Featured

Active phone subscribers reduce in February – NCC

Published

7 years ago

April 15, 2019

The NCC) says there was a decrease of 342,101 active subscribers on the telecommunication networks in February 2019.

NCC disclosed this in its Monthly Subscriber/Operator Data made available on its website on Monday.

Active subscribers on the telecommunications networks reduced from 174,012,136 in January to 173,670,035 in February.

According to the data, 173,276,528 of the 173,670,035 active numbers subscribe to the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network services.

The GSM operators’ active customers’ figure decreased by 348,778 in February, against the 173,625,306 subscribers recorded in January.

The report stated that out of the GSM operators, MTN had 65,565,878 users in February, showing a decrease of 99,480 from the 66,665,378 it recorded in January.

“Globacom’s figure increased in February by 400,879 with 46,004,517 customers, as against 45,603,638 in January.

“Airtel had 44,975,532 subscribers in the month under review, which showed an increase of 4,559 users, from the 44,970,973 recorded in January.

“9mobile recorded 16,730,581 customers in February, having an increase of 345,264 subscribers, against 16,385,317 in January.

“The Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators recorded 123,547 subscribers in the month under review, indicating a decrease of 710, from 124,257 users in January.

“Visafone which is one of the two surviving CDMA operators had 119,087 customers in February, showing a decrease of 710 from the 119,797 recorded in January,” it said.

The report added that Multi-Links had 4,460 in the month under review, same with the record of January.

“The monthly subscriber/operator data showed that Fixed Wireless network (landline) consumers remained at 26,865 in February.

“One of the two landline networks, Visafone had 26,437 subscribers, while Multi-Links maintained its record of 428 customers in the month under review.”

It also revealed that the Fixed Wired operators (landline) subscriber base decreased by 154; reducing to 107,795 users in February, as against 107,949 recorded in January.

“In the Fixed Wired arena, MTN Fixed moved from 5,480 users in January to 5,459 users in February, thereby decreasing by 21 customers.

“Glo Fixed had 2,884 users in February, decreasing by 12 customers from the January record of 2,896.

“IpNX network moved from 2,248 subscriber base in January to 2,233 in February, hence, its customers decreased by 15.”

It said that 21st Century Network had 97,219 customers in February, recording a decrease of 106 users from its January record of 97,325 subscribers.

The report also showed that the two Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) networks had 135,300 active users in February, as their customers increased by 7,541 from their January subscriber base of 127,759.

“Of the VOIP networks, Smile Communication had 129,468 customers, giving an increase of 8,207 users to its January result of 121,261.

“Ntel had 5,832 consumers subscribing to its products and services in February, showing a decrease of 666 users from the January record of 6,498,” it said.

The regulatory body said that Section 89, Subsection 3(c) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 mandates it to monitor and report the state of the telecommunications industry.

“The commission is mandated to provide statistical analyses and identify industry trends with regard to: services, tariffs, operators, technology, subscribers, issues of competition and dominance.

“This is with a view to identifying areas where regulatory intervention will be needed.

“The commission regularly conducts studies, surveys and produces reports on the telecommunications industry.

“Therefore, telecommunications operators are obligated, under the terms of their licenses, to provide NCC with such data on a regular basis for analytical review and publishing,” it said.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

Share on Facebook