Ndukwe Kalu, president, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (Nira) has said that the number of broadband internet users in Nigeria will hit 1 million in the next eighteen months.
Certain conditions such as attention to the data market and massive deployment of infrastructure to support the shift that the numbers are however needed to accelerate this surge.
Kalu’s prediction is also in line with various programmes such as the State Accelerated Broadband Initiative (Sabi) and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) aimed at connecting unconnected and underserved communities are connected to the information superhighway.
Broadband internet is the new rave in internet connectivity as it allows for faster and better services of data packages but its penetration has been very low in the country owing to factors analysts attribute to exorbitant cost of installation and the level of poverty in the country.
Providers of broadband interest access have blamed poor infrastructural base and high operational costs as factors limiting the penetration of broadband internet as they argue that the cost of broadband internet access is a function of other factors. They claim that as soon as the government puts in place public infrastructure that will enable internet providers offer seamless service to the citizenry that the price of connection will crash.
Broadband penetration as it is now is restricted in cities to major companies, schools and authorities and only account for a mere 0.1% penetration rate.
Many people as it is now are deprived the unlimited benefits derivable from cheap and affordable broadband internet.
