The Nigeria Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited, state-owned mega satellite provider, has started the VSAT installation project in 579 Local Government Areas.
The VSAT installation is via satellite coverage leveraging the ku-band network asset of NigComSat-1R for the Nigeria’s Federal Government, Project 774 Local Government Areas.
The Head of Media Relations Unit of NIGCOMSAT Ltd, Mr Stephen Kwande, said in Abuja on Thursday that the phase one of the project had been rolled out.
The phase one would cover 40 local government area council offices across eight states in Nigeria including Borno, Cross River, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
He said portable inverter system with solar panel intended to provide uninterrupted power supply using green energy solution had been delivered.
She said members of the installation team were already deployed, adding that the project installation was kicked off March 5, 2024 in Kabba-Bunu of Kogi state.
He, stated that Kogi state, the first to benefit from the project covering five local government, was aligning with the strategic blueprint and a significant step in achieving government’s mandate to deliver efficient public service to Nigerians at the local government level.
The NIGCOMSAT Managing Director had said that apart from the five local government areas allocated to Kogi state in the first instance, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, had added another five local government areas.
She said increasing the total number from 40 to 45 to be covered in the phase one of the project in the country.
“Even though only five LGAs were initially marked down for coverage in the first phase of the project execution in Kogi state, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, had directed the addition of five other local government secretariats.
“This brings the total number of LGAs to be covered in the first phase from forty to forty-five’,” it stated.
The statement said the first five local government areas to cover are Kabba/Bunu, Lokoja, Okehi, Bassa and Okene local government areas.
He stated that while the additional five local government approved by the Minister are Adavi, Ajaokuta, Kogi, Mopamuro and Dekina.
“In Kwara state, the following local government areas are to be covered are, Ilorin West, Offa, Irepodun, Ilorin South and Kaiama local government areas of the state.
” And for Imo state, the following LGAs are Ikeduru, Oru East Ihitte/Uboma, Orsu, and Oguta local government areas of the state,” the statement said.
While in Zamfara state, NIGCOMSAT Ltd would take four local government areas which are Anka, Birnin Magaji, Maru, and Zumi while Galaxy Backbone was to cover Bungudu local government area.
NIGCOMSAT’s ambition is to complete the project in recorded time and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the benefits of inclusivity at the local government areas across the country.