Why Nigerian Government, agencies should reverse steady decline in Internet subscriptions ─MRA

*Media Rights Agenda urges the Federal Government and relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Communications Commission and National Information Technology Development Agency, to take urgent measures against the ‘steady decline’ in the number of citizens online

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

While advocating that every citizen is connected to the Information Superhighway, otherwise known as the Internet, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), an advocacy group, has petitioned the Federal Government and its relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), to take urgent measures to reverse the steady decline in the number of Nigerians online.

ConsumerConnect reports the MRA stated the Government’s efforts should now be geared towards ensuring that every Nigerian is connected to the Internet rather than pushing those already connected off the grid.

Mr. Idowu Adewale, Communications Officer of the group, in a statement issued in Lagos, referenced the monthly figures published by the Nigerian Communications Commission of active Internet subscriptions in the country.

MRA stated it noted that the number of active Internet subscriptions in the country has been steadily declining over a period of eight months, specifically between November 2020 and June 2021, the latest month for which subscription data is available.

The statement explained in November 2020, there were 154,437,623 active Internet subscriptions in Nigeria across three different communication technologies, namely the Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communications, fixed wired telephone, and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

However, the number dropped slightly to 153,873,786 December 2020, and then sharply to 150,898,122 in January 2021, the group stated.

Adewale also observed that since then, the figure has continued to fall monthly at an alarming rate, reducing to 148,133,233 February 2021; 144,581,026 March; 141,407,324 April; 140,132,128 May, and currently standing at 139,814,913 as of June this year.

“The rate at which Nigeria is bleeding Internet subscribers is extremely worrying and unacceptable, particularly at a time when the global preoccupation and efforts are directed at ensuring that all remaining unconnected people around the world get online.  This situation in Nigeria obviously constitutes an impediment to that global effort,” Mr. Adewale said.

He further stated: “Besides the fact that access to the Internet enables people to exercise and enjoy their rights, the lack of access obviously has other far reaching negative consequences for those who are excluded, for the quality of lives that they have, their livelihoods as well as their participation in many social, economic and political activities.

“Even before the current COVID-19 context, many public services and benefits were becoming available virtually only to those with Internet access.

“In the current environment where many social and economic activities are taking place online, there can be no justification for this situation which serves to deprive significant numbers of citizens access to such services and benefits.”

MRA, therefore, urged the government and its several commissions, departments and agencies with responsibilities in the Internet and telecommunications sector to make a serious effort at identify the causes of the steady decline in Internet subscriptions.

They should adopt and implement measures to address these factors and other barriers to connectivity for all Nigerians, including the high cost of data and devices, such as smart phones and computer equipment, the statement added.

ConsumerConnect reports MRA was established in 1993 as an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation “for the purpose of promoting and protecting the right to freedom of expression, media freedom, access to information as well as digital rights and freedoms.”