(Ecofin Agency) - The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) aiming to become a commercially viable entity, said it will commercialize some of its ICT infrastructure. This was revealed by the Corporation’s group managing director, Maikanti Baru (photo), during a meeting with the minister of communication, Adebayo Shittu.

“Our look-ahead plan is to commercialise our Fibre-Optics Cable Network utilizing NNPC pipeline Right of Way that cuts across the entire country,” Baru said.

The infrastructure to be commercialized includes the over 960 km of Fiber Optic Cable laid between Lagos-Benin and Warri to Kaduna on the NNPC Pipeline Right of Way; 52 remote VSAT stations nationwide and 2 Network Centres connecting all NNPC Depots and Pump Stations across the country.  

According to the GMD who said the move will help boost broadband penetration across the country, NNPC wishes to support the ministry of communication which aims “to ensure effective governance and service delivery”. Lauding NNPC’s commitment and calling it to support the projects of his administration, Shittu said: “our intention is to continue to make the business of governance much easier for our teeming population, especially those in the rural areas.”