Telecoms Crisis: NIPSS Calls On Tinubu To Step In And Remove State Fees Hindering Infrastructure Development

Telecoms Crisis: NIPSS Calls On Tinubu To Step In And Remove State Fees Hindering Infrastructure Development

Participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, have called on President Bola Tinubu to expedite the passage of the Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill 2024. The group also urged the president to encourage state governments to eliminate right of way fees for telecom infrastructure deployments nationwide.……..READ MORE 

The call was made during the presentation of a report titled, “Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities,” by NIPSS participants on Monday. President Tinubu assured the group that the Federal Government would continue to prioritize the digital economy’s growth to empower youth and create jobs.

The course participants proposed several other recommendations, including an Executive Order to mandate all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to migrate to the OneGov.ng portal and adopting a Quintuple-Helix Model to boost digital economy development. They also advocated for increased funding for the 3MTT scheme, accelerated transition from IPv4 to IPv6, and the creation of Digital Health Innovation Hubs across the country.

In response, President Tinubu directed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to collaborate with the group, present their suggestions to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Head of the Civil Service for efficient implementation.

Emphasizing youth empowerment through innovation and digital skills, President Tinubu said: “At the core of our administration is youth empowerment. We cannot relent on that, and we need everyone’s collaboration. I’ve listened carefully to your recommendations, and we will continue to engage the Institute as a valuable resource center and think tank.”

He also highlighted the importance of data in national planning, revealing that he had met with officials from the National Population Commission (NPC) regarding the upcoming census.

Prof. Ayo Omotayo, NIPSS’s Director-General, noted that technology drives innovation, and Nigeria must leverage its youthful population to build a thriving ecosystem. However, systemic issues like inadequate digital skills, infrastructural deficits, and regulatory bottlenecks must be addressed for success.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, also shared updates on the Digital Economy Bill and the government’s efforts to expand broadband infrastructure. He announced that 11 states have agreed to waive right of way fees, which would aid broadband expansion across Nigeria.

Tijani also confirmed that Nigeria is on track to be one of the first African countries to fully transition from IPv4 to IPv6 and revealed that a $2 billion investment has been made to build 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables, aiming for nationwide broadband coverage.

In addition, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, highlighted the ICT sector’s 16% contribution to Nigeria’s GDP in 2024, emphasizing its importance to economic stability and job creation. He also shared that President Tinubu had recently met with the CEO of Flutterwave, a fintech company that plans to list on Nigeria’s Stock Exchange to further strengthen the tech ecosystem.