NNPC to commercialise ICT infrastructure

In its bid to refocus its operations, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it will commercialise some of its critical Information Communications & Technology (ICT) infrastructure as a commercially viable entity.
Dr. Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of the Corporation, said this while receiving the Minister of Communication, Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, who paid a courtesy call on him at the NNPC Towers.
The infrastructure, according to the NNPC, include the over 960 kilometers  of Fiber Optic Cable laid between Lagos-Benin and Warri to Kaduna on the NNPC Pipeline Right of Way; 52 remote VSAT stations nationwide and two Network Centres connecting all NNPC Depots and Pump Stations across the country.  
According to Baru, the NNPC also boasts of a Data Centre Facility that houses all its data, information and business solutions such as the Systems Applications & Products (SAP), E-mail services, collaboration solutions and specialised applications for the oil and gas industry.
He said, “Our look-ahead plan is to commercialise our Fibre-Optics Cable Network utilising NNPC pipeline Right of Way that cuts across the entire country. Some of the benefits of this initiative include the opportunity to provide backbone carriage to meet the National 2020 Plan for broadband penetration in the country.”
He expressed the NNPC’s readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Communications in its quest to develop new ICT initiatives towards making life easier for Nigerians.
“We are committed to supporting the Ministry of Communications to realize its ICT dreams which will not only ensure effective governance and service delivery in the country, but will also make life easier for Nigerians,” Baru stated.
He also lauded the Minister of Communications for ensuring the pursuit of the National Strategy and Roadmap Agenda which intends to increase broadband penetration from six per cent to 30 per cent by 2020.
He told the Minister that to key into the Ministry’s laudable agenda, the NNPC had already re-strategized its ICT initiatives towards making it a hub for seamless, efficient and value-adding operations nationwide.
Earlier in his remarks, Adebayo Shittu lauded the GMD for bringing a new lease of life to the NNPC through reforms that were in consonance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda for the country.
He called on the NNPC to support some of its initiatives such as the proposed ICT University, the reforms in Nigeria Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) bank and transport company as well as the proposed ICT Park & Exhibition Centre.
“With these initiatives, our intention is to continue to make the business of governance much easier for our teeming population, especially those in the rural areas,” the Minister assured.