BRIDGING DIGITAL DIVIDE AND INTERNET FOR ALL

collaborative regulatory regimes of the 193-member nations of the International Telecommunications Union(ITU), the unconnected 2.7billion population will be connected by 2025. This is the fulcrum of the ITU Broadband Commission’s report released ODVW ZHHN ,W VSHFLÀFDOO\ SODQV WR DGYDQFH global digital transformation in this regard. Some countries including Nigeria have keyed into this initiative to sustain the tempo for broadband access by the year 2025.

Nigeria currently has broadband coverage of 44% and its target is 70% by 2025 according to the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025).

Part of ITU initiative to connect the 2.7billion people by 2025 formed the theme at a forum LQ 6DXGL $UDELD UHFHQWO\ 7KH FRQIHUHQFH URVH with a communique stating that advances in space and satellite technology combined with evolving wireless connectivity are essential to FRQQHFW SHRSOH ZKR UHPDLQ H[FOXGHG IURP WKH digital revolution. The conference was tagged ´&RQQHFWLQJ WKH :RUOG IURP WKH 6NLHVµ IRUXP

+RVWHG E\ WKH ,78 DQG 6DXGL $UDELD·V Communications, Space and Technology Commission, the forum brought radiocommunication and space industry H[SHUWV WRJHWKHU WR H[SORUH QHZ ZD\V WR enhance global digital connectivity.

“Digital networks and technologies continue to empower and enrich the lives of billions of people worldwide,” said ITU SecretaryGeneral Houlin Zhao.

:KLOH PDQ\ SDUWV RI WKH JOREH DUH connected, there is still much work to do to bring in the remaining third of the world’s population. “Innovative aerial and spaceborne communication networks have the potential WR DGYDQFH RXU HͿRUWV WR EULGJH WKH GLJLWDO divide at country and global levels,” the ITU H[SODLQHG

Recognizing the need to reach the 2.7 billion people still unconnected around the world, the public-private forum focused on technological developments and innovative business models for aerial and space-based connectivity. It also highlighted how regulators and governments are working alongside industry to unleash untapped potential in today’s 5G networks, as well as in the journey towards 6G.

$V WKH ,78 %URDGEDQG &RPPLVVLRQ 5HSRUW 2022 states “Internet use grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Broadband Commission but in spite of this, there is an urgent need for broadband connectivity “that LV ÀW IRU SXUSRVH LQ WHUPV RI DͿRUGDELOLW\ DQG accessibility.” The report says 66 per cent of the global population – some 5.3 billion people – used the Internet in 2022, up from 54 per cent in 2019.

“Broadband played a central role in this uptake after the pandemic shifted much of daily life online, from remote work and learning to online shopping and banking and even medical consultations using e-health applications.

7KH UHSRUW VSHFLÀFDOO\ VD\V LQFUHDVLQJ access is not enough but to make EURDGEDQG DͿRUGDEOH DV ZHOO $V WKH UHSRUW puts it: “To increase Internet usage, entrylevel broadband services need to be made DͿRUGDEOH LQ GHYHORSLQJ FRXQWULHV ZLWK subscriptions costing less than two per cent of monthly gross national income (GNI) per capita. “

Broadband services in 2021 became less DͿRUGDEOH ODUJHO\ RZLQJ WR GRZQZDUG incomes in the midst of COVID-19 even though service charges continued to drop.

Of the 193-member states, only 96 FRXQWULHV PHW WKH DͿRUGDELOLW\ WDUJHW RI two per cent of GNI for mobile broadband, down from 103 in 2020, while 64 countries PHW WKH WZR SHU FHQW WDUJHW IRU À[HG broadband, down from 62 in 2020.

But the ITU worries stem essentially from the ability to make internet available for all by 2025 even though data show how Internet use surged during the pandemic, with user numbers rising from 54 per cent of the world’s population in 2019 to 66 per cent this year.

The report says however that “Internet usage has now reached 93 per cent in highincome countries, 61 per cent in low- and middle-income countries, but just 36 per cent in least developed countries.”

In high income countries, the rise in internet usage has not impacted positively on old people and those who are physically challenged. These category of people are still behind in connectivity.

Bridging gender digital divide is top on the Broadband for all by 2025 as this report KDV LGHQWLÀHG VRPH JDSV EHWZHHQ PHQ DQG women with access saying gender equality in access to digital services is improving.

$FFRUGLQJ WR WKH :RUOG Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, 69 per cent of men were using the Internet in 2022 compared to 64 per cent of women. Some regions and income groups have reached gender parity in Internet use, including developed countries and the $PHULFDV ZKLOH VPDOO LVODQG GHYHORSLQJ states (SIDS) and Europe have nearly reached the target.”

Recommendations for improving high access by 2025 by the Broadband Commission include the creation of a more connected post-pandemic world with two essential pre-requisites.

These are “a conducive regulatory environment for broadband services that will be crucial for countries to attract the vast investments needed to support a more digital world for everyone.

“Secondly, strategies and policies must be adopted and implemented to enable broadband adoption and accelerate digital inclusion.”

)RU WKHVH SUHUHTXLVLWHV WR EH IXOÀOOHG “will depend on impactful measures in areas like data protection, operational HPLVVLRQV DͿRUGDELOLW\ LQYHVWPHQW LQ networks, and remote learning, among other ways,” the report said.