Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has praised the Federal Government’s plan to erect 7,000 telecommunications towers in rural areas.
Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON, stated in an interview in Lagos on Tuesday that this initiative would enhance communication services and bridge the digital divide.
Emoekpere emphasised that the erection of telecom towers in rural areas would positively impact network services nationwide and broaden communication services to underserved areas.
He commended the initiative but stressed that sustainability should be the guiding principle.
“We welcome every effort to improve communication services. We hope the Federal Government engages partners to ensure these towers are adequately deployed.
“Sustainability should be the guiding principle. When deploying this kind of infrastructure, sustainability is what we should focus on.
“Who will run it? How will it be maintained? How will it be generated? These are issues that need to be addressed,” Emoekpere said.
He noted that returns from rural areas might not be as high as urban areas, but the government’s erection of towers in rural areas could make it attractive.
Emoekpere highlighted the need for adequate existing operators on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and believed that partnership with the industry is crucial to sustaining the project.
The president mentioned that similar projects had been initiated in the past but were not sustained due to a lack of adequate partnership with the industry.
“If there is adequate partnership, this should be sustained. Many projects like this have been initiated since the beginning of the new democracy,” he said.
On February 27, the Federal Government announced plans to build 7,000 communication towers in rural areas to expand access to telecommunications services and improve digital connectivity across the country.