The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, on Thursday urged state governments to invest in the implementation of broadband policy of the Federal Government.
The industry regulator gave the charge at a one-day stakeholders’ broadband engagement forum held in Kano.
Danbatta noted that state governments had a vital role to play in ensuring the successful implementation of the broadband policy of the Federal Government, adding that “with successful accomplishment of the broadband policy, there will be improvement in terms of infrastructure, economic and social status of states.”
According to him, the commission has approved seven licences for broadband operators across the six geo-political zones of the country with a view to achieving the policy’s objectives of improved broadband penetration in the country.
Danbatta, while expatiating on the broadband framework, maintained that it was a plan by the Federal Government to put together and define how broadband would attain 30 percent penetration in the country.
He disclosed that in furtherance of government’s efforts to enlighten the public, especially the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders, on the broadband framework the commission had set up a broadband monitoring committee to sensitise critical stakeholders on the framework.
The forum was organized to sensitise all stakeholders on the implementation of the broadband framework.
The Federal Government seeks, through the National Broadband Policy Plan 2013, to ensure that the infrastructure necessary to provide ubiquitous broadband services is available and accessible to all citizens at affordable rates.
The policy goal of the government in adopting the plan is that having recognised the immense socio-economic importance of broadband services to national development, it seeks to make it available across the country.
