Reactions as 22 Institutions, others set to enjoy N16.7 billion broadband access projects

More than 22 institutions in the country, comprising 18 universities and six polytechnics, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), drawn evenly from the six geopolitical zones in the country, have benefited from a Federal Government’s broadband infrastructure projects designed to accelerate the Nigeria Digital Economy efforts

At the unveiling of the projects being driven by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which was held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who presided over the event, said the projects underscores the importance of broadband connectivity and access as central to the targets of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030 for a digital Nigeria.

He said the project is in line with the mandates of President Muhammadu Buhari on job creation and economic diversification.

Pantami, who was joined by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Bello at the event, disclosed that the project provides broadband infrastructure for tertiary institutions of learning; broadband infrastructure for MSME; distribution of 6,000 e-pad tablets, in addition to the provision of broadband connectivity to 20 markets as a pilot.

He said the interest in supporting the MSMEs is justified by their current contribution of more than half of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, and now constitute 96.7 per cent of entire businesses in the country, and therefore, “any effort to develop the economy without bringing such important sector into the equation will amount to efforts in futility