Nigerian government to transform ICT sector

Mrs Omobola Johnson
Minister for Communication and Technology

Nigerian government to transform ICT sector

The Minister for Communication and Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, has said that the Federal Government is planning to transform the ICT sector through robust and reliable broadband infrastructure.

Linking rural areas

Johnson, who disclosed this at the third West African Information & Communication Technology (WAFICT) Congress in Lagos, south-west Nigeria said that the government had also concluded arrangements to take telephony to rural areas.

She said a lot of efforts had been made to develop the broadband industry, but that a lot more still needed to be done to link up the un-served and under-served areas in the country.

Private sector survival

According to her, the government has over the years provided the basic infrastructure through an enabling environment and legal framework for private sector to thrive.

The minister said that government promulgated the Communications Act of 2003 and the subsequent creation of the Universal Service Provision Funds for operators to ensure the survival of the sector.

“This fund is designed to basically enable the operators access funds in line with the laid down regulations of the Act. Government is ready to create a digital economy and information society in Nigeria to meet up with the Vision 20:2020 target”, she said.

Sustainable economic growth

Johnson said that the achievement of a digital economy was in line with government's strategies to achieve sustainable economic growth.

According to her, the onus is on the stakeholders to avail themselves of the various programmes set out to advance ICT development in the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Mr Eugene Juwah, said that broadband development would open new ICT frontiers and opportunities in West Africa.

Juwah, who was represented by Mr Tony Ojobo, an Executive Director in NCC, said that the development would guarantee continuous progress in ICT development.

Integrating West African

He said the commission was ready to take part in any institutional framework that would facilitate the integration of telecommunication industry in Africa.

The NCC boss said that broadband presented a window that should be exploited for the integration of the West African sub-region. 

NAN/Shakira/Ekata