FG approves N24.2bn for free broadband in 20 airports, 43 schools

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved the sum of N24.20 billion for the provision of broadband infrastructure in airports, higher institutions, and markets across Nigeria.

Speaking with state house correspondents on Wednesday, Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, said the airports were drawn from the six geo-political zones.

“In these two memos, certain intervention projects are going to be implemented by the federal government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Communications Commission of providing Internet in 20 selected airports in Nigeria and higher institutions of learning and also some markets to support micro small and medium enterprises,” Pantami said.

“In each geopolitical zone, you have around three airports. In the south-west, we have Lagos and Ondo. For the south-east, we have Anambra and Enugu.

“For the south-south, we have Port Harcourt and Akwa Ibom. For the north-central we have Abuja and Ilorin. In the north-west, we have Kano, Sokoto and Kebbi. For the north-east we have Yola, Maiduguri and Gombe.”

The minister said 43 institutions will benefit from the project.

In 2022, the council approved N17.4 billion for a related project across higher-learning universities, micro, small and medium enterprises across the country.

“So, this one is the second phase of the project. And in the first memo approved today, we have 20 airports, both domestic and international,” the minister added.

“And in addition, we also have 43 institutions of learning. So in total, 63 institutions are going to benefit and the price for this is N18.95bn.

“The second memo is for the provision of broadband to selected markets. Six markets are going to benefit from this and the price is N5.25 billion.”