200 clusters yet to get telecoms facilities, FG says

200 clusters in the six geo-political zones of the country that are yet to have real access to telecommunications services have been uncovered, a senior government official has said.

Speaking at the unveiling of the USPF website and presentation of the Access Gap study results, Dr Omobola Johnson, Chairman, Universal Service Provision Fund and minister of Communication Technology (USPF) said the fund has continued to play a leading role in promoting and deepening ICT access and availability in the rural areas of the areas of the country.

According to her, the USPF, in pursuit of its mandate of the fund to stimulate the deployment and utilisation of ICT services in un-served and underserved communities and groups in the country, has developed the SMP 2013-2017 to guide execution of sustainable ICT projects which will improve the quality of lives of Nigerians and facilitate social economic development.

She said the Access Gap study has now culminated in the identification of over 200 subsidy clusters across the six geopolitical zones, representing the areas where telecommunication services have yet to reach.

Johnson said the ministry, “will also share the results of the study with the telecoms operators to enable them get a detailed view of the needs and demands of the market and assist them in developing roll out plans for these unreached areas.”