Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

KonkNaija Media | May 9, 2016

Scroll to top

Top

FG forecasts 500% increase in broadband penetration by 2015

FG forecasts 500% increase in broadband penetration by 2015

| On 12, Mar 2013

Mrs Omobola Johnson presents the Handbook with support of other dignitaries

 

Nigeria’s Federal Government will continue to be alive to her responsibilities in developing the appropriate policy, legal and regulatory framework to attract the necessary domestic and foreign direct investment to fuel the data/internet revolution that we now need.

This was the view canvassed by Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communication Technology when she spoke in Lagos last week on ’A Commitment to Growing and Funding Ubiquitous Broadband Access’. It was at the closing ceremony of a Broadband workshop and launch of an industry hand book titled Nigeria’s Broadband Expansion program 2013 and Beyond.

According to the Minister, with the leadership and support of His Excellency Vice President Arc Namadi Sambo as the chairman of NEC the industry has commenced the engagement of State governments on the criticality of their role in the deployment of a ubiquitous broadband network. Central to this engagement is the agreement that taxing the benefits that accrue from ubiquitous broadband infrastructure is much more sustainable and potentially of greater value than taxing the roll-out of the infrastructure – those multiple and illegal taxes that the industry is a battling with now. This fundamental agreement has paved the way for discussions and negotiations with the State governors along the following principles:

  • Streamlining and harmonizing of regulation on all telecoms infrastructure for federal, state and local government authorities – ‘pay once dig once’
  • Standardization of agreed levies and fees on telecoms infrastructure
  • Abolition of all incidents of multiple and illegitimate taxation at the state and local governments
  • Acceleration of the processing period for obtaining approvals for the deployment of ICT infrastructure
  • Significant reductions on right of way

We are quite confident that these negotiations will yield fruit.

Furthermore, and more holistically President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR inaugurated a Presidential Committee on 20th Sep 2012, mandated to produce a broadband strategy and roadmap. In essence bringing all the uncoordinated efforts of broadband infrastructure deployment under a national initiative. To the initiated we have at least three national backbones.

Two very experienced ICT sector professionals, Engineer Ernest Ndukwe and Mr. Jim Ovia co-chair the committee, supported by a team of fifteen (15) core members representing various ICT stakeholder groups, and an additional set of co-opted members.

The Presidential Committee considered amongst other issues, the matters of:

  • Classification of ICT infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure
  • The issue of a converged regulator
  • Applying the Open Access model to installed broadband infrastructure
  • Spectrum re-farming to ensure optimal usage of this scarce national resource
  • Appropriate financial incentives for operators and options financing the required aggressive rollout
  • Affordability of broadband services through the reduction of device costs or lowering or eliminating import duties and other taxes as appropriate
  • Reviewing and harmonising existing ICT laws to ensure support of all efforts to ensure increased broadband penetration
  • Rolling out applications that will increase the demand for broadband services

The end result of deliberations over the last five months is a roadmap with clear time bound phases that will deliver our policy objective of a 500% increase in broadband penetration by 2015.

Approval of the document by Mr. President is imminent and once approved, the industry can commence what it does best- building networks that extend to the population regardless of their geographical location.

These two initiatives clearly demonstrate that developing a broadband network is receiving attention at the highest levels of government in recognition of the importance of this infrastructure to national socio-economic development.

Source: CyberschuulNews.com

 

Enhanced by Zemanta