Territories that have recognized the critical role of broadband and actively supported its development have recorded significant achievements. Rwanda, an East African nation with a population of 12million which is less than that of Lagos State as well as a land mass area of 26,338 KM2 that is roughly equivalent to Kano State, has recovered from ethnic strife to become a leading ICT nation in Africa. It arrived at this destination by according ICT its due recognition as a key driver to achieving socio-economic transformation. The direct impact is being felt in the area of governance as the introduction of e-government solutions has improved efficiency and promoted accountability in the public procurement process. Thus, Rwanda has been ranked as follows: No. 1 ICT nation in East Africa by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; 7th in Africa among countries with active broadband subscriptions by the UN Broadband Commission and the nation with the fastest broadband speed in Africa by NetIndex. It has also been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the few countries in Africa that can use ICT efficiently and stands a chance of attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
[blockquote right=”pull-right” cite=”Osondu C. Nwokoro Director, Regulatory Affairs, Airtel Nigeria “]For instance, an Infrastructure Law of a South-West State with a principal object of “monitoring the erection of masts or laying of cables in the interest of public safety” prescribes extreme administrative fees for the installation of a telecommunications mast based on its height. The said law also introduces fees to be paid for non-conformant structures. Another State in the South-South Region enacted an Ecology Law for “the management of the environment” within its territory; however, the said law also provides for the authority to determine the appropriate “ecology tariff “to be paid and pursuant to this, a single service provider has been levied N500million.[/blockquote]
Learning from experiences gained from broadband deployment around the world, the Federal Government is focused on implementing the NNBP to bring the desired benefits to its citizens. As part of the measures to drive the implementation of the NNBP among the States, the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology has introduced the Smart State Initiative (SSI) which is aimed at enrolling States to partner with the Federal Government and service providers. States that embrace the SSI stand to gain enhanced infrastructure broadband networks rollout and innovative as well as low cost ICT services. To partake in this initiative, states are expected to agree to terms such as standardized Planning Permit fees, Right of Way fees reduction or outright waiver in deserving instances, faster approval processing timelines, implementation of a Dig-Once Policy, and promotion of collocation among operators in the state. Lagos earned the “Smart State” status on merit from the agreement with ALTON. Other States like Anambra, Bayelsa, Gombe, Katina, and Ondo are at various stages of embracing this initiative.
Broadband has the potential to take Nigeria to its next level of growth, enthrone better governance and further connect Nigeria with the borderless world economy. The Federal Government should be commended for taking steps in this direction through the NNBP and the introduction of the SSI. All the states of the Federation, as key stakeholders should play their part by enrolling in the SSI so as to open up their territories for necessary investments in broadband.
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