By 
Dr. Aminu Maida, the newly appointed Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has unveiled an ambitious plan to increase broadband penetration in Nigeria from the current 70% to an impressive 90% by the year 2025. This announcement was made during Dr. Maida’s address to the Commission at its headquarters in Abuja.
This new commitment is aligned with the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which aims to position Nigeria on the path to digital transformation.
Dr. Maida emphasized the importance of strategically focusing on ensuring that all Nigerians have access to affordable and reliable broadband services. He highlighted the need for effective diffusion of broadband infrastructure across the entire country.
He stated, “We would align with this aspiration to increase broadband penetration to 70 per cent and to cover 90 per cent of the population by 2025. Therefore, we need to build a reliable telecom industry with impressive quality of service (QoS) indicators and quality of experience (QoE) as our watchword and ultimate goal. This also requires us to address a number of issues such as the Right of Way (RoW) challenge, ensuring security of our telecom infrastructure, among others. Efforts must be made to significantly improve service delivery by ensuring the NCC is performance-driven.”
Recognizing the vital role of quality of service (QoS) in telecom networks, Dr. Maida outlined his priorities. These include enhancing network quality and supporting the Federal Government’s vision for a digital economy. With the increasing digitization of various aspects of life, he emphasized the importance of establishing robust broadband connectivity. Such connectivity facilitates seamless digital transactions and serves as the foundation for e-governance and socio-economic initiatives.
Challenges and Solutions:
In his role, Dr. Aminu Maida faces several challenges in expanding broadband penetration in Nigeria. These challenges include streamlining the approval process and reducing associated costs for companies deploying broadband infrastructure. To address this, he must collaborate with relevant government agencies.
Additionally, ensuring the security of critical telecom infrastructure is crucial, requiring cooperation with security agencies to implement protective measures and monitoring mechanisms.
To expand broadband access to underdeveloped regions, Dr. Maida can facilitate public-private partnerships to incentivize infrastructure development. This could be achieved through subsidies or tax incentives for companies willing to expand their networks.
Furthermore, promoting competition among Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can lead to reduced prices and more affordable broadband services. Regulatory measures may be needed to ensure transparent billing and fair pricing models.
To maximize the benefits of increased broadband penetration, Dr. Maida should also incorporate digital literacy into the education system. Collaborating with the Ministry of Education and other relevant bodies, he can launch public awareness campaigns to enhance the digital skills of the population.
Efficient spectrum management is another essential aspect to ensure effective broadband service delivery. Dr. Maida should focus on optimal allocation and utilization of available spectrum resources, reducing interference, and improving network quality.
Dr. Maida has pledged not to deviate from the overall direction set by the President and the Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy. His key performance indicators (KPIs) are aligned with these objectives, emphasizing the importance of building a robust digital infrastructure and digitally empowering millions of Nigerians.
This commitment positions Nigeria to make significant strides in achieving the goals of the “Renewed Hope” agenda and fostering widespread digital transformation.
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