Higher Institutions, Airports, Markets To Benefit From N41.6bn Broadband Connectivity

The federal government has commenced the implementation of phases Two and Three of the N41.6 billion Nigerian Communications Commission’s Broadband Connectivity Intervention in critical sectors of the Nation’s economy.

This project will benefit higher Institutions, airports and markets according to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, who distributed letters to beneficiary institutions in Abuja on Thursday. He noted that the intervention will boost the digitalization of the schools, airports and markets.

Pantami stated that the first phase had been implemented 80 per cent after the Federal Executive Council and FEC approved the intervention on 29th March 2023. He noted that the funds for the interventions were Internally Generated Revenue, IGR from Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.  

He said the phases 2 and 3 broadband connectivity would provide services to 49 Higher Institutions of Learning, 20 Airports and Six Markets adding that the total number of interventions across the country on broadband connectivity is 113.

“The first phase has been implemented on average 80 per cent; in some institutions, the implementation level is up to 90 per cent within that range. Because of this, I feel it is the right time to commence Phases 2 and phase 3.

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“On Wednesday, 29th March 2023, I was at the Federal Executive Council where I presented a memorandum for this event we gathered here. The two memos covered 49 higher learning institutions, 20 airports and six markets. By implication, each memo represents a phase. We are here for phase 2 and phase 3. The total amount we have committed to this is approximately N41.6 billion.

“The second and third phases are here; we have to provision 20 airports, six additional markets, and 49 institutions of learning. We have prioritized polytechnics in this phase; we will prioritize colleges of education in the next phase.  

“All in all, we can safely say we have 113 interventions from this number. Nineteen universities in the first one, one college of education, 20 markets, 49 additional institutions of learning, six additional markets and 20 airports, you can simply say we have 113 interventions so far from the 41.6 billion Naira to be spent as part of our donation to other sectors from our internally generated revenue through the telecommunication sub-sectors”, he stated.

Also speaking, the Chairman Board of NCC, Prof Adeolu Akande, said the interventions were made to diversify the Nigerian economy as envisioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“It Is a project conceived by the minister for communications and digital economy to drive the quest for the diversification of the Nigerian economy as envisioned by our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

The managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Captain Rabiu Yadudu welcomed the initiative, stressing that “It is true airports are connecting points; they are social and economic enablers”.