The available bandwidth in Nigeria is potentially infinite. In fact, it is safer to say that Nigeria is swimming in an ocean of bandwidth with the avalanche of undersea cable systems, each with landing points on the shores of the country.
Therefore, it seems paradoxical to some that despite the big noise about broadband revolution; broadband internet is still not affordable and truly accessible.
Today, many Nigerians are still without a drop of the roaring ocean; where it is available, users still have to contend with unreliable, slow and very expensive internet services.
Though reliable statistics are hard to come by, it is believed that over 65 percent of the rural and suburban population is yet to derive any benefit from the so called broadband revolution.
This is a typical case of starving in the midst of plenty because there are various ambitious undersea cable projects including Main One and Glo 1; two home grown companies.
Elsewhere, the West African Cable System (WACS), an initiative operated by nine countries (including Nigeria’s MTN Group) joined the fray.
Before the flood of undersea cable systems, the only cable system serving Nigeria’s internet and data needs was the SAT-3/WASC or South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cable.
There is also the ACE submarine cable system covering Nigeria and other countries. ACE submarine cable system is also among these, a carrier that covers Nigeria and other countries.
Operators have blamed the high cost of broadband internet on a number of factors including: challenges of “Right of Way” permit; frequent fibre cuts; and dearth of last mile infrastructure.
They also point at lack of policy framework for broadband infrastructure development; Nigeria’s notoriously unreliable power supply; and multiple regulation and taxation.
Enough of the reasons, the truth is that Nigeria cannot do without broadband internet in this knowledge age.
Broadband is the next big thing and Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind.
Nigeria needs to break through the policy and environmental barriers for broadband deeper penetration.
Broadband represents huge opportunities for social and economic progress of Nigeria because it facilitates the delivery of more effective healthcare, banking, better education, smoother and more transparent governance, sustainable environment, more efficient transportation, national security, as well as, smarter and more economical energy supplies.
The government should release the digital dividend spectrum to deliver broadband services to rural areas and reduce the tax level faced by Nigerian mobile operators.