Coker, Ehize, Durosanwo anchor star-studded GrowthX conference, as data localisaiton tops agenda - ITREALMS

…Nomination for TiLAwards Continues

A high-level coalition of digital infrastructure, banking, cybersecurity, and fintech executives has been confirmed to address the inaugural GrowthX by Techeconomy summit, taking place in Lagos on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, reports ITREALMS.

Convened under the theme "Driving Digital Growth Through Innovation and Collaboration," the multi-track conference will anchor high-level policy and technical debates centered on the Central Bank of Nigeria's recent data localisation directives, sovereign AI development, regulatory compliance costs, and cloud infrastructure expansion. 

The Truth Tariff: AI, data costs, and financial paradox of African newsroom by Remmy Nweke | Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Different trigger:
The tragedy of Major General Rabe Abubakar’s abduction was horrific enough. But as the news broke across Nigeria, the digital ecosystem pulled an entirely different kind of trigger. Along with the report, a viral photograph began tearing through social media channels. It was not General Abubakar. It was a completely different military officer, whose actual name was printed clearly on the uniform draped across his chest.

It was an error born of pure editorial laziness, but in the frictionless pipeline of the internet, it instantly hardened into digital cement.

Nigeria vs. China: Decoupling data on global poverty rankings by Remmy Nweke | WeekendDigits@ITREALMS

WeekendDigits@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The global landscape of macroeconomic development is fundamentally a story of shifting trajectories, resource governance, and institutional engineering. When analyzing how transition from widespread economic vulnerability to structural resilience, historical data often reveals stark, illuminating contrasts.

A critical piece of visual video evidence currently circulating in public policy circles, offers an empirical window into one of the most dramatic socioeconomic reversals in modern history. The data tracks the absolute headcount of individuals living in extreme poverty globally across a multi-decade timeline.

Airtel Nigeria hosts inaugural customer forum to tackle data depletion concerns - ITREALMS Online

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Airtel Nigeria has concluded its first-ever Customer Forum in Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

The event, which brought together high-volume data subscribers, 5G users, and industry regulators, represents a coordinated national framework to address the growing conversation around data transparency and usage control.

Held at the Lagos Travel Inn, Ikeja, the forum served as a mechanical necessity for the telecommunications giant to foster trust within Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital theater, especially as data consumption becomes as essential as electricity and water.

NDPC probes alleged data breach @Corporate Affairs Commission - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has officially initiated an investigation into a reported data breach at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), reports ITREALMS.

The probe, launched pursuant to Section 46(3) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, underscores an irreducible commitment to fostering trust within Nigeria’s economic environment as the Commission performs an unblinking recording of increasingly sophisticated threats in the digital theater.

Local content, capacity drive power Nigeria's data centre boom says Cooker - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Nigeria’s push toward digital sovereignty is gaining momentum, as industry leaders and regulators reaffirm their commitment to local content development and capacity building as the backbone of the nation’s fast-growing data centre ecosystem, reports ITREALMS.

At the heart of this transformation is a deliberate strategy to deepen indigenous expertise, stimulate economic multipliers, and position Nigeria, particularly Lagos, as a continental hub for digital infrastructure.

NCC unveils Q4 2025 report, mandates data transparency to shield telecom consumers - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Nigerian Communications Commission has officially released its Quarter 4 (Q4) 2025 Network Performance Report with a call for increased transparency and accountability within the nation’s telecommunications industry, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at a media engagement in Abuja on January 28, 2026, the Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, emphasized that open access to industry data is a guiding principle for the Commission to strengthen the sector and build public trust.

NCC, CBN unveil new framework: 30-Second refunds mandated for failed airtime transactions - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

In a decisive move to protect digital consumers, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have jointly unveiled a regulatory framework mandating that subscribers receive refunds for failed airtime and data transactions within 30 seconds, reports ITREALMS.

This major policy shift aligns with the consumer-focused objectives of both regulators and aims to eliminate the frustration of "debit without value," where subscribers are charged for services they never receive due to network downtimes, system glitches, or human error.

The new framework, 

ITREALMS gathered, is the outcome of several months of high-level engagements involving the NCC, the CBN, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs).

These stakeholders convened to address the rising incidence of failed airtime and data purchases, which have increasingly led to subscribers being debited without receiving value and facing prolonged delays in resolution.

Representing a unified position by both the telecommunications and financial sectors, the framework identifies and tackles the root causes of transaction failures.

It prescribes an enforceable Service Level Agreement (SLA) for operators and banks, clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities of each party in the transaction and resolution process.

Under the strict new guidelines, if a purchaser is debited but fails to receive value for airtime or data, whether the failure occurs at the bank level or with an NCC licensee, the purchaser is entitled to a refund within 30 seconds.

The only exception applies to circumstances where the transaction remains pending, in which case the refund process must be concluded within 24 hours.

Furthermore, the framework mandates operators to notify consumers via SMS regarding the success or failure of every transaction.

It also addresses erroneous recharges to ported lines, incorrect airtime or data purchases, and instances where transfers are made to the wrong phone number.

Speaking on the development, the Director of Consumer Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett, disclosed that the framework establishes a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly hosted by the NCC and the CBN.

She explained that the dashboard will enable both regulators to monitor failures, identify the responsible party, verify refunds, and track SLA breaches in real time.

Mrs. Bruce-Bennett noted that failed top-ups rank among the top three consumer complaints received by the Commission.

She emphasized that in line with their commitment to addressing priority issues, the regulators were determined to resolve the problem within the shortest possible time.

She expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, particularly the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria, for their tireless commitment to finalizing the framework and ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services receive full value for their purchases.

Highlighting the immediate impact of the initiative, Mrs. Bruce-Bennett revealed that even pending the final management approval of the framework, MNOs and banks have collectively made refunds of over N10 billion to customers for failed transactions.

According to the Head of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, full implementation of the framework is expected to commence on March 1, 2026.


This timeline allows for final regulatory approvals and the conclusion of technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers, and DMBs.

Reshaping RDRS and geopolitics of data: Why global south’s voice matters by Remmy Nweke - WeekendDigits@ITREALMS

WeekendDigits@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The RDRS must not sideline the Global South. REMMY NWEKE in this edition of WeekendDigits@ITREALMS urges ICANN to define 'Legitimate Interest' for local enforcement, protect digital rights, and ensure operational equity for African registries.

Defining future Internet:
The global architecture of the internet is constantly being reformed, and seldom has that reform been more critical than in the ongoing debate at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) community over how to access nonpublic domain registration data. 

The proposed solution, the Registration Data Request Service (RDRS), is intended to create a predictable and scalable pathway for legitimate data access in a world dominated by privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union (EU).

Fossils, data, and digital heritage: Preserving knowledge in AI age by Remmy Nweke - Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS

Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

World Fossil Day 2025 extends the conversation beyond ancient bones to the digital footprints shaping our shared human story. From geological fossils to data archives, REMMY NWEKE, in this edition of Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS, explores how technology, artificial intelligence, and telecoms infrastructure are redefining the meaning of preservation in the 21st century.

As the world marked World Fossil Day 2025 this week, the conversation extended beyond geology into the realm of technology, data science, and what might be called digital fossils, the enduring traces of human knowledge encoded in bytes rather than bones.

World Fossil Day, celebrated every October 15, was established by the International Palaeontological Association (IPA) to highlight the importance of fossils as keys to understanding Earth’s ancient life.

PIN raises fresh alarm over Nigerians’ data security online - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has raised fresh concerns about the safety of Nigerian citizens’ data online, warning that sensitive information belonging even to top government officials has been exposed and cheaply traded on the internet for years, reports ITREALMS.

In a media briefing held in Abuja, the organisation’s Executive Director, ‘Gbenga Sesan, lamented what he described as Nigeria’s persistent failure to enforce digital rights protections despite rapid technological growth.

Digital Realty launches third data center in Lagos to power Nigeria's digital future - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Premier global provider of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions, the Digital Realty, has launched its third data center in Lagos, South West Nigeria, reports ITREALMS.

The latest data centre, ITREALMS gathered will not only shape the country’s digital future but also the social and economic fabric of its communities.

NCC sensitizes Corps Members on data depletion, donates reliefs @Nasarawa and Niger States - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) visited National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps in Keffi, Nasarawa State, and Paiko, Niger State, on August 7, 2025, to sensitize corps members on effective data management and consumer rights.

The event, which also included a donation of food items, was part of the NCC’s ongoing efforts to protect and empower telecommunications consumers.

Airtel Nigeria CEO highlights data boom, nationwide connectivity as key innovation areas - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Airtel Nigeria's Managing Director and CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, has identified data demands and network connectivity as critical areas where the company is innovating to improve customer satisfaction, reports ITREALMS. 

Speaking at a media roundtable in Lagos, Balsingh emphasized the importance of investing in 5G and fibre technologies to build a scalable network that can support Nigeria's digital future.

NIMC warns Nigerians against sharing personal data - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians against sharing their personal data, particularly their National Identification Numbers (NINs), with unauthorized individuals or organizations, reports ITREALMS.

This warning comes after reports emerged of some individuals being lured into submitting their NINs for financial compensation, which is a clear violation of the NIMC Act and other relevant laws.

Airtel Africa's profit climbs 5x on back of mobile money, data growth - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Airtel Africa's net profit has jumped five-fold to $156 million in the first quarter of 2025, driven by strong growth in its mobile money and data businesses. 

The company's revenue rose 24.9% to $1.415 billion, fueled by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and a strong performance in Francophone Africa.

First fatal crash: Dreamliner's unthinkable fall, data and destiny - ITREALMS

Telecoms Clinic@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Dreamliner's digital dream turned nightmare when Air India Flight AI171, the Boeing 787's first fatal crash, sent global shockwaves. As investigators race for black box data to unravel the advanced aircraft's fall, it challenges tech trust and reshapes aviation's future, writes REMMY NWEKE.

 Dateline - Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025:

The global tech and aviation communities were gripped by shock this past Thursday as Air India Flight AI171, a state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India. Bound for London Gatwick, the incident tragically claimed 241 lives on board and caused further ground casualties, turning a symbol of modern aerospace into a scene of unimaginable devastation. 

Airtel Africa reports strong growth in customer base, data usage despite currency headwinds - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

The Airtel Africa plc has recorded strong growth in customer base and data usage despite currency headwinds, reports ITREALMS.

These indications was contained in the financial results for the year ended March 31, 2025, available to ITREALMS, which demonstrated robust operational growth despite the impact of currency devaluations across its markets.

USSD code debt: Zenith, Fidelity, UBA, Sterling, 5 others may be disconnected - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

A total of nine banks may be disconnected before end of this month due to unpaid debt arising from deployment of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) Codes with Zenith, Fidelity, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Sterling Bank leading the list, reports ITREALMS.

Other financial institutions that may be affected include First City Monument Bank, Jaiz Bank Plc, Polaris Bank Limited, Unity Bank Plc, and Wema Bank Plc.

S Mobile eases data, airtime subscription for Nigerian students, dangles free phones, websites - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!


Aligned with the vision of MTN Nigeria’s digital transformation and inclusion, S Mobile is making significant strides to support technological advancement and improve access to digital services in Nigeria.

By partnering with tertiary institutions and empowering young minds across Southeast Nigeria, S Mobile is playing a pivotal role in MTN’s Ambition 2025 - a corporate initiative centered on creating a human-centric, tech-driven future for Nigeria.