Federal Government is to commence the operation of a Broadband Internet Service, a Museum and Planetarium Centre that will generate billions of revenue for the country.
The Director General, National Space Research and Development Agency Dr Halilu Shaba stated this in Abuja while presenting the two projects business case compliance certificate to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Adeleke Mamora.
Dr Halilu Shaba said the project would enhance the capacity of staff and create jobs for Nigerians.
According to him the projects are research and development of the Agency and would be concessioned under a public private partnership .
Dr Halilu explained that the Broadband internet service when completed would increase the fixed broadband penetration for Nigerians that is presently less than 10% with a reduced cost.
’’It was designed to contribute towards Nigeria’s aspiration of providing up to 90% of Nigerians with fast, affordable, reliable and high- speed fixed broadband internet at a price not more than N390 per 1 GB of data by the years 2025 as captured in the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 for the planning and execution of projects, promotion of Nigerian content in contracts, science, engineering and technology ( Presidential Order No. 5)’’.
On the Museum and Planetarium, the Director General said the Centre which was commissioned in 2018 to provide educational and entertainment services to Nigerians about space science and technology had not been able to fulfill this mandate due to inadequate budgetary allocation for its operations .
For the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission Mr. Michael Ohiani, the two projects when operational would generate 28 billion Naira from the Broadband penetration and about 20 billion from the Museum and Planetarium as it would bring about influx of visitors to the centres.
Receiving the Business case compliance certificate, the Minister Dr Adeleke Mamora commended the Space Agency for the innovation noting that projects were critical the development of the country.
Dr Mamora insisted that technology must be channeled towards solving the numerous challenges like security and unemployment in the country saying that the Space Agency has taken the right path to development.
The two projects would be presented to the Federal executive Council for approval through the minister after which the concession agreement would be cleared by the Attorney General of the Federal for commencement.
RN