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Folorunsho Agbede
As controversies continue to trail Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the Nigerian Communications Commission has explained why Nigeria cannot embrace electronic transmission of results during elections.
The Commission said that less than 50% of the country enjoys 3G Internet coverage for which electronic transmission of results could rely on.
Responding to questions by the members of the House of Representatives, on the of the use of electronic devices for the transmission of election results in the country, the Commission also said 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.
The House had, on Thursday, July 15, 2021, 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.
But responding to the concerns raised by the lawmakers on Friday, July 16, 2021, the Commission, represented by its Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr. Ubale Maska and the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, said that the nation’s internet network is not yet suitable for the system.
Maska, who spoke on behalf of the team, told members thatless than 50% of the country enjoys 3G Internet coverage for which electronic transmission of results could rely on.
According to him, as at 2018, when the Commission carried out a survey of 109,000 polling units, of the country’s 119,000 polling units were covered.
He said the surveyed polling unit areas were covered mostly by the 3G and 2G networks, which represents about 50.3% of the entire country.
The NCC official said 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.
When 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.
