We must democratise access to internet, Osinbajo tells states

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has asked state governors to democratise access to the internet in line with the federal government’s objective of broadband connectivity for all by 2023.

He recalled that the state governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC) had in 2017 agreed to harmonise right-of-way charges payable by telecommunications companies and related public utility infrastructure on local governments, states and federal highways, to encourage co-location of the companies’ fibre optic cables.

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This, he said, was part of the national commitment to make broadband connectivity available to all. The vice president spoke virtually on Thursday during the flag-off of the Ogun State Digital Economy Empowerment Project.

Osinbajo said Governor Dapo Abiodun’s initiative is a critical component of President Muhammadu Buhari’s objective of broadband connectivity for all by 2023.

In his remarks, Abiodun explained that the digital economy was to formally deepen the various advantages of information technology advancements into all sectors and making ICT one indispensable point of our economy.