Nigeria’s Broadband Project Will Be Private Sector-Driven, Says NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stated that the country’s broadband project will be private sector-driven via infrastructure companies (InfraCos)

InfraCos are companies that will improve provision of broadband services through the use of critical Information and Communication Technology infrastructure across the six-geopolitical zones in the country

The government will have no stake in these companies but will provide financial encouragement such as one-off subsidy so as to ensure that the commission’s objectives are met

This financial incentive will be based on the peculiarity of the business model and the geographical area of the InfraCo.

The broadband project, which is an agenda to establish communities that are connected through high-speed internet and broadband access, is aimed at fostering economic and social development within the nation

Foreign investors are also encouraged to invest in the project since broadband access is a major need in the Nigerian economy

“There is a huge market there in Nigeria and the profitability is not in doubt, if we are to look at what happened in the mobile sector where operators are still trying to meet the demand,” Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC said in his address at the recently conluded Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, titled, ‘A vision for digital Africa’.

Nigerians expect to be able to access the internet and the most demanding content in real time with a minimum speed of 1.5 megabit per second.

This speed is expected to improve, as constant revisions will be done to keep up with the trend of future technological developments

The improvement of broadband services in the country will also empower youth entrepreneurs, increase their access to information and eliminate frustrations associated with dismal internet speed currently experienced in the most parts of Nigeria.

*Ventures Africa