Author: Chronicle Editor

Africa is expected to cross one billion mobile subscriptions in the fourth quarter of 2016, reaching 1.02 billion by year-end. This is according to market research and advisory firm, Ovum, which also forecasts the total number of mobile subscriptions on the continent will rise to 1.33 billion at the end of 2021. However, the firm says growth in new mobile subscriptions is slowing, pointing out the average rate of mobile penetration in Africa was 79% at the end of June. Mobile voice revenue on the continent is set to decline over the five years to 2021. According to Ovum, data…

Pay-TV company MultiChoice Nigeria, has described as misleading and inaccurate recent media reports accusing it of unfairness to Nigerian subscribers. Over the last three weeks, there have been media reports purporting that MultiChoice effected a 20 per cent slash in DStv subscription in countries which it operates, leaving out Nigeria and South Africa. In a statement signed by Caroline Oghuma, Public Relations Manager, DStv, the company said that subscription rates across countries are easily verified, and that all the facts are on the internet for all to see. While admitting that DStv bouquet subscriptions were slashed in other countries, as…

This statement is issued in response to the latest falsehoods to emerge from Alhaji Atiku Abubukar. He has a record of spewing outright lies and innuendo against my person. As we struggle to build a law-abiding society and secure progressive outcomes for our people, we cannot allow the triumph on these shores of those who will have us move to a post-factual world. Not even from a man as practiced as Alhaji Atiku is in the dark arts of damaging other people through a campaign of lies from him and his media machine. Therefore, I am constrained to provide a…

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has told of how some top Nigerian officials and a cabal within the former Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) never wanted the liberalisation of the telecom sector because they were benefitting from the corruption and the stagnation of the sector. The state-owned telecom company has now been acquired by NATCOM Development and Investment trading as ntel for $252million. Governor El-Rufai, who spoke Tuesday at the Nigerian Day in the ongoing International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Telecom World 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand, said insistence of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) and the visionary leadership of former…

Alexis Sanchez’s injury gamble paid off here Tuesday as the Arsenal striker scored twice to help Chile defeat bitter rivals Uruguay 3-1 in their World Cup qualifier. Sanchez had risked the wrath of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger after playing in the Santiago showdown despite injuring a hamstring during training last week. Wenger had expressed fear Chile had made a “suicidal” decision by playing Sanchez against the Uruguayans after the injury. But the in-form striker showed no sign of ill-health with two second-half goals to seal Chile’s comeback victory after Edinson Cavani had given Uruguay an early lead at the Estadio…

As President Barack Obama bows out of the White House, thousands of Americans have taken to social media to say ‘Big’ thank you for his eight-year as number one citizen. Taking to Twitter to express their appreciation, Americans joined by others from around the world used the hashtag #ThankYouObama to shower encomium on the first African-American president of the United States and the 44th president of the country. Some who did not approve of his administration also got into the mix to express their ill feeling towards him but for this report on Chronicle NG, we will stick to those…

Lionel Messi scored a majestic free-kick and set up two more goals as Argentina got their faltering 2018 World Cup qualification campaign back on track with a 3-0 win over Colombia here Tuesday. Barcelona maestro Messi curled in a superb free-kick from 30 yards in the 10th minute before providing the cross for Lucas Pratto’s 23rd minute header. The tireless Messi then popped up in the 84th minute to set up Angel Di Maria’s late goal as Argentina secured all three points. The two-time world champions had taken just two points from their previous four games to leave themselves languishing…

Chelsea captain John Terry is wanted by Andre Villas-Boas for a reunion in China. Former Blues boss Villas-Boas is now in charge of Super League club Shanghai SIPG and hopes to sign the 35-year-old. (Mirror) Inter Milan are preparing to bid for Chelsea midfielder Oscar. The Serie A club tried to sign the 25-year-old when the London club acquired him for £25m in 2012 and Chelsea will expect to recoup their fee if he is to leave. (London Evening Standard) Sunderland manager David Moyes has revealed he will not leave the club to coach Scotland if Gordon Strachan leaves the…

Around 14 million people will need humanitarian help in the former northeast Nigerian stronghold region of Boko Haram militants and tens of thousands of children will be at risk of dying from famine, a United Nations official said on Tuesday. The Islamist militant group has killed 15,000 people and displaced more than 2 million from their homes during a seven-year insurgency in Africa’s most populous nation and biggest energy producer. Nigerian military forces backed by those from neighbouring states have pushed Boko Haram back to the northeast’s vast Sambisa forest in the last few months, enabling aid workers to access…

Nigeria’s Senate, on Tuesday, rejected the entire list of 46 non-career ambassador-nominees forwarded to it for confirmation in October by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Senate, however, confirmed the nomination of 47 career ambassadors forwarded to it by the President in July. The rejection of the 46 non-career nominees was based on a report submitted by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Monsurat Sunmonu (APC-Oyo). Sunmonu said the imbalance of nominations observed in the list of career nominees was not corrected by the President in the non-career list. According to her, over 250 petitions were received by the committee from…