Uncertainty over implementation of broadband plan as council fails to sit

There is apprehension in the information and communications technology sector of the country over the implementation and monitoring of the Nigeria National Broadband plan (NNB) as the new Broadband council inaugurated last have not sat, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek has learnt.

National Broadband council sees to the implementation of National Broadband plan, the council plays a supervisory role in the implementation of the plan. Although, the council does not implement, implementations are done by operators, various ministries as well as Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

It is the job of the council to ensure that different time line as contained in the National Broadband Plan are achieved, where there is delay, the council invites the agency responsible to ensure that any obstacle responsible for the delay is removed.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered from a member of the council who does not want his name in print that after the inauguration of the new council in May last year, they have met only once few weeks after the inauguration and since then have not met till today over a year now.

He wondered how the council will be able to make impact and realize its objective of monitoring the implementation of the Nigeria National Broadband plan without sitting.

Responding to this situation, Engr. Olusola Teniola, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said that it would appears that the lack of oversight from the Broadband Council has had an impact on the nation meeting the targets set out in the National Broadband Plan.