Nigeria: Communications Commission and Google determined to work for Nigeria’s digital transformation
April 20th 2022
Since 2020, the Nigerian government has set itself the objective of achieving a broadband penetration rate of 70% by 2025. To this end, it is increasing contacts with the actors able to contribute to a smooth entry of populations in the fourth industrial revolution.
The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and Google Global Services Nigeria say they are committed to working together for permanent broadband access. The announcement was made during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the internet services company to the premises of the telecoms regulator on Thursday (April 14th) in Abuja. The objective was to discuss possible joint actions likely to propel digital transformation across the country and Africa.
Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the NCC, Umar Garba Danbatta, stressed the importance of such synergy and the need to make the initiatives of both parties more impactful through enhanced cooperation for quantifiable and remarkable impact. The Director of Google West Africa, Juliet Ehimuan, for her part, welcomed the consultative approach that the telecoms regulator has always adopted in formulating policies for the optimal provision of telecommunications services which will have a impact on the digital and the economic dynamics of the country.
Google Global Services Nigeria’s visit to the NCC came days after the April 7 meeting with the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, ahead of the landing of the fiber optic submarine cable Equiano by the end of April. Through this high-speed telecom infrastructure, Googles Global Services Nigeria wants to guarantee the large Nigerian population access to high-quality data connectivity in line with the government’s ambitions to increase the broadband penetration rate to 70% of by 2025, and to guarantee the digital inclusion of all.
Umar Garba Danbatta expressed optimism that this investment by Google in Nigeria will have an impact on the socio-economic development of the country. He also expressed the wish that Equiano would have additional landing points in the hinterland, through collaborative efforts with approved infrastructure companies, to significantly reduce data costs and thus complement the Commission’s efforts to ensure the availability of high-speed Internet everywhere.
Back