The Lagos State government is set to ignite its smart city initiative with the Unified Fibre duct infrastructure and connectivity project across all the Local government and local Community development Areas across the state.
In its bid to discharge the multiple constant digging of state roads and distribution of public utilities, the fibre duct connectivity will afford broadband service providers to lease infrastructure from duct infrastructure owner under a state government open access driven plan in order to control the design of the fibre duct and other fibre routes with imput from telcos, infracos and towercos for commercial viability.
It also enables planning of fibre routes in accordance to developmental and social need of the state with Demography and Geographical considerations. The fibre duct connectivity allows the neutrality of players and avoids conflict of interest.
The project is also been supported by key telecommunications industry players bothk locally and internationally and outsourced to an independent civil engineering Asset management company.
International local investors are also welcomed by the state to partake in this great initiative that its the first of its kind in the entire west Afican region
The Special Purpose Vehicle provider of the consotium, Western Telecoms and Engineering Services Metro Limited, said the fibre duct infrastructure project is a bedrock of Lagos Smart City initiatives in driving E-traffic, E-transport, E-health, E-education and E-governance which is linked to the six pillars of development (THEMES) of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
It also allows the MNO’s (Mobile Network Operators) with Fibre Coverage in Lagos State to have multiple Fibre duct on the same routes.
The current system of multiple RoW approvals along the same routes is inefficient and does not conform with global best practices.
It noted that Nigeria Communications Commission has maintained that RoW approvals is beyond its power and has mandated all licenses to seek such approvals from the State or Federal government agencies.
The state also promises to allow international investors to be part of the shareholding.
