An innovative and interactive new drive to empower affordable Internet access will today unite the Nigerian government as well as key members of the Nigerian ICT industry with technology leaders from across Africa and the rest of the world on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Web.
25 years after Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee submitted his proposal for the World Wide Web (March 12, 1989), the world’s broadest technology sector coalition, the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), is bringing together government ministers, technology innovators, researchers and campaigners to drive forward the policy change, dialogue and investment needed to put internet access in the hands of millions across Africa.
The forum will aim to consolidate support for, as well as build upon ongoing efforts to increase broadband penetration in Nigeria five-fold to 30 percent by 2018.
The Nigerian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with A4AI and participants at the forum include Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology.
The forum will also see the launch of a new multi-stakeholder coalition that will contribute to the development of policies intended to bring in a new era of widespread and affordable internet access.
As laid out in the recently published Nigerian National Broadband Plan, the existing challenges to greater Internet and broadband access in Nigeria will be tackled head-on by: Incentivizing the deployment of a national fiber optic network across the entire country; Developing a framework that ensures the potential benefits of open access and infrastructure sharing are realized.
Others are: addressing high cost points such as spectrum prices and the cost of physical attacks on infrastructure; and Increasing citizen awareness about the possible benefits of the internet and how to use it.
According to the World Bank, eighty-four percent of Nigerians live on less than two dollars per day and 63 percent live on less than $1.25 per day. A prepaid mobile broadband user subsisting on $2 per day who wanted to use 1GB of data per month would have to spend 22 percent of their monthly income to do so.
At present, one third of Nigerians use the Internet, up from 28 percent in 2011 and 24 percent in 2010. However, the broadband penetration rate is only 6 percent.
In Nigeria, fixed broadband currently costs 39 percent of average monthly income, with a 500MB pre-paid mobile broadband plan averaging 13 percent.
The Alliance for Affordable Internet and its 55 members, whose global sponsors are Google, Omidyar Network, the UK’s Department for International Development and the US Agency for International Development, will work hand-in-hand with the Nigerian government and sector stakeholders to support the Government in the implementation of its vision for affordable broadband access to all Nigerians.
Johnson said: “We welcome the opportunity to align ourselves with other forward looking governments and members of the Global ICT industry as well the ‘unified voice and coordinated focus’ that is represented by the A4AI. We are also extremely pleased to note the common approach to tackling the problems of providing ubiquitous, affordable access to the Internet for all Nigerian citizens as is represented by our recently launched Nigerian National Broadband Plan. We view this forum as extremely timely and a key part of our consolidating internal as well as external support for the changes needed to accelerate the needed improvements in our National Broadband network”.
Sonia Jorge, executive director of A4AI said: “On the 25th anniversary of the Web, we are working to unlock the power of the internet in Africa and place it in the hands of those for whom it remains out of reach. Nigeria is one of the fastest growing markets in Africa but overcoming the challenges to increased access will not be solved by a single solution or player. Through collaboration we need to create policy and regulatory environments that reduce cost structures for providers, users and potential users of the internet environments that stimulates investment, increase affordability and encourage internet use. In Nigeria, A4AI will be focusing on reaching rural communities and those living below the poverty line, so all Nigerian women and men can realize the benefits of the Web.”
Funke Opeke, CEO of Main One said: “Main One is delighted to see the Alliance focus on Nigeria with the launch here in October 2013, followed by this forum in Abuja today. We are in agreement that the emphasis on collaboration and open access in Nigeria’s broadband plan will need to be actualized to ensure affordable internet delivery and look forward to working with other industry players and government to make the vision of affordable Internet a reality for all Nigerians.”
A4AI has grown rapidly as an coalition since its launch in October 2013, achieving a membership of over 50 organisations in just four months.
Global sponsors Google, Omidyar Network, the UK’s Department for International Development and the US Agency for International Development have been joined by a host of governments, technology companies and civil society organisations from developed and developing countries.
The group is co-ordinated by the World Wide Web Foundation, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, founded by Web inventor.
It will work in a number of countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, and has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the governments of Ghana and Nigeria.
A4AI is advocating for open, competitive and innovative broadband markets with a focus on achieving the UN Broadband Commission Broadband Target of entry-level broadband services priced at less than 5% of average monthly income.