Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has announced that Nigeria’s broadband penetration has recorded seven million new subscriptions in the last seven months.
Prof. Danbatta also disclosed that active mobile voice subscriptions increased from 151 million in 2015 to over 204 million as of May 2022, adding that Nigeria’s teledensity is 107.17 per cent.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman said Nigeria is on course to achieving 70 per cent national broadband coverage by 2025.
He disclosed these details while presenting the keynote address at the 11th eWorld Forum, which featured the launch of a book: ‘Nigeria Drivers of Digital Prosperity: The Trajectories of the Digital Evolution, Sector Analysis and Players Contributions’, authored by Mr. Aaron Ukodie.
He explained that the steady growth in broadband penetration was positively impacting other sectors of the economy such as healthcare, education, agriculture, finance, transportation, commerce, governance, and other sectors.
Prof Danbatta said: “Internet subscribers have grown from 90 million in 2015 to 150.36 million as of May 2022. Also, within the period under review, broadband penetration increased from 8 per cent to 43.67 per cent, indicating that over 83.3 million subscribers are on broadband networks of 3G and 4G. Indeed, between November 2021 and May 2022, the networks have added 7 million new users”.
Danbatta, who was represented by NCC’s Head, Spectrum Administration, Abraham Oshadami, informed the audience that in the fourth quarter of 2021, the sector contributed 12.61 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a reasonable leap from 8.50 per cent in 2015.
On universal access and service, the NCC Executive Vice Chairman explained that the Commission, through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) has recorded huge successes towards ensuring that telecommunications services are accessible to a large number of people and communities at affordable prices, in addition to various projects being implemented by the Commission to increase universal access and service as well as to enhance government efforts in poverty reduction.
