Nigeria hits 60 million telecoms subscribers mark

Clement Idoko, Abuja - 14.05.2008

Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has continued to record unprecedented growth with the subscriber base now over 60 million.

Minister of State for Information and Communication, Alhaji Dasuki Nakande, said this when he hosted the International Forum on Nigeria, at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Africa Telecom 2008, which opened on Tuesday in Cairo, at the International Conference and Exhibition center, Egypt.

He, however, disclosed that over 45 million lines were active, while others were dormant, but called on more investors in the sector to take advantage of the large population and invest in Nigeria.

“As at today, we have connected lines of 60 million but the active lines are in the range of 45 to 46 million and the figures keep growing,” he said.

He assured prospective investors in the telecoms sector that they would have no reason to regret investing in the sector in Nigeria, saying the regulatory environment was transparent and fair.

He also spoke about other opportunities for investors in Nigeria and the role that the present government of President Umar Musa Yar’Ádua had played to encourage investments to boost the industrial sector of the country.

Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, who made a presentation tagged ‘State of Telecom Development in Nigeria,’ said while digital wireless and mobile communications systems had helped Nigeria leapfrog into the circle of the world’s top ten countries recording highest mobile subscriber growth, certain key technology areas such as wireless systems, optic fibre transmission systems and Internet/Broadband have been identified for particular attention.