Right of way: ATCON wants more states to adopt uniform pricing like Ekiti, Imo

Nigeria’s influential telecoms industry trade group has commended “pragmatic” gestures of Ekiti and Imo States in approving Right of Way price cuts for telcos.

Mr. Olusola Teniola, President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) commended Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor, Ekiti State, who is also Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Senator Hope Odidika Uzodinma, Executive Governor, Imo State and their respective State House of Assemblies for okaying the right of way price cuts.

Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State, who had on May 12 signed the Executive Order No. 007 of 2020 on Right of Way Charges on Telecommunications Infrastructure that among others provides that laying telecoms cable “shall not exceed N145 per linear metre”, wants to be the cheapest State for broadband investments in Nigeria.

Senator Hope Uzodinma, Governor, Imo State hopes that right of way price cuts will accelerate the rollout of connectivity in his State.

His counterpart in Imo State, Senator Uzodinma, yesterday followed suit with the signing of an Executive order No. 002, 2020, by “significantly reducing Right of Way (ROW) of telecommunication companies in the State from N4500 to N145 per meter in tandem with Federal Government policy.”

Right of way price cut in Imo State

His counterpart in Imo State, Senator Uzodinma, yesterday followed suit with the signing of an Executive order No. 002, 2020, by “significantly reducing Right of Way (ROW) of telecommunication companies in the State from N4500 to N145 per meter in tandem with Federal Government policy.”

ATCON joins a growing list of industry stakeholders that have commended the Right of Way price cuts that they expect will boost plans to extend broadband across Nigeria.

ATCON President says that the “recent pragmatic Executive Orders” in Ekiti and Imo State positions them as investor-friendly and complements Federal Government’s approval of a uniform pricing for right of way across States in Nigeria.

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ATCON: Right of way price cut will spur broadband diffusion

“ATCON also appreciates these States for considering its letter which was sent to them in the beginning of the year recommending that telecoms and ICT infrastructure must be seen and treated as a component of development in their respective states”, Teniola says in a statement made available to Technology Times .

“With this move by the Governors, their leadership have attested to the fact that the socio-economic development of their respective state is not mutually-exclusive to broadband and ICT infrastructure development which has been one of the basis of our advocacy initiatives”, he says.

The Nigerian telecoms trade group projects that States like Ekiti and Imo that have adopted harmonised Right of Way pricing will unlock digital opportunities that will accelerate socio-economic development.

Teniola is also confident that “the direct multiplier effect of this pragmatic executive order is that these States will experience a noticeable development both in the private and public sector which is expected to push the revenue of these states forward and it will also make companies that do not have presence in these states to consider opening a branch in the State, which will lead to employment generation thereby reducing rural-urban migration.”

Mr. Olusola Teniola, President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) wants more State in Nigeria to adopt uniform right of way pricing to boost broadband diffusion across the country

According to him, “these States are set to enjoy and maximize the opportunity that pervasive broadband penetration can offer as the people of these States can now leverage on uninterrupted telecommunications services which they have not been enjoying before now. The reason for this is that telecoms infrastructure would give them the opportunity to express their gifts and talents.”

Right of way price cuts can reduce rural-urban migration

Teniola is also confident that “the direct multiplier effect of this pragmatic executive order is that these States will experience a noticeable development both in the private and public sector which is expected to push the revenue of these states forward and it will also make companies that do not have presence in these states to consider opening a branch in the State, which will lead to employment generation thereby reducing rural-urban migration.”

Meanwhile, in announcing the Right of Way price cut, the Imo State Governor says that the “reduction was a manifestation of our Government’s determination to spur the telecommunication companies to further invest in broadband infrastructure and trigger ancillary on-line services, especially in the field of education.”

Uzodinma says his government is “hopeful that this drastic reduction from N4500 of the broadband ROW to N145 per linear meter of fibre will accelerate the deployment of affordable and reliable modern high speed connectivity in the State.”

For telecoms companies, the Imo State Governor promises that “the State plays host to a vibrant and youthful demography located in many tertiary institutions, who form the bulk of the end users of their products.