FG to Review Broadband Plan, Telecoms Policy, Moves to Achieve 50% QoS

Emma Okonji

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has identified nine priority policies, regulatory and strategic initiatives for review and implementation, among which are the Nigeria National Broadband Plan and the National Policy on Telecommunications.

The other seven priority policies include: National Policy on Digital Public Infrastructure, National Blockchain Policy, National Digital Economy Bill, Nigeria Startup Bill, National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, National Data Strategy and National Digital Literacy Framework. 

The minister, who revealed this in his strategic blueprint on the economy, said the plan would serve as roadmap outlining the goals and objectives of the ministry.  

Tijani, who particularly stressed the need for the review and implementation of the National Broadband Plan and the National Policy on Telecommunications, said he would rally industry support to achieve 50 per cent improvement on Quality of Service (QoS) by the end of 2024.

In the area of National Broadband Plan review and implementation, the minister said the current National Broadband Plan (2020-2025) was developed to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation, in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). He said his ministry would prioritise the review and implementation of the National Broadband Plan, with a focus on enabling broadband infrastructure, advancing spectrum management, developing incentive structures to drive funding and investments as well as programmes to drive demand.

“Nigeria currently has a broadband penetration rate of approximately 50 per cent, which is an improvement from six per cent penetration in 2015. The ministry is committed to driving key initiatives to support the achievement of the 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025, as well as ubiquitous internet access for the unserved and underserved, with a data download speed of 25Mpbs in urban areas and 10Mpbs in rural areas by the end of 2025,” the Minister said.  

In the area of National Policy on Telecommunications, which was revised in 2000, the Minister said the review would help to drive changes in technology, standards and markets and define the trajectory of the next phase of one of Nigeria’s fastest growing sectors.

“As telecommunications continues to evolve in line with new technology and associated opportunities, it is critical to revamp our national approach to account for changing imperatives and to situate broadband development at the core of our national policy for the next 20 years. The Ministry will drive the review of the Telecoms Policy to account for core issues like the increase of the annual net revenue of the telecommunications sector to the federal government by 100 per cent before 2027 and the achievement of 50 per cent improvement in quality of service delivery in the telecoms industry by the end of 2024,” Tijani said.  

Reacting, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, told THISDAY that the review would be welcomed by industry stakeholders, provided it would not deviate from the goals and objectives of the Telecommunications Policy and the National Broadband Plan, which seeks to achieve 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2015. “Stakeholders will rally round the Minister to ensure that the objectives of his economic roadmap that are centred round the five pillars of Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Innovation and Trade, are achieved. The independence of the telecoms regulator is sacrosanct and I want to believe that the planned review of the Telecommunications Policy by the Minister, will give full backing to the telecoms regulator’s autonomy. The telecoms regulator had over the years, suffered undue interference from the political circle, which has negatively affected the regulator and industry stakeholders will not allow such interference to happen again. So we are ready to work with the Minister on policies that will promote growth of the telecoms industry and will uphold the autonomy of the telecoms regulator,” Adebayo said.