By Munachimso Obienyi
To bridge gaps identified in Nigeria’s fibre infrastructure rollout, the Federal Government is hoping to launch the ‘National Dig Once Policy’ in the country. With the December target, the FG said it was giving the final touches to the proposed document.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, made the disclosure in Lagos at the just concluded fourth edition of Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo) on Dig Once Policy and Fibre Strategy in Nigeria with the theme: Laying the Foundation for Ubiquitous Broadband for Nigeria’s Economic Breakthrough.
Already, Nigeria is said to have a 120,000km of fibre shortfall, after having deployed over 40,000km. Pantami, at the event organised by Business Metrics Nigeria, noted that the policy would facilitate seamless deployment of fibre optic as a backbone broadband infrastructure across the country to bridge the digital divide and boost the digital economy.
Represented by the Secretary of the Broadband Implementation Steering Committee (BISC) and Head, of Wireless Network at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Usman Aliyu, Pantami said the policy is recognised in the Nigeria Broadband Plan 2020-2025 as a critical element to attaining 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025.