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FG Sets Goal For 20% Broadband Capacity In 2013

By on December 17, 2012

As part of its target of achieving global competitiveness in the international economy, the federal has set a 20% target of broadband penetration.

A recent survey and analysis of broadband penetration in Africa showed that Rwanda is leading and revealed that Nigeria still has a lot of work to do in enhancing and boosting its Information technology infrastructure to aid effective broadband service.

The current Broadband penetration level is 6 percent and the Minister for Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson is determined to aggressively tackle the issue of increasing the percentage level.

Speaking at the broadband forum organized by BusinessDay conference in conjunction with the Nigerian Communications Commission, Mrs Johnson stressed that the recent inauguration the broadband committee by the President was an attestation to how serious the Government is with the sector.

She said “The situation where over seven Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government are demanding between N500 million to N1 billion from a single operator to grant permit for right of way to lay fibre optic cables, speaks volume of the imminent danger that such action could generate. What it means is that government is simply shooting itself on the foot, because such demands have over the years, stifled the growth of broadband in the country.”

The Minister also reiterated the need for the Government to also give priority to the issue of setting its ministries and the activities of its parastatals online to ensure that it is digitally compliant.

It would be recalled that in the 2006 Global Information Technology Summit in Tunis, Tunisia the mandated of Africa was to take strategic steps and make efforts to improve its broadband width penetration capacity that will bridge the digital divide between the developed and underdeveloped countries.

Dr. Eugene Juwah the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission whose opening speech at the occasion was read by the Director, Public Affairs. Mr Tony Ojobo stressed the fact that for two years running the issue of broadband penetration has been the central theme of discussion for the telecommunications Industry.