By 
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta are in talks with the Governor of Ekiti State who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to resolve issues around high Right of Way (RoW) charges imposed recently on telecoms operators by some states.
The minister wants the governor to get his colleagues to adhere to the national benchmark for RoW charge of N145.00 per linear meter of fibre.
Days back, the ministry, in an official statement, expressed disapproval of hike in RoW charges in some states by over 1,200% warning that such wanton increments could jeopardize Nigeria’s goal to expand affordable internet services to underserved and unserved areas as well as undermine the national target for digital economy.
Yesterday in Abuja, Pantami appealed to Governor Fayemi that it was in the country’s best interest for the governors not to disregard the resolutions reached by the National Economic Council (NEC) on uniform RoW charge of N145.00 per linear meter of fibre.
States have obligation to support the federal government’s agenda to grow the national digital economy, said Pantami.
The states that have reportedly increased RoW charges are Lagos, Kano, Anambra, Ondo, Cross River, and Kogi. Others are Osun, Kaduna, Enugu, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Imo, Kebbi and Gombe.
Supporting the minister, Danbatta stated that states in the Nigerian federation are stakeholders critical to ensuring that growth in the telecom sector is sustained by not disregarding the resolutions reached by the NEC to harmonize the taxes applicable to broadband-related activities and to streamline taxation management processes in the country particularly as they concern telcos.
“Our first step was to write to all the state governors and the State Governors’ Forum, drawing their attention to these resolutions and soliciting their support and collaboration towards the realization of the National Digital Economy by fast-tracking the deployment of broadband infrastructure for the provision of affordable internet services to under-served and un-served areas,” said Pantami.
The ministry had argued that the NEC agreed to the uniform RoW charge of N145.00 per linear meter of fibre in order to encourage telcos to invest in massive infrastructure rollout that would to fast track broadband penetration across the country.
