By Adedapo Adesanya

Companies sending bulk international text messages, also known as Application-to-Person (A2P) messages, will now have apply for a licence that costs N10 million.

This is part of new rules introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at cleaning up the system, fighting fraud, blocking spam messages and stopping money from leaving the country unchecked.

These A2P messages are the kind customers get from banks, online stores, hospitals and political campaigns, automated texts sent from apps to their phones.

According to the commission, the bulk international text message system has been poorly regulated, allowing misuse and invasion of privacy.

“The International SMS Service Ecosystem in Nigeria has not been fully brought under regulatory control. It has been observed that the excessive use of the Short Message Service has led to fraud, spam and illegal activities,” the NCC said.

The regulator warned that without action, the problem would worsen as more people use mobile phones and digital services.

To solve this, the NCC is creating a central platform, or gateway, through which all international bulk text messages must pass through.

The agency said this would help to monitor messages in real time, ensure proper fees are paid, and make sure the money stays in Nigeria where it can contribute to the economy.

As part of the incoming change, service providers must follow strict rules, including strong data protection, spam filters, and message encryption.

Also, they must also work with local mobile networks and make sure all messages come from a verified sender.

The NCC warned that any message without a proper sender ID will be blocked and not delivered to users.

To protect users from unwanted texts, the new rules say companies must get clear permission before sending any promotional content.

The rule also says people must also be able to choose whether they want to receive such messages or not.

Companies are now required to keep records of all messages for at least six months and must clearly state all charges involved.

The NCC said fees for help requests, cancellations, or service info must be transparent and not include hidden charges.

The commission will issue licences to several providers to encourage healthy competition but may limit new licences if needed. Only companies that show they can stop fraud and safely deliver messages will be allowed to operate. They must also regularly report their message traffic and finances to the NCC.

It warned that any company that breaks the rules risks getting fined, suspended, or having its licence revoked. Offences like charging illegal tariffs, ignoring security rules, or avoiding taxes will be punished, the NCC said.

The commission added that the new rules follow the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023 and support the federal government’s goal of strengthening cybersecurity and controlling Nigeria’s digital space. The framework will also be reviewed from time to time to keep up with new technology and market trends.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill 2025 has scaled second reading in the Senate following the lead debate on the general principles of the bill sponsored by Mf Shuaib Salisu during plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.

Leading the debate, the Ogun State lawmaker said the bill holds immense promise for our nation and the future of its younger workforce.

The Nigerian government has set its sight on being a $1 trillion economy and plans on using digital technologies to attain this target.

Speaking at plenary, the lawmaker said that the bill was read for the first time on Thursday, July 3, 2025, and that it would provide the necessary framework towards economic growth.

“The legislation seeks to establish a structured and comprehensive legal framework for the development and regulation of National Digital Economy and e-Governance system.

“As a crucial step and strategic pillar for 21st century governance, economic diversification and national competitiveness, harnessing the potentials of our digital economy.”

Mr Salisu said that the Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, 2025, sought to establish a comprehensive legal framework for secure electronic transactions.

“Responsible technology deployment and digitised governance. It institutionalises e-government, introduces ethical governance for Al and emerging technologies.”

He also said that as countries around the world accelerate their digital transitions, Nigeria must act decisively to modernise its digital ecosystem.

“This Bill is a strategic instrument to that end, ensuring our institutions, economy and citizens are prepared for the demands and opportunities of a digital future.”

In his remarks, Deputy Senate President, Mr Jibrin Barau, who presided over plenary said that the bill was geared towards the improvement of Nigeria’s economy.

He said the upper chamber would provide it backing to such a bill that would drive growth and development.

He, thereafter, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security for further legislative actions and report back in four weeks.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Plans are underway by MTN Nigeria to support startups with training and resources they needed to thrive through a cloud accelerator programme.

The Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Nigeria, Ms Lynda Saint-Nwafor, speaking at the unveiling of Dabengwa Data Centre in Lagos last week, said the MTN Cloud Accelerator for Africa would help Nigerian businesses, and boost the country’s digital eco-system.

“A few weeks from now, we’ll launch the MTN Cloud Accelerator for Africa. This isn’t just another accelerator, but one that would empower the Nigeria tech-ecosystem for growth,” she said.

At the launch of the data centre, put in place with support of Dell Technologies, the chairman of MTN Nigeria, Mr Ernest Ndukwe, said, “Setting up the infrastructure of this size is not an easy task and I want to seize the opportunity to thank those who have been working tirelessly to make it happen.”

On his part, the chief executive of MTN Nigeria, Mr Karl Toriola, stated described the facility as “a representation of technological advancements that focuses on the development of a state-of-the-art commissioning and data-centric architecture in line with the direction and policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Also, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, said, “The MTN Data Centre is part of the digital foundation of Nigeria’s modern economy that we seek -one that provides, and will continue to provide world class reliability, sothat we can keep our money local. We don’t have to ship it out in dollars.”

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State’s Government (SSG), Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said, “Investments like this offer a platform for our young people to be able to thrive. Enterprise-grade infrastructure on our own soil, giving start-ups, developers, and data creators the ability to build and scale from Nigeria to the world. With this facility, MTN is reinforcing Nigeria’s position as the digital backbone of West Africa.”

The chief executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, represented by the Deputy Director for New Media and Information Security Department, Mr Babagaba Digima, said, “Today marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and technological independence. The infrastructure we celebrate here today embodies our collective vision of a digitally empowered Nigeria,” promising to continue to work closely with operators to ensure that critical infrastructure deployment meets robust standards our digital economy deserves.

The Nigerian data centre market is experiencing significant growth, with projections indicating an increase from 136.7 MW in 2025 to 279.4 MW by 2030, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.37 per cent.

This growth is further supported by substantial investments, with data centre operators committing over $630 million to expand capacity in Nigeria.