The UK Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Programme and Greenfields Law, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are set to host a National Technical Conference on Right of Way and Site Build Permitting.
The Technical Conference is part of the UK Government’s Technical Assistance package in advancing policy and regulatory reforms on Right of Way with the aim of promoting inclusive and sustainable digital access in the country.
At the virtual conference which is scheduled to hold on August 13th, 2020, the findings and recommendations from a technical study on Effective Right of Way Administration and Issuance of Planning Permits for Masts and Towers for instituting reforms by state governments and other agencies of government which was commissioned under the UK Government Prosperity Fund’s Digital Access Programme and undertaken by Greenfields Law ,will be presented to stakeholders.
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami; the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, state governors and chief executive officers of telecommunications companies, are among the stakeholders expected to participate at the technical conference.
Osondu C. Nwokoro, Managing Counsel of Greenfields Law and a leading telecommunications policy, law and regulation practitioner said, “the study consulted widely, obtained and processed information from virtually all segments of the telecommunications industry including service providers, policy advocacy groups, consumer associations, relevant agencies and officials of state governments across the six geo-political zones while also noting best practices around right of way and site build permitting in other countries.”
Nwokoro said that from this process, the study developed pragmatic policy, legal and regulatory right of way and site build processes which will be recommended at the conference for adoption at all levels of government.
This will help to address the long-standing problems around right of way and site build permitting in Nigeria, thereby facilitating digital access and consequently the attainment of the targets of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, 2019 as well as the National Broadband Plan, 2020-2025.
