The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has released the statistics of broadband penetration in Nigeria, as at February 2020 and this is put at 39.58%.
This shows a growth of 6.5% in one year from February 2019, when the broadband penetration was put at 33.08%.
NCC had, also, earlier reported a decline in broadband access gap-clusters, from 207 to 114 cities, which is about 55.7%.
Nigeria is set to improve on telecom services, by expanding the fourth generation technology, 4G, infrastructure, going by the report submitted to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr, Isa Pantami, by the National Broadband 2020-2025 Committee, in February, 2020.
Dr. Henry Nkemadu, Director, Public Affairs, NCC, reiterated the importance of expanding the broadband infrastructure and penetration in Nigeria.
”Broadband in Nigeria is, one of the top priorities of the Commission and we will not relent, in our efforts, to provide regulatory excellence that will stimulate, more investments and deployment, of broadband infrastructure, across the country.
The reduction in broadband access-gap clusters is, a testament to this fact”, he noted.
It will, also, be recalled that, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, along with the telcos, are locked in battle, with State governments, across the country, for a reduction in the Right of Way, RoW, rates. Many of the States have, astronomically, hiked the RoW fee from the recommended N145 per meter.
The State governments need to cooperate on the issue of the Right of Way fee, for any meaningful progress on expanding broadband penetration in Nigeria can be achieved.
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