The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, to ensure full implementation of the draft National Policy on Community Networks.
Speaking at a briefing in Lagos, Coordinator, Nigerian School of Community Networks, Haruna Adamu Hadejia, emphasised the need for a citizen-driven national policy for sustainable community networks to bridge the digital divide in Nigeria.
Forming part of its recommendations, CITAD enjoined the Galaxy Backbone PLC to provide communities with access to its backbone for them to use as their community networks getaways
The centre appealed to Universal Service Provision Fun (USPF) to support the upgrading of the many communities’ digital centres they set up in the country to serve as basis of community networks for communities that are desirous and passionate to set up such in their communities
They demanded that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) develop guidelines and regulations for the operation of community networks in the country and to allow communities to access and use TV White Space (TVWS) for the purposes of setting up community networks
On other appeals, CITAD advised the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to work with communities at grassroots level to drive digital literacy “which is critical for the effective utilization of digital technology and which is the foundation upon which the digital transformation agenda of the country will rest.”
They also urged the civil society organisations (CSOs) to sustain evidence-based advocacy for the establishment of community networks across the country
CITAD called on the private sector operators to, as part of their corporate social responsibility, support communities to set up community networks
In the same vein, the centre called on all other stakeholders, including political office holders to support communities to go digital as a critical contribution to community development.
They concluded with a call on private sector operators to see community networks as complimentary not competition.