Zinox Technologies partners FGN @VivaTech Paris 2025 - ITREALMS

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In what could be a turning point for Nigeria’s global tech ambitions, Zinox Technologies, a strategic integrated tech solution company and pride of Nigeria ICT ecosystem has been officially invited to represent Nigeria at VivaTech Paris 2025, one of the world’s largest technology and innovation events.

The invitation, extended in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, is seen as a strategic endorsement of Zinox’s over two decades track record of delivering digital infrastructure, innovation, and enterprise solutions across the country for government, corporates and homes including some African countries.

FGN approves N24.2bn for Internet @airports, schools, markets - ITREALMS

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Arising from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of Wednesday, March 29, 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) approved the sum of N24.20bn for the provision of broadband internet connection in at least 20 airports, 43 schools and six marketplaces nationwide.

The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, disclosed this to State House correspondents after this week’s FEC session
chaired by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

FGN removes 5% excise duty for telecoms services - ITREALMS

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The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has removed the five per cent excise duty for telecom sub-sector in the country, reports ITREALMS.

This, FG said is in line with the recommendations of the Committee it constituted to review the applicability of the duty to the telecom sector which is considered already overburdened with taxation and sundry levies.

Disclosing this, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said in Abuja at a press briefing organised to provide updates on the status of the 5 per cent excise duty, whose applicability to the telecom sector was objected by the Minister in August 2022.

ITREALMS recalled that following the objection, the President, General Muhammadu Buhari, retired, suspended its application to the telecom sector and set up a Presidential Review Committee on excise duty in the digital economy sector.

Pantami, who is the Chairman of the Committee, specifically set up for the purpose of reviewing the proposed excise duty in the telecom sector, said the Committee had carried out its national assignment and accordingly submitted report to the President, justifying why the sector should be exempted.

As said by Pantami, the Committee’s submissions could be summed up in three arguments put forward to justify why additional burden in form of taxes or any levy should not be imposed on the telecom sector to prevent a reversal of the important contribution the sector is making to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

“Our justifications are based on three premises: First, is the fact that operators in the telecoms sub-sector of the digital economy industry currently pay no fewer than 41 different categories of taxes, levies and charges; secondly, that telecoms has continued to be a major contributor to Nigerian economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product Contribution (GDP).

“The third ground for contesting the Excise Duty in telecom sector is the fact that, despite increase in the cost of all factors of production across sector, and naturally leading to increase in costs of products and services, telecom sector is the only sector where cost of service has been stable and in many cases continued to go down over the past years and therefore, adding more burden will destroy the sector,” the Minister said.

Also, the Minister said, that the President, having looked into the arguments put forward by the Committee and relying on the provision of the Section 5 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended, has therefore, exempted telecom sector from the list of sectors to pay the excise duty as stated in Finance Act of 2021 and other subsidiary legislations, all of which are not as superior as the Constitution which permits the President to grant such waiver.

“I am happy to report to you that President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the exemption of the digital economy sector from the five percent excise duty to be paid and this is because of the strength of the argument presented to him by the Committee that additional burden on telecom sector will increase the sufferings of Nigerians and that other sectors that are not making as much contribution to the economy should be challenged to do more and pay the 5 per cent excise duty,” Pantami said in a press statement available to ITREALMS by Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Reuben Muoka.

The minister equally assured Nigerians, who are telecom consumers, that the presidential exemption given to the telecom sector shall be sustained by the incoming administration as “the decision by the President is not about any political party or any administration but about Nigeria and welfare of Nigerian citizens."

Further, he noted that the digital economy sector has continued to contribute significantly to the growth of the Nigerian economy, having contributed 14.07 per cent to the GDP in the first quarter of 2020; 17.79 per cent in the second quarter of 2021; and 18.44 per cent in the second quarter of 2022.

He said the sector has also increased its quarterly revenue generation for government from N51 billion to over N480 billion, representing a growth of 594 per cent; while the cost of buying data has also reduced from N1,200 in 2019 to N350 presently, despite the increase in the cost of operations, including the energy challenge that has caused mobile network operators to power base stations with over 32,000 power generating to provide seamless services to their teeming consumers.

FGN accuses Nigerians in diaspora of funding secessionist groups - ITREALMS

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has accused some Nigerians in Diaspora of funding secessionist groups, reports ITREALMS.

The government made this accusation through the Federal Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed during an audience he granted members of the United Kingdom (UK) chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Abuja, Tuesday.

IWA warns on detention of Nnamdi Kanu, demands unconditional release

ITRealms:

The Igbo World Assembly (IWA) has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to free unconditionally the Director, Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, describing him as the first political prisoner of the President Mohammadu Buhari administration, reports ITRealms.

The group in a press statement made available to ITRealms, IWA Chairman, Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze and Secretary General, Mr. Oliver Nwankwor, said that Kanu is part of the Mass Media and should not be arrested or detained because of expressed opinions.

They noted that freedom of speech is guaranteed by Section 22 and Section 39 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as amended and such right is also enshrined in the Geneva Convention Universal Human Right Declaration Article 19 when it stated that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.”

IWA also said that the detention and harassment of Mr. Kanu, is an affront to a free press and speech of all Nigerians.

“Radio Biafra of which Nnamdi Kanu serves as the Managing Editor is part of the Mass Media and should not be arrested or detained because of their expressed opinions,” IWA said.

Insisting that effort at suppressing press freedom was associated with the dictatorship of the past military rule in the country.

They therefore, invited “All Igbo and indeed all Nigerians should defend press freedom and the right of Radio Biafra to express its views on Nigeria publicly. Igbos must not be subjected to a different treatment from other Nigerians.

“This incessant harassment and in some cases killing of members of Igbo organizations must be put to an end. MASSOB or Radio Biafra have not picked up arms against or challenged the Nigerian Government by force.

“Arrests and harassment of Igbo leaders is sending a wrong signal and message to young and newer generation of Igbos under 45 who did not witness the genocide war against people in the east,” IWA warned, emphasizing that elsewhere in the world, peaceful freedom movements are going on in Western Cameroon, Scotland; Quebec in Canada, Texas in the United States and nobody has been arrested or detained by the governments of these countries”, IWA noted.

The group further stated that all Nigerians of goodwill should join in the campaign to restore freedom of speech and movement in Nigeria which has been abridged by the arrest and detention of Kanu.

 

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Pix: IWA Chairman, Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze