The Interview Editors
The results of various efforts of the Nigerian Communications Commission in licensing new spectrum bands, re-farming certain frequency bands and driving initiatives for increased broadband infrastructure, has been an increase in broadband penetration in the country.
Data released by the commission and made available to The Interview show that between January and October 2019, broadband penetration increased from 32.34 percent (indicating 61,732,130 Nigerians on 3G and 4G networks) to 37.87 per cent (indicating 72,289,389 on 3G and 4G networks).
With increase in broadband penetration being recorded on a monthly basis, stakeholders are pushing for more government support for the NCC through relevant policies to drive the actualisation of the country’s digital economy policy strategy.
The Commission is expected to take the driver’s seat in the actualisation of the new broadband target being worked on by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.
Just recently, the new National Broadband Plan Committee was inaugurated to come up with the new broadband target for 2020-2025.
With regards to the uptake of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), 110, 500 numbers were ported between January, 2019 and October, 2019, as against 71, 723 subscribers who ported their lines between the same 10-month period in 2018.
This increase in porting activities in 2019 is attributable to increased public education and awareness by the Commission’s head office and its zonal offices, as they intensified awareness on the availability and usage of MNP across geo-political zones.
