Nigerian National Broadband Plan

As Nigeria continues its quest to become one of the 20 leading economies by 2020, the role to be played by the Information and Communications Technology sector can not be overlooked. However, recent advancements and development in the sector as witnessed has shown that much of the feat recorded has been aided by the Internet technology. The advent of the Internet has helped to revolutionized the global society as well as transformed economies and technological systems.

In Nigeria, stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector are concerned about the current level of Internet connectivity, quality of service and its penetration in the country. This is against the backdrop of the experience in other countries where speedy broadband penetration has been contributing substantially to economic growth.

In order to promote and improve Internet connectivity in Nigeria and its utilization by Nigerians, the Federal Government of the country had launched a roadmap for National Broadband in the country. A committee has already been set up and launched by the government to fashion out the modalities for the roadmap as well as how it will be effectively implemented. The committee or council members consists of major stakeholders in the ICT industry including the past Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the immediate past President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Ademola Aladekomo amongst others. 

According to the Honourable Minister for Communication technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, the calibre and integrity of the members of the committee, lightens one's hope of the success of the policy. 

“... I have no doubt that with the credibility and the composition of the nominees to this council and working closely with the ministry, I have no doubt that we can achieve the objective of the broadband plan and look forward to work with you on the delivery of these objectives.”

In showing the government's commitment and interest to fast-track the implementation process in the country, the minister further disclosed that there were two broadband policy objectives; 

• To accelerate the penetration of affordable broadband Internet in the country 
• To foster broadband usage for national development.

With all these in place, once can then say that the entire plan to lift Nigeria into prosperity in high speed Internet access has now come full circle having moved from initial disjointed talks in 2008 to today when a National Broadband Plan is in place and Broadband Council has been established to see it through.

The benefit to be enjoyed by the implementation of the broadband policy in Nigeria is numerous. Broadband is an essential infrastructure of the 21st Century. It enables access to business and job opportunities, improves healthcare, education and government services, and facilitates social interactions. 

Broadband is to the 21st Century Information Age what Electricity was to the Industrial Age.

It has a significant transformative effect on how people live and work. It empowers the individual user with previously unimaginable capabilities and global reach. The Internet is the world’s largest repository of information and knowledge  and High Speed Access is critical to fully harnessing the benefits of the Internet. 

Major identified barriers to the realisation of the set target includes services not being available at a good speed, the high price of broadband services, the lack of ownership of access devices due to affordability, 

low level of digital literacy, and poor perception of the value of broadband. 

Notwithstanding, in order to provide palliative measures to the identified roadblocks, the government of the country intends to embark on programs that are geared towards making broadband more affordable; lower device costs by reducing or eliminating import duties and other taxes as appropriate; launch intensive nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the citizenry about the value of broadband services. The Government will also introduce digital literacy education and training programs leveraging the community access centres established across the country as well as incorporate such programs into primary and secondary education. 

The Federal Government is committed to resolving identified challenges to the quest for accelerated broadband penetration in Nigeria and will collaborate with the State Governments, the Private Sector and other stakeholders to achieve the goal. Government also recognises that some incentives may be required to push services to the areas deemed less commercially viable. 

For Nigeria to become one of the world’s leading economies by year 2020, high-speed broadband networks that will provide every Nigerian with fast, reliable and affordable internet access is a fundamental requirement. Broadband has been variously described as a transformative technology that levels the playing field and gives businesses access to regional, national, and international markets irrespective of geographical location. The huge success of digital mobile services in the country is a great platform upon which to build a national broadband strategy.