World Bank votes N10.8bn on broadband

A total of $71.5 million about N10,875,865,043.64 billion has been voted by World Bank for broadband development in the across Africa, reports CHARLES OKOH.

World Bank also said that three major projects across Africa have been earmarked to boost Information Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure and access.

The $71.5 million projects are aimed at buttressing services in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.

A press statement made available to ITRealms Online, World Bank said, Liberia and Sierra Leone would receive line of credits from $25.6 million and $31 million respectively. This, World Bank officials said would boost their ICT sectors.

The Democratic Republic of Sao Tome would receive a grant of $14.9 million from the Bank for its component of the Central African Backbone Programme.

The money, according to the World Bank, is part of a $300 million West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (WARCIP).

World Bank further said, the projects have two main components comprising technical assistance and capacity building.

“The first component will seek to create an enabling environment through provision of technical assistance and capacity building for legal and regulatory reform; and will develop public private partnership arrangements for the infrastructure to be developed,” part of the statement said.

Nigeria, this was seen as a boost to the continents efforts to stabilize the ICT sector across the region.

“We should see this as a step in the right direction for countries that have for far too long been left outside the range of international lenders,” said one Nigerian government official.

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