FG to address challenges facing tier two telecom providers

THE Minister of Communications, Barr Adebayo Shittu has said the Federal Government through the Ministry of Communications was poised to support and create enabling environment for telecommunications industry to thrive.

The Minister stated this yesterday in his Office when Tier Two (Broadband) Telecom Operators paid him a courtesy visit.

Shittu said relevant steps would be taken to look into the challenges faced by these telecom operators, adding that ICT is critical to the government and data is a way of life to all citizens irrespective of either government or private activities, assuring them that government would do everything possible to see that Tier Two Telecoms (Broadband) Providers succeed in their businesses.

The Minister invited them to partner with the Ministry in the establishment of ICT Development Bank, to adopt a campus of the ICT University and the establishment of ICT Exhibition Park.

In his speech earlier, the leader of the delegation, Godfrey Efeurhobo, Managing Director, Smile Communications, commended the minister for his passion for ICT and the role he is playing to see that ICT is being used to revive the economy of Nigeria.

Mr Efeurhobo requested the minister to use his office to take the lead in solving various challenges that the Telecom Companies face like, network operating cost  which has gone up to eighty percent which brought about shock in their businesses, adding that the minister should please put in place palliatives that would cushion most of the challenges they faced in their business which include granting them tax holiday, high exchange rate due to not being listed among companies going to the forex directly to source for dollars, liquidity issue,  and harmonisation of Right of Way(RoW) due to challenges from States and Local Government Councils, as these measures would grow the industry.