Danbatta, NCC Boss Says RoW Reforms Will Deepen Broadband Penetration

The technical assistance on Right of Way (RoW) reforms will assist in our quest for deepening broadband penetration in Nigeria, according to Prof Umar Garba Danbatta,  executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Prof Umar Danbatta, EVC, NCC

Danbatta, stated this at the first Nigeria Technical Conference on the Right of Way (RoW) virtual forum organised by in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the NCC and the British Government through its Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Programme.

The EVC represented by Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, executive commissioner Stakeholder Management (ECSM), also thanked the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme for their support in championing reforms on RoW to deepen digital inclusion in Nigeria.

“The Technical Assistance on RoW reforms will assist in our quest for deepening broadband penetration in Nigeria. NCC is willing and ready to advance the reforms noted in the technical study and will collaborate with stakeholders to effect it in the short, medium and long term,” he added.

Dr. Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy in his keynote address said: “I want to thank the UK Government for supporting the Nigeria Digital Economy agenda.  Earlier the UK Government supported us in the development of the new national broadband plan through the Digital Access Programme.

“Nigeria has in the last on year of my time as Minister, added 10% to the broadband penetration level in the country. RoW reforms is the key to unlocking Nigeria’s digital economy for inclusive digital growth and we have worked with the Nigerian Governors Forum to achieve some important results already.  We will continue to champion this reforms on RoW and work on the challenges identified by the technical study.”

The virtual forum is one of the key deliverable of the UK’s Technical Assistance project on RoW, which was initiated in April 2020 to assess the existing strategy, charging regime and measure that against economic development indicators.

Funded and overseen by the Digital Access Programme, Greenfields Law, a leading telecom policy, law and regulation firm in Nigeria had engaged with key stakeholders and proposed effective solutions based on the evidence gathered, while taking into account international best practice.

Key stakeholders, who participated at the virtual conference include, which you may wish to add to your stories include; Dr. Pantami; the UK Government’s Digital Access Programme Adviser and Country Lead, Idongesit Udo; Governors of Ekiti, Katsina, Sokoto, Imo, Plateau and Kwara.

They also include representatives of state governments; members of the Presidential Committee on Broadband Plan monitoring and implementation; industry and private sector leaders in tech and telecommunications sector, civil society groups and the media.