Katsina opens fibre optic market to investors

The Katsina State Government has launched the deployment of fibre optic services to consumers in a bid to broaden access to dependable and economical high-speed internet services throughout the region. The administration emphasized that enhanced digital connectivity would facilitate the attraction of investments, elevate business competitiveness, stimulate innovation, and generate economic prospects.

During a briefing session in Katsina, the Director-General of the Katsina State Investment Promotion Agency (KIPA), Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi, highlighted that fiber optic infrastructure is a crucial instrument for drawing investments into the state. The workshop, titled “Creating an Enabling Investment Environment for Fibre Optics Deployment and Connectivity,” convened telecom providers, internet service suppliers, regulators, businesses, and other stakeholders to discuss the potential opportunities associated with the initiative.

PHOTOS: Emir Sanusi inaugurates the inaugural Maulud procession in Kano. Shettima departs Abuja for the African Union Summit in Angola. Jikamshi stated that the gathering aimed to identify investment prospects within the fiber optic value chain, with a particular emphasis on last-mile connectivity across the state’s 34 local government areas.

He further noted that while the government had invested in fiber infrastructure, its current focus lies in ensuring that this investment translates into affordable internet services for businesses, institutions, and households.

"The true gauge of our advancement will not solely be the kilometers of fiber deployed," Jikamshi explained. "It will be the extent to which that infrastructure ultimately connects businesses, homes, and institutions, and the economic opportunities these connections generate."

Addressing the workshop's opening, Katsina State Deputy Governor, Faruk Lawal Jobe, affirmed that the state government had made significant investments to ensure that the potential of fiber optics has been actively and efficiently explored. He expressed optimism that the state government would persist in supporting the endeavor for improved economic development.