The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has lauded Nasarawa State in waiving Right of Way (RoW) charges for telecommunication operators.
Nasarawa State in the North Central region of Nigeria eliminated right of way (RoW) costs for the construction, placement, laying and maintenance of telecoms network equipment in the state.
In a tweet on his verified X handle, Dr. Tijani wrote:
“Our journey to a more connected society requires bold leadership, as demonstrated by His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, Governor of @NasarawaGovt who has now joined a number of other states in waiving Right of Way charges for telecom operators.
“This is an exciting move that makes it easier for further investment in our broadband and fibre network and also shows the commitment of our leaders to President @officialABAT’s plan to ensure a prosperous digital economy for all.
“We look forward to working with the Governor and his team to deliver more growth for the people of Nasarawa State”.
Nasarawa State in the North Central region of Nigeria has joined Katsina, Anambra, Kaduna and Ekiti States in eliminating right of way (RoW) charges.
The charges were eliminated by Nasarawa, a state whose current population is approximately 2.5 million, since the passing of legislation last year, after which Nasarawa State Urban Development Board has been told not to collect charges.
The Katsina state government (in the northwest of the country bordering Niger), eliminated RoW charges last month. The NCC is reportedly in talks with the country’s 34 other states about waiving the fees.
Recall that in year 2020, 14 State governors and their agencies increased Right of Way charges, which was pegged at N145 per linear metre by the Federal Government.
This drew the ire of various stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology sector who described the action of these governors as an affront and disregards to an earlier resolution reached by the National Economic Council (NEC).
However, through the interventions of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (now Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), some States agreed either to bring RoW charges to N1 per linear meter or outright removal of the charges.
Some States are yet to shift grounds on this matter.
