable finance.
The UNEP FI Regional Roundtable promises to be a critical platform for deepening collaboration among stakeholders across Africa and the Middle East, with the shared goal of creating a resilient, sustainable future for the region.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has granted popular social media activist, Mr Martins Innocent Otse, otherwise known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) an administrative bail.
VDM was apprehended in the premises of GTBank in Abuja last weekend after he was at the bank to question why the account of his mother was debited for a loan she did not apply for.
It was reported that VeryDarkMan was blindfolded and beaten by security operatives who came for him.
Since his arrest, there have been claims that some powerful persons instigated the EFCC to pick him up because of his criticisms online.
In a statement on Tuesday, the anti-money laundering agency said it apprehended VDM over “grave allegations of financial malfeasance.”
The agency said it received petitions against the suspect, adding that it obtained an order to keep him beyond the 24 hours stipulated by the Constitution.
However, the EFCC said it have granted him an administrative bail, with VDM still making efforts to meet for his eventual release.
“The EFCC has a lawful right to hold Otse in custody like any other suspect being investigated by the Commission. The appropriate Remand Order was obtained in this regard. He has been offered an administrative bail and would be released after fulfilling all the bail conditions.
“The commission appreciates the interest of Nigerians in its operations. The passion, enthusiasm and torrential reactions to all of its activities are welcome.
“However, insinuations about its motive in carrying out its assignment should no longer continue. The EFCC should be allowed to do its job without fear or favour. As soon as investigations are concluded, charges will be filed,” the statement said.
The commission said it acted the way it did because the suspect “refused to show up in spite of several invitations sent to him through his known addresses and medium of communication.”
It was stated that the petitions pertain to grave allegations of financial malfeasance which cannot be ignored by the commission” because it has the mandate of “tackling economic and financial crimes.”
Since his arrest a few days ago, there have been calls, including from outside the country, for his release
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