Nigeria spends $450m a year to improve ICT connections

1 August 2011

Nigeria invests more than $450 million (£274.8 million) a year into its ICT infrastructure, it has been revealed.

The nation's minister for science and technology Ita Ewa stated that it spends the money on importing bandwidth, news provider Next has reported.

He said: "Nigeria alone is spending more than $450 million annually on importation of bandwidth from Europe and America to facilitate internet access, telephony and broadcasting for the development of the economy."

Speaking at a conference held by Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) to promote new spacecraft NigComSat-1R, Mr Ewa was reported by the resource as saying this financing could be spared once Nigeria launches its recently-developed communication satellite.

However, he noted that until then the money is being spent in order to keep up with increasing demand for internet and telephone services.

The new satellite NigComSat-1R will be launched in the last quarter of 2011 and will replace NigComSat-1.

Among those speaking at the conference were president of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria Dr Jimson Olufuye. 

Category: ICT