At least six state governors today pledged support for the federal government’s digital economy drive and initiatives. The governors gave their pledge during a virtual meeting were they spoke clearly of the importance of digital infrastructure development across their states to achieve their various state goals.
The governors’ commitment follows a previous agreement they had with the ministry of communications and digital economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC) to slash, and in some cases abolish right of way fees in their states.
The governors that were personally present at the virtual meeting are those of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, Imo , Senator Hope Uzodinma, Katsina, Aminu Masari Kwara, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Plateau state, Mr Simon Lalong. The Ekiti state governor, and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi was represented.
Also at the meeting were minister of communication and digital economy, Dr Isa Pantami, the British High Commissioner in Nigeria Catriona Laing, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), professor Umar Danbatta and over 140 stakeholders in the Nigerian digital ecosystem.
The governors spoke at the technical presentation of a study on effective Right of Way (RoW) administration and issuance of planning permits for masts and towers in support of the NCC. The study carried out by Greenfieds Law Consultants was supported by UK Government’s Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Programme.
The aim of the study was to identify pragmatic policy and legal and regulatory Right of Way (RoW) and site build approval processes for adoption by all governments in Nigeria, to facilitate the uniform enhancement of broadband access and availability and the attainment of aspirations of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2019 and the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
Kwara state governor AbdulRazaq said pervasive digital infrastructure in the state would make possible eHealth, telemedicine, enabling doctors, from all over the world to provide services through digital platforms to the rural areas that are currently starved by lack of qualified and experience doctors. He added that without proper infrastructure the state would not be able to catch up. “We have capacity to do these thing”, he says. According to him, it is good to provide enabling environment for investors to come into the state to deploy digital infrastructures that is why his government has approved almost zero fees for right of way for telecom network operators’ who are willing to come into the state to deploy broadband infrastructure.
Lalong of Plateau also spoke in the same vein saying his government’s priority is how to automate government processes and ensure transparency, and as such the state needs partners who are willing to come there and drive “our digital infrastructure programmes and initiatives”.
On his part Uzodinma who spoke through his commissioner of science and technology, Ukecukwu Umeh, though he was initially at the meeting, said the state’s needs to tackle the issue of digitalization motivated the governor to waive right of way fees for telecom network operators. He said the state in its bid to migrate to digital platforms has stopped payment of salaries through analogue means.
Masari averred that diitalisation would help the state fight insecurity through e-security platforms and enthrone e-governance and eHealth, and also improve public sector participation in governance. He said the Katsina state has approved a one-stop-shop for right of way processes by telecom operators.
According to Fayemi, Ekiti removed right of way impediments to deployment of digital infrastructures in the state because of its ambition to make Ekiti the innovation capital of Nigeria and bring about distance learning by partnering with universities, especially in the United Kingdom.
