Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) delivered Broadband Infrastructure deployment Licences to six companies, Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice president of NCC, revealed last week during the Broadband Engagement Forum in Kano.

The companies were authorized to deploy optical fiber in Lagos as well as in the Southwest, Southeast, Northwest and Northeast.

As far as the North-central region is concerned, the licence was withdrawn following cthe bearer’s refusal to perform the task. Thanks to these licences, 774 administrative regions will be covered with optical fiber.

According to Umar Garba Danbatta, the implementation of this programme will be under strict surveillance to ensure an equitable deployment of the infrastructure and avoid double deployments in some regions where the fiber has already been installed.

"We know where we have fibers and where we do not. It would be targeted at places where we do not have these fibers", the official said.

These licences’ deliverance fall within the framework of the country’s ambition to reach a broadband penetration rate of 30% by the end of 2018. During a meeting with the press in Abuja in August, Umar Garba Danbatta explained that the country has already achieved a 22% penetration rate.