Buhari: Broadband penetration now 100% | Nigeria is the first African country to do so.

President Muhammadu Buhari says that there was currently 100 percent broadband penetration across the country.

The president said this at the inaugural digital economy conference of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), held in Abuja on Tuesday.

Broadband penetration refers to the number of subscriptions to fixed and mobile broadband services.

In august last yearUmar Danbatta, executive vice president of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said broadband penetration in the country rose to 44.5 percent in July from 40.9 percent in February.

Danbatta also expressed optimism that the national broadband target of 70 percent by 2025 was achievable.

Buhari, who was represented by Isa Pantami, the communications and digital economy minister, said reports that the country had achieved only 43 percent broadband penetration were outdated.

He explained that from 23 percent coverage in 2019, the federal government had increased broadband penetration by 77 percent in 2022 and 100 percent in 2023.

“One of the richest people in the world announced that Nigeria, out of 54 African countries, has outstanding broadband penetration. As I speak to you today, broadband penetration in Nigeria is 100 percent,” Buhari said.

“As of today, broadband can be accessed anywhere in the country, whether in urban, rural or desert areas. We are the first African country to achieve this and the only one so far.

“70 percent is distinction and the digital sector has surpassed it. We performed excellently in the eight priority areas of the sector”.

According to Buhari, the quarterly revenue of the Ministry of Communications had grown considerably, adding that “we went from generating N51 billion in three months to N408 billion in three months.”

For his part, John Udeagbala, National President of NACCIMA, said the conference was organized to promote the tech ecosystem, establish the potential of the digital economy for job creation and identify the opportunities that exist in the tech industry in Nigeria.