C’ River, MTN partner on N1bn broadband facility

 

The Cross River State Government, south south Nigeria has signed a concession agreement with MTN Communications Nigeria Limited, for the provision of 115km of telecommunications cable duct infrastructure for Calabar, spanning from Tinapa to Anantigha. 

The system when completed in 6 to 9 months would provide complete access to broadband infrastructure for all residents of Calabar, making it the most wired city in Nigeria in terms of coverage.

Apart from access to broadband, the system is expected to significantly improve the quality of voice services in Calabar and make video services a reality over wired and wireless channels.

The project, another innovative and bold initiative of the administration of Senator Liyel Imoke, is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the Cross River State Government and MTN Communications Limited. It is completely privately funded and will cost about N1.1 billion.

The infrastructures to be installed include three telecommunication cable ducts and 96 core fibre optic cables for each partner and managed by both the state Government and MTN Communications Nigeria Limited.

The infrastructure would enable other service providers and network/broadband users to approach either party to lease infrastructure or services. In addition to this infrastructure, MTN would site additional 99 Base Stations to improve wireless services in the State in 2013 and similar number in 2014 and 2015.

 It would also support the development of various third party services enabled by broadband such as city-wide wifi, access to various government services, e-ticketing, smart transport, smart education, smart health, e-tourism and ultimately the creation of Nigeria’s first smart city.

In his remarks, the Special Adviser, Communication Technology Development, Mr. Odo Effiong, said telecommunications had become an essential utility secondary only to water, transportation, and power.

He said broadband infrastructure had been identified as critical to socio-economic development and that broadband was to the information economy what electricity was to the industrial economy.

He stated that studies showed that a 10 per cent increase in broadband in a developing economy resulted in a growth of 1.38 per cent of GDP.

He said that the initiative was an important component of the governor’s socio-economic development plan and Calabar becoming the regional business and investment destination of choice. The project was the third of three major collaborative projects including the SmartGov.CRSG project and the Tinapa Knowledge City project that represented investment of about N2.5 billion into the sector in the State.

 Speaking at the signing ceremony the General Manager (Legal) MTN Communications Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Oghenerume Rotimi stated that, MTN was exited at the partnership and the opportunities it presents to deliver socio-economic transformation to the state.