The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is seeking a fair, transparent and sustainable pricing framework for fibre infrastructure sharing under the country’s Dig-Once policy, as it moves to reduce deployment costs and attract more investment into broadband infrastructure.
The initiative is aimed at developing a cost-based structure for accessing shared underground ducts built under the Dig-Once policy, which encourages the coordinated deployment and sharing of fibre infrastructure to minimise duplication of civil works.
Nadungu Gagare, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, disclosed this at the second Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Developing a Pricing Mechanism and Cost-Based Structure for Sharing Ducts Built under the Dig-Once Policy, held in Abuja on Wednesday.
Gagare said the engagement was critical to ensuring that the policy delivers on its objectives of accelerating broadband expansion, reducing infrastructure deployment costs and promoting efficient use of national resources.
He said the forum would enable government, investors, infrastructure providers and other stakeholders to develop a pricing model that balances commercial interests with the broader public interest.