05 December 2022

The Nigerian government has given its agreement for the concession of a research and development project for broadband internet by satellite, according to Manji Yarling, acting head of media and publicity at the Infrastructure Concessions Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

The contract covers 15 years and will be carried out using the design, finance, build, operate and transfer (DFBOT) PPP (public private partnership) model. The preferred bidder for the project is the Gilat-Eleo consortium.

The Nigerian government plans to acquire two new telecom satellites, NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3, by 2025 to replace the NigComSat 1-R satellite which will reach the end of its 15-year lifespan in 2026.

The project is expected to improve broadband penetration in Nigeria and strengthen security in the country. It is also expected to create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate more than 28 billion naira during the concession period.

“It will also help transfer technology to Nigerians in the field of communication equipment design and manufacturing,” said Yarling.