The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has set a target of 90% broadband penetration by 2025.
It has however set a target of above 50% by the end of 2023.
The target is in line with the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025).
The target became necessary so as to improve the country’s broadband penetration which is currently in the region of 50%.
The NCC aims to provide industry leadership to facilitate this achievement.
At a two-day Talk-To-The-Regulator Forum for 2023, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, stated that over 150 million Nigerians currently have access to the internet, and over 80 million can access high-speed internet.
Prof. Danbatta, “The Nigeria Communications Commission, in keeping with its mandate, creates opportunities to interact with its licensees on industry issues and new trends via stakeholder fora, with a view to gathering relevant information that would further advance the development of the industry, while improving regulations and service delivery to telecom consumers”.
Danbatta said the TTTR Forum in Yenagoa was originally scheduled to hold in 2022 but was postponed due to the dreadful flood disaster that hit Bayelsa and some other states in the year.
“You will agree with me that the telecom industry has witnessed milestones in more ways than one, including the rapid growth in technology, which is redefining service delivery, and creating wide and high expectations from all stakeholders.
“To keep up to date with developments in the industry, the Commission has equally taken measures to improve regulations to accommodate the rapid and continuous development.
He disclosed some of its interventions to improve the telecoms industry.
These include facilitating the rollout of 5G services, introducing a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) licence to bridge the gap between unserved and underserved areas, and reviewing the scope and structure of existing licences to make them more robust and adapt to new industry trends.
The Commission has also established the Talk-To-The-Regulator Forum, where licensees can interact with regulators on various industry issues.
