By Idris Bakare
The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami has explained that the telecommunications policy will accelerate broadband infrastructure roll-out in the country.
Pantami made the disclosure in Lagos at the just concluded fourth edition of Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) on Dig Once Policy and Fibre Strategy in Nigeria with the theme: Laying the Foundation for Ubiquitous Broadband for Nigeria’s Economic Breakthrough.
The conversation which was the Fourth Edition of PIAFo with the theme ‘Laying the Foundation for Ubiquitous Broadband for Nigeria’s Economic Breakthrough’ took place at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos recently.
Represented by Engineer Usman Aliyu, Secretary of Broadband Implementation Steering Committee (BISC) and Head, Wireless Network at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Pantami said the policy is recognized in the Nigeria Broadband Plan 2020-2025 as a critical element to attain 70% broadband penetration by 2025.
According to Pantami, the policy will facilitate seamless deployment of fibre optic as a backbone broadband infrastructure across the country to bridge digital divide and boost digital economy.
“Some of the objectives of the policy are provisioning of shared infrastructure for existing internet service providers and entrants; promotion of installation of ready-made buried fibre conduit for broadband deployment; and reduction of the barriers to entry for Internet Service Providers.
“Others are to promote coordination and reduce the number of excavations and disruptions caused due to fibre installation works; to lower the cost of broadband internet service deployment; to promote joint installation of infrastructures in a single phase and avoid unnecessary future digging as well as encouraging infrastructure, and to promote a unified and affordable pricing regime across the federation for Right of Ways.” he said
Speaking at the event, the Lead Executive, PIAFo; Editor, Business Metrics Nigeria, Omobayo Azeez, said the forum is designed to make invaluable contributions for proper formulation of the policy and its effective implementation after it is drafted.
He said policy is imperative to deal with the bitter reality of telecoms sector anywhere in the world.
The reality is that network expansion is often constrained by high cost of deploying infrastructure; and fibre optic is the backbone infrastructure for network expansion and high Quality of Service (QoS).
He said this explained why in the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025, Nigeria is pursuing fibre targets such as 60% Fibre to Towers Connection; Minimum of 120,000km Fibre Infrastructure; Fibre along all federal and state roads; Fibre along 90% of LGA roads; Connecting 100% Tertiary Institutions to Fibre; and Delivering 25 Megabyte per second Internet Speed by 2025, adding that achieving these and the ultimate 70% broadband penetration targets by 2025 requires an ecosystem of willing and united stakeholders including various agencies of governments, operators, equipment manufacturers, and internet service providers.
According to him, “This summit is the Pioneer stakeholder consultative forum dedicated to Dig Once in Nigeria. This speaks volume to the enormity of the task ahead of us today.
“We have positioned this forum to make invaluable contributions for proper formulation of the policy and its effective implementation after it is drafted.”
“We believe all relevant stakeholders should be part of formulating this policy to ensure that the implementation is seamless and prevented from being revolted against in some quarters, just as the case with Right of Ways Charges in some states.”
While delivering a paper on Fibre Infrastructure Rollout Ecosystem Development to Reach 60% Fibre to Site at 120,000km by 2025, ICT Director at Huawei Technologies,Ashwani Mishra recommended ways Nigeria can achieve fibre infrastructure targets by 2025 as stipulated in the NBP 2020-2025.
According to him, the Dig Once Implementation Council (DOIC), as Special Purpose Vehicle, should clarify the fibre strategy, boundary and scope of work of each stakeholders and publish quarterly progress reports.
He also encouraged Nigeria to put in place a mechanism to clarify the cooperation between the DOIC and Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) to help drive the policy adoption to state level and as such, redefine the issue of Right of Way (RoW).
Other recommendations made by Mishra include stimulating demand by making provision of ICT infrastructure a standard requirement for new buildings to drive extension of fibre everywhere in the country; making duct a standard specification for road reconstruction and new buildings, uniform RoW charges and establishment of service level agreements for (SLA) for each department or ministry involved in the process of approval.