A month after the appointment of Adebayo Shittu, as the minister for Communications, industry experts still worry that there are no visible signs of progress in resolving the much talked about broadband penetration challenges facing the country.
Stake holders say the most prominent challenge in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector, is that the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NBP) approved by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration may not meet the supposed 80 percent population target of wireless mobile broadband coverage by 2017 as proposed.
The stakeholders are therefore suggesting that Adebayo Shittu should seek to fast track the implementation of the plan.
Lanre Ajayi, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) told BusinessDay in a telephone interview that, “the most challenging issue in the ICT sector is that of broadband access and the new minister should seek to fast track implementation of the plan by working closely with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to begin issuance of infraCo licenses to winning bidders and ensure that financial incentives are provided for these InfraCos to enable them roll out.”
Omobola Johnson, former minister of Communication Technology, put in motion specific policies and legislation relating to the development of the ICT sector. These include the National Broadband Plan in May 2013. Establishing a number of initiatives in order to fast track the development of the ICT sector, her office set out to facilitate the build-out of a robust and cost-effective broadband network, aimed at increasing internet penetration within the country with a set date of 2017.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry regulator, launched the Open Access Next Generation Broadband Network (NGBN) in 2013, paving the way for regionally based Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) licensing. The InfraCos were expected to further accelerate the rollout of a nationwide metropolitan and backbone fibre network.
The commission had earlier declared MainOne, underwater cable operator, and IHS Towers as the respective winning bidders for InfraCo licences in Lagos region and North Central Zone, which surrounds Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. However, Kazeem Oladepo, business executive in charge of MainOne cable, confirmed to BusinessDay that the InfraCo licenses have not been issued up till now.
“There are processes that have to be followed with the NCC and we are still working around the legal processes with the commission,” he said.
Speaking on the issue of broadband penetration at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) event held recently in Lagos, Adebayo Shittu, the new minister of Communication, said that with the help of key stakeholders, he would deliver the expected result of the National Broadband Plan.
“I am aware that the Federal Government of Nigeria came up with a plan to enhance the penetration of internet in the country and that it is contained in the National Broadband plan. This is very apt, as access to the internet in this 21st century information and knowledge age has become a basic human right and so is its affordability,” he said.
According to industry watchers, the minister of Communication must quickly implement the National Broadband Plan, seeing as 2016 is fast approaching and the set target is nowhere near accomplished.
In addition to broadband penetration, analysts say that Adebayo Shittu must seek to remove all operational bottlenecks hindering the growth of the ICT sector in the country.
These include inordinate right of way (RoW) charges, and multiple taxation amongst others, which hinder the deployment of requisite broadband infrastructure across the length and breadth of the nation.
Jumoke Akiyode
