Nigeria communications commission (NCC) has disclosed that Nigeria needs an additional 120,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables and about 40,000 additional Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) if it must meet its 2025 Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP).
In his keynote address, at the Third Annual Stakeholders Conference of Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), themed: “Transforming Lagos State into a Smart City Hub in Africa – The Government’s Infrastructure Approach”, the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholders’ Management) of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Adeleke Adewolu stated that the theme of the conference is very ideal since the broadband infrastructure is the backbone of Smart Cities.
In his words, “It is inevitable that the NCC and LASIMRA must engage and collaborate, but sometimes in disagreement, as Lagos State is clearly the hub of telecoms and technology activities in Nigeria.
Mr. Adeleke, therefore urged the government at various levels to increase internet capacity in the country due to its huge infrastructure deficit, stating that “for instance, we need over 120,000 additional kilometers of Fibre Optic Cables from the current figure of fewer than 60,000 kilometers and about 40,000 additional Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) to meet the NNBP targets by the year 2025”.
In a response to the demands of the NCC, the Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat stated that his administration is committed to improving the provision of adequate infrastructure to fast-track the Smart City Project to optimize the limitless opportunity of a fully digitized economy.
In his words, “The theme of the conference expresses our administration’s commitment to the smart city project through the deployment of cutting edge technology to bring about improved and effective governance as well as providing the necessary infrastructure to support the widespread application of technology to create opportunities and enhance socio-economic growth”.
