Government said it would no longer overlook a situation where individual institutions subscribe at higher costs for internet services which could be provided at a cheaper rate through the Nigerian Research Educational Network (NgREN), an initiative of National Universities Commission (NUC).
According to minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Federal government has directed tertiary institutions including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country, to move their connectivity and services to NgREN.
IT NEWS NIGERIA gathered that a Nigerian university spends about N60 million for 155mbps of internet bandwidth when NgREN offers the service at less than N26 million.It has consequently, banned public universities and other tertiary institutions in the country from subscribing to private providers of internet broadband with immediate effect.
The National Universities Commission is currently working with EBSCO host, a South African information and technology firm to provide electronic books and journals that could be accessed by all users in Nigeria.