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At the Broadband Technical Awareness Forum (TAF) held on October 20, 2022, in Abuja, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) succeeded in galvanizing state governments to collaborate on achieving the National Broadband Plan’s target of 70% broadband penetration by 2025. Over 170 delegates, including state representatives and federal agencies, attended the forum to discuss strategies for addressing broadband challenges at the subnational level.
The forum highlighted the importance of state-based broadband infrastructure for unlocking economic opportunities, improving education, healthcare, and governance, and driving Nigeria’s digital economy forward. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, emphasized broadband as essential for the country’s socio-economic growth, urging state governments to support telecom companies in overcoming obstacles like multiple taxation and right-of-way issues.
NCC’s leadership, including Executive Vice Chairman Prof. Umar Danbatta and Chairman Prof. Adeolu Akande, underscored the need for collaboration between federal and state governments to overcome deployment challenges and accelerate broadband penetration. The forum also called for the establishment of State Broadband Coordinating Councils (SBCCs) to complement the national broadband strategy.
The event concluded with strong commitments from state governors, including Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, to work closely with the federal government to enhance broadband infrastructure across Nigeria.
