Coronavirus: Demand for mobile networks services up by 800%

Professor Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that the demand for mobile network services has risen to 800% due to the advent of Coronavirus pandemic.

Prof. Danbatta made the statement at the first virtual edition of the Telecoms Consumer Parliament, VTCP, in Abuja.

The virtual meeting was held in place of the customary face-to-face engagement as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Citing a report by the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, Prof. Danbatta said the rise in the demand for mobile network services rose to  unprecedented height due to the global health emergency.

According to him, this “is tasking mobile networks and digital platforms to the limit, with some telecom operators and platforms reporting demand spikes as high as 800% since the outbreak of the pandemic in their respective countries.”

He also added that the report, which centred on the impact of the pandemic on the telecoms sector, indicated that “COVID-19 virus has presented a stress test for governments worldwide, with the internet playing a crucial role in keeping critical infrastructure and resources connected and available.”

With this development, he noted that reliable, high-speed internet is now key to ensuring that hospitals and medical institutions have access to global information and resources necessary to fight the virus.

For the NCC boss, broadband connectivity had proven to be absolutely crucial for educational institutions and businesses to continue to provide essential services.

It will be recalled that in the wake of the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria, the Federal Government announced different categories of lock-down which hindered mobility and restricted social life of citizens, necessitating the need for individuals, businesses and public institutions to rely more on telecommunications to constantly keep in touch with their relatives, friends and more importantly, for running their daily economic activities.

He noted that activities in all sectors were virtually paralyzed and later migrated online following the lock-down.

The focus of the parliament was to provide opportunity to industry stakeholders to have a quick look at how the pandemic is impacting service delivery in the telecommunications industry, which currently provides the digital platform for the economy to remain afloat.