The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Thursday disclosed that broadband penetration in the country has reached 30.9 per cent, thus surpassing the 30 per cent broadband penetration target by a margin of 0.9 per cent.
Quoting the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), NCC informed that contributions of telecommunications and information services to GDP from the first quarter (Q1) to Q3 2018 was N4.7 trillion.
It however, put the Q3, 2018 GDP contribution at N1.5 trillion.
NCC said the telecommunications and Information services sector grew by 14.7 per cent from Q1, 2017 – Q3, 2018.
Nigeria had through her five-year National Broadband Plan (2013-2018), which was released in 2013, targeted 30 per cent broadband penetration by December 31, 2018, but as at 2017, the country was able to attain 21 per cent penetration.
As at 2013, when the National Broadband Plan was released, the broadband penetration was at six per cent, but the NCC, through its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, came up with eight-point agenda, which focused more on achieving deeper broadband penetration in the country.
NCC, which disclosed the new broadband figure in a document titled Key Statistics in the Telecom Industry as at November, said active voice subscriber base grew from 165,239,443 in October 2018 to 169,104,830 in November 2018.
NCC also put internet subscription at 108.8 million, up from 107.5 million within the months under review.
He however, used the opportunity to call on other agencies like the National Information Technology Development Agencies; Galaxy Backbone, among others to drive the initiative.
The commission revealed that total active broadband subscription on 3G and 4G platforms as November was 58,965,478. (ThisDay)
