Telecommunications sector of the nation contributed ₦1.6tn to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter of the year, the Nigerian Communications Commission said on Thursday.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this when he visited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mr. Mohammed Bello, in Abuja.
On annually basis, the NCC boss said telecommunications and Information Technology had been contributing about 10 per cent to the country’s GDP.
According to the NCC helmsman, the country recorded Internet users numbering 92 million as of the end of June.
Danbatta predicted that the broadband penetration in the country would hit 30 per cent by the end of 2018, adding that this would boost the number of Internet users.
Telecommunications, he added, had attracted more than $68bn in private sector investment since 2001.
He, however, said that a number of challenges were confronting the sector and hampering the development of the industry.
Danbatta listed the challenges as disruptive effects of construction companies; increase in fees for building permits; delay in approval permits for the installation of base stations; lack of collocation guidelines as well as retroactive laws in the Federal Capital Territory.
Responding, the FCT minister said he would work with the regulatory body to address the challenges.
He said, “Part of our job is to ease business and increase investment in the city and the country at large. We will support you in ensuring there is always increase in broadband penetration across the country.”