Senate Committee lauds MainOne’s Data Center, contribution to Nigeria

The Senate Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Cybercrime has assured of its readiness to work with relevant agencies for Nigeria to meet its ICT objectives due to the incredible capacity already available in country.

Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, committee chairman, made this position known while leading a high level delegation on a working visit to MainOne’s Data Center, MDXi in Lagos, recently, adding that the incredible capacity available on MainOne’s submarine cable system and data center represent the most significant infrastructure of its kind in Nigeria.

Senator Abdulfatai explained that with this capacity already available in country, there is no reason for the country’s broadband penetration rate to remain at the 21per cent as reported by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), given the booming demand for data and connectivity services.

He stated that the delay in licensing Infrastructure Companies and deploying network infrastructure after licensing posed a major threat to the achievement of the nations’ technology goals, which largely depends on broadband infrastructure to be provided by InfraCos.

The Senate, he said will do all it can within its powers to facilitate ICT/broadband development and give legal substance to ICT policies including the National Broadband Plan and the Cybercrime Act.

Senator Abdulfatai described MainOne’s data center as a world-class facility and restated the significance of having Nigerian institutions host data locally within the country in order to ensure National security, drive job growth, improve the quality of online services and guarantee Nigeria’s participation in the emerging global digital transformation.

In her response, Ms Funke Opeke, MainOne’s chief executive officer, commended the Senate Committee’s efforts in ensuring the development of ICT across the country through its support of homegrown enterprises and called for legislation especially in the areas that will positively impact on infrastructure development including possible interventions to address the high cost of Capital crippling telecoms companies which has significantly slowed down new infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

She stated that this is critically needed in bridging the gnawing gaps in the ICT industry.

“Nigerian content is arguably the most globally recognized African content today, but South Africa and Kenya are perceived as digital leaders in Africa because of the infrastructural gaps in the country.

MainOne has made significant investments in ICT infrastructural development in Nigeria and West Africa and will continue to do so, but we require full government support to enable the ICT industry in Nigeria surpass other countries”, Opeke added.

Tony Nwakaegho