ALTON commences End-User Billing for USSD services: Effective today, June 18 - ITREALMS

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The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has commenced full migration to the End-User Billing (EUB) model for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services, effective Wednesday, June 18, 2025, reports ITREALMS.

This pivotal shift, ITREALMS gathered is in accordance with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Determination on USSD Pricing and Services, aimed at fostering a more sustainable, transparent, and customer-centric digital financial ecosystem.

Konga mid-year shopping festival kicks off today - ITREALMS

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Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce giant, has pledged huge savings and more importantly, same day delivery for shoppers in the second edition of the much-anticipated Mid-Year Shopping Festival.

Widely regarded as the biggest discount sale in the first half of the year, Konga Mid-Year Shopping Festival kicks off formally on Tuesday, May 30 and will run through Friday, June 30, 2023 online at www.konga.com and offline in every Konga store nationwide.

FirstBank's FMAP 3rd application round closes today - ITREALMS

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First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider has confirmed that its call for participation in the third season of its FirstBank Management Associate Programme (FMAP) would close today, Thursday, March 23, 2023, reports ITREALMS.

Interested participants, ITREALMS gathered, are required to submit their application.

Today is FirstBank's Nigeria Economic Outlook webinar'23

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The First Bank of Nigeria Limited, the nation's premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, would its 2023 edition of Nigeria Economic Outlook today, January 20, reports ITREALMS.

The virtual event themed “Nigeria Economic Outlook 2023: A look ahead” is scheduled by 8:30am on Friday, 20 January 2023, via Zoom meeting. Participants are encouraged to register.

Konga Yakata, biggest sale of year, ends today - ITREALMS

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Shoppers have commenced a huge rush for last-minute deals as the 2022 edition of Konga Yakata ends, Monday, December 12, 2022, reports ITREALMS.

Konga Yakata, the black friday sale of Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce giant, is widely regarded as the biggest sale of the year in the annual shopping calendar in Nigeria.

Uwaje chairs NITRA Growth conference, today - ITREALMS

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Stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) will converge tomorrow, Thursday, to discuss and forge ways of tackling challenges in the various sub-sectors of the industry.

Tagged NITRA Growth Conference, the annual event organised by industry media group, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) will throw light on issues around funding, fintech, digitisation, among others.

Centre LSD holds 16th graduation today, trains 1,672 - ITREALMS

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The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) today, graduated 35 thereby bringing to 1,672 trainees at the 16th annual lecture from her leadership school, reports ITREALMS.

Organized in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), ITREALMS gathered would be presided over by the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.

Nigeria 2023 - The Choice we must make today by Chidi Abajue - ITREALMS

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I got up this morning feeling nostalgic about the good old days. The days I had to pay Twenty (N20.00) Naira only as boarding fee per term in the secondary school. Ten (N10.00) Naira only was for tuition. Meals served were above average both in quality and quantity. I finished my West African School Certificate Examination and got employed shortly after as an Auxiliary Teacher in another secondary school. Life was safe. You could travel to anywhere by any means, day or night without fear of being robbed, kidnapped or killed. Things were predictable - school calendar, employment, commodity prices, etc. All one needed was to plan, and then work towards your goal.

It all ended with the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari through a military coup. Yes, the same Buhari that is here again with us like Soyinka's Abiku - coming and going these several times, leaving behind tears, woes and wailings as never before ever seen or heard.

LCC resumes tolling @Ikoyi Link Bridge today, April 1 - ITREALMS

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The management of the Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) has announced the commencement of tolling at Ikoyi Link Bridge today, Friday, April 1, 2022, reports ITREALMS.

The Managing Director, LCC, Yomi Omomuwasan in a press statement available to ITREALMS on Thursday night said that this followed months of engagement with key stakeholders within Eti-Osa /Lekki-Epe area.

Trauma conference holds in Lagos today - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

A non-governmental organization (NGO), Trauma Care International Foundation (TCIF) has concluded plans to host its first-ever trauma conference on Tuesday, November 19, this year with the theme ‘Trauma Care: The Way Forward,’ reports ITREALMS.

Director of TCIF, Dr Deola Philips said, addressing the menace of trauma has become a public health burden in the country, hence the conference.

On the theme ‘Trauma Care: The Way Forward,’ Dr Philips said the objective of the conference is to provide a platform for debate and stimulation of inter-disciplinary discussions in the fields of trauma care and emergency response management.

She also said, the conference will provide a platform for policy makers, senior government officials, the academia, media practitioners, corporate organizations, professional associations, scholars and volunteers from various health and trauma-related disciplines to come together and discuss how their various disciplines can collectively contribute towards the development of workable ways to address trauma as an emerging public health challenge in our society.

A press statement available to ITREALMS, she was equally quoted as saying that the conference would be used as a platform for a formal introduction of TCIF to all key stakeholders in Trauma management in Nigeria and a launch of the TCIF Trauma Stakeholders' Forum.

The main focus of discussion at the conference would comprise the National Health Act and its provisions for Emergency Care; Improvements in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Systems; Delivering Advanced Trauma & Emergency Care in Low-Income Settings; Transforming Health Care in Nigeria through Trauma Network; Building Sustainable Trauma Care Systems in Nigeria and in West Africa; Securing Health Care Financing For Trauma And Emergency Services: National Basic Health Care Provision Fund; and Voluntary Blood Donation as a worthy cause.

The special guest of honour, she said, would be Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister of Health, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Confirmed keynote speaker, she said is Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Chairman Senate Committee on Health under the Distinguished Chairmanship of Prince Julius Adewale Adelusi-Adeluyi, Chairman Juli Plc and former Health Minister.

Further, she said, on-site participation is strictly by invitation and advised potential participants to register online.

Chuks Egbuna/Editor

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Supreme Court Verdict: Tinubu says ‘Today we moved closer to APC dream’ - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari over the affirmation of his reelection by the Supreme Court, declaring that it moves the country closer to APC dream, reports ITREALMS.

“The rule of law conclusively affirmed the collective voice of the people by dismissing the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The sun rose high in the Nigeria sky today to shine its light over the entire land,” he said in a personally signed press statement made available to ITREALMS.

Asiwaju Tinubu also commended PDP and Atiku “for the energetic electoral campaign they conducted and for their tenacious pursuit of what they believed was their legal remedies.”

He said the PDP and its former presidential candidate should now channel the energy and intellect deployed in the electoral and legal processes toward joining APC “to move this nation more rapidly and assuredly forward.”

The statement entitled “Presidential Election: Supreme Court Affirms Will of The People” read:

“On February 23, the people tendered the foremost expression of their sovereign, democratic will by voting for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari. Today, the rule of law conclusively affirmed the collective voice of the people by dismissing the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The sun rose high in the Nigeria sky today to shine its light over the entire land.

“This decision and this day will be recorded as important milestones on Nigeria’s insuperable march toward perfecting democracy and the rule of law across our land. Democracy has been affirmed and strengthened. By its ruling, the Supreme Court also affirmed that the rule of law is paramount; that the law is to be applied objectively, without regard to fear, friend or foe. The law is the law. Nothing is to be added to it and nothing subtracted from it. No one should enjoy undue favor or suffer unjust prejudice from its application.

“I thus commend the Supreme Court for its expeditious and highly competent treatment of this important matter. In so doing, it undergirded its reputation as the highest court in the law and the ultimate guardian of the rule of law in our nation. By extension, I must recognize the vast majority of the judiciary for the impartial administration of justice in electoral and other matters. Improvements are still needed in some areas but we have come far and are faced in the right direction.

“I congratulate President Buhari and the entire APC on a well-deserved legal affirmation of a hard-won electoral victory. The victory is a result of the President’s hard work and of the trust the people have in him as a committed leader. With these electoral and legal victories now behind us, the APC must give due honor to the faith the people have reposed in us. They expect us to govern in a way that produces the shared prosperity and enlightened future they deserve. We must commit ourselves fully to this profound and august task.

“I must also give due respect to the PDP and former VP Atiku for the energetic electoral campaign they conducted and for their tenacious pursuit of what they believed was their legal remedies. Although they lost at the polls, they did not seek to overturn the system. Instead, they respected the system that had so often decided in their favor in previous elections and judicial proceedings.

“They behaved like good democrats by seeking redress through the courts as is their right. This was the legal and moral thing to do. Although we are political opponents, I must commend them for following the pathways of democracy and peaceful, legal resolution of their grievances. This is as it ought to be. In an election there can only be one winner. By conducting themselves as they have, the PDP may not have gained the verdict they wanted in court.

“However, the verdict of history will be that their comportment thus far has helped strengthen our political democracy and its legal safeguards. I pray that they recognize the importance of this and that this service to the nation provides them a degree of solace going forward. I ask them to now channel the formidable energy and intellect they deployed in the electoral and legal processes toward joining with us, to the extent possible, to move this nation more rapidly and assuredly forward. As I stated before, I know the magnanimity of President Buhari. His hand is extended to them in friendship and cooperation. For the good of the nation, I urge them to take it.

“Most importantly, it is fitting to commend the people of Nigeria. You are a law-abiding and good people. You voted in peace and good faith and you awaited the judicial process in like manner. You expect nothing from government but what it ought to do for you. You are the backbone and best hope of our land. President Buhari and the APC shall work for your benefit and on your behalf in order to realize our common dream of a better nation.

“Today we moved a step closer to that dream.”

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Imo 2019: Okorie picks YPP governorship form today - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Acclaimed frontline governorship aspirant of the Young Progressive Party -YPP in Imo state, Dr. Linus Chinedu Okorie, is set to pick the party’s nomination form today, Friday, September 7, 2018, reports ITREALMS.

Acting Communication Coordinator of the Imo Nke Anyi Movement, a political mass movement promoting Dr. Okorie’s gubernatorial project, endorsed by Ikechukwu Anyanwu and made available to ITREALMS, said the governorship hopeful shall be at the party’s National Secretariat at 10 am Friday, to pick his declaration of interest and Nomination Forms to contest for the state’s number one citizen position.

“Join us as we demonstrate the spirit of the new order when our Principal, Dr. Linus Okorie shall pick the party’s gubernatorial Nomination Form at the Young Progressive Party- YPP National Secretariat, Abuja,” the group said

They also urged “All members of Imo Nke Anyi and friends of ‘Our Imo’ Movement shall converge at Linus Okorie's Abuja office. Your support towards a world class Imo begins now.”

Okorie, a motivational speaker and founder of the Guardians of the Nation International-GOTNI, a Non- governmental organization is a globally-acclaimed multiple award-winning leadership coach.

The 44-year old Okorie is also known for his 'Leadership Clinic.'

Nenye Dom/GEE

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HDP holds national convention today

ITREALMS:

All is now set for the national convention of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) today in Abuja, ITRealms reports.

The national chairman of the party, Chief Ambrose Owuru confirmed this to ITRealms in a public statement, saying that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accepted the Wednesday, March 21, 2018 as the convention date.

Owuru also said that the meeting would be used to prepare the party and strategize for the forthcoming 2019 elections, as well as elect its national officers.

"The venue of the convention is Hope Dove, Life Camp, Abuja," he declared.

Hope Democratic Party (HDP) was registered on November 10, 2006, later de-registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2011, but was later reinstated by a federal high court judgment in 2015. 

HDP participated in the last 2015 general elections and was one of the 14 political parties that fielded presidential candidates in the last presidential election.

In 2015, Hope Democratic Party (HDP) developed five plan revolution blueprints for its envisioned new Nigeria. The 5 plan revolution blueprints are Agricultural and Industrial Revolution, Health and Educational Revolution, Economic and Political Revolution, Infrastructure and Leadership Revolution and Cultural and Security Revolution.

Owuru, who was also the party’s presidential candidate in the last election, further explained that the party’s five plan revolution blueprints, include “The execution of this well articulated welfarist programme is articulated to reverse in positive light the current or prevalent overtly negatively adopted capitalist tendencies that has over time bred corruption in Nigeria and which also has over time grown into a cankerworm permeating all spheres of the life of our people in the country thereby stalling any sustainable developmental projects such as funds for world class infrastructural development, good roads, steady jobs and general welfare of Nigeria citizenry are channeled to private accounts breeding social injustice in the land, mass poverty and disparities between the poor and the rich and which in turn breeds social misfit and ready hands for crime, terrorist recruitment leading to insecurity in the country.”

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Coming from Catholic family prepared me for today – Bishop Badejo

Interview@ITRealms: 

On Thursday, October 19, 2017, all roads led to the ancient city of Oyo, venue of the 10th enthronement anniversary of Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo. Widely acclaimed for his communications expertise and love for music, Bishop Badejo is also the founder of the Catholic Artistes and Entertainers Association of Nigeria (CAEAN). He spoke to TONY AGBUGBA about his childhood and how he handled the expected news of his appointment as Bishop of Oyo ten years ago. 

Excerpts.

Being bishop of Oyo diocese:
I have been bishop of the Oyo diocese for ten years now. But I have been in charge of this diocese for the last eight years when my bishop emeritus, Bishop Julius Babatunde Adelakun retired. I am glad and fortunate to say that my childhood was a happy one; happy because I was born into a very Catholic family. My parents were very particular about making their children grow up in the way of God, and grow up in the Church. 
As a family and as children, we had only three choice places to go to everyday; we go to school, we go to Church and we come back home. It was an exceptional thing that you went anywhere else, except you were on an errand. And that helped to form our character. You went to school for your education, 
Church for your awareness of God and home in order to be properly brought up. And the Church has always been right that the family is the first church, is the first school, is the first formation house for every child. And that is why, today, when the church defends the family, and does everything possible to defend marriage, it is for the benefit of society, because the family has done nothing but good all through the history of humanity. So I am happy to have been born a Catholic.

Becoming a priest:
                As long as I had been aware that I was a human being, I have always wanted to join those who were priests and who were around us. They always came visiting my family. My mother was a great lover of priests and seminarians. I do remember that any time a seminarian was sent to our parish, or a new priest came, my mother would send my dad to go and tell that seminarian or the priest, that he has his family somewhere around there. She would ask him to bring the priest or seminarian to the house. And that was always what happened. That means as a child I got to know practically all the priests and seminarians who came through Oshogbo at that time. And because it was the seat of the bishop, quite a number of them came. 

We weren’t a wealthy family. But every time a priest or seminarian came, we knew that my mother was going to give them the best that the family had. That was one reason why I wanted to associate with them. You know, if your dog stays close to you, it is likely to eat the bone of the chicken. And I was the closest to the priests because they were not just Nigerian priests, but even our missionaries who were still Europeans at the time. 

Fortunately, when I was in primary school, I used to be quite good in English, or a little bit better than the rest; a bit better than my brothers.  So, when the expatriates wanted to speak I was like the interpreter for the others. So, there was the initial desire to be like them, to join them.

Entrance into the Seminary:
                When I was in primary five, my brother was going to do the entrance examination to St. Kizito Minor Seminary, Ede. He was in primary six. I remember a missionary came and asked me, himself and the headmaster, asked me to join the group that was going to do the examination to the seminary. And so I went. I remember many of them who were in primary six failed the exam and I passed. So I went ahead of them and they had to come back to the school to try another year. And so my road was charted practically by divine wisdom. I had to go to a minor seminary, and from there, there was no looking back.

Appointment as bishop:
                I felt like I had run into a tipper while riding a motor bike. And I mean that. Because I had come back from a holiday in the United States (US) and I felt it was my time to have a long drawn out time after work at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN). After working at the CSN, I had returned to my diocese to do more work because I practically believed I had been away from the diocese for too long. I indeed worked at the cathedral at Oshogbo for two years and it was hard work because I knew my bishop had agreed that I was going to work for only two years and proceed for my sabbatical. 
So, I went for this sabbatical, and it was in the seventh month that I came back for a holiday. I wanted to come and see my dad who was 90 at the time and then go back. But in the seven months I had spent in the U.S, I had already chunked up a communication project which was to write my doctorate on a communication related topic.

Spirituality in Nigerian movies:
                A lot of people at that time were saying that there was too much fetish activities being portrayed in Nollywood. I wanted to draw out spirituality from under that; because even an outcry in fetishism is a desire for spirituality, deep-down. And I had gathered materials; I had the benefit of meeting some very good families abroad who gave me accesses even to Hollywood; to actors and actresses there. I had done interviews, I had put them down. 

So I knew that writing a doctorate in the next three years would be like a piece of cake. I had all what I needed, and I had got a scholarship in Rome to come and write it there.  I wanted to write it in Rome because as you know, in the Catholic Church, if you write a doctorate in Rome and you passed, then, it was practically a public material for the Church. And I had sent even my book and my instruments like laptop to Rome. I was merely to go back and begin to write this project. And I came home, went to visit Bishop Felix Ajakaiye who was then a parish priest in one of the parishes in Ekiti. I was on my way back when a call came from the Nunciature that I should come to the Nunciature. And I said to the caller that I had no business with the Nunciature.

Indeed, I thought it was about my visa. After a few hours, the call came again and started talking about the bishop. And I said I don’t have any business with the bishop of Oyo. And they insisted that I had to come. That was how it all started. And for days I just didn’t agree to go to Abuja until my bishop then, Bishop Abegunrin called me and said I am to go to Abuja and see the Nuncio. So I went. It wasn’t an easy day at all. We had quite a bit of argument. In the end, he sent me to the chapel; I went to the chapel, I came out, I wasn’t feeling any better. 

But I had no option than to say; well, what do I do now? And he asked me to choose a date when it would be announced. And that is what happened. Since then, I have been the way I am; still surprised till today that I am bishop of Oyo diocese. Not because I am afraid of work or anything, but I had never dreamt in my life that I would be bishop of anywhere. I was really enjoying the priesthood; enjoy doing what I was told to do and doing it in the most creative way possible. I thank God for giving me the privilege to serve in this exalted position as bishop of Oyo diocese. 

But you must understand that when you are placed in a position when you have to tell everybody practically what they have to do, or if you are advising them and they know what you are advising them are things that should be done, then it is a huge responsibility, and I feel the weight of that responsibility. And I can only thank those who have so far worked with me to carry out those responsibilities in the Catholic Diocese of Oyo.

Past ten years been:
                I have seen the goodness of a lot of people. Goodness of God, definitely. Right from the moment I was made bishop, there were many people who came here to help me access the huge challenges that we have here, and have been making their contributions to make sure those challenges don’t drown us and that we can begin to resolve them bit by bit. All I can say is that there have been challenges, but there have not been defeat. And I think that can be attributed to God and the cooperation of the priests that we have here, the religious who work here and the people of God who work with us.

                As you know, every one of us is marking time in history. Nobody is ever going to exhaust the conquering of all the challenges in the world. We need to do our bit. And I can just say that these past ten years, we have seen that there is nothing God cannot do.  Great things happen when God mixes with man. It is just the beginning. In these ten years I can say I do know every corner of Oyo diocese. The diocese is a very vast geographical area.  But we are few in number as Catholics. But to the glory of God the influence of the Catholic Church here is not to be relegated at all to the background.

Other churches, the Muslim community and those who are neither Muslims nor Christians, if you ask them today about the most influential Church in this geographical area called Oyo diocese, most people would probably mention the Catholic Church. Not just because of our presence in the most remote places but also because of the social services that we give to the people. And also our foray into the area of inter-religious dialogue – ecumenism; trying to bring peace while the others would rather bring a rupture, and in the area of education of people who don’t have anything to do with the Catholic Church. 

Schools in this area, for instance, have a population of 75 per cent Muslim children. And we thank our Muslim parents who entrust their children to us. For African families, their children are their most precious possession. If they entrust their children to you, it shows a high level of trust even if they don’t say it in words. 

And so far, we have not had any terrible incident about their children being maltreated or anybody having any regret for sending their children to us here. On the contrary, we even have occasional conversions of Muslims to Christianity in our schools. And many Muslims who work with us, they testify that the Catholic Church is different when it comes to relating with people and affecting the society in these areas.

Then, we must not forget to mention the work of Justice and Development Commission which practically every diocese now has. It was born during the year 2000 when Pope John Paul asked the Church to be liberal and be more proactive in social issues. And they have done tremendously well here.; helping farmers, helping in the formation of young people,  empowerment and intervention in anything that has to do with justice and prisoners, making life much better for prisoners, etc. 

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Acid bath on Ogochukwu Nwosu gets hearing @Igbosere today

ITRealms:

The case of a 26-year-old Ogochukwu Nwosu who was bathed with acid over marriage proposal comes up today, Thursday for hearing at the Magistrate Court, Igbosere, Lagos, reports ITRealms.

Ogochukwu, ITRealms recalls was bathed with acid following her purported acceptance to a marriage proposal at Ilasa bus stop along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos last October on her way home from work.

ITRealms also gathered that Ogochukwu whose workplace is at the Computer Village has been in a critical condition at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Surulere, Lagos State.

Also, ITRealms gathered that the victim, who now suffers burns on her face, neck, breasts, among other parts of her body had accused one Mrs. Chidi, the wife of the man who had proposed marriage to her, as her assailant.

According to her, Mrs. Chidi had been threatened her on the telephone and via phone calls, Short Message Service (SMS) and social media platform like Whatsapp soon after she learnt of her husband’s plans to marry her (Ogochukwu).

For her, “I suspect Mrs. Chidi because she had been threatening me before the incident. And while I was on admission at the hospital, she called and spoke with my brother (Peter), saying that was just the beginning,” Ogochukwu told Punch recently.

Her brother, Peter, also confirmed this, saying he recorded a part of the conversation with Mrs. Chidi on his mobile phone, even as he promptly reported to Itire Police Division.

ITRealms further gathered that Mrs. Chidi was subsequently arrested and detained for two days was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba and later granted the suspect bail.

Meanwhile lawyers to the victim, Louis Nwaugbala and Anthony Obi, had petitioned the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja, over the matter.

Uj. N. Dom/GEE

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Ntel makes history with first VoLTE call in Nigeria

ITRealms:

The NatCom Development and Investment Limited, trading as ‘ntel’ has made its first Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) in the city of Lagos, today, reports ITRealms.

The company, ITRealms recalls recently acquired the core assets of NiTel/MTel which is currently in liquidation.

 

According to the duo of the Director, External Affairs, Mr. Osondu Nwokolo and Head, Corporate Communications at ntel, the telco made its first Voice over LTE call in Lagos today, Thursday, February 25, 2016, at about 3.30pm at telco’s new Tier III data centre located on Lagos Island. 

They also noted that VoLTE calls are enabled over a carrier’s high-speed data network instead of on a voice network, hence, the Voice over LTE calls also connect faster upon dialing and feature ultra-clear high-definition voice quality.

ITRealms also confirmed that the VoLTE call was completed in partnership with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Messrs L M Ericsson of Sweden and Sony Electronics of Japan. 

This, ITRealms reports, follows ntel’s first data call on 18 January, 2016 and its first SIP voice call on 18 February, 2016 respectively.

Ntel, ITRealms further gathered would now progress work with Nigeria’s other mobile operators and international partners to perform cross-network VoLTE calls to ensure that ntel’s customers could actually connect with each other as easily as they could to both customers in Nigeria and to those elsewhere in the world; a network now comprising more than seven billion telephones, globally.

Ntel further pointed out that this crystal-clear, high-definition VoLTE call was made via an ntel sim card and is set to be a significant differentiating factor for ntel as it progresses with the roll-out of Nigeria’s largest Advanced 4G/LTE network, due to be launched shortly.

Excited ntel CEO, Mr. Kamar Abass said this calls confirms that the key network elements are now in place to support the full commercial launch of premium integrated voice, video and data services over 4G/LTE.

“The ntel network is built on the 900/1800 Mhz which are the most efficient propagation frequencies for the deployment of 4G/LTE technology,” he declared.

ITRealms recollects that the ntel’s first test data call in Lagos was on Monday January 18, 2016, a few days after NatCom chairman, Tunde Ayeni appeared before the House of Representatives Communications Committee.

Ayeni had assured the Lawmakers that ntel is committed to investing over $1bn to support roll out of commercial services, starting in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. Noting that ntel will generate employment for over 4,000 Nigerians over the next five years.

This test call is a further demonstration that ntel is fully committed to building on the acquired assets of NiTel/MTel to provide world class super-fast broadband services to support the Federal Government’s 2013 National Broadband plan.

 +Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)

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Incoming Governors: Don’t be railroaded into NGF crises – Dickson warns

ITRealms:

With the meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) slated for today, Monday, May 18 2015, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has cautioned his senior colleagues to ensure crises-free NGF by ensuring that new leadership of the forum is by popular mandate, reports ITRealms.

This is coming as ITRealms gathered that tenures of most of the current governors will be ending on Friday, May 29, this year with top on the agenda of NGF would be “selection of a new leadership of the forum” and not railroaded into NGF politics.

ITRealms also reports that Gov. Dickson disposition was based on his experience in the activities of the NGF at the period during its crisis with most of the outgoing colleagues whose tenure may be ending on May 29.

“… And having also known the roles played by most of the key actors of the forum in the orchestration and mismanagement of a needless crisis at such a critical phase in our nation’s political journey,” he said.

For Gov. Dickson, he owe it as a duty to this country and its fledgling democracy to alert the nation and caution respected colleagues, especially the in-coming governors of the dangers in allowing themselves to be railroaded by the out-going governors.

He also accused most of the outgoing governors of creating the NGF crisis, to foist on Nigeria and political system another NGF contraption invariably in their own image and likeness that will in due course threaten the stability of the democracy and be a distraction to citizens and the leadership of this country, as the NGF tussle has lasted for over two years since 2012.

“They failed to show leadership by example, when it mattered most. They played politics with everything and put their personal ambitions and egos above national interest. As a democrat, I believe in robust dialogue, disagreement and the need to accommodate a variety of opinions and consensus building where the national interest so dictates,” he said.

Declaring that as true democrats and nationalists, whether they agree or disagree, it must be in the national interest, stressing that they, most of the outgoing governors, refused to show throughout the crisis, even after the tireless and fatherly intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who held series of late night meetings with NGF. 

“Most colleagues took the view that both Governors Jonah Jang and Rotimi Amaechi should step down for a neutral candidate to emerge. Again, they disagreed,” he decried and wondered what is the hurry in summoning a moribund and divided NGF under its multiple leaderships, especially in the dying days of its actors whose clash of egos and ambitions brought about the crisis in the NGF in the first place?

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) 

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