Sustaining the Gains Recorded in the Information and Communication Technology Sub-sector in Nigeria.

Abstract

At the inception of the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, he enunciated a seven-point agenda among which is the sustainability of the gains recorded in the reform programmes of former President. One of the gains was in the information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector which received foremost attention in the scheme of things. Presently in Nigeria, ICT infrastructure, accessibility, and connectivity, vary greatly from area to area. For instance, the big urban cities enjoy to some extent fairly affordable internet access, the sub-urban and rural areas by contrast, have little or no access to telecommunications infrastructure, little or no shared facilities for telecommunication access, erratic and mostly poor mobile wireless penetration and very poor or non-existent internet access. ICT is an enabler of broad-based social and economic development and must therefore be accessible and affordable to all the citizens of this country. It is therefore the intention of the government and the regulating body to facilitate an enabling environment that will ensure availability and affordability of ICT infrastructure across all class levels in the society. In view of the exploitative tendencies, of the GSM operators in their high tariffs, per second billing, drop calls and network service, the government should call them to order. Another challenge facing the GSM industry is the high import content of equipment, including handsets and accessories, used in the industry. It is therefore recommended that handset manufacturers be encouraged to build production plants in Economic Processing Zone (EPZ) and enjoy the benefits offered to companies operating in those areas. Importantly, they should be given some years of tax holiday in the medium term. All these will help to reduce the unit cost, generate revenue and boost employment in the country.