In order to remove one of the strongest barriers to broadband deployment and connectivity in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for the adoption of 100 per cent waiver in Right of Way (RoW) charges across all states of the federation.
NCC also called on state governments to institutionalise coordination between road/public works and operators, shared planning portals, advance works notifications, and dig-once protocols, to prevent accidental cuts of fibre cables during road construction.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Aminu Maida, said this during a business roundtable held at the NCC Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, in Abuja, themed: ‘Right of Way and Protection of Broadband Infrastructure – The Road to Success in Broadband Investment and Connectivity.’
At the meeting, Maida revealed that between 2023 and 2025, additional five states, Adamawa, Bauchi, Enugu, Benue, and Zamfara have joined the initial six states in waiving RoW charges in their states, bringing the total number of states that have completely removed RoW charges to 11.
Six states, Anambra, Katsina, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Osun and Plateau, had in 2023, set the tone for the removal of RoW charges, after persistent engagements with the states by the NCC.
