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ATCON to partner NCC to organize Broadband and Technology Investment Forum in all states
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Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council to deploy 18,000 kilometers of fibre across country, drive broadband by additional 18%.
By Chinedu James
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) is collaborating with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to strengthen the broadband initiative; a move designed to ensure Nigeria achieves its 30% broadband penetration target for 2018.
The President of ATCON, Olusola Teniola revealed this when he recently led the ATCON’s newly elected National Executive Council on a courtesy visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of the  NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta in Abuja.
Teniola while expressing the association’s readiness in working with the commission said that the partnership will look to strengthen and restructure the broadband initiative in all states of the federation.
“ATCON is looking at revamping broadband penetration initiative in Nigeria, creating jobs for teeming youths, capacity building and training for the youths, by making concrete attempts to measure the state of broadband infrastructure of the states as well as to increase its capacity utilization.
“Hence, the association would like to partner with the commission to organize the Broadband and Technology Investment Forum in all states of the federation,” he said.
Teniola said the forum in every state of the federation will look to eliminate the challenges currently forestalling the penetration of broadband across the country.
Dambatta while welcoming the delegation congratulated the association on its 25 years anniversary, strategic leadership and commitment to the development of the nation.
In relation to the issues hindering broadband pervasiveness in the country, Dambatta stated that problems associated with Right of Way (RoW) will soon be addressed as the commission made a convincing presentation to the Governors Forum on the need for the strict adherence to the National Executive Council (NEC) resolution on RoW charges.
The resolution of the NEC puts the deployment of a meter of fibre at N145 but some states still charge exorbitant fees well above N1,000. This alongside other issues has continued to hinder broadband penetration across the country.
Dambatta further stated that the Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council set up by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo to assist the government in formulating policies and strategies to enhance the performance and industrialization of the nation received a boost with its plan to deploy 18,000 kilometers of fibre across the country and drive broadband by an additional 18%.
