All Nigeria State Governors gathered in Abuja on Thursday to discuss how to empower the citizens with the latest telecom technologies as they partake in the maiden edition of the Broadband Technical Awareness Forum for Governors (BTAF).
The meeting was put together by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The programme, which took place at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, Hotel in Abuja on October 20, 2022, and themed: “State Broadband Coordinating Councils: Potentials and Possibilities”, appraised the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, which targets 70 per cent broadband penetration and to cover 90 per cent of the population.
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, played host to the historic and seminal assemblage of governors under the auspices of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), where some strategic members of the State Executive Council, telecom operators, infrastructure companies (InfraCos), strategic partners, investors and other critical stakeholders, brainstormed on how Nigeria can achieve the expectations of Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
Board members of the NCC, led by the Chairman, Prof. Adeolu Akande, and the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, also participated at the BTAF, whose overarching objective is to promote the establishment of State Structures required for sustainable broadband infrastructure development at the State and Local Government Council levels, thereby addressing hindrances to the Federal Government’s drive to achieve available, accessible and affordable broadband services for Nigeria’s economy.
The Forum was expected to affirm the commitment of the government to adopt the broadband structure and last-mile projects, particularly the economic viability of broadband deployments beyond the cities, with a strategic focus on funding models and procedures for remarkable and measurable impact. A special panel session involved the Governors and development-focused partners at local and international levels.
