(Ecofin Agency) - Nigeria has revealed plans to extend telecommunications services to another 40 million people with no access to communication in 2017.

According to Umar Danbatta (photo), the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), a survey carried out has revealed about 200 communities nationwide with telecommunication access gap. He said through the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) being controlled by a department under the NCC, 40 million people in those communities would be reached in 2017.

“The empirical studies have shown a correlation between usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and social development. As you are aware, the growth witnessed in the telecommunication sector in the last 15 years had been phenomenal by all standards. From less than half a million lines on the eve of our democratic revival, today actively connected lines are about 150 million, which has come with a contributing increase in teledensity,’’ he told News Agency of Nigeria.

Danbatta added that access to telecommunication services in the country had resulted in a direct and indirect growth in employment generation across the sectors of the economy and Nigeria is looking forward to a better development in the sector.

Anita Fatunji