The revelation that reliable and affordable internet access remains a significant challenge for many Nigerians was made by Engr. James Egerton-Idehen, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Communications Satellite, NIGCOMSAT.
These remarks were part of a lecture titled “Championing Innovation: Digital Transformation and Economic Diversification in Nigeria” delivered on Saturday at the 20th Herbert Macaulay Memorial lecture and Symposium organized by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Faculty of Engineering.
Emphasizing the persisting hurdle of affordable internet access, the NIGCOMSAT boss pointed out that this challenge primarily affects Nigerians in rural areas.
Quoting a 2023 report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), she highlighted that only around 40% of the population currently enjoys access to broadband internet.
Addressing the administration’s ambitious objectives outlined in the National Broadband Plan, she mentioned that government entities like GALAXY and NIGCOMSAT are mandated to elevate Nigeria’s broadband penetration rate to 70% by the culmination of 2025.
As part of the National Broadband Plan, the coverage target is set at a minimum of 80% of the population, especially focusing on underserved and unserved demographics, to be achieved by 2027.
The aspiration includes narrowing the percentage gap of unconnected individuals in rural areas from 61% to under 20% by 2027, a target that is already in progress through initiatives like ‘Project 774’ orchestrated by the FMoCIDE (Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation and DIgital Economy) collaborating with agencies like Galaxy BackBone, USPF (Universal Service Provision Fund), and NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency) to extend connectivity to each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Highlighting the necessity for infrastructural development to support digital transformation, she stressed that broadband networks alone are insufficient. She referenced the abundance of submarine fibre cables reaching Nigerian shores yet with relatively few households connected to fibre networks, signifying a need for improved infrastructure to cover the last mile.
She noted that aside from broadband networks, essential infrastructural components include data centres and cybersecurity systems, underscoring the importance of modernizing this infrastructure.
Comparing Nigeria’s modest count of 11 data centres to nations with comparable nominal GDP like Egypt (14) and South Africa (36), she stressed the need for nationwide infrastructure provision beyond urban and semi-urban areas to underpin digital transformation efforts.
Undoubtedly, ensuring reliable and affordable internet access continues to pose challenges for many Nigerians, particularly those in rural locations.
The mission to elevate Nigeria’s broadband penetration aligns with the current administration’s significant targets delineated in the National Broadband Plan, aiming to boost the broadband penetration rate to 70% by 2025.
Additionally, the plan envisions extending coverage to at least 80% of the populace, with a focus on underserved and unserved populations, by 2027.
The overarching goal is to substantially decrease the percentage of unconnected Nigerians in rural areas from 61% to under 20% by 2027, with various initiatives like ‘Project 774’ already underway to realize this objective.