Oghenevwede Ohwovoroile in Abuja
The federal government, through the Federal Executive Council (FEC), has approved the acquisition of two communications satellites, NIGCOMSAT 2A and NIGCOMSAT 2B.
This was contained in a statement released by the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), and signed by the Acting Head, Corporate Affairs Division, Stephen Kwande.
According the statement, “The federal government has moved the acquisition and deployment of NIGCOMSAT – 2A and NIGCOMSAT – 2B into the next phase following Federal Executive Council approval for the two next – generation High – Throughput Communication Satellites.
“The satellites, to be deployed by Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), are designed to expand Nigeria’s satellite capacity and strengthen broadband, broadcasting, enterprise and critical communications services.
“NIGCOMSAT will lead implementation under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. The deployment is expected to extend connectivity to underserved, unserved and hard -to- reach communities, strengthen national communications resilience and increase Nigeria’s capacity to deliver satellite e-enabled services.
“The development forms part of the federal government’s broader investment in digital infrastructure and national connectivity, in line with the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen, said: “This is a significant milestone for NIGCOMSAT and for Nigeria, and we commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the leadership and support that have enabled us to reach this stage. NIGCOMSAT – 2A and NIGCOMSAT – 2B will strengthen our national satellite capacity, expand connectivity and support critical communications across the country. Our priority is to translate this investment into measurable value for Nigerians and position NIGCOMSAT for stronger impact within the global satellite and digital economy.”
According to her, the additional satellite capacity will support high – capacity broadband, broadcasting, enterprise connectivity, government services and other emerging digital applications. It will also complement terrestrial broadband networks by providing wider coverage in locations where conventional infrastructure may be difficult or costly to deploy.