CITAD Wants National Policy For Community Networks

The  Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, to establish a mechanism for development of a National Policy for Community Networks.
The  Executive Director, CITAD, Yunusa Yau, who made the call during a press briefing in Abuja on recently, said a national policy for community networking was lacking, yet very crucial because of its numerous advantages.
He stated that  participants at their recent stakeholders meeting affirmed the viability of community networks as one of the innovative strategies being used by many countries to address connectivity gaps.
According to him, this was especially where mobile network operators have found too unprofitable, either because the populations are sparse, communities are poor or they are too hard to reach.
“The understanding is   that,  there is need for a new business models of small, flexible and nibble providers to fill the gaps that bigger players cannot fill,’’ he said.
Yau said participants also realised that using community networks to address connective gaps required a robust policy on community networks.
While acknowledging the various efforts of the Ministry to engender digital transformation in the country, he said with digital divide, the efforts of the Ministry might be difficult to achieve.
“In particular, a large number of people in rural areas are hard to reach and communities will be left behind as the experience has shown”, he said.
He also explained that when broadband was rolled out, that economic and accessibility factors were key hindrances to their affordability in those communities.
Yau also called on the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) to develop guidelines and regulations for the operation of community networks.
According to him, the agency should allow communities to access and use TV White Space for setting up community networks.
He enjoined the Galaxy Backbone Plc to provide communities with access to its backbone for use as community network getaways.
CITAD,  a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), also stressed the need for  the Universal Service Provision Fund to support the upgrading of many community digital centres they set up in the country to serve as nucleus of community networks.
He urged the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to work with communities at grassroots level to drive digital literacy, which, he said, is critical for utilisation of digital technology.
CITAD also called on private sector operators to support communities in building community networks.