Nigeria Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd., has begun the Federal Government’s internet connectivity project across 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs)
This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday and signed by the Head of Media Relations Unit of NIGCOMSAT Ltd, Mr Stephen Kwande.
Kwande said that NIGCOMSAT commenced the VSAT installation project in 579 LGAs via satellite coverage leveraging the ku-band network asset of NigComSat-1R for the Federal Government’s project.
He said the phase one of the project had been rolled out and was expected to cover 40 local government area council offices across eight states in the country.
According to him, these include Borno, Cross River, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Kwande quoted the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Mrs Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, as saying that the portable inverter system with solar panel intended to provide uninterrupted power supply using green energy solution had been delivered.
Egerton-Idehen said members of the installation team were already deployed, adding that the project installation was kicked off March 5, 2024 in Kabba-Bunu of Kogi.
The managing director stated that Kogi state remained the first state to benefit from the project, covering five local government areas of the state.
According to her, the project is aligning with the ministry’s strategic blueprint and a significant step in achieving President’s mandate to deliver efficient public service to Nigerians at the local government level.
The NIGCOMSAT boss said the apart from the five local government areas allocated to Kogi in the first instance, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani had added another five local government areas.
She said this increased the total number from 40 to 45 to be covered in the phase one of the project in the country.
“Even though only five LGAs were initially marked down for coverage in the first phase of the project execution in Kogi state, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has directed the addition of five other local government secretariats.
“This brings the total number of LGAs to be covered in the first phase from 40 to 45. The first five local government areas to cover are Kabba/Bunu, Lokoja, Okehi, Bassa and Okene local government areas.”
She stated that the additional five local government approved by the minister were Adavi, Ajaokuta, Kogi, Mopamuro and Dekina LGAs
“In Kwara state, the following local government areas are to be covered are: Ilorin West, Offa, Irepodun, Ilorin South and Kaiama local government areas.
” And for Imo state, the following LGAs are Ikeduru, Oru East Ihitte/Uboma, Orsu, and Oguta local government areas of the state,” NIGCOMSAT boss said.
She stated that in Zamfara state, NIGCOMSAT Ltd would take four local government areas which were Anka, Birnin Magaji, Maru, and Zumi, adding that Galaxy Backbone was to cover Bungudu local government area.
NIGCOMSAT’s ambition, according to the managing director, is to complete the project in recorded time and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the benefits of inclusivity at the local government areas across the country.