Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, and chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has led by example and slashed the price of Right of Way (RoW) charged in the state from N4,500 to the federal government approved price of N145 per linear metre of fibre.
Fayemi who had in January 2020, promised to reduce the charges for telcos after holding meetings with Ali Isa Pantami; Minister of communication and digital economy, Umar Garba Danbatta; executive vice chairman, NCC, Inuwa Abdullahi; director general of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Funke Opeke; CEO, MainOne and chairperson of the presidential committee on National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), said that the 14 states that planned to increase RoW charges by up to 1,200 percent will stop the price hike.
He signed an executive order reducing right of way charges by 97percent.
“This decision will ensure Ekiti achieves full broadband penetration by 2021 to attract new businesses, create jobs, improve access to quality healthcare and digital education while improving internally generated revenue.
“It is also aligned with the ongoing development of the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, designed to be Nigeria’s first service-based innovation park,” Fayemi wrote on his official twitter page on Thursday.
Ekiti State says in the executive order No. 007 of 2020, that it will like to provide all residents in Ekiti, especially rural communities with access to reliable and affordable broadband connectivity.
According to Fayemi, certainty and transparency in right of way charges are required to attract local and foreign investment for the development of broadband and other telecommunication infrastructure across the state.
“The Right of Way charges related to the laying of broadband or any other telecommunications infrastructure in Ekiti State shall not exceed One Hundred and Forty-Five Naira (N145) per meter,” he said.
Telecoms industry analysts say this move will help increase prospects of investment in the sector which will in turn boost the country’s GDP, and will help Nigeria achieve its target of a digital economy.
