Tag: Isa Pantami

15Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Isa Pantami Criticises Clerics Who Go Into Politics (Throwback Video)

Isa Pantami expressing his utter rejection of public service. He condemned his colleagues who took public appointments and vowed never to join them. President Buhari ignored this and other views of Mr Pantami’s and put him in charge of Nigeria’s crucial telecoms infrastructure. https://youtu.be/RZyqJjcAMiA

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12Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

US Places Isa Pantami On Terror Sponsor Watchlist

There is disquiet in the land at the weekend follow­ing an allegation that the Minister of Com­munications and Digital Economy, Alhaji Isa Ali Ibrahim, also known as Sheikh Pantami, has fall­en on the watch list of the America’s Intelligence Service. Ibrahim, also the Dep­uty Secretary General of the Supreme Sharia Council in Nigeria and a former student of Salafist ideologies, was trained in Saudi Arabia and the Mid­dle East with other top Is­lamic jihadists. Before his appointment as a minister, Ibrahim was a known Islamic preacher and held what was termed ‘dangerous views’ against the American govern­ment with allegiance to Al-Qaeda. According to a report, the minister was said to be a very close confidant of the late Mohammed Yusuf, the killed leader of Boko Haram with w...

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5Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business

USSD War: Banks Unblock MTN, Reconnect Telco To Banking Channels

After 48 hours of disconnecting MTN customers from banking channels including the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data and banking apps, commercial banks on Sunday have reconnected MTN customers to banking channels. Our correspondent gathered that the development followed the intervention of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. The PUNCH had reported that the banks blocked MTN customers on Friday, leaving millions of MTN subscribers frustrated as they were unable to recharge airtime via USSD amid the Easter celebrations. MTN, with about 77 million subscribers, making up about 45 per cent of the total telecommunication market share in Nigeria, is arguably the largest telecommunicati...

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4Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business

USSD: MTN Snubs Banks, Links 77 Million Subscribers To FINTECH Platforms

MTN customers in Nigeria now have alternative electronic payment platforms to recharge their phones as the mobile network operator on Saturday announced that customers can recharge airtime through payment solutions platforms such as Flutterwave, Jumia Pay, OPay, Kuda, Carbon and BillsnPay for customers to recharge virtually. MTN in a statement on Saturday by its Senior Manager, External Relations, Funso Aina, also said customers could recharge airtime by dialing *904# and *606#. This is coming barely 24 hours after commercial banks on Friday disconnected MTN customers from banking channels including the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data and banking apps, leaving millions of MTN subscribers frustrated as they were unable to recharge airtime via USSD amid the Easter celebrati...

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3Apr By dthataNo Comments

Business

FG Intervenes As MTN, Banks Trade Blame Over Shutdown

The Nigerian government says it has intervened in a feud between Nigerian banks and MTN, which left millions of phone users unable to buy airtime Friday. Talks to resolve a row over the sharing of fees on airtime sales between the two sides “reached an advanced stage” for suspended services to be restored, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, announced on Twitter late Friday. “On the fallout between @MTNNG and some banks on USSD services today, I engaged with both regulators, the Governor of @cenbank and EVC @NgComCommission. We have reached an advanced stage of resolving the issues, for the services to be restored to our citizens. Many thanks,” he said. Banks removed the telecom giant from their platforms, disallowing MTN users from accessing their ...

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2Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

14 Years Imprisonment For Not Having NIN – Pantami Says He Was Misquoted

Isa Pantami, Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, has denied saying that Nigerians without National Identification Number (NIN) risk up to 14 years in jail. He was quoted earlier in a report warning that failure to obtain the NIN could lead to as much as 14 years imprisonment. ....registration for NIN is not optional, but a mandate by law, warning that failure to enroll precludes defaulting citizens and residents from operating certain functions like using banks and communication services. He also warned that failure to obtain the NIN could lead to between seven or 14 years imprisonment as stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution, no one should enjoy government services without the number. He has now offered clarifications. This has been quoted out of context. Pa...

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12Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

INEC May Not Make NIN Compulsory For Voter Registration

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) might have rejected the proposed use of the National Identification Number (NIN) as a requirement for voter registration. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had last month, while citing Section 27 of the National Identity Management Commission Act of 2007, said NIN was compulsory for transactions such as bank account opening, payment of taxes and voter registration. INEC had fixed the first quarter of this year for resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. But speaking at a validation workshop for INEC voter education manual in Lokoja, Kogi State, yesterday, the commission’s spokesman, Festus Okoye, said the electoral body would not “impose or accept imposition of extraneous registration re...

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14Feb By dthataNo Comments

Politics

NIN Mandatory For Bank Accounts, Voter Registration – Isa Pantami

Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, says the national identification number (NIN) is compulsory for transactions such as bank account opening, payment of taxes and voter registration. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, he said the government is determined to ensure that all citizens have NIN. Pantami quoted section 27 of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) act as stating that benefitting from government services as a citizen without NIN is an offence punishable by imprisonment. “This is most important in the area of NIN, which is a mandatory number, based on the NIMC order of 2007 that has actively been neglected for years, ” he said. “It is key to our national planning, budget, security, social development and many more. But it was negle...

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3Feb By dthataNo Comments

News

56.2 Million NIN Linked To SIMs, Says NCC

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have collected 56.18 million National Identity Numbers (NIN) since the commencement of the ongoing Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) registration started, says the Federal Government. The government added that over 1,060 registration centres for NIN have been activated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) across the country to give Nigerians and legal residents more time to integrate their NIN with their SIMs. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who announced this in Abuja, explained that the NIN-SIM linkage deadline of February 9 had been extended to April 6. According to a statement by the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Ikechukwu Adinde and his NIMC counterpart, M...

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2Feb By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Government Moves NIN-SIM Linkage Deadline To April 6

The ongoing National Identification Number and Subscriber Identity Module integration exercise has been extended by eight weeks, the Federal Government announced on Tuesday morning. It said the new deadline was now April 6, 2021. Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde, who disclosed this in a WhatsApp message to our correspondent, said the extension was conveyed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami. Pantami conveyed the message during the meeting of the Ministerial Taskforce on NIN-SIM registration which held on the 1st of February, 2021.

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29Jan By dthataNo Comments

Politics

NIN Registration Will Help To Curb Crime – Isa Pantami

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami has expressed hope of the National Identity Number registration helping to curb crime and also helping Nigeria achieve a digital economy. The Minister who spoke at the Global Privacy Day Celebration, 2021 said the value of the registration exercise would become appreciated with the ease at which e-government services would be delivered, the reduction in crime, and general efficiency guaranteed by the database. Pantami said; “Identifying every Nigeria is a soft infrastructure needed to achieve our digital economy objective. “Indeed, the needed pieces for the digital economy is falling in place and we are committed to laying a solid and lasting foundation for a digital Nigeria. "I am more delighted to see ...

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27Jan By dthataNo Comments

News

We’ve Licensed Telcos To Provide NIN – NIMC

Telecommunications companies have been licensed to register people who do not have National Identity Numbers so as to reduce the large crowds at the offices of the National Identity Management Commission, the NIMC has said . Director - General, NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, said some other private and public organisations had also been licensed by the commission to provide NINs in order to address the crowds at commission’ s offices . This came as workers of the commission told our correspondent on Tuesday that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy , Isa Pantami , had constituted a committee to address the demands of NIMC employees. NIMC workers had downed tools on January 7, 2021 in protest against the poor welfare issues at the commission, but their strike was suspended after t...

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19Jan By dthataNo Comments

Politics

NIMC Disowns Fake Twitter Account

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has disowned a Twitter account fraudulently posing as the commission. “The Twitter account @NIMC_ng is an imposter account. The official Twitter account of the National Identity Management Commission is @nimc_ng,” it said in a disclaimer on Tuesday. The commission also warned the public against giving their personal information to “fraudsters using parody accounts.” The disclaimer came against the backdrop of increasing engagements with the parody account over the National Identity Numbers (NIN) linkage with SIM cards. Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami said on Tuesday that a total of 47.8 million NINs had been collected ahead of February 2021 deadline.

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17Jan By dthataNo Comments

Politics

NIN Is Mandatory For Foreign Diplomats – Isa Pantami

The Federal Government says National Identity Numbers is mandatory for foreign diplomats, saying that an enrolment centre has been established for them at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, said this in a statement by his Technical Assistant, Dr Femi Adeluyi, on Sunday. The statement read, “The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has approved the setting up of a National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment centre at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The desk will be set up by Tuesday, 19th of January, 2021. “This enrolment centre will provide support for members of the Diplomatic Corps and will be managed by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital...

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24Nov By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Minister Of Communications, Pantami’s Teenage Daughter, Aishah Dies

Inna lil Laahi wa inna ilaiHi Rajiun! My 13-year old daughter, Aishah Isa Ali (Amal) passed away just a moment ago. Due to some necessities, funeral prayer tomorrow at Annur Masjeed, Wuse 2, immediately after Zuhr prayer in sha Allah. May Allah forgive & be Merciful to her.

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12Sep By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Nigeria’s Economy Will Be 21% Digital Driven By 2021 – Isa Pantami

The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, has predicted that the Nigerian economy would be 21 per cent digital come 2021, because digitalisation is becoming the most adopted economy globally. The minister, while speaking at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria’s (CIBN) 2020 Graduates’ Induction and Prize Award’s Day, said the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of the digitalization in the growth of any nation’s economy. Pantami noted that there has never been a more urgent time to fast track digital transformation in Nigeria, saying that the digital economy drive is aimed at rapidly enhancing digital identification, broadband penetration, how bank accounts are run, etc. While stressing the need for professionals to develop more innovat...

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8Sep By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Nigeria To Replace National Identity Card With Digital Number – Isa Pantami

The federal government has given an insight into the transfer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy said with the development, the concept of Digital Number would be prioritized to replace the National Identity Card. He made the disclosure in an interview with PRNigeria’s Economic Confidential. Pantami confirmed that the contribution of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased in the second quarter of 2020. The minister said broadband penetration rose significantly from a little above 30 percent to more than 42 percent in the last year. “Any country where broadband penetration incre...

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5Jun By dthataNo Comments

Politics

President Buhari Approves Re-appointment Of Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta Chief Executive Of NCC

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reappointment of Umar Danbatta as executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Uwa Suleiman, spokesman to Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, broke the news in a statement on Friday. He said the reappointment was based on the recommendation of Pantami and in line with the Nigerian communications act of 2003. Suleiman said Pantami urged the reappointed executive vice chairman to improve on the commission’s performance and also ensure compliance with federal government directives. “In an effort to consolidate the gains made in the telecommunications sector in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the reappointment of Professo...

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17May By dthataNo Comments

News

Pantami Blocks Twitter Users Who Questioned Silence On Zamfara, Katsina Killings

Nigerians on social networking platform, Twitter, are recounting how Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, blocked them for questioning him about his silence on the attacks by armed bandits in Zamfara and Katsina states. While in the opposition in 2012, Pantami heavily criticised the handling of insurgency in Nigeria's North-East by former President, Goodluck Jonathan. He also said in an opinion piece published on an online news platform that "leadership in Nigeria has failed" and called on Nigerians to "rise up" and change the situation. An audio where he incited Nigerians against Jonathan over his handling of security in the country has also been making the rounds on Twitter, with many accusing him of hypocrisy now that the party he belongs to, the All P...

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25Apr By dthataNo Comments

News

Pantami’s Decision To Mine Data Of Phone Users Trailed By Controversy

THERE are growing concerns over the decision of the Muhammadu Buhari government to mine Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data of phone users in the country. Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy disclosed government’s plan to mine phone data in a viral video circulating across the social media platforms, in which he said that the poorest of the poor in the country were identified and offered supports through the SIM registration data mined by the ministry. The Minister revealed this in a video interview with an unidentified person. The statement also aligns with the recent pronouncement by Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, who said beneficiaries of the social intervention scheme would be sourced through SIM...

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17Feb By BobbyNo Comments

News

Shariah Council Dares Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau to Come out From Hiding

The Supreme Council for Shar’ah in Nigeria have dared Boko Haram's leader, Abubakar Shekau to come out from hiding and face the country's military if he is courageous enough. The Muslim group who reacted to a video clip in which Shekau confessed to killing a founding member of the Council, Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam (R) and also issued threats to another member of the Council who is also a serving minister Isa Pantami, reminded President Muhammadu Buhari of the campaign promise he made in 2015 to end Boko Haram insurgency. Addressing a press conference on Monday February 17, SCSN Secretary General Nafi’u Baba Ahmad  said; “Few days ago, Nigerians were rudely shocked by the release of a video clip by the leader of the Boko Haram (BH), in which he confessed to the killing of a f...

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16Feb By dthataNo Comments

News

Boko Haram Kicks Against New Sim Card Policy, Threatens Minister

Boko Haram has kicked against the new sim card policy and has vowed to move against the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami. Abubakar Shekau, leader of the terror group made this known in a recent video made public on Friday. Their grievances against Mr Pantami is the resolve of the minister to have the sim card registration policy reviewed. In the new policy proposed by the Minister, no Nigerian is expected to own more than three sim cards. All sim cards in the country must be updated with the National Identity Number (NIN) before the year ends and subscribers must tender sufficient reasons why they need more than one sim cards at the point of registration or upgrade. The initiative is said to have not augured well with the terrorists, leading to th...

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15Feb By BobbyNo Comments

News

Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau Allegedly Orders his men to Attack Minister of Communication

Shekau Abubakar, the leader of Boko Haram sect, has threatened to attack the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, for recently threatening to ensure that the communication lines of the sect members are blocked.   According to The Cable, the sect leader in the new video which was released on Thursday February 13th, said he has asked his men not to spare the minister anywhere they see him “This video message is specifically released because of one man, who thinks he is knowledgeable. I want him to archive this message and continue referring to it till his death comes. From today onward, you will continue to live in sorrow, because I, Shekau, say so. “This warning is for Isa Ali Panatami; don’t think simply because you preach in English or becau...

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21Nov By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Telecom Firms Shun Minister Of Communications, Isa Pantami’s Data Cut Directive

The ministerial directive on reduction of data cost has been ignored by telecommunication firms. It was learnt that the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has not given the instruction to the operators. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, gave the order on October 20 after receiving the progress report on the implementation of Short-Term Performance Targets set for the NCC. The minister re-issued the directive on November 5, saying he was not satisfied with the explanations of the Commission. He NCC five days ultimatum to get the operators to reduce the cost of data and stop what he called “illegal deductions from subscribers”. But 20 days after the ultimatum, the directive has not been implemented, dampenring the morale of telecoms subs...

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23Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Ministry Of Communications Changes Name, Gets FEC Approval

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Communications as Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja....

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22Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Communications Minister, Isa Pantami Asks Telcos To Slash Data Price

Isa Pantami, minister of communications, has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to work with the telecommunications service providers to reduce the price of data. According to Yusuf Abubakar, an aide of the minister, Pantami gave the directive to the regulator when he received a report on the implementation of the ministry’s short-term performance targets. Abubakar said Pantami expressed dismay that despite the high cost of data, Nigerians do not enjoy good internet services. “According to the report from a UK-based price comparison website – Cable, Nigeria is not among the top 10 African countries with low average price of data, a position the Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Pantami, finds worrisome considering the fact that the country has over 174 mill...

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27Nov By ZIHONo Comments

News

NITDA Partners EFCC On IT Projects Clearance

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says it is collaborating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) comply with the clearance of Information Technology projects procurement. Dr Isa Pantami, Director-General of NITDA, said this in a statement signed by Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, in Abuja. “In an effort to strengthen the IT Projects clearance process, Dr Isa Pantami, the Director General sought for the support of the EFCC. “This is to sustain its fight against corrupt practices in IT procurements of Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). “Mr Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC Acting Chairman pledged the Commission’s support and indica...

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20Jun By Czar Owolabi MarcusNo Comments

News

NITDA Commends CAC, FIRS, JAMB For Effective Use Of ICT

The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, on Monday commended some government agencies for their effective use of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, for service delivery. A statement signed by Isa Pantami, NITDA Director General, said the commendation was necessary because the agencies met the expectations and requirements of the Executive Order signed recently by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. The executive order was on the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business environment, designed to facilitate the ease of doing business in Nigeria through the use of ICT. According to the statement, the agencies are the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and Corporate Affairs Commission, ...

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