The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has attributed the current 80 million broadband users to the thorough implementation of the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025).
Danbatta, who stated this last week in Abuja, while receiving a delegation from Autoridade Reguladora Nacional (ARN), the Telecom National Regulatory Authority of Guinea-Bissau, noted that the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), also target the provision of Point of Broadband Access (PoA) in all the 774 local government areas (LGAs) of the country within the plan period.
“Through the implementation of various policy initiatives, particularly the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), we have improved access to broadband for over 80 million Nigerians and targets the provision of Point of Broadband Access (PoA) in all the 774 local government areas (LGAs) of the country within the plan period,” he disclosed.
He said though challenges such as the Right of Way (RoW) issue, multiple taxations, vandalism of telecom infrastructure are confronting the licensees as they roll out services, NCC is committed to addressing such challenges and ultimately implement fully, the National Broadband Plan. This, he believes will further drive down digital inclusion in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, to determine areas where there are access gaps in the country, Danbatta said the Commission has carried out a study. According to him, the study identified 217 *clusters of access gaps*, which have been reduced to 114 to ensure more Nigerians are digitally included.
He also assured that more measures are being taken to further reduce the access gaps, thereby deepening digital inclusion.