The Nigerian Communications Commission has raised hopes towards achieving the national target of 70 per cent broadband penetration, as provided in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said at the first stakeholders’ consultation with industry players held under the auspices of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy in Abuja on Monday.
According to a statement by Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, Danbatta said the commission was embarking on necessary regulatory measures to actualise the targets in the broadband policy.
“As a commission, we are seeking collaborative action for the implementation of the plan and the NDEPS. The commission will continue to facilitate necessary regulatory measures for the deployment of fibre infrastructure to all parts of the country, which is crucial for pervasive broadband penetration that we are all working to achieve,” Danbatta said.
He said further that steady progress had been made with 54,724, kilometer of fibre deployed thus far across the country.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Pantami, has engaged industry players and agencies to discuss ways for achieving accelerated implementation of the new NNBP.
At the first stakeholders’ consultation with the industry players held under the auspices of the Ministry in Abuja on October 19, 2020,
Speaking, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Ibrahim Pantami, specifically harped on the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to achieve the national target as provided in the NNBP.
Pantami said, “So far, the journey for broadband penetration in Nigeria has been quite commendable and with the steady growth we are making, we are hopeful that our digital economy drive will be actualized. It is, however, important to bear in mind that broadband penetration, access to smartphones, development of digital identity ecosystem and biometric verification of bank accounts, are four key elements that can drive the digital economy.”
Speaking at the meeting, the President of Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, Olusola Teniola, advocated the need for buy-in by the operators and key stakeholders in the broadband vision and implementation drive of the government.
