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44% of LGAs lack optic fibre backbone – NCC

By on December 12, 2013

Forty-four per cent of the 774 local government areas in the country do not have any form of fibre optic backbone for Internet connectivity, the Nigerian Communications Commission has said.

Even the presence of fibre optic backbone in the rest of the LGAs does not translate into good Internet services, the regulatory agency said in an industry consultation paper on Open Access Model for Next Generation Optic Fibre Broadband Network on its website.

The agency said, “The National ICT policy placed Internet penetration in Nigeria at 28 per cent and broadband penetration for both mobile and fixed broadband is estimated to be 6.1 per cent.

“Internet access costs are still considered high and this is mainly attributed to the lack of a comprehensive domestic fibre backbone within the country connecting the local government areas (except among the state capitals) as well as wide spread and expansive metropolitan fibre mesh network within the cities.

“About 56 per cent of the 774 LGAs have backbone optic fibre currently. However, it is also noted that the presence of fibre in an LGA does not necessarily mean that high capacity transmission services or dark fibre services are available from existing operators at competitive prices.”

Notwithstanding recent progress, fibre deployment in the country has been plagued by a myriad of difficulties ranging from administrative procedures regarding right of way permits, to poor urban and regional planning, the NCC said.

It listed some of the challenges, which needed to be addressed in the country for better connectivity infrastructure as, multiple taxation/right of way issues, unplanned towns and cities, damage to fibre cables, poor infrastructure sharing and security challenges and vandalism.

The industry regulator, which recently announced plans to license broadband infrastructure operators on regional basis, listed the key imperatives for a successful nationwide broadband network deployment.

These include a robust national broadband policy, harmonised and reduced right of way cost, harmonisation of taxes and cooperation among existing operators.

 

 

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