SECTOR 2 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 2.4 (2008 = n/a) 2.9 The country has a coherent ICT policy, which aims to meet the information needs of all citizens, including marginalised communities. The Nigerian government has taken steps to sync with a rapidly evolving information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Several government agencies such as the Nigerian Communication Commission, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and the National Information Technology Development Agency were created over the past years to promote and regulate the sector. This was followed by initiatives to accelerate broadband access through the deployment of fibre optic cables, a plan to ensure universal access to ICT services, the announcement of a “People in the computer for all project, and a bold plan to digitalise Nigeria’s rural areas are public administration. left to depend on informal sources for information, such as town criers, rumour and gossip.” But meaningful progress is hampered by the lack of a comprehensive ICT policy and inconsistencies in the implementation of existing initiatives. Even though the Communication and Information Ministries have now been merged, the government is yet to deliver on a promise to fuse all existing ICT regulatory agencies. Major initiatives such as plans to digitalise the public administration and pursue a computer for all policy have been similarly delayed. In spite of the proliferation of technologies and services, most Nigerians are yet to take full advantage of ICTs. Up to 70 percent of the country’s approximately 150 million citizens live in rural communities where ICT access is weakest as a result of 28 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NIGERIA 2011