Nigerian Information Minister to Release New Telecoms Policy

Minister of Information and Communications Prof. Dora Akunyili has said that after reviewing the existing telecommunications policy, the federal government has decided to compile a new policy that will re-shape telecoms operations in Nigeria, according to Vanguard. Akunyili said the existing policy, which came into effect in 2000, has lost touch with the current situation on the ground, particularly with regards to growth that can affect the economy positively.

Technical adviser Onuoha Nnachi announced at the sixth West and Central Africa forum in Abuja that the new policy will focus more on rural infrastructure deployment. She noted that the existing policy no longer meets the needs of telecommunication operations, hence a call for its review. She said a committee has already been set up and that members of the committee have commenced work, promising that the new policy will be released soon. Addressing the need for rural infrastructure development, Akunyili said the existing policy does not give room for this, but that it will be taken care of in the new policy. Other concerns centre on rural communities, which have not benefited from the current telecommunication revolution, a situation she said needs to be addressed urgently, adding that much telecoms infrastructure, such as poles and cables, wastes away because there are no proper policies to channel it into better usage.

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