Tech World

Minister Hails WIOCC’s Internet Connectivity Initiative

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Dr Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, said on Wednesday that the fibre-to-home internet connectivity project by West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) would boost the nation’s digital economy.

Tijani made this statement during the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony held in Abuja between the WIOCC group and the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.

The fibre-to-home internet connectivity project is expected to cost ten million dollars.

Nigerians will have access to better, quicker, and cheaper internet for digital connections, Tijani said, adding that WIOCC’s investment in fibre-to-home, offices, and institutions would strengthen the country’s digital economy.

“This collaboration with WIOCC Group represents a significant step forward in our commitment to ensuring that Nigerians have access to reliable and high-quality telecommunications services.

“We are committed to building a resilient digital infrastructure that fosters innovation, inclusion, and economic growth.

“Telecommunications service providers will continue to invest, but at the same time, at a rate; they have to ensure that their businesses are sustainable, not at a rate that will become challenging for our people.

“We are encouraging investment in different parts of the value chain that get connectivity to people, and one of those areas that Nigerians have not truly benefitted from is things like fibre-to-home.

“We mostly rely on connectivity on our mobile on the go. But there is immense opportunity to also stay connected while you are home.”

Speaking about the MoU, Tijani stated that the ministry had previously been working on a project of this kind in Lagos and a few other states.

He said the Federal Government would like to collaborate with businesses like this to enable them to easily accomplish their objectives throughout the entire nation, not just in those few states.

“It is going to put Nigeria into a position where the people have access to world-class and high-speed broadband internet, not just in the major cities but in the rural and unconnected locations.

“We also want to see how they can support more small businesses to be able to deal with other services across the country.

“Working with the private sector to deliver last-mile connectivity to homes and businesses, amongst other key benefits, is essential to achieving this vision.

“We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration creates for empowering communities across Nigeria.”.

Speaking on the recent approval for tariff hikes for telecom services providers, the minister said it was a very difficult decision for the government because there was clarity on the role of connectivity in society and development within the government.

“We appreciate that our goal of building a one-trillion dollar economy will need to ensure that connectivity is at the heart of that, because productivity is key for you to truly be able to build an economy that is strong,” Tijani said.

Prior to this, WIOCC’s Group Chief Business Development Officer, Darren Bedford, stated that the company’s initial investment capital of $10 million would be used to build three million homes in the project’s first phase.

According to Benford, the MoU will reaffirm the parties’ shared commitment to assisting Nigeria’s digital development.

He adds that it also seeks to build a strong digital ecosystem that promotes sustainable economic growth and benefits all parties involved.

Since the majority of Nigeria is currently unconnected and most businesses and individuals in their homes must rely on mobile internet, he claimed the project would have a significant impact.

“They do not have access to true high-speed broadband. I think this is the first step to create this environment and to bring this to the Nigerian people.

“We have set our ambitions at a reasonable target during the course of the rollout for those three million homes; we will re-evaluate. We have done a realistic initial plan that we think is achievable.

“As we improve how we roll out and develop internet across Nigeria, that will increase over time, and we will be able to connect more people.

“At the moment, we are doing an initial investment of 10 million dollars, and this will grow over time as we raise and invest more capital into Nigeria,” he said.

 

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