The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday said more than 35 million Nigerians are yet to have access to telecommunications and thus lack access to digital financing.
Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Danbatta, made this known at the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja during the World Consumers Rights Day celebration.
At the event with the theme:” Fair digital finance”, Danbatta said the situation denies such large numbers of citizens access to digital financial inclusion and the benefits associated with it.
“It is a challenge that is attributable to the inadequacy of both wireless and fibre connectivity infrastructure.
“The fact remains that more citizens will embrace the digital financial culture when they have access to telecom services in the distant, isolated, unserved, and underserved communities where they dwell.
“We are, therefore, conscious of the urgency of increasing investment in both fixed and wireless infrastructure. This will make the target of at least 80 per cent level of financial inclusion in about four years possible.
“The Commission has thus licensed the infrastructure companies (Infracos), which are to provide the fibre from landing ports to the hinterland of the country. A key focus in this regard is to provide broadband connectivity, especially in the 774 local government areas in the Country,” Danbatta said.
He warned that infrastructural firms (InfraCos) that have been licensed to deploy infrastructures to areas affected by lack of services, but failed to do so risk NCC sanctions. He assured that broadband plans had been designed to cover the underserved areas within a number of years.
