NCC sets May date for Infraco Licenses

DigitalSENSE Business News:

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that it would commence the licensing of expected seven new Infrastructure Companies (Infracos) before the end of May, 2014, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, revealed this to DigitalSENSE Business News, at the NCC Day at the Centenary Trade Fair in Abuja, said that in the planned auction, two of the Infraco licenses would be auctioned on May, while the rest five will be auctioned before the end of the year.

EVC represented by the Director, Public Affairs in the commission, Mr. Tony Ojobo explained to DigitalSENSE Business News that the auction became necessary to enable the commission fast-track its ubiquitous broadband plan for the country.

“As at 2001, less than 10,000 per cent of Nigerians had access to internet but today, about 50 million Nigerians have access to internet on a regular basis. It is also worthy on note that Nigeria today ranks number 11 in the world in internet usage,” he said.

Juwah pointed out that NCC is gearing up to witness broadband revolution, hence NCC recently auctioned 2.3 Mega Hertz (MHz) license that will usher in a broadband revolution.

In the course of the year, he said, about seven new infrastructure companies, (Infracos licenses) that will provide additional access to broadband, ushering in a revolution would be auctioned. What we have witnessed is a revolution in the area of voice, but what we are going to experience soon is revolution in the area of data.

"Two would be issued in May while five would be issued before the end of the year," he said.

Continuing, he said, ‘‘we are proud to say that Nigerian Communications Commission is the agency that superintended the revolution which has put Nigeria in the global map as the fastest telecommunications market for consecutive five years.’

"At this turn of the century, the nation has something very significant to celebrate about its successes in the area of telecommunications development. A nation that has achieved more than 127 million lines as at January 2014, from less than 400,000 in 2001, and has earned a teledensity of over 91 per cent has something to be proud of as we celebrate our centenary history.’’

The NCC boss maintained that the nation has something significant to celebrate about its success in the area of telecommunications development having achieved more than 127 million lines as at January 2014, from less than 400,000 in 2001 in addition to the 91 per cent teledensity.

Kingsley Opurum/GEE

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Pix: Juwah, EVC, NCC