The growth in subscriber lines and tele-density has been very impressive. From a
modest start of about 400,000 fixed and 25,000 mobile telephone lines in 2001, the
industry by July 2011 had an active base of about 90 million subscribers
representing a tele-density of 60. This growth was the result of continued uptake of
digital mobile services, (with about 98% market share) and the adoption of a Unified
Licensing Regime.
The Communications sector has actively contributed to Gross Domestic Product
(GDP). The percentage share of GDP from Communications, according to NCC,
rose from 0.06 in 1999 to 2.39 in 2007, 2.90 in 2008, and 3.66 in 2009.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on the year 2011 performance of the
various sectors of the country’s economy, stated that the ICT sector’s growth at 35
per cent, makes it
the
fastest growing sector of the Nigerian economy. The
combined ICT sector contributed 5.46% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) in 2011.
Private investment in the telecoms subsector rose from US$50 million in the year
1999, to US$18.0 billion, at the end of 2009, and to about $25 billion at the end of
2010.
Some of the achievements in the telecom sector have been supported by extensive
optical fiber projects across the country, as well as the deployment of satellite
communications. The NCC initiated the Wire Nigeria Project (WIN), and the States
Accelerated Broadband Initiative (SABI).
The USPF is a mechanism to extend service to unserved and underserved areas of
the country. The NCC contributes 40% of Annual Operating Levy (AOL) received to
the Fund. Projects under the fund include:
i.
School Access Program;
ii.
Community Communication Centres;
iii.
Backbone Transmission Infrastructure;
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