National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy

Definitions of Data:

Main Focus of Document:

Sets out the government's national ICT strategy for the country in an effort to develop the country and its people

Target Beneficiaries or Sectors:

Key Elements:

The Policy provides a framework for streamlining the ICT sector and enhancing its ability to catalyze economic development. The key elements are as follows:

POLICY OBJECTIVES The main objective of the National ICT Policy is to create a conducive environment for the rapid expansion of ICT networks and services that are accessible to all at reasonable costs; and that contribute to the development of the various socio-economic sectors. Therefore, the specific objectives of this National ICT Policy are:

1. To ensure that the reality of convergence is reflected in the ICT sector, notably in the areas of regulation, operation, and service delivery;
2. To unify all Policy Administrators under a single Ministry;
3. To facilitate the development of an appropriate legal framework for effective implementation of ICT policies;
4. To promote universal access to high quality and advanced ICT and services;
5. To develop and enhance indigenous capacity in ICT technologies and software development;
6. To ensure the country’s effective participation in regional and international ICT fora in order to promote ICT development in Nigeria, meet the country's international obligations and derive maximum benefit from international cooperation in these areas;
7. To actualize the implementation of an administrative and legal framework for the transition to digital broadcasting and ensure a smooth switchover in accordance with ITU guidelines;
8. To develop the framework for the implementation of Community Broadcasting in Nigeria;
9. To reposition the postal subsector so that it can deliver universal access to postal services for all Nigerians;
10. To pursue the elimination of multiple regulations and taxation in the ICT sector;
11. To foster the development of broadband services that will enable Nigerians to enjoy the benefits of globalization and convergence;
12. To ensure an enabling environment, and provide incentives in order to sustain investments into the ICT sector in Nigeria;
13. To promote cyber, digital, ICT infrastructure and national security;
14. To utilize ICT in energizing and supporting the various programmes and sectors that contribute to Nigeria's socio-economic development including agriculture, education, finance, health, justice administration, oil and gas, power, small and medium sized enterprises, solid minerals, sports, trade and commerce, transport and youth development; and
15. To facilitate the creation of a robust and consolidated national digital archive.

The government will:

1. Review and harmonize all existing laws;
2. Enact new laws, where necessary, to fill gaps and further support development of the sector; and
3. Amend the relevant sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to permit the issuance of broadcasting licenses by the Converged Regulator.

ICT Infrastructure The relative paucity of ICT infrastructure in the country has greatly hindered the provision of efficient and affordable ICT services to Nigeria's citizens, and has adversely affected the socio-economic development of Nigeria. The government shall, therefore, define, develop and deploy national information infrastructure for national transformation with a view, amongst others, to attaining vision 2020. The ICT policy focus should include:

1. National ICT backbone and Broadband infrastructure;
2. Infrastructure that will foster digital literacy and internet usage;
3. Reasonably priced Universal Access to ICT;
4. Protection of ICT infrastructure;
5. National physical infrastructure (including power);
6. Financial systems infrastructure; and
7. The secure and sustained adoption of the national critical internet infrastructure.

Strategies The government will:

1. Encourage the upgrading and expansion of ICT infrastructure;
2. Support the accelerated deployment of fibre optic and wireless backbone infrastructure that ensures high bandwidth availability and universal access throughout the country;
3. Encourage the development and interconnection of all National Databases;
4. Coordinate the integration of national e-Government network infrastructure and services;
5. Ensure appropriate security for ICT infrastructure nationwide;
6. Advocate the acceleration of the ongoing power sector reforms which are critical to the development of the ICT industry;
7. Facilitate expedient access to Rights of Way (ROW) over public land, and access to other state-owned infrastructural resources; and
8. Provide institutional support for addressing the incidence of multiple taxation and regulation in the ICT sector.

Internet and Broadband The government will:

1. Provide periodic review of broadband penetration targets in order to determine further action for broadband expansion;
2. Promote both supply and demand side policies that create incentives for broadband backbone and access network deployment;
3. Facilitate broadband development and deployment, leveraging existing universal service frameworks;
4. Provide special incentives to operators to encourage them to increase their investment in broadband rollout;
5. Promote e-government and other e-services that would foster broadband usage;
6. Enhance the equitable distribution of value and/or benefits of telecoms infrastructure (in general) and broadband (in particular) amongst economically active members of the Nigerian population;
7. Enhance the capabilities of the Nigerian population to make use of, and contribute to, broadband, and in so doing increase its relevance to the socio-economic development of the country and its populace; and
8. Establish a methodology for assessing progress of broadband development in Nigeria in a structured way that (a) highlights and (b) seeks to address bottlenecks along/across all layers.

Transition from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting The Government will:

1. Provide a clear roadmap for harvesting the “digital dividend” spectrum, and ensure competitive allocation and efficient use of the resource;
2. Ensure compliance of migration by the ITU mandated date;
3. Embark on an appropriate publicity campaign for the purpose of sensitizing the general public on the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting;
4. Ensure availability and cost effectiveness of set top boxes;
5. Encourage and facilitate local manufacturing of set top boxes; and
6. Develop a licensing regime for signal distributors.