The Federal Government and the World Bank Group have partnered for improved fibre connectivity for telecoms consumers nationwide.
The collaboration was disclosed at a stakeholders’ engagement with the catchphrase ‘Broadband for All’, which recently held in Abuja.
The Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. ’Bosun Tijani, whose ministry co-organised the forum, noted with the growing digital economy in the country’s ecosystem, “access to Broadband is going to define the success of all our interventions” in the country
Reflecting on his experience at the stakeholder engagement, the minister in a post-event blog stated: “I am grateful for the support of the World Bank in co-organising an ecosystem conversation on ‘Broadband for All’ to discuss the critical steps necessary towards building fibre connectivity across Nigeria.”
The Minister also noted that the Nigerian ICT sector had been improving its performance over the last 10 years, thereby contributing more to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) year-on-year.
He explained: “As we work to grow our digital economy, access to Broadband is going to define the success of all our interventions. I am looking forward to engaging more partners and stakeholders in the Nigerian Broadband Alliance.
Tijani commended the World Bank team, including Franz R. Drees-Gross, Regional Director (West Africa), Infrastructure; Shubham Chaudhuri, Nigeria Country Director of the Bank, and Ida Mboob, Senior Digital Development Specialist for their cooperation on the digital economy project.
It would be recalled that as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding the frontiers of the nation’s digital economy ecosystem, the minister announced last week the flagging off of the Tijani has also activated ‘Project 774 Local Governments Connectivity’ project for improved broadband penetration in the country.
Speaking during the launch of the project in Abuja, the Minister said: “As part of our plans to foster inclusive development and promote access to digital public infrastructure in government, I am happy to announce the launch of Project 774 LG Connectivity.
“The project which will leverage the existing infrastructure of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) and Galaxy Backbone, will provide connectivity to all 774 Local Government Secretariats across Nigeria”, he added.
He further disclosed the ‘Project 774 LG Connectivity’ would create at least 300 direct jobs as “we deploy nationwide, and potentially more jobs indirectly from the increase in digital access.”
Tijani said: “It is also aligned with our Ministry’s Strategic Blueprint and a significant step in achieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to deliver efficient public service to our citizens at the LG level.”
