INTERNET
MainOne says better broadband could catapault Nigeria into an economic force to be reckoned with.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MainOne Cable Company, Funke Opeke, said in a paper prepared for the NCC’s stakeholder consultative forum that investment had to be made in growing broadband capacity distribution.
Opeke said there was a need for urgent, deliberate and practical regulatory and policy imperatives in the broadband and data segment of the nation’s ICT sector, in order to ensure the attainment of the desired level of growth and development
She said Nigeria could not overlook the important economic benefits of expanding its broadband connectivity capacity if it is to compete with the global league of developed countries.
The paper noted: “Prior strategic plans of the NCC have secured mobile voice access in the country and such services are now available within no more than 30 minutes travel time of every Nigerian.”
“If Nigeria is going to achieve Vision 20:2020, which will place it in the G-20 league of nations, or go from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to BRINCS by joining the emerging economic block of nations in which South Africa is already a member, the next strategic plan of the NCC must address growth in broadband capacity distribution to every nook and corner in Nigeria.”
There is indeed ample need for the regulator and policy makers to take the lead in developing and implementing appropriate policies and regulations that encourage continued growth and investment in the sector in ways that ensure our public institutions embrace ICT, support ample creation of jobs, ensure adequate local content participation and the creation of wealth and economic growth for more Nigerians.”
The paper said the new NCC Strategic Management plan must address how broadband gets to every doorstep and how public institutions embrace ICT for service delivery to all Nigerian citizens.
