‘Infracos, 2.6 GHz will improve Internet connectivity’

NCC’s Director of Public Affairs Mr. Tony Ojobo, who said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, added that many jobs will be created when the infracos come on board.He said things are being fine-tuned and very soon the first set of licences for Lagos and the North Central zone including Abuja […]

NCC’s Director of Public Affairs Mr. Tony Ojobo, who said this while speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, added that many jobs will be created when the infracos come on board.
He said things are being fine-tuned and very soon the first set of licences for Lagos and the North Central zone including Abuja will be announced by the NCC.
According to Ojobo, this will follow other licences for the North West, North East, South East, South West and South South.
“The beauty of this is that the commission has adopted the Open Access Model that will enable the operator to work within the framework of regulated pricing. That is why government has put in place such incentives as tax holidays for about five to seven years, as well as subsidies for operators who may go to areas considered to be less commercially attractive. Some may also get grants to cushion their investments. Indeed, it’s going to be a win win situation because all things being equal, the projected broadband penetration of 30 percent by 2018 will be surpassed. And both the operators and the teeming population of internet hungry-people will be happy”, Ojobo said.
Thoug over 75 million Nigerians are currently connected to the internet, a deeper high-speed internet penetration, as currently being championed by the regulator, is required to propel better economic growth in Nigeria, Ojobo admitted.