Abdullberqy Usman Ebbo was the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state between 2015 and 2017. He is now the Director-General in-charge of Strategic Operations Unit, ICT and Public Enlightenment. AWAAL GATA recently engaged him, and he spoke on the contributions of his office, as well as the current administration’s achievements.
Q: What exactly does your office do in the administration?
The end of the digital desert is in sight. With some 2,200km of fibre optics, Niger's mobile and internet services are expected to improve vastly by the end of 2016
Work to set up a nationwide fibre optic network began in mid-June in Tillabéri, capital of the region of the same name, 120km north-west of Niamey. Once again, the funding came from China. The China Export-Import Bank has provided Niger with a preferential loan of 58bn CFA francs ($99.5m) at an interest rate of 1% over 20 years.