By Jessica Dogo
The Kogi and Cross River governments have urged stronger collaboration with the Federal Government and telecommunications operators on sustainable fibre infrastructure pricing under Nigeria’s Dig-Once policy.
They made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on shared fibre infrastructure pricing.
The forum focused on developing a transparent, cost-based pricing mechanism for sharing ducts built under the Dig-Once policy to support nationwide broadband expansion.
Kogi Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Adeniyi Helen, said the policy would reduce road excavations, minimise fibre damage and lower infrastructure deployment costs.
Helen said fewer road excavations would reduce cable damage, prevent network disruptions and improve internet services through more reliable fibre infrastructure across the country.
“The initiative will improve service quality by reducing network disruptions caused by repeated road construction and accidental fibre cuts,” she said.
She added that the policy would save money for governments and telecommunications operators while improving broadband services through fewer service interruptions.
Helen urged stakeholders to support full implementation of the policy, stressing that a fair pricing framework would balance governments’ revenue interests with infrastructure providers’ investments.
She appealed to the Federal Government and the NCC to support states in generating revenue without slowing broadband expansion nationwide.
Helen commended the NCC for convening the forum, describing it as a timely initiative to strengthen nationwide implementation of the Dig-Once policy.
Cross River Commissioner for Science and Technology, Prof. Justin Beshel, also endorsed efforts to establish a transparent, cost-based pricing framework for fibre infrastructure sharing.
Beshel said sustainable pricing was essential for broadband expansion, noting that Cross River partnered the NCC between 2012 and 2015 to implement the Dig-Once concept.
He said the partnership delivered about 120 kilometres of fibre-optic backbone infrastructure in Calabar to support broadband connectivity and future network expansion.
According to him, the agreement allowed the NCC to use parts of the duct infrastructure before transferring ownership to the state.
“The essence of the arrangement was to ensure that operators could make use of the fibre-optic ducts already in place,” Beshel said.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing consultancy study would produce a sustainable pricing framework for infrastructure sharing across Nigeria.
Chief Operating Officer of WTES Projects Ltd., Mr Chidi Ajuzie, said the proposed framework would promote broadband expansion, infrastructure sharing and economic growth nationwide.
Ajuzie said the study sought to establish a common cost structure guiding operators while encouraging investment and accelerating broadband penetration.
“The whole study is centred on building a common cost structure for operators across the country,” he said.
He added that the framework would support broadband ecosystem growth, promote uniform pricing and advance Nigeria’s socio-economic development objectives.
Ajuzie said the proposal introduced floor and ceiling prices, allowing operators to set commercial rates within approved pricing limits.
He noted that current duct-sharing charges ranged between about ₦2,000 and ₦7,000, depending on products and services provided.
Ajuzie said the pricing models accommodated projects spanning 20 kilometres to 1,000 kilometres, reflecting varying investment capacities and cash flow requirements.
He said the recommendations would complement the Federal Government’s planned deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure to boost nationwide broadband access. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo