Johnson, Comtech Minister Inaugurates Broadband Council

Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, has inaugurated the Broadband Council, marking an important and significant milestone in the implementation roadmap of the national broadband plan.

The Council is made up of 19 members and is chaired by the minister and will work on implementation modalities for the newly developed and approved Nigerian National Broadband plan for the period 2013 - 2018.

 
The Terms of reference of the Broadband Council include providing periodic reports on the progress of the plan, facilitating the coordination and collaboration of the various stakeholders during plan implementation, ensuring that relevant agencies, institutions, and the general public are actively engaged.

Where necessary the Council shall highlighting adjustment areas where needed in the execution of the strategy and roadmap.

The Broadband Council has both institutional, government and individual representation. Institutional representation is to ensure that the requirements of the industry are taken into consideration, such institutions are ATCON, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria.

Individual representations include highly knowledgeable people who are extremely credible in the ICT industry and have shown a great passion to see to the deployment of robust broadband infrastructure in the country including the two former co-chairmen of the recently concluded Presidential Committee on Broadband, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe and Mr. Jim Ovia.

Google and Microsoft represent a small section of the international partners strongly positioned to advance the broadband agenda.

The government institutions that have the direct mandate to deliver broadband to the country are also included namely the Ministry, NCC, USPF and NITDA.

The Members of the Broadband Council are Engr Ernest Ndukwe-chairman Openmedia Group; Mr Jim Ovia-chairman of Visafone; Dr Eugene Juwah, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission; Ms FunkeOpeke, chief executive officer Main One Cable Company;

Others are  EngrTitiOmo-Ettu, managing consultant, Telecom Answers Associates; Engr Gbenga Adebayo-Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications; Mr AdemolaAladekomo, president, Nigeria Computer Society; Mr Bayo Banjo-President, Nigeria Internet Group;  Mr LanreAjayi-president, Association of Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria; Mr Abdullahi Maikano-secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund;  Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor-country manager, Google Global Services Nigeria Limited; Mr Junaid Dikko-director, Etisalat; Mr Mohammed Rudman-chief executive officer, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria; Mr Ayoola Oke-Managing Partner, Ayoola Babatunde Oke& Co; Engr John Ayodele-director, Ministry of Communication Technology; Mr Emmanuel Onyeje, formerly of Microsoft; and Mr Jinmi Sonuga, principal consultant-Business Unusual Ltd.