FG approves NICTIB 2 for network extension into hinterland

The Federal Government has approved the National Information Communications Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB II) for the extension of network to the northern part of the country.

Prof. Mohammed Abubakar, Managing-Director, Galaxy Backbone (GBB), made this known during a facility tour by the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar lll, on Saturday in Abuja.

Abubakar explained that NICTIB I focused on South-South, South-East and South-West, while NICTIB II focused more on the North East and North West of the country.

“The farther network will provide a backbone,” the GBB boss said.

Abubakar said that the network connectivity made it possible for organisations, enterprises and individuals to communicate and was best using the NICTIB II project.

He, however, gave assurance that the network would be equally distributed so that every city would have the same backbone and use the fiber comfortably.

“Recently, there is an approval from the government to go on with the NICTIB II project.

“When we bring the network, we will try to distribute it to all the cities so that anywhere you are, you can use the fiber.

“We were able to pull the fiber cables from Lagos to some parts of the South South, we came to South East (Enugu) and we came to Calabar and Port Harcourt.

”We came to Makurdi, Nasarawa State and Abuja.  So, we now have our presence in terms of fiber optics along those routes.

“The NICTIB II is focusing on the hinterland that is toward the northern part of the country.

“We will rollout this particular backbone infrastructure to move from Abuja to Plateau, Gombe, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Kano, and the northwest.

“That is what we are doing and it will cover most of the states in the north, apart from what we call the Metro Fiber Network in major cities,” he said.

On e-commerce, Abubakar said that the NICTIB II would make lots of economic activities easier, by making people to buy and sell without necessarily travelling outside the country, when put in place.

“There is e-commerce where you can request for what you want to buy and make payment. The goods will be supplied from any part of the world without spending money to travel.

“This will reduce the cost and ultimately boost the issue of whatever kind of business transaction you are making.

“It will bring a lot of economic activities when put in place.

“The direction at which the world is moving is what we call fortran industrial revolution, this is mainly knowledge based such as the GSM and internet,” Abubakar said.

In his response, the Emir, who was accompanied by his entourage, expressed delight, thanked the government and commended the GBB for going a long way with the NICTIB II project.

He said that the project would go a long way in helping people, especially in the rural areas in terms of communication, businesses and other things that required the use of the fiber.

“We are very glad and we cannot wait to start enjoying this fiber in Gombe State,” the Emir said.