The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it will facilitate the laying of 120,000 kilometers optic fibre link by 2023.
Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, NCC, says that when the nationwide fibre optic rollout target is reached, “there will be an exponential increase in the contribution of telecoms to GDP which presently stands at 9.5 percent.”
The NCC chief disclosed this at a recent valedictory press conference organised in honour of Barrister Adebayo Shittu, the outgoing Minister of Communications, that took place at Nigeria Airforce Centre, Abuja.
According to him, data usage has quadrupled from 20 terabytes in 2015 to 85 terabytes, indicating that the telecoms regulator has facilitated the expansion of the frontiers of access to ICT.
Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, NCC
According to him, data usage has quadrupled from 20 terabytes in 2015 to 85 terabytes, indicating that the telecoms regulator has facilitated the expansion of the frontiers of access to ICT.
He commended the Communications Minister’s leadership and support which he attributed to Shittu’s assistance to NCC for the successful management of the MTN fine imposition of 2015.
Danbatta says the rational implications for the future of telecoms in Nigeria has set the tone for the recent listing of the MTN Nigeria on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
On his part, the Minister who revealed that telephony subscription rose from 151 million in 2015 to 178 million this year, also illustrated with graphics and evidence how teledensity rose by 14 per cent in the last four years.
Danbatta and his colleagues, Dr Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Bisi Adegbuyi, Postmaster General of the Federation; Abimbola Alale, Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT and Yusuf Kazaure, CEO of Galaxy Backbone, commended the outgoing Minister.
The described Shittu as an unusually accessible, unassuming and patriotic public servant whose commitment to the transformation of the communication sector was instrumental to the successes recorded in the sector in the last four years.
Pantami says that on Shittu’s watch, ICT and OEMs recorded unprecedented contribution to the economy.
Adegbuyi revealed how NIPOST has facilitated FG’s promotion of economic growth through credit schemes and the bringing of banking services to the un-banked and under-banked people of Nigeria.
He noted that what happened to NIPOST under Shittu’s superintendence as Minister was beyond mails, but quantifiable integration, innovation and inclusion.
Kazaure appreciated Shittu’s support of the e-governance master-plan which he said has laid spectacular infrastructure for digitally-oriented governance.
Alale also commended Shittu’s the right partnership support for NIGCOMSAT through which funding was accessed to address the infrastructure deficit in the satellite communication space.
The NIGCOMSAT MD says that two additional satellites would be ready within the next two years.
Home