All Nigeria State Governors will gather in Abuja tomorrow, October 20 to participate in the maiden edition of Broadband Technical Awareness Forum for Governors (BTAF), put together by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
A statement today, October 19, by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka said that the programme will focus on: “State Broadband Coordinating Councils: Potentials and Possibilities,” aimed at appraising the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, which targets 70 per cent broadband penetration and to cover 90 per cent of the population.
The statement said that the minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, will play host to the assemblage of governors under the auspices of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), adding that some strategic members of State Executive Council, telecom operators, infrastructure companies (InfraCos), strategic partners, investors and other critical stakeholders, will brainstorm on how Nigeria can achieve the expectations of the Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
It said that the board members of the NCC, led by the Chairman, Professor Adeolu Akande, and the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, will participate at the BTAF, “whose overarching objective is to promote the establishment of State Structures required for sustainable broadband infrastructure development at the State and Local Government Council levels, thereby addressing hindrances to the Federal Government’s drive to achieve available, accessible and affordable broadband services for Nigeria’s economy.”
It said that the Forum is expected to affirm the commitment of the government to adopt broadband structure and last-mile projects, particularly the economic viability of broadband deployments beyond the cities, with a strategic focus on funding models and procedures for remarkable and measurable impact.
“There will be a special panel session involving the Governors and development-focused partners both at local and international levels.”
The programme will be held at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, Hotel in Abuja.
