Growing Nigeria’s teledensity beyond 6.12%

Recently, the Nigeria’s teledensity recorded a growth rate of 6.12 per cent according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This percentage of growth, NCC affirmed was recorded in the last one year and shows that monthly subscriber data rate for the period April 2011 through March 2012, had teledensity of 64.70 per cent, while as at the end of March 2012, it has grown to 70.82 per cent.

NCC also stated that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), namely the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Fixed either wired or wireless have a total installed capacity of 176,662,992, by the end of March 2012, some 134,913,614 were connected. Of these lines, GSM had a chunk of 119,460,789, CDMA got 13,133,240, and Fixed wired cum wireless had just 2,319,585.

The total of active lines in use across the networks, according to NCC was at the time of review 99,145,013, out of which GSM’s share was put at 94,531,980, CDMA - 4,031,698, while Fixed wired and wireless was 599,335.

Noteworthy is that despite the installed capacity of the trio, the GSM subsector led with 150,036,225, followed by CDMA networks with 17,232,725, the Fixed wired cum wireless industry maintained a distance with 9,394,042.

However, in the month of April 2011, the Nigeria’s teledensity declined from 64.70 to 64.65 in May of the same year, which amounted to a downward slope of 0.05 per cent and 0.03 in June 2011. And by July 2011, the teledensity regained its growth rate and went on to surpass the month of April to record 64.88, which is about 0.18 per cent increase.

This growth, NCC said, was however, sustained henceforth till March 2012 by achieving 65.78 per cent in teledensity in August 2011; 66.76 in September, 67.09 in October, 68.13 in November and  68.49 by December 31, 2011.

Additionally, January 2012 witnessed a growth in teledensity to 68.68, February 69.01 and March this year had 70.82 sustained rise in the country’s teledensity.

What this report portends for the industry is that invariably, there is need to work hard so as to improve the quality of service and in taking the relevant steps, all hands must be on the deck to make the required changes where necessary, especially in relation with stakeholders and precisely the industry operators, through provision of adequate infrastructural support in addition to continuously attracting the populace to the adaption of Information and Communications Technology tools.

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