Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has expressed the willingness of the Commission to collaborate with the stakeholders on the successful resolution of the Right of Way, RoW, issues, with a view to increasing the broadband penetration in Nigeria.
He stated this at the virtual technical presentation conference between the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and the UK Government’s Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Program, held on Thursday, August 13, 2020.
Barrister Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Secretary, Stakeholders Management, NCC, representing Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, NCC, who was unavoidably absent at the virtual event.
“The NCC on its part, is ready to collaborate with the UK Government Prosperity Fund-Nigeria Project, especially, on the subject matter of today, i.e., reforming the administration of RoW and planning permits in Nigeria”, Danbatta assured.
“We note the short, medium and long-term actions set up in the report and we will work assiduously to their achievement”, he stated.
Danbatta stressed the benefits of reducing the RoW charges for broadband penetration, to the barest minimum at the event.
“Broadband will enhance social and economic development of citizens, as in local content development and inclusion, the creation of ICT industries and building of digital skills among our populace, among other benefits”, Danbatta observed.
He, however, appealed to stakeholders involved in the provision of broadband to strike a balance in their various needs.
“We also, encourage our service providers to appreciate some of the challenges faced by the State governments and hope this will enable them, to collaborate with the state governments to, effectively, overcome the challenges”, Danbatta advised.
It will be recalled that the issue of RoW, had been in contention between the States and the service providers and the Honorable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, alongside the EVC/CEO, NCC, had earlier this year, taken on the Governors Forum, to capitulate and reduce the charges to enable the country to achieve more broadband penetration.
Some State Governors have responded by reducing the charges to N145 per linear metre, while some have reduced it to N1 per linear metre, with others outrightly cancelling the charges.
In his Keynote address at the event, the Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami thanked the UK Government for supporting the RoW agenda of Nigeria and stated what the country has been doing to get this right.
“Nigeria has, in the last 1 year of my time as Minister, added 10% to the broadband penetration level in the country.
RoW reforms is the key to unlocking Nigeria’s digital economy for inclusive digital growth and we have worked with the Nigerian Governors Forum, to achieve some important results already”, Pantami explained.
“We will continue to champion these reforms on RoW and work on the challenges identified, by the technical study”, Pantami concluded.
The UK Government’s Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Program engaged Greenfields Law Consultants, to conduct a study on effective Right of Way, RoW, administration and issuance of planning permits, for masts and towers, in support of the NCC.
“The UK is keen to support the promotion of affordable, inclusive, safe and secure digital access for underserved, or excluded populations and this conference is a significant step, to discuss the technical findings of our preliminary study, outcomes, lingering challenges and the way forward”, stressed Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, in her opening remarks at the conference.
In attendance at the virtual conference were stakeholders, such as the Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and the following State Governors:
Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State; AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara State; Hope Uzodinma, Imo State; Simon Lalong, Plateau State; Aminu Bello Masari, Katsina State and Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State.
The Governors shared their expectations from the reduction of the RoW fees, with a view to increasing the broadband penetration in their states.
These include, enhancing e-security, e-payments, e-agriculture, attraction of investments to their States, as well as massive job creation, amongst others.
Others in attendance include: Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme Adviser and Country Lead, Idongesit Udo,members of the Presidential Committee on Broadband Plan monitoring and implementation; industry and private sector leaders in tech and telecommunications sector, civil society groups and the media.
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