Oshomah: Lack of Satellite Connectivity Puts Nigeria’s 2025 Broadband Goals At Risk
According to an expert, Nigeria’s 2025 broadband target is at risk unless it adopts satellite connectivity due to the prohibitive cost of installing fibre optic infrastructure in remote, underserved areas.
Africa’s most populous nation is aiming for 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025, as outlined in its National Broadband Plan 2020–2025. This plan targets 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural areas. However, as of September 2024, broadband penetration stood at only 41.56 per cent, raising concerns about meeting the goal.
The Regional Director at Avanti Communications, Reuben Oshomah, stated in an email to The PUNCH on Tuesday that Nigeria must consider investing in digital infrastructure, particularly satellite technology.
Oshomah explained, “Satellite connectivity, meaning access to the internet via satellite technology, has played an increasingly vital role in this uptake, particularly when connecting underserved and remote areas, where traditional broadband infrastructure is lacking or too costly to deploy.”
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Nigeria is actively advancing its satellite projects, with plans to launch four new satellites, recently approved by President Bola Tinubu, to enhance the country’s space technology capabilities. The Nigeria Communications Satellite agency, which operates Nigeria’s satellite system, is seeking international partners to develop two new telecommunications satellites, NigComSat-2a and NigComSat-2b, to replace the ageing NIGCOMSAT-1R, which is set to reach the end of its operational life in 2026.
Oshomah opined that satellites represent a scalable, adaptable infrastructure that can rapidly expand internet availability across Nigeria, supporting the government’s 2025 broadband target and enabling broader participation in the digital economy.
“We have already seen impressive progress across the country, and satellite companies are perfectly poised to accelerate this progression. For example, we have been working alongside the public and private sectors to help increase access to connectivity and education. Since 2020, we have connected over 700 communities in 21 Nigerian states, providing 2G and 3G connectivity to over 3.5 million Nigerians.”
He expressed optimism that Avanti will continue to collaborate with the government to ensure the elusive broadband target is achieved.
“We hope to continue to expand on this and work alongside partners to help reach the targets outlined in the government’s National Development Plan, which aims to unlock the country’s potential in all sectors of the economy.”
Earlier this year, in Kaduna, the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, said the agency has been positioned to provide the nation with reliable internet services that will stimulate innovation and advancement in the tech industry.
“Part of our mandate as a communications satellite operator is to bridge the digital divide for the Nigerian people by providing broadband connectivity to the unserved and underserved populace.”
SOURCE: The PUNCH
