Danbatta: Why FG Can’t Achieve 30% National Broadband Target by 2018

Danbatta: Why FG Can’t Achieve 30% National Broadband Target by 2018

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said government may not be able to attain the 30 percent broadband target before 2018 because of inadequate infrastructure layout in the sector.

However, with only two infrastructure companies out of the seven already licenced for deployment in Lagos and North-central zones, the EVC averred that NCC is committed to driving the process of the plan to completion, though it has just 24 months to go.

The NCC boss said: "We have said this must be driven by massive investment in infrastructure, otherwise, this will not be attainable.

"We are at the stage of developing the regulatory framework and we are doing that, and once this exercise is completed, we are envisaging that the licencing of the remaining zones with the provision of broadband infrastructure will take place within the next three or 4 months."

Danbatta, who made the disclosure on Sunday while addressing the 38 set of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at Kuru in Plateau State, admitted that only seven percent of Nigerians have access to broadband services, adding that he has no access to broadband services where he lives in Kano.

He said government was committed to making broadband accessible, available and affordable to every Nigerian, adding that there should be no discrimination between the rural and urban areas.

He however attributed the lack of broadband penetration to the intra and inter infrastructure, which he said was non-existent, and where it exist, the penetration is only seven percent.

Danbatta admitting that Nigeria has a challenge of digital divide, said: "We now talk of digital divide for countries like Nigeria and the developing world. The divide is real and it is characterised by of lack adequate infrastructure.

"If it is not real how come Nigeria is rated 134 out 144 countries and other countries within Africa like Egypt and South Africa are rated higher. These countries have high speed internet meaning they have succeeded in deploying broadband infrastructure for hosting faster data speed as well as faster internet service."