An Information Technology expert, Mr Jide Awe, yesterday in Lagos urged government to license more Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) to boost the widespread of broadband in the country.
Awe, also the Conferences Committee Chairman of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), told newsmen that this would also enable everyone to be digitally included.
“The challenges of broadband penetration that is being experienced in the telecom industry needs the aid of InfraCos to help mitigate it.
“The ones that are already licensed are having challenges and this should be tackled with the help of government and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).
“Part of the problem that is on ground is the issue of right of way, which is affecting so many development issues, especially digital inclusion,” he said.
Awe said, for development to take place in the country, everyone should be included, adding it should not be just for people that could afford it or are privileged.
“The other non-developed places have to be included so that people in the rural areas, the disabled and women will have access and be digitally included,’’ the IT expert said.
He added that, apart from infrastructure, there was the need to have people who are knowledgeable and have the capacity and who would use the infrastructure to make the needed difference.
“On the overall, the ICT industry has not gone down drastically. But the more the broadband issue is perceived without having a solution, the more we are not moving forward.
“Even power that is an external issue is also affecting ICT, and we know what it means for young operators who constitute the economy.
“Focus should not be on the big telecoms operators, if we want the industry to grow. We have to look at the small IT training schools, software providers and also hardware resource persons,” Awe said.
Our correspondent reports that InfraCo licenses were offered to two legal entities MainOne for Lagos zone and IConnect, a subsidiary of IHS, for the North-Central zone.