The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that it will award licenses to provide fixed line internet service, through an auction in 2013. This is to ensure that there are cheaper and better internet service providers in the country, and winning bidders will be those that also seek Government subsidies to develop the networks. Nigeria had 216,000 fixed broadband connections in 2011, according to International Telecommunication Union, and it continues to grow despite wobbling service from some providers.
The licenses will be sold regionally and will come in three phases, for those that will operate electrical and non-electrical infrastructure, and to those that will sell services to end users.
Speaking on the licenses, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC Eugene Juwah said: “The government wants to put in an incentive to bring the price down.”
