Broadband penetration: We have surpassed target – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it has surpassed the minimum target of broadband penetration set in the country’s Broadband Plan 2013-2018. “We are presently at 22% broadband penetration, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and we are doing everything within our power to make the penetration more ubiquitous”, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, said. Prof Danbatta who spoke with journalists in an interview in Abuja to mark his third year in office said he was confidence Nigeria would achieve the desired broadband penetration level soon. “There is more to achieving the maximum target of 30% broadband penetration by 2018 ending. But let me say without fear of contradiction that we have so far surpassed the minimum target of penetration’’, he said. He disclosed that the six infrastructure companies (Infracos) which hold licenses to drive the broadband penetration level in across Nigeria will enjoy N3billion subsidy as soon as they start rollout, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said.

This is to further deepen and increase the level of country’s broadband penetration which will in turn improve the economy, he said. He said the N3bn subsidy contained in the NCC 2018 budget would make it easy for the infracos to rollout and thereby increase the broadband penetration across the country. According to the NCC boss, with there are national, regional and backbone challenges standing in the way of the 30% penetration. But he added “Until there is complete fibre connection across the country we can’t have 30 % penetration. But we will not rest on our oars until broadband is ubiquitous in the country”.

He said the NCC was working with the office of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to see to laying of 18,000 km fiber infrastructure to connect the country together. He said the National Economic Council had already agreed to the N145 per meter to be charged by states on Right of Way. “This was reached at the last NEC meeting”, he said. Recalled that the NCC few months ago approved two additional Infrastructure Company (Infraco) licences in order to deepen broadband penetration in the country. Th e two new Infraco licencees are Zinox Technology Limited for South-east and Brinks Integrated Solutions Limited for North-east.

The Infraco licences are based on the NCC’s Open Access Model (OAM) in line with the National Broadband Plan (NBP) of (2013 – 2018). By provisions of the NBP, Nigeria is expected to attain 30 percent broadband penetration by December 2018, but many experts and players within the sector are saying this is not feasible. But NCC believes this is possible. As part of the initiative to achieve this, NCC, as the driver of this process, has so far licenced a number of companies to stimulate broadband penetration. Th ese include Bitfl ux Communications Limited (Bitfl ux) for 2.3 Ghz and MTN Nigeria for the 2.6 Ghz licences. Other licences are in the pipeline in this process. Nigeria has already attained 22% broadband penetration, according to the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman Prof Umar Garba Danbatta. With the licensing of four Infracos: MainOne Cable, IHS, Zinox Technology and Brinks Solutions, there are three more licencees waiting for approval to bring total number to seven. These are for South-south, North-west and South-west.