Broadband Penetration Falls By 3%, Fibre Operators Seek Pioneer Status

Fibre operators, especially in the metro space, have called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant them pioneer status. This, they claimed, would boost their operations in the country.

The call was made by the Chief Marketing Officer, Broad-based Communications, Chidi Ibisi, at a virtually held telecoms forum organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

Ibisi said the granting of pioneer status, as it was granted to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the early period of telecommunications revolution in the country, should be extended to operators in the metro space, which, he said, could help ensure 90 per cent broadband coverage of the entire population.

Pioneer status incentive is a tax holiday which grants qualifying industries and products relief from the payment of corporate income tax for an initial period of three years, extendable for one or two additional years.