Communities and wealthy individuals in rural Nigeria should be empowered to partner with mobile network operators (MNOs) to expand rural mobile coverage through various models. This could help drive broadband penetration in rural areas. While MNOs are primarily interested in revenue, security, and fees when deploying networks, community partnerships could help through models like build-operate-transfer (BOT). Literature shows community networks effectively expand connectivity and socioeconomic benefits in other places. Government policies should facilitate partnerships by streamlining processes, engaging communities, and replicating successful models nationally. Involving communities could enhance infrastructure ownership and security while reducing deployment costs and risks for MNOs.

1. COMMUNITY/INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIP IN RURAL MOBILE
COVERAGE IN NIGERIA AS A PANACEA TO RISK REDUCTION.
BY
IBRAHIM, MAHMUD
FINAL PROJECT
August 2019
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2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
 Introduction
 Aim And Objectives
 Discussions
 Conclusion
 Recommendation
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3. INTRODUCTION
The interest in rural connectivity by MNOs for deployment is
strictly hinged on the following factors amongst others aside
logistics backhaul and power (GSMA Manual; 2019),
complementary to the Government’s efforts through its agencies
such as USPF:
 Revenue
 Security risks
 Fees or Taxes by Local Authorities
This has been the general that has dominated the industry.
However, community and wealthy individual in rural areas have
been shutout of participation in driving rural connectivity who
maybe willing to commit their efforts in achieving this
endeavour.
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4. INTRODUCTION Cont’d
Communities and wealthy individual should be emboldened to
build/operate/transfer (BOT) model of an extended cellular
network in exchange for a monthly fee. The network is then
transferred to the MNO after an agreed-upon timeframe. Other
variations of this solution involve an MNO leasing a network,
paying according to traffic, or a hybrid of the above (Gilat
Satellite Networks Ltd 2015).
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5. AIM AND OBJECTIVES
This is to leverage on rural connectivity achievements in other
societies through indigenous Communities and rich individuals in
Nigeria.
• Different models of connectivity should be adopted in relation
to rural versus urban areas, especially regarding use of
spectrum.
• Consideration should be given to individuals and indigenous
Communities when designing broadband penetration roadmap.
• Free up more spectrum from companies who are not using it.
(Natalie Campbell, Campbell Communications; 2018)
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6. Literature Review
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From 2017 Indigenous Connectivity Summit Community Report.
It highlighted a vital correlation between connectivity and various
socio-economic benefits. It also found community networks are an
ideal path for many Indigenous communities to drive their own
connectivity solutions (Natalie Campbell, Campbell
Communications; 2018).
With regards to GSM and crime rates, it was reported that the
introduction of GSM has significant impact on crime reporting in
the rural areas in Nigeria. It could be noted that crime detection
and report to law enforcement agencies have improved. In fact
GSM operators now provide a service that could help trace stolen
vehicles in the country.

7. Literature Review Cnt’d
This service has led to the recovery of many stolen cars in the
country. It should also be noted that the category of people
sampled in the study are from the rural areas, hence, they may not
be able to access such services yet. On the whole, it could be
concluded that the introduction of GSM communication in
Nigeria has greatly enhanced trade and business, and the general
income of the Nigerian rural communities (Chieme Azubuike and
Obiora Obiefuna; 2014).
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8. Discussions
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Communities and rich individual in rural areas views deployment
of broadband for rural connectivity as a political opportunities
that is difficult to easily come by unless someone from a given
community is opportune to be in a position of authority where
state resources are allocated on the basis of “who ever gets there
first”. Government policies and programmes should also be
geared towards the following:
 Deliberate effort to engage and include community and
individual partnership in unlocking rural connectivity.
 Immediate intervention and mediation between the
communities and MNOs to facilitate favourable agreement
between the parties involved.
 Streamlining the administrative processes and transparency for
willing individuals and communities.
 Sensitization campaign through local dialects.

9. Discussions cont’d
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Involvement of communities in unlocking rural connectivity by
the Government could enhance that sense of infrastructural
ownership and the effort to protecting it at all costs and by
extension may lead to operational cost of deploying mobile
infrastructure with its associated risks.
The communities are able to contribute greatly to the security
solutions within their locality through prompt information to the
security agencies which will reduce the response time when there
is threat to lives and properties in that community such as
kidnapping, theft banditry etc.

10.  Government policies at unlocking rural mobile coverage should be
geared towards amongst others strategic partnership that may work
to quicken broadband penetration.
 Interventions must be free of political interference and publishing of
verifiable data of achievements and challenges of rural mobile
coverage.
 Replication of tested and successful models of rural mobile
coverage in other parts of the country as against global practice.
CONCLUSION
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11. Based on the strength of the foregoing, community and
individual partnership should be included in Government policies
to unlocking rural mobile coverage.
RECOMMENDATION
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12. References
 Chieme Azubuike and Obiora Obiefuna (2014): Wireless
Communication: The Impact of Gsm on the Economic Lives
of the Nigerian Rural Users. Journal of Educational and Social
Research MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy. Vol. 4 No. 7. Pp 86
 Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd (2015): Making the Case for
Mobile Coverage in Underserved Africa. White paper Pp 4-5
 GSMA Capacity building Manual (2018): Unlocking Rural-
Mobile Coverage.
 Natalie Campbell, Campbell Communications (2018):
Empowerment through Connectivity Contributor.
Indigenous Connectivity Summit Community Report
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13. Thank you
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