Nigeria will achieve the 30 per cent national broadband penetration by 2018 as projected in the country’s National Broadband Plan.
The country will also look into the complaints of multiple taxation to harmonise them to lessen the burden on ICT operators.
The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, said on Monday in Abuja that the country had so far achieved between 18 and 20 per cent penetration as a result of private sector initiatives.
The government was encouraging all GSM and ICT companies to invest in the communication sector to expand the broadband penetration.
He said the government was also encouraging a number of initiatives, including foreign companies to invest in the country.
On the recent proposed data tariff increase, Shittu said the matter was almost sorted out.
He said that he was not part of the initiative as the issue was between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the companies.
“When it happened, a lot of people accused me of taking money from these companies, so I have to explain the role I played and you would recall that the Senate because of the uproar that greeted the issue called stakeholders meeting.’’
The minister said that it was at that meeting that it became clear that what was said to be newly introduced had actually been the rate suspended years ago.
“The rate was agreed three years ago but perhaps because of uproar at the time it was suspended. The rate was 90 kobo and what is in operation is now is 55kobo.
“And a lot of people out of mischief said that it was a 250 per cent increase but it was from 55 kobo to 90 kobo and if you don’t use it at all you don’t pay anything.’’
According to him, the GSM companies said they were groaning under the burden of debt, that was why they needed the increase.
He noted that many local, state and federal government operatives demand taxes from operators which actually increased their expenditures.
“So, I agree that there are allegations of multiple taxes.
“And now, I have challenged the operators to bring all of these taxes forward to let to us see how we will harmonise them,“ he said.
He, however, said that taxes were necessary as even in the developed countries like UK, U.S. governments were run on peoples’ taxes.
Shittu, however, urged political leaders in the country to see telecoms as a strategic national asset without which Nigeria could not make progress.
“If you are a governor and you don’t have access to telecommunications in this world, how will you reach to the masses, how do you communicate,’’ he wondered.
He also called on stakeholders in the ICT sector to deepen effort in promoting the sector to improve nation’s economy.
According to him, the ministry will sustain its collaboration with the organised private sector to further provide the opportunity of exploring “the unbelievable potential of ICT’’.
“I am also using this platform to call all operators within the ICT sector to come forward for an interaction with me to look at whatever needs to be done in order for us to improve.
“There are many employment opportunities to be explored if good attention will be placed in the direction of ICT,’’ he said.
NAN
