by Aluko Gladys
Hotspot Network Limited, a technology company specializing in urban connectivity solutions, has partnered with NIGCOMSAT Limited to implement the best wireless technology and provide new connections to remote and rural areas that normally do not have internet access. Under the signed agreement, Hotspot and NIGCOMSAT will use their strengths to use satellite technology and new connections to connect remote and rural areas that normally do not have internet. Morenikeji Aniye, CEO of Hotspot, expressed her interest in the partnership: “We are delighted to embark on this project with NIGCOMSAT. At Hotspot, connecting millions of unconnected people is still a focus of our brand’s business; with our expertise and resources, “We will be able to implement innovative solutions that provide communities with reliable and affordable internet access, enable them to participate in the digital economy and access basic services.”Hotspot Network Limited is a one-stop shop catering to all communication and networking needs, committed to providing innovative solutions to rural communities. This urban connectivity service, operated in partnership with the Universal Service Delivery Fund (USPF), targets many rural communities in Nigeria and delivers services through the NigComSat-1R Ka-Band platform. Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT Limited, said: “At NIGCOMSAT, we are committed to using our technological capabilities to transform digital shopping and improve the lives of Nigerians, especially those in underserved areas”.Partnering with Hotspot underscores our unwavering commitment to connecting the disconnected and ensuring there is no community without internet access in the digital age.” We will implement the first phase of the program in selected rural regions within the next six months.USPF and the Department of Communications and Digital Economy are leading initiatives to expand urban connectivity, promote digital inclusion, and support job creation in the nation’s booming digital economy.Last week, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced significant progress in talks with development finance companies to establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to expand the country’s fiber optic network by 90,000 miles. The proposal would expand Nigeria’s current fiber optic cable infrastructure from 35,000 kilometers to 125,000 kilometers, making it the third-longest terrestrial fiber optic cable in North Africa after South Africa and Egypt.“We have had very good discussions with development finance companies and other stakeholders to identify and recommend steps to establish an SPV to establish 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic connectivity across Nigeria,” Tijani said on Twitter.