In 2013, Nigeria through the Presidential Committee on Broadband developed a five-year strategy to drive internet and broadband penetration and scale up the nation’s broadband growth by 30 percent. The vision behind the Nigerian broadband plan seeks to accelerate high speed internet and mass broadband access, and as a result prompt socio-economic growth for the nation and prosperity for its citizens in addition to removing barriers to expanding services to the mass market for deeper penetration and adoption. However, five years down the line, the impact of the National Broadband plan is yet to be felt.
In an article published by Vaguard newspaper, MainOne CEO, Funke Opeke highlights the plight of operators as prospective investors who are genuinely willing to invest in the country are seen to be retreating when they look at the economics of investing in the broadband sector. “Investors are willing to come to Nigeria. I have seen a lot of them who looked at the size of the Nigerian economy and wanted to come in, but once they start looking at the economics they pull out. They will tell you they have done it in Kenya, Ghana and other African countries, so, why is it too expensive to do here in Nigeria? The conditions are not just conducive at the moment to make such investment” she stated.
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