NCC board approves two new infrastructure companies to boost broadband

The Nigerian Communications Commission says the board has approved two additional Infrastructural Company (Infracos) licences for the South East and North East zones of the country to boost broadband penetration.
Tony Ojobo, the Director Public Affairs, NCC announced this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ojobo said the approval of the licences was to deepen broadband penetration in the country.
He said the two new Infraco licenseees are Zinox Technology Ltd., for South East and Brinks Integrated Solutions Ltd. for North East.
Ojobo said with this approval, the number of Infracos licenced so far in the country had increased to four.
He said: “Over a year ago, MainOne Cable Company Ltd. was licensed to provide services in Lagos, while IHS got its licence to cover the North Central geopolitical zone including Abuja.
“The Infraco licences are based on the NCC’s Open Access Model in line with the National Broadband Plan of (2013 to 2018).
“By provisions of the National Broadband Plan, Nigeria is expected to attain 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018.’’
Ojo said as part of the initiative to achieve the broadband target, NCC as the driver of this process, had licenced a number of companies to stimulate broadband penetration.
He said: “These include Bitflux Communications Ltd. (Bitflux) for 2.3 Ghz and MTN Nigeria for the 2.6 Ghz licences.
“Other licences are in the pipeline in this process. As at December, 2017, Nigeria had attained 22 per cent broadband penetration.
“With the licensing of four Infracos- MainOne Cable, IHS, Zinox Technology and Brinks Solutions, there are three more licencees waiting for approval to bring total number to seven.
“These are for South South, North West and South West.”