NAIJAFEED

Monday, August 19, 2024

Elon Musk Acquires Land In Nigeria To Construct Starlink Ground Stations

Elon Musk’s internet company, Starlink, is making significant progress in Nigeria by planning to establish ground stations across the country, aiming to enhance connectivity for millions of Nigerians.

BMA understands that Starlink has acquired approximately 29,000 acres of land in Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers states to develop these facilities.

The ground stations will be in strategic areas such as Okun Ajah in Lagos State, Sagamu in Ogun State, and Port Harcourt in Rivers State. Construction is already underway in Okun Ajah, with completion expected by the fourth quarter of 2024. The remaining locations are projected to be operational by 2025.

In collaboration with Equinix, a leader in data centre solutions, Starlink is building these ground stations to strengthen its presence in Nigeria. Equinix entered the Nigerian market in 2022 after acquiring MainOne, a prominent data centre and connectivity provider, in a $320 million deal.

These ground stations, also known as Gateways, are crucial for Starlink’s satellite-based internet service. They communicate with Starlink satellites orbiting the Earth, facilitating data transmission between the satellites and the internet backbone on the ground.

By establishing local ground stations, Starlink aims to bypass international data centres, potentially reducing latency and improving internet performance for users in Nigeria, offering faster, more reliable internet services for both individual users and businesses.

Starlink entered the Nigerian market in 2022 after obtaining various licenses, including an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a Sales and Installation license, and an International Gateway license. The company has rapidly become the third-largest ISP in Nigeria as of the first quarter of 2024, indicating its significant impact on the country’s telecom sector.

Despite higher costs compared to local ISPs, Starlink has experienced a customer surge driven by its satellite service’s ability to provide connectivity in areas with poor internet coverage. With the completion of its ground stations, Starlink is set to further solidify its position as a major player in Nigeria’s telecom landscape, offering a new standard for internet connectivity across the country.

Broadcast Media Africa

Musk’s Starlink to disrupt ISP market as hope rises for 25m unserved Nigerians

Nigeria police working to secure release of 20 kidnapped medical students

Nigerian police and security agencies are working to secure the release of 20 medical students who were kidnapped in the eastern part of the country, officials say.

The medical students were on their way to an annual convention when they were abducted in Benue State on Thursday evening, police and university sources said on Saturday.

The Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students said in a statement that the students were travelling to the convention in the city of Enugu when they were taken.

Fortune Olaye, the secretary-general of the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association, said 20 medical students from two universities, as well as one doctor travelling with them, had been kidnapped.

It added that there had been a ransom demand in return for their release.

In a Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) letter to the inspector general of police, posted on the social media platform X, NMA secretary-general Benjamin Egbo said 12 of the abducted students were from the University of Jos and eight were from the University of Maiduguri.

One of the students managed to share their location, indicating that they were in the Oglewu Ehaje area in Benue State, the letter said.

“The Nigerian Medical Association is deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of these future medical professionals,” it added, saying that swift and decisive action to secure their return was “crucial”.

The kidnapping was also confirmed by Catherine Anene, public relations officer for police in Benue State.

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue State, said in a statement that he had “directed security agencies in the state to intensify efforts and ensure the safe release” of the students.

The national police said in a statement that it had ordered the deployment of “advanced helicopters and drones, as well as the use of specialized tactical vehicles to facilitate the search and secure the safe return of the victims”.

The kidnapped students were reportedly travelling from the northern part of the country in a convoy of two buses when the incident occurred, Nigeria’s This Day newspaper reported.

The students were abducted on the road near the town of Otukpo, less than 150km (93 miles) from Enugu, which often witnesses attacks and kidnappings.

Cases of kidnapping have increased significantly in Nigeria due to a severe economic crisis which is pushing more people towards crime. However, official figures are unreliable as many cases are not reported.

In 2022, a law was passed banning payments to kidnappers – but many families say they feel they have no choice but to cough up the ransoms demanded.

Nigerian consultancy firm SBM Intelligence said it had recorded 4,777 cases between May 2023, when Bola Tinubu assumed charge as president, and January 2024.

Al Jazeera

Seven dead, 100 kidnapped after attack in northern Nigeria

Friday, August 16, 2024

Video - Nigeria struggles to meet crude oil production targets

Nigeria's crude oil output in July 2024 rose slightly above 1.3 million barrels per day, up from June's output of 1.28 million. However, this still falls short of the 1.5 million bpd OPEC quota and far below Nigeria's 1.78 million barrels per day budget target for 2024. Lack of infrastructure and expertise, oil theft, and low investments continue to cripple output.

CGTN

Video - Nigeria to create 1.4 million jobs through cotton and textile industry

The government also wants to develop key components of the cotton value chain. Presently, Nigeria imports close to 90 percent of its textile products. This new initiative aims to change that.

CGTN

Army destroys illegal refineries in Nigeria, seizes crude oil

The Nigerian army said on Wednesday that it had destroyed at least 27 illicit oil refineries and seized around 100,000 liters (26,400 gallons) of stolen crude oil in a series of raids in the Niger river delta this week.

In a statement, the army said its troops destroyed 23 illegal sites along the Imo River in southeast Nigeria. It described the region as "a renowned hub of criminal activities."

Elsewhere, soldiers from the 16th brigade neutralized four illegal refineries in the Degema region near Port Harcourt.

Army spokesman Danjuma Jonah Danjuma said that, along with the crude oil itself, vehicles, storage tanks and metal drums were also confiscated.

"The confiscated products are being handled appropriately," the lieutenant colonel said, according to Nigeria's Daily Post newspaper.

Major General Jamal Abdussalam, commanding officer of the sixth division, commended his troops for their "renewed disposition to take criminal merchants out of business" and ordered them to "ensure the integrity of the pipelines [is] maintained."

He also called on local community stakeholders to continue to provide information on criminal activities to the security agencies.

Nigeria's economy hit by drop in oil supply

Nigeria is Africa's leading energy producer but large-scale oil theft and pipeline sabotage have decreased output in recent years — reducing exports, crippling government finances and posing a serious challenge for President Bola Tinubu.

Just last week, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said it had only been able to help secure 177,777 barrels per day (bpd) from oil producers in the first six months of the year, despite refineries raising their requirements for the second half of 2024 to 597,700 bpd.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Lagos are considering new, stricter punishments for "subversive actions" which critics say are aimed at anti-government protesters. However, the proposed regulation could feasibly by applied to oil smugglers, too.

On Wednesday, parliamentarians began debating a Counter Subversion Bill which proposes three-year jail terms for "disobeying constituted authority," five years for erecting "illegal road blocks" and up to ten years for refusal to sing the national anthem.

The new bill comes as a response to nationwide protests against economic reforms which have exacerbated a cost-of-living crisis in Nigeria.