NCC to increase broadband penetration to 10%

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commissions(NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, said on Friday that the commission would increase broadband penetration in Nigeria from 6.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

Prof. Umar Danbatta

Danbatta made the announcement at an interactive session with newsmen in Kano to present the commission’s eight-point agenda.

He said that the increase in broadband penetration was at the heart of the commission’s eight-point agenda.

“There is an existing broadband plan and the role of the NCC is to drive the deployment of the infrastructure to all parts of the country initially from major cities then to other parts.

“There is also a plan to license companies that will deploy broadband infrastructure to facilitate its penetration.

“Two zones in the country, Lagos and the North Central zone have been licensed.

“We now have five zones left to be covered, which are the South-west, South- east, south- south-south -west and north- east to be licensed for this project but we have begun that process.

Danbatta said that telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria was inadequate to carter for the needs of consumers.

He urged telecommunications operators to invest in infrastructure deployment, saying that the NCC would support such initiatives.

“Such is the urgent need for telecommunication infrastructure in this country that is why we have set aside money to encourage them.’’

He assured Nigerians of the commission’s readiness to improve communications services in the country. (NAN)