Category Nigeria News

The Senate Committee on Communications was given the task of looking into the recent rise in data costs and come up with recommendations for more sustainable and business-friendly telecommunications sectors on Wednesday.

Following a debate on a bill sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), resolutions were introduced to discuss the financial strain that the price increase has placed on millions of Nigerians, particularly young people who rely on affordable internet access for their livelihoods.

The bill stated that “much of Nigerians, especially young people who rely on the internet for their livelihood, are under a significant financial strain due to the over 200% cost increase.”

Senate passes a bill mandating citizen registration

The Senate instructed the Federal Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to review the data costs and “ensure that pricing remains fair and affordable for all Nigerians” among the resolutions that were passed.

The bill identified a number of factors that contributed to Nigeria’s high cost of telecommunications, including:

* Unreliable power supply and poor infrastructure

* High import taxes on ICT equipment

* Mehr taxes and exorbitant regulatory fees

* Security-related issues causing higher operational risks and insurance expenses

* Bureaucratic bottlenecks stifle innovation and business growth

* High fuel costs and alternative energy costs as a result of the nation’s unreliable national grid.

The lawmakers also vowed to ask the Federal Government to work with telecom providers to review recent price increases and ensure fair and affordable pricing in order to address the issues.

The repeal and reenactment of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act resulted in the passage of a bill that mandates the mandatory registration of citizens.

The Committee on National Identity Card and Population, which was led by Senator Victor Umeh representing Anambra Central, submitted and considered a report.

Umeh explained that the legislation aims to create a standardized, cost-effective identity system that adheres to international best practices, improves data accuracy, promotes inclusion, and closes existing gaps in Nigeria’s identity database.

The South-West Development Commission Bill, the South-South Development Commission Bill, and the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025, have received opposition from President Bola Tinubu.

Basheer Lado, the president’s special adviser on Senate issues, made the announcement in a statement in which he noted that the legislations reflect Tinubu’s commitment to fairness, progress, and Nigeria’s rise as a global powerhouse.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his role as a transformational leader who places a premium on regional empowerment, economic expansion, and infrastructural excellence by enacting the laws establishing the South-West and South-South Development Commissions.

It is obvious that President Tinubu is deliberate about bringing development across all regions, he said, “building on the foundation of his earlier assent to the South-East and South-West Development Commissions.”

Ezekwesili’s encounter with Nwebonyi demonstrates What Women Endure In Many Cases.

Lado promised that the commissions would act as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and social advancement, ensuring that the progressive vision of his administration would be applied to all of Nigeria.

He added that the 2025 Anti-Doping Bill established Nigeria’s commitment to fairness, excellence, and integrity in international sports.

The House of Representatives’ second reading process now includes a bill that would remove immunity from the vice president, governors, and their deputies.

This proposed legislation aims to combat corruption, end impunity, and promote accountability for public officials.

The bill aims to improve accountability for those in charge of their actions, improving accountability and transparency.

In addition to strengthening institutions and encouraging accountability in Nigeria’s public sector, this development is a part of a larger effort.

Additionally, a second reading for 39 bills requiring constitutional amendments has been arranged.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution, 1999, has a bill to amend the Constitution to allow the president to exercise his immunity, remove the vice president’s immunity, and their deputies, in order to combat corruption, end impunity, and promote accountability in public office.

The bill to change the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to set aside the minister of justice of a state from the commissioner for justice of a state, is also slated for second reading.

A motion to honor the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu was the subject of a heated debate in the Senate on Wednesday, which caused tense exchanges among the members before being ultimately rejected.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised the motion, which was co-sponsored by members of the minority caucus, primarily from the South-East, under the theme of “urgent need to immortalize Professor Humphrey Nwosu’s contributions and brave defense of the democratic electoral process during the 1993 presidential elections.

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the leader of the Senate, raised a motion of order just as Senator Abaribe began to present the motion, alleging that lawmakers had not received copies of the motion, a procedural blunder, but Senator Abaribe disputed that the documents were available. The chamber became agitated as a result of the disagreement.

Read more about Senate’s investigation into rising costs for data services.

Senator Barau Jibrin, the session’s deputy president, noted that the motion was contentious and that the public had differed regarding Prof. Nwosu’s involvement in the presidential election that was postponed on June 12, 1993.

He claims that it’s “controversial.” Some view him as one of the six people who cut June 12, and others call him a “hero of democracy”

The “nays” had the day when the motion was ultimately put to a voice vote, effectively rejecting the idea.

The Senate Leader, who explained that the time has passed for that, furthering the escalating tensions, rejected Senator Abaribe’s attempts to reintroduce the motion under various procedural orders.

A clearly irritable Abaribe questioned the merits of an honoring Nwosu motion. What’s wrong with this motion, he asked? Why would Prof. Nwosu be immortalized?

Senators Yahaya Abdullahi and Senator Abaribe both warned against creating a “dangerous precedent” that would prevent lawmakers from bringing up important issues.

“We must allow speakers to speak.” If we don’t, he said, “We are saying that whenever things go wrong, we can’t fix them,” he said.

However, the deputy senator president responded by pointing out differences in Abaribe’s procedural language, saying, “You approached me to bring the motion under Order 50 and 51, but you later changed it to Order 42. Senator Abaribe is advised to resubmit his motion on the upcoming legislative date by saying, “This is a process.”

Senators from the South-East who were criticized for the motion’s rejection publicly, including Senators Victor Umeh and Patrick Ndubaeze. He raged, “What is the meaning of this?” and asked, “What is the meaning of this?” This is not how we can continue to operate. How are things going? ‘.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved 42 constitutional amendment bills for second reading.

The bill that would remove the vice president’s, governors, and their deputies’ immunity from prosecution would be one of the bills that would improve accountability in public office, combat corruption, and promote impunity.

This came after 39 bills for constitutional amendments passed the green chamber on Tuesday for second reading.

Ezekwesili’s encounter with Nwebonyi demonstrates What Women Endure In Many Cases.

Among the notable suggestions that came up for second reading on Wednesday are:

A bill to amend the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution to increase accountability in public office, reduce impunity, and remove the president’s immunity from the vice president, governors, and their deputies, and to end corruption.

A bill to change the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution to separate the minister of justice from the governor of a state and the commissioner for justice from the governor of a state.

The minimum number of youths and women who can be appointed to specific positions are specified in a bill for an act to change the provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution of 1999 to grant citizenship to spouses of women from Nigeria.

The bills that would create Ijebu, Ife-Ijesa, Tiga, Orlu, and Etiti were also introduced.