Last week Wednesday, came a Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval which centered on the implementation of phases two and three of the N41.6bn Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) Broadband Connectivity Intervention in critical sectors of the Nation’s economy by the federal government.
Some of the issues being feared by industry stakeholders in the approval include the veiling of partnering companies and how they were brought in considering the fact that federal government does not run broadband companies or deliver services but only makes policies.
Otherwise, Nigerians ought to know which companies participated in the bids and won according to the prevailing Procurement Act of the Federal Republic.
Again, another issue of national concern is whether the spread of the beneficiaries is in line with Federal Character Provisions.
Also, many industry stakeholders need to know who the service providers are as government cannot be both policy makers and industry players. Otherwise, Nigerians also need to know if the service providers are InfraCos, MNOs or ISPs or even NigComSat or Galaxy Backbone Limited. Also many Nigerians need to ascertain the prevailing terms and conditions of the broadband service delivery so as to enable would be users know what to gain and what not to gain from the free data services.
Observers say the process is not very clear but rather, very hard to comprehend in a free economy like Nigeria when issues of transparency is on the table.
Accordingly, they are calling on the Federal Government to open up and let Nigerians know all the private sector participants involved in the broadband provision and the quality of their service on delivery so that Nigerians can be able to measure the service delivery vis-à-vis what is being received by the free service providers when they will begin to roll out.
Business Hilights recalls that in his response at a recent meeting with the implementing Minister, the Chairman Board of NCC, Prof Adeolu Akande, said the interventions were designed to diversify the Nigerian economy as envisioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, “It is a project conceived by the minister for communications and digital economy to drive the quest for the diversification of the Nigerian economy as envisioned by our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed in his remarks, lauded the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami for his well thought-out intervention that will strengthen Nigeria’s university education system. He said: “We are happy that internet access is now being made available to universities. We shall ever be grateful to this Minister who has drawn us into the knowledge society”.
The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle expressed his gratitude to the minister for his interventions that will enable the board drive the vision of NCCE.
The Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje in his remarks noted that the intervention will enable the board commence their introduction of digitization of accreditation of programmes.
Some of the Beneficiary institutions expressed delight concerning the interventions saying it would boost the digitalization of Nigeria’s educational institutions.
The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu lauded the initiative, he said, “It is true airports are connecting points; they are social and economic enablers. Our industry is very safe, it is very reliable, it is a very timely addition to our industry and we need more of such intervention”.
Business Hilights recalls that the Minister, Isah Pantami, while distributing certificates to various beneficiaries in Abuja last week Thursday, revealed that the first phase had been implemented 80 per cent after the Federal Executive Council approved the intervention on 29th March 2023.
He further stated that funds for the interventions were Internally Generated Revenue, IGR from Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and not allocation from the federal government.
He also noted that the phases 2 and 3 broadband connectivity would provide services to 49 Higher Institutions of Learning, 20 Airports and Six Markets.
Pantami added that the total number of interventions across the Country on broadband connectivity is 113.
“The first phase has been implemented on average 80 per cent; in some institutions, the implementation level is up to 90 per cent within that range. Because of this, I feel it is the right time to commence Phases 2 and phase 3.
“On Wednesday, 29th March 2023, I was at the Federal Executive Council where I presented a memorandum for this event we gathered here. The two memos covered 49 higher learning institutions, 20 airports and six markets. So by implication, each memo represents a phase. So we are here for phase 2 and phase 3. The total amount we have committed to this is approximately N41.6 billion.
“The second and third phases are here; we have to provision 20 airports, six additional markets, and 49 institutions of learning. We have prioritized polytechnics in this phase; we will prioritize colleges of education in the next phase.
“All in all, we can safely say we have 113 interventions from this number. Nineteen universities in the first one, one college of education, 20 markets, 49 additional institutions of learning, six additional markets and 20 airports, you can simply say we have 113 interventions so far from the 41.6 billion Naira to be spent as part of our donation to other sectors from our internally generated revenue through the telecommunication sub-sectors”, he stated.
