NEPAD, Detecon sign MoU on lowering communication cost in ECOWAS, Central Africa

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development, NEPAD Agency has commission a study across the countries in the West and Central Africa to Detecon International, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) consultant firm, just as both have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Johannesburg.

DigitalSENSE Business News learnt that Detecon was selected to conduct  the  study,  design  networks  and  develop  business plans so as to attract  investments in broadband in the two regions.

The outcome is expected to aid the countries in the west and central African regions to experience lower costs towards their broadband use.

NEPAD through the Communications department in a press statement endorsed by Ms Maureen Nkandu, said the consultancy is an important milestone in the development of the regional broadband backbones that will lead to improved connectivity and broadband services in 25 countries in West African and Central African States.

She also said that the highlights will bring about reduction  of  communication  costs, anticipated to have  a  significant  impact  on  services  costs  in  these  regions and  as such  make  West  and  Central Africa  regions  more attractive for  investors.

“The  realisation  of  those  regional  networks  will  also  be  an  important  milestone  in  continental  integration  and  will  contribute  to  intra-African  trade  expansion,” part of the NEPAD statement made available to DigitalSENSE Business News read.

Also, DigitalSENSE Business News gathered that to effect key aspects of this exercise, NEPAD and Detecon have signed a consultancy agreement.

NEPAD’s Director of Corporate Services, Mr. Bankole Adeoye was quoted as saying at the signing ceremony in Johannesburg that the speedy development of broadband infrastructure is key to Africa’s socio-economic development and NEPAD’s would ensure follow up on the implementation of ICT regional projects.

The study falls in line with the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) under the grants for project running costs and consultancy were provided respectively by French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union (EU’s) Infrastructure Trust Fund (ITF).

While the consultancy is conducted in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

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