The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has formed an industry-wide committee to facilitate the deployment of broadband infrastructure as part of a project called National Communications Backbone. The purpose is to jumpstart the growth of broadband services in Nigeria (NCB).
The National Broadband Infrastructure Joint Committee (NBIJC) is a group led by the Director of Digital Economy at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Augustine Nwaulune, and consisting of representatives from mobile network operators (MNOs), infrastructure companies (InfraCos), and tower companies (TowerCos). Its mission is to aid in the realisation of the NCB targets outlined in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020–2025.
The NCC’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Services, Josephine Amuwa, who presided over the inauguration on behalf of NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, in Abuja recently, said the need to inject a broad-based industry approach to address challenges impeding the actualisation of broadband targets informed the Committee’s emergence.
According to Danbatta, the Committee’s approved Terms of Reference call for a number of goals, including the construction of 120,000 kilometres of fibre across the country, the deepening of broadband penetration to 70% by 2025, and the connectivity of 60% of Communication towers with fibre (ToR).
The EVC stated, “I appreciate your willingness and readiness to make a considerable investment of time and talent to participate in this Committee. We appreciate that you will provide an invaluable perspective as we seek to address gaps impeding the actualisation of the NCB and NNBP initiatives.”
“The depth and scope of experiences represented by the broad spectrum of this Committee’s membership will, no doubt, provide the Commission with much-needed insight and drive to overcome the challenges facing broadband infrastructure deployment in the country, and even exceed the current set targets.”
”Following its inauguration, the Committee held its maiden meeting that discussed the frequency of meetings and other critical issues considered relevant to deliver on its ToR.”
The Committee’s six-point Terms of Reference (ToR) included: improving collaboration between MNOs and InfraCos towards achieving the NCB of the NNBP 2020-2025 target; and designing an NCB network architecture and harmonised comprehensive plan that would create a more viable business case that would attract investors, create synergy between the MNOs and the InfraCos, and make infrastructure deployment easier.
Together with the Commission, the Committee is also expected to set up an NCB financing workshop and invite all of the major financial institutions, MNOs, and InfraCos. They will then present the project, which is expected to cost around N800 billion, for adoption and funding.
