The Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited has urged the National Conference to facilitate a government policy to direct all security agencies to key into its National Public Security Communications Networks for their communications needs.
Danjuma Ndihgihdah, a Deputy General Manager Technical of NigComSat, made the call in a presentation to the National Conference Committee on Science and Technology on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ndihgihdah said that the NPSCS project was initiated by the Federal Government to check security challenges in the country.
He described NPSCS as an infrastructure-driven project based on a technology with wireless video surveillance services that covered the capital of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the first phase.
He said: “The NPSCS project has five core sub-systems capable of providing communications and tracking capability for the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.”
Ndihgihdah said that the company along with its partner, Netlink Technologies Limited, had made a lot of progress towards the provision of Security Communications as a Service, using the NPSCS Network and NIgComSat1-R.
He added: “NigComSat1-R is hybrid satellite with full capacity to provide ubiquitous broadband service that will ensure full functioning of the government and MDAs thus providing a secure network against the backdrop of leasing capacity from international vendors.”
He said that plan had also been concluded for network expansion using NigComSat1-R and upgrade from CDMA EV-DO Technology for Long-Term Evolution of high speed data to accommodate the needs of all agencies.
Ndihgihdah said that the network expansion would require key infrastructure such as multiplatform hub, earth station, line cards, augmentation systems as well as upgraded data centres and content delivery network for service delivery to agencies.
He said: “This network will also support several applications such as e-police, e-traffic, e-surveillance, e-education, e-trade and e-governance among others.
“The security communications being offered by NigComSat ltd and NTL is the way forward for the Federal Government and different security agencies that would receive professional services.
“This will thus save government from the wastage arising from building multiple networks that serve the same purpose.”
Ndihgihdah also said that the company was well placed to partner with MAIN ONE, a sub sea cable company, to deliver and ensure that end-users enjoyed optimum bandwidth services at affordable price in the country.
The deputy general manager, however, stressed the need for the country to have additional communication satellites, NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3.
He said that NigComSat-2 was designed to cover Nigeria, parts of Africa, Middle East and other Asian countries, while NigComSat-3 will cover Nigeria as well as South and North America.
“With the three satellites in the orbit, including NigComSat1-R, it would be possible for Nigerian telecommunication industry to dominate the African markets within a period of five years after the launch of the satellites,” he said.
Ndihgihdah also urged delegates to the conference to facilitate policies that would make all government agencies to utilise NigComsat-1R and the NPSCS network for their broadband needs where there was no or limited fibre connectivity to reduce capital flight.
“Such a policy should mandate government offices and MDAs who lease satellite bandwidth from international satellite operators to as a matter of first choice patronise NigComSat Satellites to reduce capital flight,” he said.
He called for proper funding of NigComSat with the view of facilitating the expansion of its ground stations infrastructure in Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
