FG weighs options to sell stakes in NIGCOMSAT by 2018

The Federal Government is considering options to sell its stakes in NIGCOMSAT Limited, the publicly owned satellite services company under a transitional plan that may be completed by 2018. Barring any last minute change, the privatization plan for the NIGCOMSAT begins this year with the first phase targeted to enhance the commercial attractiveness of the satellite technology company to prospective buyers. The plan was part of the discussion at the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology’s Ministerial Strategy Retreat held in December last year. The plan was part of the discussion at the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology’s Ministerial Strategy Retreat held in December last year. The policy performance framework design session chaired by Dr Omobola Johnson, the Minister of Communication Technology outlined Federal Government’s drive to commercialise the operations of NIGCOMSAT Limited and also discussed the transitional plan for privatising the satellite services provider, according to a post-event statement of the event obtained by Technology Times . According to Ms Abimbola Alale, who was last month confirmed the substantive Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT by President Goodluck Jonathan, the estimated market value of NIGCOMSAT ground infrastructure in Abuja and China is about $1billion. According to Alale, “if government chooses to increase commercialization efforts through additional critical infrastructure investment, then it will have the optimal asset utility to generate revenue and improve financial profiles to attract investors. Nevertheless, Government will require capital outlay to acquire the infrastructural needs for government to privatize after full commercialization and purchase a new satellite.” The NIGCOMSAT boss also wants it noted that satellite industry benchmarking analyses suggest that the most successful privatization exercises have occurred with satellite companies that have been established for a minimum of 24 years. “However, because of austerity measures, privatization will be preceded by a transition phase”, she says. According to her, the 2015 transition plan will focus on commercial growth and an improved financial attractiveness of the project then privatisation is expected to be implemented by 2018.[su_quote cite="NigComSat Limited"]NigComSat-1R’s Ku-band offers lowered costs for broadband services arising from frequency re-use techniques, competitively priced transmission capacity, small antennas and reduced terminal prices. With the promise of unimaginable applications, NigComSat-1R is truly a first in Africa[/su_quote] [caption id="attachment_27590" align="alignleft" width="808"] NIGCOMSAT Ground Station in Abuja[/caption] NIGCOMSAT’s which has its head office at the Obasanjo Space Centre in Abuja also has regional offices located at Lagos in Nigeria and Kashi in China. The company, which owns the NigComSat-1R, said the satellite was built with radiation-hardened technology, high reliability, on-board software re-programmable ability, fault tolerance, redundant components and high efficiency. According to NIGCOMSAT, NigComSat-1R satellite has 28 active transponders and its seven antennas guarantee stronger footprints and centre beams over the African, European and Asian continents to offer “better look angles and shorter latency for intra-African communications traffic.” This also provide adequate fade margin compensation for attenuation losses by rain guarantee increased reliability and availability, according to the satellite company. “NigComSat-1R’s Ku-band offers lowered costs for broadband services arising from frequency re-use techniques, competitively priced transmission capacity, small antennas and reduced terminal prices. With the promise of unimaginable applications, NigComSat-1R is truly a first in Africa”, the company says about its offering covering broadband, e-Government, broadcasting, among other applications. The company says its NigComSat-1R offers transponders leasing services on its Ku-band, C-band and Ka-band platforms on board. The Ku-band comprises of 14 transponders of 31Mhz each with 3 beams over West Africa, Southern Africa and Karshi The C-band comprises of 4 Transponders of 36MHz each with coverage over West, East and Central Africa While Ka-band has 8 transponders of 120Mhz each for broadcast and trunking, NigComSat-1R has three fixed spot beams over Nigeria, Europe, South Africa, according to the company.

Related Articles

Fourteen customers win in Airtel Nigeria promo

Nigeria’s BeepTool expands into South Africa with Conect2U Partnership

Related Posts

Latest Articles

Most Read

Latest Videos

ABOUT TECHNOLOGY TIMES

CONTACT US

LEGAL & COMPLIANCE

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Add New Playlist