In spite of the 70 per cent broadband projection by 2025 as enshrined in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan, which the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani has promised to work towards its attainment, industry indices has revealed that Nigeria may not be able to meet the projection.
Analysis of data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), showed that Nigeria may not achieve the projected 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025, if adequate measures are put in place.
For instance, the recent statistics, which THISDAY obtained from the official website of NCC, showed that internet subscriptions, telecoms subscriber subscriptions as well as number porting, declined across networks as at May, June, July and August this year, a development analysts said could pose serious obstacle to the achievement of 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025.
According to the NCC statistics, active internet subscriptions dropped from 159,534,913 in July this year to 159,034,717 in August this year. It also dropped from 159,598,451 in May this year to 159,498,826 in June this year.
Equally, telecoms subscribers’ subscriptions also dropped from 220, 860, 987, with a teledensity of 115.70 per cent in July this year to 220,715,961, with a teledensity of 115.63 per cent in August this year. Similarly, telecoms subscribers’ subscriptions dropped from 221,258,372, with a teledensity of 115.91 per cent in May this year, to 220, 086, 951, with a teledensity of 115.30 per cent in June this year.
Other indices such as number porting also dropped, according to the statistics released by NCC.
The indices revealed that the total number of inward porting of telephone numbers from one network to another was 4,077 in July this year, but the figure dropped to 2,592 in August this year.
Similarly, inward porting dropped from 2,992 in May this year to 2,321 in June this year.
Number porting is the ability of telecoms subscribers to move their telephone numbers from one network to another network of choice in
