The Nigerian Communications Commission has stressed that broadband availability is key to achieving financial inclusion in the country
NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made this known this while speaking in Lagos.
According to the commission, the availability of broadband is expected to be facilitated by robust infrastructure deployment. It stated this while stating that the nation’s grass-root communities and the underserved population will not be left out of the national broadband plan.
According to him, the NCC is mindful of the infrastructure gaps in the country and is committed to delivering the national digital economy to the grassroots.
In a statement, he said, “As a Commission, we have a mandate to ensure availability of universal access to telecom services irrespective of circumstances and location of Nigerians and other users in Nigeria.”
Speaking through Freda Bruce-Bennet of the Digital Economy Department, he said voice communications now enjoy over 100 per cent penetration in the nation.
Speaking at an event hosted by Oriental News Nigeria, themed, ‘Engaging with Critical Grassroots Groups to Develop Effective Financial Inclusion Initiatives’, Bruce-Bennet, said the Commission has been at the forefront of driving technology platforms required to drive increased access to financial services by all and sundry.
She noted that the current implementation of an open access model (Infraco licensing) for the deployment of broadband infrastructure in the six geopolitical zones, as well as was one of the strategies adopted by the commission to ensure a robust infrastructure deployment.
She added that the NCC, through its Digital Economy Department, is fostering the development of a portal for the Association of Skilled Vocational Artisans of Nigeria for information and digital training purposes.