By Emeka Aginam, who was in Barcelona, Spain

Going by the prohibitive cost of broadband, over  two billion people in the developing and emerging countries, are cut off from the benefits of internet ubiquity. A major percentage of these people, according to a new report by the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI),  are Nigerians.  It becomes more worrisome considering the fact that women and rural dwellers are affected most in this unfortunate situation.

But from all indications, Nigeria does not seem to be folding arms and allowing the situation to degenerate. According to the Minister of Communications Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, Nigeria is putting some practical steps in place to ensure that the unconnected are connected.

However, she admitted that it would gulp about $3.7 billion dollars in subsidy to connect about 40 million Nigerians affected by the situation.

Meanwhile, Nigeria ranks among the top two positions among five countries in the overall Index Rankings by the A4A1 UN Internet affordability benchmark. However, Johnson noted on one of the discussion settings at the just concluded mobile world congress in Barcelona, Spain, that biggest challenges in building infrastructure to boost internet connection in Nigeria, will include double taxation by the state governments, right of way approval, and cost of access, among others.

Although she admitted that a number of state governments are currently partnering with the Federal government on reducing the  cost of right of way, she assured that the Ministry of Communication Technology was working with other  state  governments in the country that are yet to key in.
She commended A4AI, adding that  ”Whilst acknowledging our rise in the ranking, we continue in our unrelenting pursuit in removing impediments to infrastructure development and internet adoption in our country.

“We still have some way to go in meeting our national targets and international benchmarks but Nigeria’s improved ranking on the Affordability Index validates our actions to date and shows that we are very much on the right track.

“The Federal Government welcomes the revised methodology applied in deriving the Affordability Index believing that it is aligned with the work we are doing to make the internet affordable and accessible to the citizenry”.

Elsewhere, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah told a gathering that “Broadband is going to restructure the Nigerian Information and Communications industry. It is going to move us from analogue lifestyle to a complete digital lifestyle. If we don’t do it now, we shall be left behind. This is why it is timely to the objective of the NCC and to me as the chief executive that we start it right away and implement it without delay with all the resources that government has given to us.”

The new report states that more than  half the countries surveyed do not meet UN Internet affordability benchmark of entry level broadband priced at 5% or less of monthly.

Across the countries surveyed by A4AI,  the report indicated that a fixed broadband connection costs the average citizen approximately 40% of their monthly income, eight times more than the affordability target set by the UN Broadband Commission in 2011.

The report added that mobile broadband is cheaper but still double the UN threshold, averaging 10% of monthly income about as much as developing country households spend on housing

The report further revealed that  bringing affordable broadband to all must be a priority in the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals currently under negotiation at the UN.

Key discoveries of survey:
*Women and rural populations face the highest barriers to get online.

*Social norms, income disparities, and infrastructure challenges all increase the real cost for these populations to get online, leading to their further marginalization and exclusion from the benefits associated with Internet access.

Strong political leadership critical
However Executive Director A4AI, Sonia Jorge challenged that “In the 21st century, inability to pay should not deny anyone access to the Internet. Universal broadband can easily become a reality if leaders commit to ending anti competitive policies that keep Prices artificially high, prioritizing more well planned infrastructure investment, and expanding public access programmes to ensure the poorest are not left behind.
“While clear paths to progress do exist, strong leadership and commitment from the very top, is required for meaningful change.

Unnecessarily high prices, in tandem with a failure to expand public access, are still conspiring to bar billions from accessing the life changing potential of the Web. Those most in need of empowerment are women, rural populations and those living in poverty are hit the hardest. The good news is that a clear roadmap to progress has emerged. Global experience has delivered a set of policies and principles which when implemented in an integrated fashion and combined with strong leadership can deliver real change, fast. We urge policy makers in all countries to follow these recommendations. “