The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has
responded to the 50 questions raised by the House
of Representatives Committee on Finance on the
state of the economy.
In her response, the Minister provided detailed 100-
page answers to the questions.
In a statement issued by her Special Adviser on
Media, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, the Minister said the
document provides extensive detail, some of which
came in form of tables and graphs.
DailyPost has gathered that the document was
delivered to all members of the finance committee
on the evening of Wednesday.
Okonjo-Iweala in her response said that regardless
of the many challenges that remain obvious, the
Nigerian economy was showing real and
measurable progress in many areas, adding that
“This can be seen in the fact that more jobs are
being created; roads, rail and other infrastructure
are being improved; the country is saving for the
future and planning better for the present.”
According to her, “The Jonathan administration,
contrary to the impression given by some critics, is
making an impact in the areas that, according to
credible opinion polls, Nigerians are most
passionate about.
“For instance, on job creation which is a central
focus of the administration, a total of 1.6 million jobs
were created last year, according to the National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of which 250,000 were
seasonal jobs created in dry season farming in 10
northern states.
“In manufacturing, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone
created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect
jobs. The government special intervention
programme YouWin supported young entrepreneurs,
creating over 18,000 jobs. The SURE-P Community
Services programme has also created 120,000 job
opportunities.”
She stressed that the improved state of Nigerian
roads has been confirmed by many who travelled
during the Christmas period.
Hear her,“Key highways which have witnessed
significant progress include Kano-Maiduguri Road,
the Abuja-Lokoja Road, the Apapa-Oshodi Road, the
Onitsha-Enugu-Port-Harcourt Road and the Benin-
Ore-Shagamu Road. Preliminary work has
commenced on Lagos-Ibadan road and the Second
Niger Bridge.
“The Railway Modernization Programme involving
the construction of standard gauge lines is
underway. The 1,124 km Western line linking Lagos
and Kano is now functional, while work on the
Eastern line linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is
about 36 per cent complete.
“The Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge line has
attained 68 per cent completion, and the Itakpe-
Ajaokuta-Warri Line which is presently 77 per cent
completed, will be completed next year.
“The annual passenger traffic on our railways has
increased steadily, rising from 1 million in 2011 to 5
million in 2013,” the minister’s spokesman said.
On the issue of debt as alleged by some House
members, Iweala dismissed the allegation, stating
there was no substance to the charge.
“In fact, the opposite is true. Right from her Senate
confirmation hearing in 2011, the minister had
identified rising debt as a major challenge, which the
country needs to confront.
“Under the leadership of President Jonathan and
working with the Debt Management Office and the
Budget Office of the Federation, the minister
followed through with a robust approach which
includes progressive reduction of borrowing, quick
settlement of due debts and the retirement of N75
billion of maturing bonds via a Sinking Fund
dedicated to paying off substantial bonds.
“These measures have produced clear results as
shown in the reduction of borrowing from N852
billion in 2011 to N571.9 billion this year,” the
Minister had cleared.
Read response below:
HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME ANSWERS TO THE
50 QUESTIONS
JOB CREATION
A total of 1.6 million jobs were created last year,
according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In agriculture for instance, the provision of inputs in
10 Northern states enabled dry season farming and
created over 250,000 seasonal jobs. season. In
manufacturing, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone
created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect
jobs. The government special intervention
programme YouWin supported young entrepreneurs,
creating over 18,000 jobs. The Sure-community
Services has also created 120,000 job
opportunities.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Progress has been made on construction of the
Kano-Maiduguri road, the Abuja-Lokoja road, the
Apapa-Oshodi road, the Onitsha-Enugu-Port-
Harcourt road and the Benin-Ore-Shagamu road,
among others. Preliminary work has also
commenced on the Lagos-Ibadan road, as well as
on the Second Niger Bridge. The Railway
Modernization Programme involving the
construction of standard gauge lines is underway.
The 1,124 km Western line linking Lagos and Kano
is now functional while work on the Eastern line
linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is about 36%
complete. The Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge line
has attained 68% completion, and the Itakpe-
Ajaokuta-Warri Line which is presently 77%
completed, will be completed next year. The annual
passenger traffic on our railways has increased
steadily: rising from 1 million in 2011 to 5 million in
2013.
INLAND WATERWAYS
We have dredged about 72 km of the lower River
Niger from Baro in Niger State to Warri in Delta
State; and completed the construction of the
Onitsha inland port; while the Baro port is nearing
completion. The result of all these is that we now
have year round navigation around the lower Niger;
and we are already witnessing an increase in cargo
volume from below 2.9 million metric tons in 2011 to
over 5 million metric tons on the inland waterways.
As in the case of the rail transport, the number of
passengers travelling via our inland waterways has
increased fourfold from 250,000 in 2011 to over 1.3
million.
WATER RESOURCES
Key milestones recorded in 2013 include the
construction of 9 dams, which resulted in an
increase in the volume of the nation’s water
reservoir by 422MCM. Progress was made on
major projects such as the South Chad Irrigation
Project, the Bakolori Irrigation Project, and the
Galma Dam. Implementation of irrigation and
drainage programme resulted in increase of the
total irrigable area by over 31,000Ha, job creation
for about 75,000 farming families and increased
production of over 400,000Mt of assorted irrigated
food products.
AVIATION:
The 22 airports across Nigeria are being remodeled
and upgraded: in 2013, we completed the upgrade
of 11 airport terminals and work on the remaining
11 terminals is in progress. The Enugu Airport is
now operational as an international airport with a
new terminal under construction. We have also
commenced work on the construction of three new
international airport terminals: in Lagos, in Kano,
and in Abuja. Modern navigational and
meteorological systems were installed at our
airports to improve air safety. In addition, 6 airports
namely: Jos, Markurdi, Yola, Jalingo, Lagos and
Ilorin which are strategically located in proximity to
food baskets have been designated as perishable
cargo airports and international standards
perishable cargo facilities are being developed at
these airports. A new Cargo Development Division
has been established in FAAN to give focus to this
effort.
POWER
We have completed one
of the most
comprehensive and
ambitious power sector
privatization and
liberation programmes
globally. We have
privatized 4 power
generation companies
and 10 power distribution
companies, and have
virtually settled all claims
and entitlements of PHCN
workers. Some major
cities get an average of
16-18 hours of electricity
per day in 2013. This
however dropped in
November and
December during the
transition we expect
some teething problems
and then power supply
should pick up. In 2013,
we also mobilized $1.5
billion in financing from
multilateral sources for
investment and upgrade
of the transmission
network in 2014 and
beyond. To promote
clean energy, we also
commenced construction
of the 700MW Zungeru
Hydro-Power project in 2013. We have
strengthened relevant power market intermediaries
such as the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc
(NBET), and backed them with financing to
stimulate greater private investments in the sector.
MANUFACTURING:
We launched the National Industrial Revolution Plan
(NIRP), which focuses on industrializing Nigeria and
diversifying our economy into sectors such as
agro-processing, light manufacturing, and
petrochemicals. In the 2013 fiscal year, Nigeria was
named the #1 destination for investments in Africa
by UNCTAD (the UN Conference on Trade and
Development), attracting over $7 billion in FDI.
There were a large number of both foreign and
domestic investments in the economy, such as by:
$250m investments by Procter and Gamble in Ogun
State; $40 million in agricultural projects by
Dominion Farms. To further support the
manufacturing sector, the Government successfully
negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET)
agreement with our ECOWAS partners, which would
enable us to protect our strategic industries where
necessary. The Nigerian Enterprise Development
Programme (NEDEP) was initiated in 2013 to
address the needs of small businesses. Some key
interventions by NEDEP include supporting small
companies with access to affordable finance,
access to markets, capacity support, business
development services, youth training, and support
in formalizing their operations. In addition, in 2013,
we reduced business registration costs for small
businesses by 50%, to help them conserve capital.
Finally, as a result of our backward integration
policies, Nigeria is now a net exporter of cement
and expanded cement output capacity from 2 million
metric tonnes in 2002 to 28.5 million metric tonnes
in 2013.
AGRICULTURE:
There have been many achievements in the
agricultural sector following the launch of the
Government’s comprehensive Agricultural
Transformation Agenda program. In October 2013,
inflation fell to 7.8%, its lowest since 2008, partly
due to higher domestic food production. The
Government’s Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES)
is providing subsidizing inputs to farmers via an e-
Wallet program. In fiscal year 2013, an estimated
4.2 million farmers received subsidized inputs via
the Government’s Growth Enhancement Scheme.
As a result, in 2013, we produced 1.1 million metric
tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern
states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in
these States are now profitably engaged in farming
even during the dry season. The Federal
Government launched Staple Crop Processing
Zones to support investments in the entire
agricultural value chain. At present, there are over
$8 billion of private investment commitments from
agribusiness ventures such as: Flour Mills of
Nigeria, the Dangote Group, Syngenta, Indorama,
AGCO, and Belstar Capital. In 2012, 2.2 million
metric tonnes of cassava chips were exported,
exceeding the ATA’s target by over 100% while the
40 percent substitution of cassava for wheat has
been achieved through research and collaboration
with the IITA and Federal Institute for Industrial
Research. Similarly, there has been a decline in
wheat imports to Nigeria from an all-time high of
4,051,000 MT in 2010 to 3,700,000 MT in 2012.
HEALTH
To further invest in the human capital of our
population, we are building strong safety nets and
improving access to primary health care using the
Saving One Million Lives programme. In the 2013
fiscal year, we recruited 11,300 frontline health
workers who were deployed to under-served
communities across the country. We have reached
over 10,000 women and children with conditional
cash transfer programmes across 8 States
(Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Niger,
Ogun, Zamfara) and the FCT and we intend to scale
up this successful initiative. As a result, over
400,000 lives have been saved through our various
interventions. Nigeria’s national immunization
coverage has now exceeded 80% and is yielding
demonstrable results. The Type-3 Wild Polio virus
has been contained in 2013, with no recorded
transmissions for more than one year; while Guinea
worm that previously affected the lives of over
800,000 Nigerians yearly has been largely
eradicated. Facilities at various medical centers
across the country – such as the University of
Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the
University College Hospital in Ibadan – have also
been upgraded. Finally, Nigeria has also been
honoured as Co-Chair of the fourth replenishment of
the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and I
shall be co-chairing this initiative with other
selected world leaders.
EDUCATION
To improve access to education at all levels, a
number of priority investments were made in 2013.
These include the construction of 125 Almajiri
schools and establishment of 3 additional Federal
Universities, to bring the total number of new
Federal Universities to 12. Additionally, special girls’
schools were constructed in 13 States of the
Federation. In fiscal year 2013, we rehabilitated 352
science and technical laboratories while 72 new
libraries have been constructed in the Federal Unity
Schools. Furthermore, the laboratories of all 51
Federal and State Polytechnics have been
rehabilitated and micro-teaching laboratories are
being constructed in 58 Federal and State Colleges
of Education. The Presidential Special Scholarship
programme for first class graduates has
commenced with an initial set of 101 beneficiaries.
Over 7,000 lecturers from Universities,
Polytechnics and Colleges of Education are
benefitting from scholarships to support their
doctoral training in Nigerian and overseas
institutions.
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY:
We continued our strategic focus on investing in
modern ICT technologies. We constructed 500km of
fibre-optic cable to rural areas; 3,000km targeted
for deployment in 2013/2014. A total of 266 Public
Access Venues were established in 2013 – 156
Rural IT Centres, 110 Community Communication
Centres. We facilitated the deployment of mobile
communications base stations in rural areas of
Nigeria. A total of 59 Base Stations have been
installed thus far, with an additional 1,000 planned
for 2014. In addition, we also provided wholesale
internet bandwidth to Internet Service Providers,
Cyber cafes, and ICT centres like Community
Communication Centres (CCC) in rural communities
– connectivity to 12 out of 18 pilot sites completed.
In 2013, we deployed a fibre-optic high-speed
internet network to connect 27 Federal universities,
and provided computing facilities to 74 tertiary
institutions and 218 public schools across the
country. Finally, we established innovation centers
to support entrepreneurs in the ICT sector, and also
launched a Venture Capital fund of $15 million for
ICT businesses.DailyPost
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has
responded to the 50 questions raised by the House
of Representatives Committee on Finance on the
state of the economy.
In her response, the Minister provided detailed 100-
page answers to the questions.
In a statement issued by her Special Adviser on
Media, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, the Minister said the
document provides extensive detail, some of which
came in form of tables and graphs.
DailyPost has gathered that the document was
delivered to all members of the finance committee
on the evening of Wednesday.
Okonjo-Iweala in her response said that regardless
of the many challenges that remain obvious, the
Nigerian economy was showing real and
measurable progress in many areas, adding that
“This can be seen in the fact that more jobs are
being created; roads, rail and other infrastructure
are being improved; the country is saving for the
future and planning better for the present.”
According to her, “The Jonathan administration,
contrary to the impression given by some critics, is
making an impact in the areas that, according to
credible opinion polls, Nigerians are most
passionate about.
“For instance, on job creation which is a central
focus of the administration, a total of 1.6 million jobs
were created last year, according to the National
Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of which 250,000 were
seasonal jobs created in dry season farming in 10
northern states.
“In manufacturing, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone
created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect
jobs. The government special intervention
programme YouWin supported young entrepreneurs,
creating over 18,000 jobs. The SURE-P Community
Services programme has also created 120,000 job
opportunities.”
She stressed that the improved state of Nigerian
roads has been confirmed by many who travelled
during the Christmas period.
Hear her,“Key highways which have witnessed
significant progress include Kano-Maiduguri Road,
the Abuja-Lokoja Road, the Apapa-Oshodi Road, the
Onitsha-Enugu-Port-Harcourt Road and the Benin-
Ore-Shagamu Road. Preliminary work has
commenced on Lagos-Ibadan road and the Second
Niger Bridge.
“The Railway Modernization Programme involving
the construction of standard gauge lines is
underway. The 1,124 km Western line linking Lagos
and Kano is now functional, while work on the
Eastern line linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is
about 36 per cent complete.
“The Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge line has
attained 68 per cent completion, and the Itakpe-
Ajaokuta-Warri Line which is presently 77 per cent
completed, will be completed next year.
“The annual passenger traffic on our railways has
increased steadily, rising from 1 million in 2011 to 5
million in 2013,” the minister’s spokesman said.
On the issue of debt as alleged by some House
members, Iweala dismissed the allegation, stating
there was no substance to the charge.
“In fact, the opposite is true. Right from her Senate
confirmation hearing in 2011, the minister had
identified rising debt as a major challenge, which the
country needs to confront.
“Under the leadership of President Jonathan and
working with the Debt Management Office and the
Budget Office of the Federation, the minister
followed through with a robust approach which
includes progressive reduction of borrowing, quick
settlement of due debts and the retirement of N75
billion of maturing bonds via a Sinking Fund
dedicated to paying off substantial bonds.
“These measures have produced clear results as
shown in the reduction of borrowing from N852
billion in 2011 to N571.9 billion this year,” the
Minister had cleared.
Read response below:
HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME ANSWERS TO THE
50 QUESTIONS
JOB CREATION
A total of 1.6 million jobs were created last year,
according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In agriculture for instance, the provision of inputs in
10 Northern states enabled dry season farming and
created over 250,000 seasonal jobs. season. In
manufacturing, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone
created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect
jobs. The government special intervention
programme YouWin supported young entrepreneurs,
creating over 18,000 jobs. The Sure-community
Services has also created 120,000 job
opportunities.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Progress has been made on construction of the
Kano-Maiduguri road, the Abuja-Lokoja road, the
Apapa-Oshodi road, the Onitsha-Enugu-Port-
Harcourt road and the Benin-Ore-Shagamu road,
among others. Preliminary work has also
commenced on the Lagos-Ibadan road, as well as
on the Second Niger Bridge. The Railway
Modernization Programme involving the
construction of standard gauge lines is underway.
The 1,124 km Western line linking Lagos and Kano
is now functional while work on the Eastern line
linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is about 36%
complete. The Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge line
has attained 68% completion, and the Itakpe-
Ajaokuta-Warri Line which is presently 77%
completed, will be completed next year. The annual
passenger traffic on our railways has increased
steadily: rising from 1 million in 2011 to 5 million in
2013.
INLAND WATERWAYS
We have dredged about 72 km of the lower River
Niger from Baro in Niger State to Warri in Delta
State; and completed the construction of the
Onitsha inland port; while the Baro port is nearing
completion. The result of all these is that we now
have year round navigation around the lower Niger;
and we are already witnessing an increase in cargo
volume from below 2.9 million metric tons in 2011 to
over 5 million metric tons on the inland waterways.
As in the case of the rail transport, the number of
passengers travelling via our inland waterways has
increased fourfold from 250,000 in 2011 to over 1.3
million.
WATER RESOURCES
Key milestones recorded in 2013 include the
construction of 9 dams, which resulted in an
increase in the volume of the nation’s water
reservoir by 422MCM. Progress was made on
major projects such as the South Chad Irrigation
Project, the Bakolori Irrigation Project, and the
Galma Dam. Implementation of irrigation and
drainage programme resulted in increase of the
total irrigable area by over 31,000Ha, job creation
for about 75,000 farming families and increased
production of over 400,000Mt of assorted irrigated
food products.
AVIATION:
The 22 airports across Nigeria are being remodeled
and upgraded: in 2013, we completed the upgrade
of 11 airport terminals and work on the remaining
11 terminals is in progress. The Enugu Airport is
now operational as an international airport with a
new terminal under construction. We have also
commenced work on the construction of three new
international airport terminals: in Lagos, in Kano,
and in Abuja. Modern navigational and
meteorological systems were installed at our
airports to improve air safety. In addition, 6 airports
namely: Jos, Markurdi, Yola, Jalingo, Lagos and
Ilorin which are strategically located in proximity to
food baskets have been designated as perishable
cargo airports and international standards
perishable cargo facilities are being developed at
these airports. A new Cargo Development Division
has been established in FAAN to give focus to this
effort.
POWER
We have completed one
of the most
comprehensive and
ambitious power sector
privatization and
liberation programmes
globally. We have
privatized 4 power
generation companies
and 10 power distribution
companies, and have
virtually settled all claims
and entitlements of PHCN
workers. Some major
cities get an average of
16-18 hours of electricity
per day in 2013. This
however dropped in
November and
December during the
transition we expect
some teething problems
and then power supply
should pick up. In 2013,
we also mobilized $1.5
billion in financing from
multilateral sources for
investment and upgrade
of the transmission
network in 2014 and
beyond. To promote
clean energy, we also
commenced construction
of the 700MW Zungeru
Hydro-Power project in 2013. We have
strengthened relevant power market intermediaries
such as the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc
(NBET), and backed them with financing to
stimulate greater private investments in the sector.
MANUFACTURING:
We launched the National Industrial Revolution Plan
(NIRP), which focuses on industrializing Nigeria and
diversifying our economy into sectors such as
agro-processing, light manufacturing, and
petrochemicals. In the 2013 fiscal year, Nigeria was
named the #1 destination for investments in Africa
by UNCTAD (the UN Conference on Trade and
Development), attracting over $7 billion in FDI.
There were a large number of both foreign and
domestic investments in the economy, such as by:
$250m investments by Procter and Gamble in Ogun
State; $40 million in agricultural projects by
Dominion Farms. To further support the
manufacturing sector, the Government successfully
negotiated a strong Common External Tariff (CET)
agreement with our ECOWAS partners, which would
enable us to protect our strategic industries where
necessary. The Nigerian Enterprise Development
Programme (NEDEP) was initiated in 2013 to
address the needs of small businesses. Some key
interventions by NEDEP include supporting small
companies with access to affordable finance,
access to markets, capacity support, business
development services, youth training, and support
in formalizing their operations. In addition, in 2013,
we reduced business registration costs for small
businesses by 50%, to help them conserve capital.
Finally, as a result of our backward integration
policies, Nigeria is now a net exporter of cement
and expanded cement output capacity from 2 million
metric tonnes in 2002 to 28.5 million metric tonnes
in 2013.
AGRICULTURE:
There have been many achievements in the
agricultural sector following the launch of the
Government’s comprehensive Agricultural
Transformation Agenda program. In October 2013,
inflation fell to 7.8%, its lowest since 2008, partly
due to higher domestic food production. The
Government’s Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES)
is providing subsidizing inputs to farmers via an e-
Wallet program. In fiscal year 2013, an estimated
4.2 million farmers received subsidized inputs via
the Government’s Growth Enhancement Scheme.
As a result, in 2013, we produced 1.1 million metric
tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern
states; and over 250,000 farmers and youths in
these States are now profitably engaged in farming
even during the dry season. The Federal
Government launched Staple Crop Processing
Zones to support investments in the entire
agricultural value chain. At present, there are over
$8 billion of private investment commitments from
agribusiness ventures such as: Flour Mills of
Nigeria, the Dangote Group, Syngenta, Indorama,
AGCO, and Belstar Capital. In 2012, 2.2 million
metric tonnes of cassava chips were exported,
exceeding the ATA’s target by over 100% while the
40 percent substitution of cassava for wheat has
been achieved through research and collaboration
with the IITA and Federal Institute for Industrial
Research. Similarly, there has been a decline in
wheat imports to Nigeria from an all-time high of
4,051,000 MT in 2010 to 3,700,000 MT in 2012.
HEALTH
To further invest in the human capital of our
population, we are building strong safety nets and
improving access to primary health care using the
Saving One Million Lives programme. In the 2013
fiscal year, we recruited 11,300 frontline health
workers who were deployed to under-served
communities across the country. We have reached
over 10,000 women and children with conditional
cash transfer programmes across 8 States
(Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Niger,
Ogun, Zamfara) and the FCT and we intend to scale
up this successful initiative. As a result, over
400,000 lives have been saved through our various
interventions. Nigeria’s national immunization
coverage has now exceeded 80% and is yielding
demonstrable results. The Type-3 Wild Polio virus
has been contained in 2013, with no recorded
transmissions for more than one year; while Guinea
worm that previously affected the lives of over
800,000 Nigerians yearly has been largely
eradicated. Facilities at various medical centers
across the country – such as the University of
Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the
University College Hospital in Ibadan – have also
been upgraded. Finally, Nigeria has also been
honoured as Co-Chair of the fourth replenishment of
the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and I
shall be co-chairing this initiative with other
selected world leaders.
EDUCATION
To improve access to education at all levels, a
number of priority investments were made in 2013.
These include the construction of 125 Almajiri
schools and establishment of 3 additional Federal
Universities, to bring the total number of new
Federal Universities to 12. Additionally, special girls’
schools were constructed in 13 States of the
Federation. In fiscal year 2013, we rehabilitated 352
science and technical laboratories while 72 new
libraries have been constructed in the Federal Unity
Schools. Furthermore, the laboratories of all 51
Federal and State Polytechnics have been
rehabilitated and micro-teaching laboratories are
being constructed in 58 Federal and State Colleges
of Education. The Presidential Special Scholarship
programme for first class graduates has
commenced with an initial set of 101 beneficiaries.
Over 7,000 lecturers from Universities,
Polytechnics and Colleges of Education are
benefitting from scholarships to support their
doctoral training in Nigerian and overseas
institutions.
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY:
We continued our strategic focus on investing in
modern ICT technologies. We constructed 500km of
fibre-optic cable to rural areas; 3,000km targeted
for deployment in 2013/2014. A total of 266 Public
Access Venues were established in 2013 – 156
Rural IT Centres, 110 Community Communication
Centres. We facilitated the deployment of mobile
communications base stations in rural areas of
Nigeria. A total of 59 Base Stations have been
installed thus far, with an additional 1,000 planned
for 2014. In addition, we also provided wholesale
internet bandwidth to Internet Service Providers,
Cyber cafes, and ICT centres like Community
Communication Centres (CCC) in rural communities
– connectivity to 12 out of 18 pilot sites completed.
In 2013, we deployed a fibre-optic high-speed
internet network to connect 27 Federal universities,
and provided computing facilities to 74 tertiary
institutions and 218 public schools across the
country. Finally, we established innovation centers
to support entrepreneurs in the ICT sector, and also
launched a Venture Capital fund of $15 million for
ICT businesses.DailyPost
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