By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has disclosed that about 49.7% of the national spread did not have Internet coverage, which will be required for real-time electronic transmission of electoral results.
Officials of the Commission made this disclosure in Abuja on Friday when they were summoned and questioned by the House of Representatives over the suitability of the use of electronic devices for the transmission of election results in the country.
The National Assembly is in the throes of concluding discussion on the electronic transmission of election results as being provided in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
On July 15, 2021, the House had 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 NCC was represented before the House members by the Commission’s Executive Commissioner (Technical Services), Engr. Ubale Maska and the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management), Mr. Adeleke Adewolu.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Maska told House members that less than 50% of the country enjoys 3G Internet coverage for which electronic transmission of results could rely on.
He said as at 2018, when the Commission carried out a survey of 109,000 polling units of the country’s 119,000 polling units, only about 50% were covered.
Maska explained that the surveyed polling unit areas were covered mostly by the 3G and 2G networks, which represents about 50.3% of the entire country.
Asked if 2G technology could be used for electronic transmission of results, Engr. Maska said though he wished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was around to answer, however, only 3G could transmit results effectively.
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