FG Targets $50bn ICT Investment -Minister

The Federal Government has said it is keen on doubling the current 25 billion dollars so far invested in the nation’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, said this on Monday during the launch of the Broadband Campaign, “Connected Nigeria, Connected Nigerians” in Lagos.
Johnson said that the investment would be increased increase to 50 billion in the coming years.
“We need $25 billion more in the next few years into the country.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission is going around, as the ministry also does, to win more investors into the country, to boost broadband penetration in Nigeria.”
According to her, the broadband penetration in the country currently stands at between six and seven per cent.
She also said that the ministry was working with all stakeholders to ensure that the National Broadband Plan 2013-2018 was achieved.
“To ensure that the plan is monitored, we set up the Broadband Council in 2013 to ensure proper monitoring of the Broadband Plan implementation.”
Johnson said that the ministry had been working with state governments and other stakeholders to address technical, financial and environmental obstacles militating against the acceleration of broadband deployment.
She said that the broadband campaign was meant to get Nigerians to be aware of the benefits of using the broadband.
The minister said that the campaign was mainly targeted at individual internet users and would sensitise end users on cyber security.
In his remarks, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Lanre Ajayi, said that the broadband campaign would be useful in sensitising Nigerians.
Ajayi commended the effort of the ministry on the reduction of the Right of Way (RoW), as it would enhance broadband penetration.