Communications Policy

The consumption of steel was at one time the yardstick by which the development of nations was measured. Later plastics displaced steel as the index of economic development. In today’s world, telecommunications and information technology have become rough and ready indices of the progress of nations because they are fundamental structures for economic growth and human fulfillment.

In this critical area, Nigerian government policy has been at best haphazard and marred by vested and personal interests, instead of being guided by national interest. The communications sector has, therefore, continued to lag behind. GSM operators have, in the last nine months, added 900,000 lines to the national telecommunications network. But the increase has not thought us into par with Southern and Northern Africa.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance will vigorously pursue a policy that will lead Nigeria into the modem communications age with a ten-fold increase in available service. To this effect, APGA will proceed along the path of deregulation, privatization and democratization.

It will take steps:-
i. To liberalise the sector by licensing more telecommunication carriers.

ii. To reduce or abolish, as appropriate, all import duties on communications, computer and other IT equipment, raw materials and spares.

iii.To abolish excise duties on locally manufactured or assembled communications and IT equipment.

iv. To support local manufacturers and assemblers of communications and IT equipment through deferential import duties, tax rebates and duty draw-backs for exported products made in Nigeria.

v. To provide basic infrastructure for communications and IT operators.

vi. To pursue a vigorous programme of rural telephony to bring producers in remote areas into the main stream of national and global markets.

vii. To introduce compulsory computer studies in the education system.