FG auctions 30MHZ to accelerate broadband penetration

BROAD-1The federal government yesterday auctioned the 30MHZ slots in the 2.3GHZ Spectrum as part of the implementation process to deepen broadband services in Nigeria.
The event which was held in Abuja assembled industry stakeholders to witness the flagship of the ”Open Access Model” in the licensing of service providers in the nation’s quest to expand the critical broadband infrastructure.

In a robust machine assisted contest between Bitflux Communications and Globacom Nigeria, the process favoured the formal as the winner having agreed to pay the sum of $23.251.000 as against her counterpart who offered $23.005.000 for the slot.
Giving her remarks at the occasion, minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson said the emergence of a wholesale wireless broadband service provider will key into the aspiration of the federal government, the ministry of communications technology and indeed the industry, to accelerate and optimise broadband potentials for our socio-economic development.

The minister recalled that recently the federal government launched a sensitisation programme under, National Broadband Roadmap, aimed at mobilising the industry, the government and the general public to become aware and receptive of the various broadband initiatives in the broadband roadmap.

She said the government indeed is encouraged by empirical statistics that broadband can transform lives and nation as is already doing in countries where they are optimally deployed.
”We will continue to make reference to the often quoted statistic of a 10% increase in broadband penetration delivering a 1.3% increase in GDP,” Mrs. Johnson said.

She revealed that the federal government has also established very critical collaborations and even signed some agreements between governments at all levels and the telecoms operators to fast track this process in the country.
According to her, the fact that ICT sector contributes over 8% to GDP – means that broadband will accelerate the contribution of GDP in many folds.

”As I have always said, if we can achieve our targets of a fivefold increase in broadband penetration by 2017 – from 6% to 30%, we will deliver through broadband, a phenomenal 3% increase in GDP,” the minister submitted.
Executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah described the licensing of the 30MhZ spectrum as a defining moment in the quest to usher in a broadband revolution.