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  • Broadband penetration hits 47 percent, says Danbatta

    Broadband penetration hits 47 percent, says Danbatta

    The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Danbatta on Wednesday, September 20, said broadband penetration in Nigeria has reached 47 percent as of July this year, owing to the huge expansion and investments in broadband infrastructures.

    Danbatta described infrastructure investments in the telecommunications industry as critical, stating that without investments in infrastructure, some areas would remain under-served and unconnected.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11th Edition of the Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition held at Reiz Hotels, Abuja, Danbatta described the conference as timely, saying it would address critical issues in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.

    He said the theme of the conference: “Artificial Intelligence and Africa “would open discussion on ethical considerations in relation to accountability, transparency and fairness in the deployment of the technology. Danbatta was represented at the event by Emilia Nwokolo, Head of Consumer Information and Education of the NCC.

    “The theme for this year’s event is “Artificial Intelligence and Africa,” which is both timely and significant. It attests to our commitment to harnessing the power of technology to drive economic growth, social development, and innovation across the African continent.

    “Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most transformative technologies of our time. Its potential to revolutionize industries, enhance productivity, and improve the quality of life for citizens cannot be overstated.

    Read Also: Nigeria now ranked 11th globally in internet penetration, says Danbatta

     Prof Danbatta said: “In recent years, we have witnessed remarkable advancements in AI across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, finance, transportation, education, and even governance.

    “AI-powered solutions have the potential to address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges, such as limited access to healthcare, food security, financial inclusion, and infrastructure development.

    “However, for Africa to fully embrace the benefits of AI, we must address several critical factors. First, we must invest in building the necessary digital infrastructure. This includes expanding broadband connectivity.

    “In Nigeria, as of July 2023, the broadband penetration stood at 47.01%. Also, the continent must commit to ensuring reliable power supply and fostering a conducive regulatory environment. Without robust infrastructure, the potential of AI will remain untapped, and the digital divide will further widen.”

  • Nigeria now ranked 11th globally in internet penetration, says Danbatta

    Nigeria now ranked 11th globally in internet penetration, says Danbatta

    Nigeria now ranked eleventh in the world in terms of Internet penetration and seventh in terms of mobile phone usage, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Danbatta disclosed on Thursday, August 24.

    Danbatta described Nigeria as an African continent telecommunications powerhouse with 82 percent of the continent’s telecom subscribers and 29 percent of internet consumption.

    Addressing stakeholders at the Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, at the opening ceremony of the Emerging Technology Workshop and Forum for the telecom industry, Danbatta, however, lamented that the ranking of Nigeria globally in relation to Network Readiness Index (NRI) not impressive.

    Danbatta, who was represented at the event by the Director of Spectrum Administration at the NCC, Abraham Osadami said Nigeria would need to expand its telecommunications infrastructures to attain appropriate ranking.

    Danbatta said: “Nigeria is a telecommunications powerhouse, with 82% of the continent’s telecom subscribers and 29% of the continent’s internet consumption. Our nation rates eleventh globally in terms of internet penetration and seventh in terms of mobile phone usage.

    Read Also: Danbatta woos investors to Nigeria’s broadband future

    “Despite these remarkable metrics, the fact that our Network Readiness Index (NRI) ranking for 2022 is 109th out of 131 countries is both humbling and challenging.

    “The NRI is a guiding metric that measures the role and impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

    “It explores the performances of 131 economies in four key categories: technology (infrastructure), governance, people, and impact. As agents of social and economic transformation in our nation, prioritizing network readiness is not only a strategic necessity but a mandate.”

     Highlighting the significance of the Forum, Danbatta said the surge in data utilisation, the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT), the advent of artificial intelligence, and the emergence of cutting-edge technologies necessitated the urgent need for ongoing network surveillance and expansion.

    “To navigate this era of transformation, we must embrace innovation, make strategic investments, and cultivate a growth-friendly ecosystem” he added.

    The EVC said even though the industry has achieved remarkable growth in the past two decades, more investments would be needed to upscale the performance of the industry and meet the expectations of the citizens.

    He said the forum would engage in thought-provoking discussions and tap from the resources and presentations of renowned professionals in the technology landscape for maximum results.

    Danbatta said: “As we convene here today, the innovation symphony resonates with our common goals. The Emerging Technology Forum acts as a beacon, directing us towards the intersection of transformation and advancement.

    “This forum is where we bridge the divide between aspiration and achievement. Through spirited dialogues, collaborative exchanges, and the exploration of emerging technologies, we move closer to our vision of a fully interconnected, telecommunications-driven Nigeria.”

  • Danbatta delivers varsity lecture

    The Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, will deliver the 23rd professorial inaugural lecture of Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

    He was billed to deliver the university’s  22nd inaugural lecture on August 18, which did not hold because of the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ (ASUU’s) strike.

    The professor of telecommunications engineering is now scheduled to deliver the lecture on November 2, at the old campus of the university in Kano.

    The topic is: Getting out of the Woods: “Diversifying the Nigerian Economy through the Telecommunications Sector”.

    The NCC chief also accepted the invitation of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Kabuga branch, to deliver the 1st Engineer I.K. Inuwa Annual Public Lecture on November 4.

    Earlier this year, the professor joined the league of eminent Nigerians, who delivered the convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he spoke on “The Role of ICT Infrastructure in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: NCC Interventions”.

    Danbatta, who presented the October 2016 lecture of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, was the first chief executive officer of NCC to address participants of the Senior Executive Course of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in March 2016.

    He was declared the Chief Executive Officer of the Year by Tell, among other recognitions locally and at the global stage. Since he assumed leadership of Africa’s biggest telecoms regulatory body, the commission has continued to receive more global attention.

  • Danbatta seeks passage of Data Protection, Electronic Transaction bills

    Danbatta seeks passage of Data Protection, Electronic Transaction bills

    • Subscribers advised to report unsolicited SMS

    Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof Umar Danbatta yesterday called for the passage of the harmonised Data Protection Bill and the Electronic Transaction Bill into Law.

    He urged Nigerians to report cases of unsolicited messages from service provides to the commission for action.

    Danbatta spoke in Lagos at a breakout session on “The business of cyber law” at the ongoing Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

    The Data Protection Bill, he said, proposes a comprehensive framework governing collection, processing and safeguarding personal data.

    He said the Electronic Transaction Bill, which proposes a framework for proof and admissibility of electronic transactions in court, was still pending at the National Assembly.

    He urged NBA to support effort towards passage of the bills into law.

    On how to stop receipt of unsolicited short messages from GSM service providers, Danbatta urged subscribers to send STOP to 2442.

    If the messages keep coming afterwards, he said the subscriber should call NCC through the toll free line: 622 to lodge a complaint.

    Danbatta said by also sending HELP to 2442, subscribers can choose the type of messages they want.

    According to him, NCC would ensure the refund of money lost through unsolicited text messages or unsubscribed services.

    “I also suffer the same menace,” he said with regards to invasion of privacy.

    Danbatta urged law enforcement agencies to monitor and ensure full implementation and compliance with the existing laws.

    “Organisations at all levels should devote enough resources to information security as a national digital security concern,” he said.

    Danbatta called for capacity building for officers, prosecutors, judges and attorneys-general in cybercrime, as well as for standardised cyber insurance policies.

    “Data end to end encryption should be encouraged,” he said.

    The NCC Executive Vice Chairman said data privacy was a major concern, adding that the NCC Act empowers the commission to take necessary measures to protect consumers.

    “The notion of cyber security and protection of privacy under the cyber law is a journey and not a destination. Nigeria’s speed is good, but more is required.

    “A society characterised by the guarantee of safety and privacy, and low levels of cyber crimes, shall ultimately facilitate Nigeria’s target of being among the top 20 economies by 2020,” he said.

    Former NBA president Augustine Alegeh (SAN), who chaired the session, said there was already a legal framework in place; the challenge was implementing the laws and policies.

  • Nigeria GSM subscriptions hits 154 million

    No fewer than 154 million Nigerians are now active subscribers of the General System on Mobile Communications (GSM), the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said.

    Speaking on Friday during the NCC day at the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair, Danbatta said that the country’s social media space had continued to thrive.

    Danbatta, who was represented by the Head of Public Relations of the South East zonal office, Mr Rueben Mouka,  revealed that  internet penetration of about 90 million subscribers in the country.

    “This has brought the nation to more than 110 per cent teledensity.

    “With broadband penetration of 21 per cent, Nigeria’s social media space has continued to thrive and our citizens are enjoying access to modern ways of interactions in cyberspace,” he said.

    Danbatta said that the commission would continue to keep the nation abreast of developments in telecommunications industry through innovative and world class regulatory processes.

    He, however, regretted the activities of local and state authorities in the South East who deny telecommunication companies the right of way in the task of providing services.

    “We still notice a lot of challenges confronting the provision of services in this part of the country.

    “Issues of vandalisation of telecommunications equipment still abound. We call on the appropriate authorities to note that it amounts  to denial of our citizens rights to communications when we obstruct services.

    “There are some individuals who still believe that telecom masts and towers constitute health hazards to humans.

    The World Health Organisation has affirmed that no result of any such hazard has been established against base stations,” he said.

    Danabatta said that anyone that adduced such reasons to deny right of way to telecom companies and prevented them from expanding services was contributing to the poor quality of service in the network.

    He said that the issue of consumer empowerment and protection aimed at protecting consumers from unfair practices occupied a prominent place in the 8-point agenda of the commission.

    He said that the commission had dedicated 2017 for the resolution of complaints of consumers as a complement to their consumer parliament sessions and outreach programmes.

    “We have all mandated our zonal offices to take the messages down to the grassroots through a new interactive programme called ‘NCC Conversation’,” Danbatta said.

    In a remark, the President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Mr Ugochukwu Chime, said that the commission needed to do more in its regulatory operations.

    Chime said that in spite of the laudable achievements of the commission, “Yet, there remains a lot more that needs to be done to fully tap the potentials in this sector”.

     

  • NCC declares state of emergency in telecoms sector over QoS

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has declared a state of emergency in the telecoms sector due to the degenerating Quality of Service (QoS) by Mobile Network Operators and other service providers in the sector.

    A statement issued by the NCC Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, said the Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made the declaration on Monday in Abuja.

    According to the statement, Danbatta spoke at an interactive session with the mobile network operators and the management of NCC on Monday.

    He said the NCC had declared 2017 as the year of the consumer, adding that all hands should be on deck for consumers to enjoy high quality of service.

    The NCC chief said the consumers had to be treated with dignity, stressing that the commission’s eight-point agenda  had put the consumers first.

    He explained that NCC had put measures in place to check and monitor quality of service on various networks.

    “And we have sent this report to our taskforce on QoS and have been interacting with government at different levels as part of the measures to deal with the poor QoS,” he said.

    Danbatta admonished the operators and co-location service operators to provide suggestions on how to address the situation.

    He said that NCC had appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make FOREX available to operators.

    He said the appeal to CBN was part of measures to cushion the situation and ameliorate the recurrent inaccessibility to foreign exchange by operators.

    NAN

  • NCC, Danbatta and public intellectualism

    Distinct commonalities often stand out in bold relief about most academics and intellectual heavyweights who find themselves in public service. They are usually transformational, out-of-box thinkers who swiftly roll out comprehensive blueprints, which encapsulate their vision and mission for new challenges.  Exuding supreme confidence is another trait they share, which perhaps explains why they could be daring in decision-making. Nonetheless, they won’t shy away from chipping in quality contribution to public discourse – which their intellectual cutting-edge enables them to do rather effortlessly.

    Prof Charles Chukuma Soludo probably shocked the nation’s banking industry with his audacious consolidation policy. Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s out-of-box strategy provided the shield we badly needed as a nation during the 2007 global financial meltdown. Akinwumi Adesina boldly attempted to revolutionise our agricultural sector with his business model. And, Malam Nasir el Rufai was fearless both as the Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and as the Minister the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    However, while Soludo as the number one banker in the country chose to consolidate, el  Rufai as the man spearheading the privatisation of the nation’s public utilities was busy unbundling the behemoth energy corporation that was supplying meagre amount of megawatts of electricity to the giant of Africa. He also midwifed the telecom sector reform we currently enjoy.

    Yet, we now have Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who announced his entry into the telecom industry with yet another big-bang decision.  No sooner had President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him than he wielded the big regulatory stick in the nation’s telecom sector. He would follow that with his 8-Point Agenda, a roadmap of aligned strategic management policy of NCC.

    Interestingly – like Soludo or other intellectual giants mentioned above – that Danbatta has managed to mix his time-consuming assignment at the NCC with public intellectualism is something worth underlining. Indeed, it is not only the nation’s broadband that is witnessing a quantum leap in terms of expansion under Danbatta’s leadership of the NCC – growing from 10% to close to 21% as revealed by ITU-ENESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, but  his contribution to public discourse cannot go unnoticed.

    Danbatta received a standing ovation of respected colleagues last year when he presented a lecture titled, “The National Broadband Plan as a Catalyst for Social and Economic Transformation: The NCC Mandate”, at the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.

    It wasn’t the first time though that he would receive this kind of appreciation.  It is on record that the professor of telecommunications engineering was the first NCC boss to address the executive course of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). Just last week, Danbatta wowed the academic community of University of Nigeria Nsukka after joining the league of eminent Nigerians like former President Olusegun Obasanjo to deliver the convocation symposium of the revered varsity. He spoke on the Role of ICT Infrastructure in Tertiary Education in Nigeria: NCC Intervention.

    However, it was much more than what the title suggests.  Danbatta referenced the works of renowned economists and social scientists to buttress points. He would intermittently quote from Joseph Eugene Stiglitz, Rodrick or Joseph Schumpeter.  Indeed, while the presentation was generously spiced intellectually, in terms of statistics and academic citations, Danbatta chose to draw the curtain on it with a clarion call for all and sundry to begin to see the role of digital transformation beyond the realm of statistical figures churned out by the industry.

    “We talk about the benefits of ICT and we normally do this by dishing out e-readiness indicators. We say broadband penetration is 21%, internet penetration 97%. All these are ICT-readiness indicators that do not tell the entire story,” he observed.

    He went on, “We can go beyond that and explain how ICTs have impacted to provide shared and sustainable prosperity; how ICTs have succeeded in reducing poverty; how they improve learning and make the society more open, more mobile and cohesive. And, above all, how they encourage the economy to be more competitive and innovative. These are the ends of digital transformation and not the input-output figures we normally reel out.”

    For Professor Danbatta, “It is in Nigeria’s national interest to harness potentials that exist in the information-driven age through the deployment and exploitation of ICT to facilitate socio-economic development and improvement of the human condition.”

    He said the Less Developed Countries (LDCs) are now grappling with a broadband divide in addition to infrastructure, knowledge and information divides. “Of the world’s over five billion broadband subscriptions, North America and European Union control over 50% while South America and Sub-Saharan Africa, where Nigeria belongs,  account for only 3% of this global share,” he lamented.

    Yet, as Danbatta continues to use the platforms of different public forums to spray us generously with his intellectual perfume, we must not lose sight of the fact that the industry he superintends over has also shown remarkable performance during his tenure.

    Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (BPE) shows that in spite of the challenging waters of economic downturn the nation is waddling through, the telecom sector was, last year, contributing between N 1.4 trillion to N1.5 trillion to the GDP, the highest it has recorded in its history.  The industry is hoping that the trend will be sustained for a very long time. And it has Danbatta who is not short both the passion and the blueprint to ensure that.

     

    • Musa, Special Adviser (Media) to the EVC-NCC wrote in from Abuja.

  • Danbatta: Buhari got this right

    While many argue, and it’s true, that some appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari are mere flotsam and jetsam and therefore unfit for their positions, there are still a few who have manifested uncommon managerial élan and light-years-ahead vision in the discharge of their duties. One of such bright spots in a darkling horizon of political appointees is Professor Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    Since his appointment over a year ago, the Professor of electrical cum electronics engineering has stepped into the ring with the confidence of a skilled pugilist. And in barely one year, he has not only stamped his feet on the ground with unwavering boldness, he has also held his nerves to guide the telecom sector out of the economic storm that knocked other sectors and in fact the nation down on their knees. Experience has shown that in Nigeria’s public service space, most people come into their offices unprepared, sometimes unschooled and unskilled. But Danbatta came with the carriage and candour of a man fully primed for the job. He reeled out an 8-point agenda, a carefully crafted corpus of plans and ideas that would define his leadership. To date, he has rallied the diverse stakeholders in the sector to buy into his dream for telecom. And the results are there to show for his industry.

    America’s Dwight Eisenhower’s style of leadership recognises getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it. Just one word: Passion! President Buhari adopted this style by appointing a man who wants and desires to get things done; and he is doing it with evidential totems to show for his stewardship.

    One outstanding highlight of the Danbatta days was the fine imposed on MTN Nigeria for the non-registration of SIM cards in its network. It was a challenging moment for the nation’s telecom regulator and indeed for Nigeria.  Prior to that moment, public perception of the NCC as an independent regulator has not been pleasant. Many Nigerians, erroneously though, would swear that the regulator has been compromised by the operators; that some of the operators were simply above the law and cannot be cautioned, regulated or exerted upon.  The engineering professor put a lie to that misconception by bringing MTN to account and instilling order in the system. That singular gesture shored up international confidence in the nation’s telecom sector. It portrayed Nigeria as a marketplace where order not disorder is the rule of engagement.

    But by far, the most remarkable feat is the resilience of the telecom sector in the face of recession. Throughout 2016 when other sectors reeled and roiled under treacherous economic strain, telecoms remained largely bullish. Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) suggest a steady growth in the sector from 2015, reversing the declining trend in total real GDP from 2010 to 2014. In the heat of the recession, telecoms contributed N 1.4 trillion to GDP in the third quarter of 2016, or 8.0%. Even this represented a decrease of 1.8% points relative to the previous quarter (Q2), when the sector contributed N 1.58 trillion to GDP or 9.8%.

    Experts have attributed the insulation of telecoms sector from recession to Danbatta’s non-combative, stakeholders’ participatory approach to regulation. Globally, the news is that Nigeria is in a recession complete with job cuts, degrading value of the naira and grossly eroded purchasing power of the people but telecom has managed to stay afloat. Investor confidence is growing. And if there was ever any doubt about this, the recent International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference in Bangkok, Thailand (ITU World 2016) fittingly indexed Nigeria’s growing status in world telecom. The presence of the immediate past ITU Secretary General and the incumbent, Dr. Hamadoun Toure and Mr. Houlin Zhao respectively, the horde of foreign investors who thronged the venue of the Nigerian Investment Forum, an unprecedented number, and the resonating references across different conference halls to the resilience of the Nigerian telecom market in a moment of national economic recession were evidential attestations to the profile of Nigerian telecom.

    As at July 2016, the Nigerian telecom market has maintained an upbeat run, notching up to $68 billion in investment, the highest volume in Africa. The catalysts for such phenomenal growth are hinged on regulatory excellence and strict adherence to global best practices. In recent years, Nigeria has remained on the cutting edge of world telecoms as one of the markets with the highest returns on investments. The fact that out of this figure, $35b comes from Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) fittingly illustrates the global confidence on the Nigerian market.

    Such phenomenal landmarks coming from an African market have not lulled Danbatta to rest; rather he has rolled up his sleeves in a new push to birth a broadband revolution capable of doubling the investment profile in the sector in a few years. Danbatta believes that the Nigerian telecom value chain is so robust that it can accommodate more players, from small telcos to mega telcos, value added services providers to other operators providing diverse genre of services including the almost extinct Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators.

    His ceaseless exertion is not lost on the international community. Aside the ITU which has commended his regulatory leadership model that has helped to sustain good corporate governance and nurture a culture of order in the telecom ecosystem, echoes of his regulatory model resonates to far-flung jurisdictions.

    For his effort, the NCC was last year severally adjudged the regulator of the year by different organisations. The Commission also won the European Award for Best Practices 2016. The award ceremony which held in Brussels, Belgium was hosted by the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR), an affiliate of the European Union (EU).

    No fewer than 63 countries participated in the award ceremony out of which the NCC clinched the European Award for Best Practices.  The award is “in recognition of NCC’s outstanding commitment, support and results in quality management strategies” in the Gold category, the organisers said.

    The NCC’s management style, its impact on the community that it serves and the professional manner it carries out its regulatory activities in supervising a sector that contributes immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation were some of the considerations for the award.

    Many Nigerians have criticized President Buhari for putting round pegs in square holes.  Senator Ben Bruce, recently on the floor of the Senate, advised the President to rejig his cabinet by redeploying some appointees and appointing persons who are ready, prepared and willing to do the job. Even in the midst of his anger, Bruce acknowledged that some appointees are up and flying and have become the tools that the nation would need to chisel its way out the crushing economic cul-de-sac. Danbatta belongs to this army of round pegs in round holes. The results speak for themselves.

     

    • Ugbechie, Executive Secretary of Africa Telecom Development Initiative (ATDI), writes from Lagos.

  • Senate confirms Danbatta as EVC, NCC

    The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta as the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC).

    He was appointed in acting capacity by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 4, 2015 following the expiration of the tenure of Dr. Eugene Juwah.

    According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Tony Ojobo, the confirmation yesterday followed “thorough screening by the Senator Gilbert Nnaji led Communication Committee, before the Committee of the whole yesterday, affirmed Prof Danbatta for the job for the next five years” .

    Before his appointment, he was the Acting Vice Chancellor, Kano State University of Science & Technology, Wudil.

  • Buhari seeks Senate’s confirmation for Fowler, Danbatta, Kuru

    Buhari seeks Senate’s confirmation for Fowler, Danbatta, Kuru

    •President  asks Assembly to okay $200m World Bank loan for Lagos

    The Senate yesterday received communications from President Muhammadu Buhari requesting confirmation of the appointments of Mr. Babatunde Fowler as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

    Also, the President sent a request for approval of Alhaji Umaru Danbata as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

    Similarly, the name of Alhaji Ahmed Kuru was  sent to the upper legislative body for confirmation as the Managing Director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

    The names of Kola Ayeye, Eberechukwu Uneze and Aminu Ismail were also forwarded for approval as Executive Directors.

    Also yesterday, the President asked the Senate to approve a Development Policy Operation (DPO) loan (budget support) of $200 million to Lagos State from the World Bank.

    Buhari, in a letter entitled: “Request for special approval of Lagos State DPO 11 under the Federal Government external borrowing rolling plan 2015 to 2017,” the President requested the Senate to endorse the loan expeditiously.

    The letter reads in part: “I refer to the above subject and request approval for Development Policy Operation (DPO) loan (Budget Support) of US$200 million to Lagos State from the World Bank.

    “You may wish to know that the World Bank approved a DPO loan for a total sum of US$600 million to Lagos State Government in 2010 to be implemented in three tranches of US$200 million per annum.

    “The first tranche was approved by the National Assembly in the 2010-2012 Federal Government External (Rolling) Borrowing Plan and the second tranche was in the 2012-2014 plan.

    “The DPO 1has been successfully implemented as adjudged by the World Bank, the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved the second tranche of the DPO on April 29, 2015.

    “The DPO 111 was captured in the Federal Government External (Rolling) Borrowing Plan of 2014-2016 which was discussed with the National Assembly, but was not concluded.

    “Pursuant to the above, therefore I seek for your support to facilitate the consideration and approval of the DPO 111 loan of US$200million to enable the state to consolidate on the gains of the second tranche of the DPO 11.

    ‘It is instructive to note that key programme objectives of the DPO are already beginning to show in terms of increased inflow of private investment to the state, increased private sector employment opportunities and increased internally generated revenues.