NCC Set to Achieve 90% Broadband Penetration by 2025
Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
In line with the Nigeria National Broadband Plan 2020 to 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said it is currently providing Industry leadership to facilitate the achievement of 90 per cent broadband penetration in Nigeria.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, who disclosed this during the opening of a two-day stakeholders’ consultative forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, tagged ‘Talk to the regulator’ also stated that the regulatory agency primary targets above 50 per cent of the broadband penetration at the end of 2023.
Represented by Mr Damilola Ogunsipe, officer in the office of the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Danbatta, announced that over 150 million Nigerians have access to Internet, while over 80 million can access high speed internet.
He said the Commission had already taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development in the telecom industry which include; the rapid growth in technology, which is redefining service delivery, and creating wide and high expectations from all stakeholders.
He said: “In line with the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025), the NCC is providing industry leadership to facilitate the achievement of 90 per cent Broadband penetration by year 2025, and well above 50 per cent at the end of 2023.
“Currently, over 150 million Nigerians have access to internet, while over 80 million can access high speed internet.
“The Nigeria Communications Commission, in keeping with its mandate, creates opportunities to interact with its licensees on industry issues and new trends via stakeholder fora, with a view to gathering relevant information that would further
advance the development of the industry, while improving regulations and service delivery to telecom consumers.
“Some of the interventions and responses of the Commission includes but are not limited to: Facilitating the Roll-Out of 5G Service provision, introduction of Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Licence to bridge the gap between unserved and underserved areas.
“The Commission is currently reviewing the scope and structure of its existing licenses to make them more robust and to accommodate some of the identified new industry trends.”
“The ‘Talk-To-The Regulator Forum is a common platform for non-discriminatory interaction on a one-on-one basis, between the Licensees and the Regulator on several industry issues, pertinent to the Licensees and of national interest.” He said.
The Director, Licencing and Authorisation Department of NCC, Mr. Mohammed Babajika, said the Commission was reviewing its licence categories in line with the technological advancements in the telecom industry such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Network as a Service (NaaS) and Internet of things to redefining service-delivery
Represented by the Deputy Director, Licencing and Authorisation of the Commission, Mr. Usman Mamman, he disclosed that the Commission has already finalised the
framework for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOS) and have issued MVNO Licences.
He added that the licencing of MVNO would improve the telecommunication output of the country, enable the expansion and availability of quality mobile coverage and close the
gap to the unserved and underserved population in Nigeria.
