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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a landmark fine of N1.04 trillion ($5.2bn) against MTN Nigeria, the largest mobile network operator in the country for failing to disconnect subscribers with unregistered and incomplete subscriber identification modules (SIM) cards within the stipulated time. The fine which is the largest in the history of telecom infringements may redefine the relationships between telecommunications operators and the regulator.  Technology Times which broke the story last night said NCC fined MTN Nigeria “for allegedly undermining efforts by the Nigerian government to tackle security challenges and the war on terror and allied crimes, as the telecoms operator has allegedly refused to deactivate unregistered mobile phone lines on its network”. A top official of MTN Nigeria who is not authorised to speak on the matter however confirmed to LEADERSHIP that NCC truly issued the fine against MTN Nigeria. The official said “This fine is unp...

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness. No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition: • Arable land • Water • Forests • Oil and gas • Coastline • Solid minerals We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress. Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by grea...

Like every other evergreen day in the annals of history, Saturday 19th September, 2015 will remain a touchstone in the living record of human memories. It was a day set aside by the Alumni Association of the Imo State University, Owerri to Honour her illustrious sons, who occupy various political offices, both appointed and elected, at the federal and state levels. After a critical search, the list of Honourees was drawn as follows: Hon. Deacon Chike John Okafor (Former Commissioner for Finance, Imo state and currently the Member representing Okigwe South federal constituency in the House of Representatives), Mr. Amby Uneze (Executive Director, Asset Management Comapny of Nigeria, AMCON), Ugwumba Uche Nwosu (Immediate past commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Imo state and currently, the Chief of Staff to the Imo state Governor), Hon. Henry Uzoma Ezediaro (Member representing Oguta state constiuency in the Imo state House of Assembly) and Hon. Ik Ogbonna (Immediat...

A statement by the Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu said “the documents submitted to the CCB, which officials say are still being vetted and will soon be made public, show that prior to being sworn in on May 29, President Buhari had less than N30 million to his name. He also had only one bank account, with the Union Bank. President Buhari had no foreign account, no factory and no enterprises. He also had no registered company and no oil wells”, the statement said. The statement further added that “the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who had been a successful lawyer before his foray into politics declared a bank balance of about N94 million and 900,000 United States Dollars in his bank accounts”. It added that President Buhari “had shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank. The documents also revealed that “President Buhari had a total of five homes, and two mud houses in Daura...

On-line media practitioners and users of the social media platforms would now be on the radar of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related offences Commission, ICPC, for checks against malicious petitions and mudslinging, the Chairman of ICPC Barrister Ekpo Nta has said. He said ICPC is worried given the fact that the social media platforms are now awash with malicious petitions and mudslinging that are largely motivated by selfish interests. Barrister Nta spoke with reporters in Abuja yesterday shortly after declaring opened the capacity building workshop organised by Anti-Corruption Academy for members of States Houses of Assembly from the North-Central geopolitical zone of the country. He said the ICPC Acts empowered the bodyto investigate, arrest and prosecute masterminds of malicious petitions and urged law-makers in the country to take up the responsibility of whistle blowers in the fight against corruption. His words: “ Everybody suppose to be a...

LAGOS — The battle for defence of the Naira value has widened, affecting existing withdrawal limits on Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) and foreign transactions on all existing Naira debit cards (ATM cards). In the new arrangement, all ATMs that were hitherto enabled for domestic and foreign transactions have been restructured to limit Naira cash withdrawal at ATMs to N60,000 per day while foreign currency is $300 per day. Hitherto, the domestic withdrawal limit was N150,000 per day. The new arrangement has separated traditional ATM from MasterCard credit card where the former has now been deactivated and can no longer be used for transactions abroad. Hitherto, a single ATM card serves for transactions for both domestic and abroad. Also, the restructured cards now have spending limits on POS/eCommerce (online shopping) pegged at $300 (about N60,000) per day. Before this, the limit was N2 million per day. In the new arrangement, a bank customer with multiple debit cards (AT...

You may have heard or seen the news trending on social media, that Zahra Buhari now runs an office of the 1st Daughter of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, and they posted these pictures as #EmpiricalEvidence. The daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Zahra, has received a new job as young woman posted some photos on her Twitter account. Zahra becomes new ACE charity ambassador at large. She has signed charity agreement and shaken hands with a member of board – Mrs Emem Opashi. ACE (Assisting caring and empowering) charity is a non-profit organisation making a sustainable, realistic and effective difference in the lives of Africans. A peep close look at the ceramic mug on the table would reveal the inscription of the ACE logo as further proof of this fact.