Danbatta pledges NCC’s support for National Broadband Plan Implementation
The Executive Vice-chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has pledged the support of the Commission towards the effective implementation of the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
Prof. Danbatta made the pledge on behalf of the NCC at the inauguration of the Steering Committee of the National Broadband Plan 2020- 2025 by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami in Abuja today.
The new Broadband Plan 2020-2025, according to him, was designed to deliver data download speeds across Nigeria of a minimum 25Mbps in urban areas, and 10Mbps in rural areas, with effective coverage available to at least 90% of the population by 2025 at a price not more than N390 per 1GB of data (i.e. 2% of median income or 1% of minimum wage).
The plan is being tailored inline with the pledge by President Muhammadu Buhari to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
The plan will accelerate the aspiration of the country, as it leap frog with the rest of the developed world towards the widespread deployment of 5G technologies, even while it is yet to achieve significant 4G coverage and adoption.
With the 14.07% ICT’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Nigerian government believes that rapid rollout of broadband services will address various socio-economic challenges faced by the country, including the need to grow its economy, create jobs, rapidly expand the tax base, and improve digital literacy and educational standards.
The NCC boss, however, thanked the Minister for putting in place the Implementation and Steering Committee for the Broadband Plan 2020-2025, while urging the committee to work in synergy for the effective implementation of the plan.
Also speaking, “The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Abdullahi Kashifu Inuwa said, “This is another unprecedented milestone in accomplishing a Digital Nigeria, creating the policy is not enough, it needs to be implemented. This ministry is not just for policies. This broadband plan is what will provide the needed infrastructure for a Digital Economy.”
On her part, the Managing Director Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Dr. Abimbola Alale said, “there was no broadband plan when the Minister came on board. But he quickly put in place the process that provided the new National Broadband Plan. It is not about putting in place but rather implementing the plan.”
Meanwhile, the committee’s Chairman who is also the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Engr. Ubale Maska said, “Broadband is central to any digital economy. We are humbled to be members of the committee responsible for steering the implementation of the NBBP. We express our commitment to bring to bear our wealth of experiences for the successful implementation of the BBP.”
