Nigeria recorded 52 per cent growth in the usage of the Internet in 2014, Minister of Communication Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson has said.
Johnson said this at a press briefing to mark the 2015 World Telecommunications and Information Society Day and the 150th anniversary of the International Telecommunications Union in Abuja on Monday.
The minister, who was represented at the event by Director of e-Government at the ministry, Mr. Tope Fashedemi, also said telecommunications has remained a key driver of the Nigerian economy since the liberalisation of the sector in 2001.
She said the 52 per cent growth rate recorded in 2014 was an improvement on the 11 per cent growth rate recorded in 2013, adding that there had been increased adoption and use of Information and Communications Technology to automate some operations and processes of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The minister said, “Before August 2001, Nigeria had a combined fixed and mobile telephone subscription of just over 400,000 lines since independence in 1960, but in just 14 years after the licensing of the mobile operators, Nigeria’s telephone subscription, which is dominated mainly by mobile lines, is over 148 million connected lines with a tele-density of 96.8 per cent.
“Similarly, there has been significant growth in the use of Internet within a short period. Nigeria recorded Internet growth from 11 per cent in 2013 to 52 per cent in 2014 and currently has 29 per cent share of Internet usage in Africa.”
She added, “Telecommunications and ICTs have become pervasive and recognised the world over as drivers of innovation from the purview of social, economic, commercial and cultural development of a country.
“ICT is a modern tool for wealth creation, employment generation, improving efficiency and increasing productivity for better life and economic empowerment for a sustained socio-economic development of the people of the world.
“There is no doubt that advancement in technology, especially in telecommunication and ICTs over the past two decades, have helped in accelerating the creativity and innovations we are witnessing in the diverse sectors of our economy and in shaping the way we live.”
To further deepen the use and penetration of broadband to communities across the country, Johnson said the National Frequency Management Council has approved the allocation of portions of the radio frequency spectrum to the Nigerian Communications Commission for auction to eligible operators to enable them deploy broadband services in the country. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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