Joseph Bakare
Weak frameworks and series of uncoordinated taxation have led to slow progress towards expanding growth in the country’s telecommunications industry.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, identified these challenges while addressing a Business Roundtable on Investments in Broadband Connectivity and Safeguarding Critical National Information Infrastructure held on Wednesday in Abuja.
The two-day programme organised by the National Communications Commission (NCC) is with the theme: “Right of Way and Protection of Broadband Infrastructure: The Road to Success in Broadband Investment and Connectivity”
The Minister, who was represented by the Director, Home, Ministry of Finance, Dr Ali Mohammed, urged the private sector to increase investments in the telecom industry.
He said that the Federal Government would solve the challenges through stakeholders engagements.
“This sector is virtually vulnerable; it is compact therefore we are calling on our local and international investors to come forward so that we can invest in this particular sector.
“Government alone cannot do it. We need the cooperation and collaboration of the private sectors.
“The problems have been identified in terms of connectivity and broadband infrastructure development in Nigeria,” he said.
Edun said that though there were other challenges, they were surmountable.
“There is need for stakeholders to come together and deal with these particular problems,” the minister said.
The Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, said that broadband connectivity was an essential part of infrastructure and the backbone of Nigeria’s social and economic future.
Abdulrazaq, who was represented by the Director-General of the NGF, Abdulateef Shittu, said that governors were fully in support of the country’s digital transformation.
“We fully support the national commitment to raise broadband penetration to 80 per cent by 2027. Achieving this will require an additional 95,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable across Nigeria.
“This is an ambitious task, and one that calls for genuine collaboration among stakeholders gathered here today,” said Abdulrazaq who is also Kwara governor.
The Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said that the earlier approved increase in telecom tariffs had attracted $1 billion investment into the sector.
“In line with our economic regulatory mandate, earlier this year, the commission approved the application of tariff rates that are both cost-reflective and competitive within the telecommunications industry.
“This strategic regulatory intervention has significantly strengthened investors confidence in the Nigerian telecommunications sector.
“I can confirm to you that operators have made collective commitment to invest over $1 billion in additional rollout investments to expand broadband coverage and capacity nationwide,” he said.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, represented by AVM. Enebong Effiom, Director, Critical National Assets and Infrastructure Protection, Office of the National Security Advisers (ONSA), said NGF should foster consistency and consensus among states.
Ribadu also said that NGF could encourage compliance to security issues through peer engagement and aligning state policies with national objectives.
“The forum can also facilitate dialogue to all regulated broadband concerns that hinder digital inclusion and infrastructure growth,” he said