The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) under the leadership of Professor Umar Danbatta is keen that the implementation of the 8 point Agenda, NCC’s Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) will provide the glaring roadpmap to further drive the development of ICT in the sector.
The NCC boss assumed office few years ago ariculated the Strategic Vision Plan, as well as the 8 Point Agenda of which broadband penetration remains a critical component.
The industry regulator is however, optimistic that the NCC’s five years Strategic Vision Plan (2015 to 2020) which has taken time and effort would be achieved.
“The SVP provides a comprehensive roadmap within the telecoms industry for promoting innovation, investment, competition, consumer empowerment, and improving service quality, the NCC boss told the academic community at the Bayero University, Kano, during an inaugural lecture recently.
“The SVP responds to the policy goals of the NCC in recognising the immense socio-economic importance of ICT to national development and therefore seeks to ensure that the ICT infrastructure is to the standard necessary to provide ubiquitous broadband services in Nigeria.”
Broadband is one of the focus areas for the NCC that is encapsulated on the 8-point Agenda, but there are fears that this objective may not be achieved next year 2018. However, the Commission is believes that the socio economic impact of broadband remains crucial.
“The implementation of the agenda will further strengthen the telecoms industry consistent with the National Broadband Plan (NBP) that will in turn lead to the desired socio-economic transformation of our country by leveraging the power of ICT to drive and accelerate the process of digital transformation,” he said.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians are still in doubt if NCC would achieve the broadband plan which was developed in 2013.
In a statement released recently, by a group addressed as Broadband Coalition.
They stated that broadband has played an outsized role in transforming societies and economic opportunities across the world, facilitating education and knowledge dissemination, enabling trade and commerce and contributing to growing entrepreneurship across the world.
The Coalition is urging that the five-year National Broadband Plan (2013-2018) should be diligently implemented to spur economic growth and help Nigeria prepare for a post-oil economy.
