The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that preparations for the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election are nearly complete, with the commission recording 87 percent readiness.

Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, disclosed the update during an interview in Enugu. He explained that the commission had already sorted and dispatched non-sensitive materials to its six local government area offices within the senatorial district.

According to Chukwu, the materials will be moved from the council offices to Registration Area Centres (RACs) to ensure smooth distribution ahead of the June 20 poll. He stressed that the commission’s logistics plan was on track and designed to avoid last-minute challenges.

The REC also confirmed that all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices had been fully configured and charged. These devices, introduced to enhance transparency and reduce electoral malpractice, will be deployed across polling units in the district.

Chukwu noted that INEC had concluded engagements with critical stakeholders at the state, senatorial, and local government levels. He said the meetings recorded strong participation, with stakeholders raising questions about the process and receiving clarifications from senior officials.

He revealed that four political parties would field candidates in the by-election. While he declined to name them, he explained that INEC had monitored their primaries and submitted reports to the commission’s headquarters for approval.

Training for election officials is scheduled to begin on Friday, covering ad-hoc staff and permanent INEC workers. The training will focus on electoral procedures, use of BVAS devices, and compliance with guidelines.

Security arrangements are also being finalised. Chukwu said INEC would meet with the police and other security agencies to ensure the safety of officials, materials, and voters during the exercise. He emphasised that security presence would be critical to maintaining order and protecting the integrity of the process.

The by-election was scheduled after INEC published the official timetable on May 21. It is expected to fill the vacant seat in the Enugu North Senatorial District, a contest that will test the strength of political parties in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Chukwu assured residents that INEC was committed to conducting a credible poll. He urged voters to participate actively and expressed confidence that the commission’s preparations would guarantee a transparent outcome.

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that Nigeria’s telecommunications operators plan to increase capital expenditure on network infrastructure in 2026, with investments expected to exceed the more than $1billion (about N1.4 trillion) spent across the sector in 2025.

The planned increase follows infrastructure expansion in 2025, when operators deployed over 2,850 new network sites nationwide. The rollout extended coverage across urban areas, rural communities and major transport routes, while supporting the expansion of fifth-generation (5G) services.

Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the NCC, said improvements recorded in the regulator’s latest network performance report were driven by industry investment in 2025.

He said the report reflects the impact of sustained capital spending on network capacity and coverage.

“Industry investment of over $1bn in 2025 supported the deployment of more than 2,850 new sites to expand coverage and capacity nationwide,” Maida said. “The commission has received commitments from operators to exceed these investment levels in 2026.”

Nigeria faces increasing pressure on telecommunications infrastructure due to rising data consumption, higher operating costs and the need to extend reliable connectivity beyond major cities, a challenge common across emerging markets.

The increase in investment follows a period of financial strain in the sector, during which operators sought tariff adjustments. A 50 per cent increase in service charges, approved by the NCC and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, helped improve cash flow and restore operators’ capacity to invest in network expansion.

The NCC’s fourth-quarter 2025 report showed improvements in key performance indicators, including higher median download speeds in both urban and rural areas. The report also indicated a reduction in differences in video streaming quality between locations and continued strengthening of the 4G network.

Maida said the commission uses independently verified performance data to guide regulatory decisions on spectrum management, infrastructure upgrades, service quality enforcement and rural connectivity expansion.

Despite these improvements, the NCC said challenges remain. The report identified gaps in 5G availability, disparities in upload speeds and areas with limited mobile coverage.

The commission said increased infrastructure spending in 2026 would be important to addressing these gaps and supporting growing demand for data services. It added that the publication of network performance reports is part of its effort to promote data-driven regulation, supported by analysis from network intelligence firm Ookla.

With operators expected to invest beyond $1bn in 2026, the NCC said it anticipates further improvements in network reliability, speed and coverage.

The commission said it will continue to work with industry stakeholders to ensure that higher investment leads to measurable improvements in service quality for subscribers.

The Kano State Command of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) has decorated 130 officers recently promoted to various ranks in a ceremony held in Kano.

The Command’s Controller in the state, Kazeem Sholadoye disclosed this in a statement issued by the service’s Public Relations Officer, Al-Hassan Kantin on Wednesday in Kano.

Congratulating the officers, the state controller described their promotion as well deserved and a call to greater responsibility and professionalism.

Sholadoye charged the officers to see their new ranks as an opportunity to demonstrate increased commitment to protection of lives and property.

He reminded them that promotion comes with higher expectations in service delivery.

Speaking on behalf of the promoted officers, Deputy Superintendent of Fire in the command, DSF Abdullahi Muhammad expressed appreciation to the management for organising what he described as a befitting ceremony.

He reiterated the readiness of the officers to rededicate themselves to duty and uphold core values of the Federal Fire Service.