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The Federal Government has
concluded its plans on a comprehensive roadmap to attain cheap internet and
broadband services across the country, it was gathered yesterday.
The roadmap would also address
underserved and unserved communities in rural areas and places affected by
security challenges, especially Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. They are said
to be about 300 communities across Nigeria.
The Minister of Communications,
Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani is spearheading the drive with
telecom stakeholders and regulatory bodies to improve and accelerate broadband
penetration beyond the current 45.5 percent.
But telecom companies have also
complained of multiple taxation/levies, access to foreign exchange and the
challenges associated with Right of Way (RoW) as critical areas to be addressed
for the government approach to yield the desired results as soon as possible.
Dr Tijani has been largely quiet
in pursuing his agenda for the Ministry, insisting that it should be in tandem
with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to create jobs, wealth
and reduce poverty.
A document emanating from the
office of the Minister showed that for the first quarter of 2024, the Minister approved the launch of an
initiative to boost broadband development and adoption in Edo, Ogun, Kwara,
Katsina, Imo, Abia, Borno, and Nasarawa states.
Katsina, Kwara and Edo state have
zero charges for RoW, making it possible for telecom companies to lay fibre
optic cables and install infrastructures seamlessly.
It was gathered that the
Minister's initiative called the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria is
aimed at solving low-fibre network rollout in the country.
According to the document titled,
‘Broadband Access for All: Introduction Deepening Nigeria’s National Backbone and
Middle Mile Infrastructure,'
Dr Tijani suggested
multi-stakeholders approach to the challenges of developing telecom
infrastructures across the country.
The initiative explained ways by which Nigeria
would achieve unprecedented benefits from internet/broadband services in speed,
reliability, and future scaling. It maintained that such could be achieved when
Nigeria build modern broadband infrastructures. The document made references to
the 2019 Broadband Plan, which says the country needs at least 120,000km of
fibre optic cables to achieve its coverage goal.
The document reads in part: “To
tackle the low and non-consumption challenge and its resultant poor ROI in
nationwide fibre network, the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and
Digital economy has initiated a National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria to
foster collaboration for broadband development and adoption, as well as
position Nigeria at the forefront of the global digital landscape.
“Recognising the imperativeness
of broadband in economic development, the alliance will bring together key
stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to
collaboratively develop sustainable business model(s) for driving the adoption
and consumption of Internet in key critical public institutions (schools,
hospitals, government offices, libraries and markets etc.) across the nation.
“It will also drive digital
inclusion and awareness to ensure the inclusion of all segments of society in
the digital economy and benefit from the advantages of broadband connectivity.
“The pilot of this initiative
will kick off in 7 states of the country before the end of Q1 2024. The initial
states are Edo, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, Imo, Abia, Borno and Nasarawa.
"These initial states have
been considered using their present broadband investment and management of
fibre optic challenges in their respective states such as such as waiver of the
right of way fee.”
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