National Broadband Alliance: Edo, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, 4 Others to Get Quality Internet Services by March 2024

…As FG Set Up National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria (NBAN)

The Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy has launched the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria (NBAN), a multi-stakeholder collaboration to promote nationwide broadband and Internet access while addressing fibre network challenges.

The Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, under the leadership of Dr. Bosun Tijani, outlined the plan in a white paper titled “Broadband Access for All: Introduction Deepening Nigeria’s National Backbone and Middle Mile Infrastructure.”

The institutions being targeted include schools, hospitals, government offices, libraries, and markets, among others.

According to the Ministry, the purpose of the Alliance is to tackle the low and non-consumption challenge and its resultant poor return on investment (ROI) in the nationwide fiber network.

The alliance will consider short-, medium-, and long-term goals as it collaborates with international organisations to execute its initiative in stages.

added that the Alliance was also created to foster collaboration for broadband development and adoption, as well as to position Nigeria at the forefront of the global digital landscape.

Giving further details about the Alliance the Ministry said: “The National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria is a multi-stakeholder collaboration aimed at spearheading a concerted effort to achieve universal broadband access across the nation.

“Recognizing the imperativeness of broadband in economic development, the alliance will bring together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to collaboratively develop a sustainable business model(s) for driving the adoption and consumption of internet in key critical public institutions (schools, hospitals, government offices, libraries and markets etc) across the nation.

“The alliance will also serve as a platform for government agencies, telecommunication companies, technology providers, and civil society organizations to coordinate efforts and share resources in support of the Ministry’s agenda for nationwide expansion of broadband services.

“With the national desk at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the NBAN nodes hosted by sub-national governments (states) will work closely with regulatory bodies to streamline processes and remove obstacles hindering the swift deployment of broadband networks.”

It added that the Alliance will drive digital inclusion and awareness to ensure the inclusion of all segments of society in the digital economy and benefit from the advantages of broadband connectivity.