The federal government of Nigeria on Wednesday approved two memos presented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) seeking to provide free broadband internet connection in 20 selected airports, 43 tertiary institutions, and markets across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s minister of Communications and Digital economy Prof. Isa Pantami disclosed that the broadband infrastructure would ensure connectivity in airports for passengers, ease of e-learning in tertiary institutions, and ease of mobile transactions in markets as the economy is drifting towards a cashless one.
In his words,
“The Federal Executive Council has approved two memos for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) a parastatal under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. In these memos, certain intervention projects are going to be implemented by the NCC. Internet will be provided in 20 selected airports in Nigeria and higher institutions of learning as well as some markets to support micro, small, and medium enterprises.
“In each geopolitical zone, you have around three airports. In the southwest, we have Lagos and Ondo. For the South-East we have Anambra and Enugu. For the South-South, we have Port Harcourt and Akwa Ibom. For the North-Central we have Abuja and Ilorin. In the North-West, we have Kano, Sokoto, and Kebbi. For the North-East, we have Yola, Maiduguri, and Gombe. The broadband project also extends to 43 higher institutions of learning at federal and state levels, including federal and state universities as well as polytechnics. So, this is one is the second phase of the project. And in the first memo approved today, we have 20 airports, both domestic and international.”
The contract which is worth N24.20 billion for the provision of free broadband internet is going to be implemented by the NCC, and the duration for the project execution would be four months minimum and a maximum of five months.
Investors King understands that the recent provision of free broadband internet connection to airports, tertiary institutions, and markets across the country, is in line with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan 2020-2025. The Federal Government had through the National Broadband Plan set a target of 70 percent internet penetration and 90 percent population reach.
A World Bank study revealed that a ten percentage point increase in broadband penetration would increase GDP growth by 1.21 percent in developed economies and 1.38 percent in developing ones. Hence, once this project is executed in Nigeria, there is no disputing the fact that there will be a significant impact on the country’s GDP growth.