The Nigerian Communications Commission
(NCC), monday in Lagos, revealed that broadband penetration in the country has
moved from 10 per cent in 2014 to 14 per cent in 2016.
It also assured Nigerians of the
possibility of attaining the planned 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018,
as projected in the country’s National Broadband Plan.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof.
Umar Garba Danbatta, who made the disclosure yesterday at a stakeholders’ forum
organised by NCC to announce Nigeria’s participation at the forthcoming ITU
Telecoms World 2016 which would take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from November
14 to 17, an annual telecoms programme put together since 1971 by the
International Telecoms Union (ITU).
Danbatta said he was convinced based on the
broadband infrastructure on ground, that it is not impossible for the county to
attain 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018, contrary to widespread
speculations that Nigeria may not meet the country’s projected broadband plan
of attaining 30 per cent broadband penetration by the said year.
“As we speak, Nigeria has moved from 10 per
cent broadband penetration to 14 per cent, and the penetration is expected to
increase more with the rollout of 2.3GHz broadband services by Bitflux
Consortium that won the 2.3GHz broadband spectrum licence,” Danbatta said.
Also, NCC has licenced two infrastructure
companies for Lagos and North Central, including Abuja. Five more licences are
underway for North-west, North-east, South-west, South-south and South-east.
“Our processes are being fine-tuned to
actualise the licencing rounds. By the time all these are put in place,
broadband penetration will increase and surpass the 30 per cent penetration by
2018,” Danbatta added.
He said although the ICT sector has
recorded a very significant growth in the last 15 years when the country moved
from 500,000 active lines to 157 million active lines and surpassed the 100 per
cent threshold for teledensity to 107 per cent, there is still much to be done
to boost broadband penetration in the country.
“Mobile internet connectivity climbed from
50,000 in 2001 to its current 97 million. We have over $35 billion foreign
direct investment (FDIs) and local investments are also in billions of dollar.
Our success story is very long but we as the regulators are not resting on our
oars, believing that we are largely there.
“There is a gap in our broadband sector and
we hope to bridge this gap by attracting foreign investors to invest in
broadband,” the NCC boss stated.
He said the need to attract investors
remained the reason NCC is mobilising Nigerian companies and multinationals
doing businesses in Nigeria, including individuals, to participate in this
year’s ITU conference.
“We are going to Bangkok in Thailand to
showcase our products and solutions and to attract foreign investors to come to
Nigeria and invest in broadband,” he added.
NCC, he said, would be showcasing some Nigerian technology startups that have developed viable solutions that address immediate needs of the country.
NCC, he said, would be showcasing some Nigerian technology startups that have developed viable solutions that address immediate needs of the country.
Source:Thisday
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