Politics
….says 3G Internet covers 50% of Nigeria
THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has told members of the House of Representatives at the Public Hearing over Electronic Transmission of Election Results in the country that 50 percent of Nigeria is covered by 3G which can transmit election results effectively.
The NCC position was made when a team of its officials appeared on Friday, July 16, before the members of the House of Representatives who questioned them on the suitability of the use of electronic devices for the transmission of election results in the country as part of ongoing discussion in the House as being provided in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Realnews reports that the House had on Thursday, July 15, invited the NCC to brief it on the nation’s network coverage before continuing debate on the contentious provision of electronic transmission of results during elections.
The commission was represented before the House members by Ubale Maska, executive commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, and Adeleke Adewolu, executive commissioner, Stakeholder Management.
Maska, who spoke on behalf of the team, told members that less than 50% of the country enjoys 3G Internet coverage for which electronic transmission of results could rely on.
According to him, as at 2018, when the commission carried out a survey of 109,000 polling units, of the country’s 119,000 polling units were covered.
He said the surveyed polling unit areas were covered mostly by the 3G and 2G networks, which represents about 50.3% of the entire country.
About 49.7% of the national spread did not have Internet coverage, which will be required for real-time electronic transmission of electoral results.
Asked if 2G technology could be used for electronic transmission of results, Maska said though he wished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was around to answer, however, only 3G could transmit results effectively.
– July 17, 2021 @ 13:28 GMT /
Tags: NCC to Reps: only 3G can transmit election results effectively
