NCC: Broadband penetration reaches 20.95 per cent

The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, says that Nigeria Broadband Penetration has reached 20.95 per cent.
Danbatta said this on Monday in Abuja while presenting the first progress report of the eight point Agenda he unveiled to the media in 2015.
According to him, broadband is a flagship of the eight point agenda he unveiled in Kano and Lagos.
“The active mobile broadband penetration released by the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development shows that Nigeria has reached a penetration of 20.95 per cent.
“On the percentage of internet penetration, the country has reached a milestone of 47.44 per cent, second to South Africa in the continent,’’ he said.
Danbatta said that the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development was set up by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO in 2010.
He said that the provision of the National Broadband Plan that had a set target of 30 per cent penetration from 2013 to 2018, also accentuated emphasis on broadband penetration.
According to him, the commission recognises its prime responsibility in the actualisation of the national broadband plan.
He said the commission was set up with the aim of boosting the importance of broadband on the international policy agenda and expanding its access in every country.
The NCC boss said that the commission was also set up as a key strategy in accelerating progress towards national and international development targets.
“We have been able to articulate a regulatory framework that will enable strategic and systematic licensing and deployment of broadband infrastructure across the country.
“A broadband implementation monitoring committee has also been established within the commission to give proper assessment on regular basis of broadband infrastructure deployment.
“These steps are critical success factors, which we have identified and primed for various broadband initiatives.’’
Danbatta said that the commission had been able to fine tune the infrastructure provision licenses awarded for Lagos and North central zones.
He said the commission had already advertised the bidding and selection process for interested service providers in the remaining five zones designed for effective coverage of the nation under the Open Access Model.