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Henry Uche
The minister of Communications and Digital economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has said the need to boost broadband penetration from its present coverage of 37.8 per cent to over 70 per cent in the next five years is the pedestal for the new National Broadband Plan NBP (2020-2025).
The Minister maintained that pervasive broadband penetration will no doubt make Nigeria a truly digital economy. He made this known recently at the inauguration of a 25-member committee in Abuja. The new NBP 2020 -2025 is coming on the heels to the first NBP 2013 – 2018.
According to investment newsletter, an in-house journal of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the committee is to develop a new NBP that will be the guiding template for the development of this very important area of telecommunications as well as take a critical look at Nigeria’s stand in communication and technology space after painstakingly reviewing the 2013-2018 phase and the status of penetration now.
The minister enjoined the committee to examine the challenges with a view to proffering solutions and also look at the position of growing emerging technologies among others. The new NBP has the collaboration and support of the United Kingdom (UK) Government.
“The inauguration of this new committee is a follow up to the launch of the National Policy for Digital Economy and Strategy by President Muhammadu Buhari, in November 2019.
The Policy has eight pillars among which included; developmental regulation, digital literacy and skills, solid infrastructure, service infrastructure, digital services development and production, digital society emerging technologies and indigenous content development.”
The committee is charged to lay emphasis on the third pillar of the national policy which accommodates broadband and data centre, key components for economic growth, and promotion of digital economy. “This move will go a very long way in supporting the national digital economic policy and strategy of Federal Government because digital economy is strategically dominating the world economy today.”
The target of the committee is to achieve at least 65-70 per cent broadband penetration across Nigeria in the next five years, adding that the objective is technology neutrality for the right purpose.
