THE penetration of Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication in the country has reached 60 per cent, though the Federal Government is worried that lack of adequate infrastructure is hindering the expansion of the sector.

Minister of Communication, Mrs Omobola John-son, who gave this indication while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, on Tuesday, said government was trying to reverse the trend through policy initiatives that would attract additional investment in the industry.

She stated that though the industry had grown in the country, service providers were having difficulties growing their infrastructure, because of discriminatory policies on right of way, to roll out fibre optics cables.

Citing an example of the United Kingdom (UK) which has three million square kilometre of fibre optic and about 60,000 base stations serving just about one third of Nigeria’s population, she said in Nigeria had just 100,000 square kilometre of fibre optic and 20,000 base stations serving 167million people.

She noted that the Federal Government needed to work with the state government to standardise communication process, as some states currently charged up to N2 million per square kilometre for the roll out of optic fibre in their territories.

“So, when you charge millions of naira to roll out the fibre, you have already spent millions of naira before you do anything at all. The state government should create enabling environment through policies and directives that will make them to roll out the infrastructure,” she said.

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