Nigerian govt to license new broadband providers – Osinbajo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday disclosed that the Federal Government had concluded plans to expand the broadband coverage of the country through the licensing of private broadband providers.

He said this while inaugurating the Google for Nigeria event at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, on Thursday.

According to him, the measure would improve the digital space and opportunities for innovation and technological advancement of the country.

“Next week I will launch a climate innovation centre in partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre at the Lagos Business School, here in Lekki Village.

“All of these form part of our ICT road map in which the private sector is an important stakeholder.

“The challenge remains connectivity, extending broadband reach and making data cheaper.

“Our national broadband policy is the first step we are taking.

“And so through the Nigerian Communications Commission we are licensing a number of infrastructure companies who will invest in rolling out broad band infrastructure across Nigeria.

“I believe that we can extend broadband connectivity and reach significantly within a year or two and we will be partnering in whatever way we can with Google.

“And with Nigerian broadband providers like 21 Century Technologies, BCN, to quickly achieve the level of connectivity that is required to march the creative energy that is being released in our country on a daily basis.

“Our goal is to create a data-driven digital economy, one that will lead to the way not just in Africa but globally as well,’’ he said.

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