The
Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene
Juwah, took advantage of the just concluded Mobile World Congress (MWC 2014) in
Barcelona, Spain to showcase the broadband potentials in Nigeria, reports ITRealms.
Addressing the
crème de la crème of the global telecom stakeholders at
the session on Ministerial Programme in Barcelona, ITRealms gathered that Dr. Juwah x-rayed
the potentials of Nigeria’s broadband programme.
ITRealms recalls that the Ministerial
Programme session of the MWC in Barcelona, is seen as a rare privileged event
where decisions makers, ministers, investors, service providers, global mobile
providers among other top industry players share insights.
At this
year’s programme, a session was dedicated to Nigeria and Dr. Juwah seized the
opportunity to make a profound presentation to the world about what to expect
in Nigeria, which is at the threshold of unleashing a broadband revolution that
will impact the Nigerian nation and the African continent.
He told the
audience that Nigeria is fast-tracking her knowledge economy and contributions
of broadband to GDP growth will increase considerably.
“We have
successfully completed the auction of the 2.3GHz Spectrum and we have outlined
a number of programmes under the broadband infrastructure framework while
licensing of infrastructure providers, tagged Infracos is about to begin,” he
said
Equally, Dr.
Juwah said that his commission has a mouthwatering offer for investors in the
Nigerian broadband infrastructure deployment programme using the Open Access
Broadband strategy with the planned licensing of InfraCos that will provide a
national broadband network on a non-discriminatory, open access and price
regulated basis to all service providers.
NCC, he
maintained is creating enabling environment and incentives for the private
sector to roll out broadband networks which will be a one-off incentive for
last mile to be achieved.
“We will
replicate the success we made in voice in broadband plan as we proceed on the
journey. We are also going to license more retail services and encourage the
operators where possible to extend fibre to homes and businesses on their own.
Government is committed to providing incentives to winners of infrastructure
licenses,” he said.
The InfraCo,
according to him, would enjoy government support, hence would be getting
funding from government to rollout nationwide broadband infrastructure.
“We are
ready to provide subsidy to simplify entry. However, such a subsidy will come
on the basis of milestones achieved to ensure that we are realistic in the
venture,” he said.
Juwah
recollected that the historical revolution of the voice communications in
Nigeria, the nation will witness a boom the broadband segment of the business
as NCC propelled in the voice segment. Stressing that for Nigeria to be part of
the 21st century knowledge economy, there is need to leverage on the
potentials of broadband.
“We have
done quite well in the voice segment, but taking a look at the data segment,
our internet penetration rate currently is 32.9 per cent, our broadband
penetration rate is 6.1 per cent, taking it to a higher speed broadband, this
6.1 per cent will disappear,” he explained.
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