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Nigeria Communications Commission (telecommunication regulator in Nigeria) on Wednesday confirmed that internet broadband infrastructure companies (INFRACOs) licensed by the commission will visibly roll-out before the first quarter of next year (2020).
The commission made this assertion on Wednesday during a panel discussion at the Social Media Week in Lagos with the theme; “Enhancing Broadband Penetration in Nigeria: Initiatives, Development and Challenges”.
According to the panelists led by Head of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Bako Wakil, the commission has been working to ensure a visible roll-out is achieve in accordance to target on fresh plans for broadband regional carriers.
Recall that the commission attained a milestone with the licensing of six infracos in line with the recommendations of the National Broadband Plan.
Zinox Technology Ltd. was licensed for roll out of broadband infrastructure in the South-East region of the country and Brinks Integrated Solutions Ltd. for North East.
The commission had earlier licensed MainOne Cable Company Ltd., which should provide services in Lagos Zone and IHS, which is to cover the North Central Zone including Abuja with expectation that there would be roll out in one year after issuance of the license.
The plan was developed by the Presidential Committee on Broadband with representation from the various stakeholder groups.The committee was co-chaired by former Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Ernest Ndukwe, and Zenith Bank Chairman, Jim Ovia.
The industry regulator, could not mince word in identifying issue of Right of Way (RoW) as a major factor mitigation a visible roll-out since the infrastructure companies were licensed among other bottlenecks from state and local governments.
The commission is however stated that strategic efforts and engagements with state government’s agencies and Governor,s forum with the hope of mitigating the challenge is ongoing relentlessly.
“We are hopeful that by this time next year, we will be sharing the success stories of this infrastructure companies,” Engr Wakil said noting the commission had set up a committee to come up with another strategy plan after the successful implementation of the 2015-2018 National Broadband Plan.
Wakil added that “The country’s broadband penetration stood at 31 per cent as at November 2018, surpassing the 30 per cent target by the National Broad Band Plan, this success story can be built upon if there are common Right of Way (RoW) referendum across all states as proposed to state Governors by gthe commission.
“For the country to record a greater height all hands must be fully put on desk toward on the broadband plan with more states giving consideration and positive outlook into achieving a roll-out without RoW itches.”
“The commission still stick to its subsidy payment plan for this infrastructure companies. As you are aware, we have subsidy in the budget that has been approved by the National Assembly to the tune of N3billion for the InfraCos to access, the subsidy is well captured in the budget, and so far, no InfraCos has access the subsidy.
“Agreements were reached with the companies on subsidy percentage share to cushion cost of roll-out and this will be paid when they roll-out,” he further explained.
Director, Licencing and Authorisation at NCC, Ms. Funlola Akiode, the Director, Research and Development, NCC, Abigail Sholanke, and Mr. Nnamdi Nwokike has been named the Director, Public Affairs, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) were among the team of panelist from the commission at the forum.
The commission executives charged Nigerian youths to make good use of the social media and the internet toward actualizing access to information and an all inclusive digital world. For the enterprise world the social media ecosystem they reckoned is a vehement tool far reaching for networking, marketing and Nigerians have been embracing but with major challenge on affordability.
They nevertheless they charged the youths to defend internet facilities in their areas speaking on the backdrop of incessant eruption from vandals and local agencies power exuberant.
” …without this internet facilities it will be impossible for you to have access to the internet and the social media, you should therefore strive to protect the infrastructure. Challenge your local government and do everything to prevent them anytime they want to seal up the facilities.,” Akiode said.
