L – R: Prof. Adeolu Akande, Board Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Executive Governor of Edo State; Alh. Kabiru Balarabe, Secretary to the State Government, Zamfara State; Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NCC and Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, Board Chairman, MTN Nigeria, during the Broadband Technical Awareness Forum for Governors hosted by the NCC in Abuja on Thursday, 20 October 2022.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, in his own submission, said the objective of the event was to seek better understanding and rich resolutions to all issues affecting faster broadband deployment. He reminded participants that, “though we are making gradual progress towards our target, but this forum will provide us with deeper insights on how to address identified challenges to broadband deployment.”
At the event attended by over 170 delegates and following discussion at the technical panel session, several resolutions were made towards ensuring accessible, available, and affordable broadband services that will support the overall socio-economic development in the country. A key decision taken at the forum is the urgent need to establish State Broadband Coordinating Council, as a Sub-National Structure at the state level which is urgently required to enhance the accomplishment of the objectives of the NNBP.