The Nigerian House of Representatives has said it is planning to pass a bill to make free internet services available in public areas, including hospitals.

This followed the first reading of a bill titled “An Act to establish the legal framework for a free internet access program in designated public places across Nigeria.”

The bill was introduced by Mr. Abubakar Kusada (Kankia/Ingawa/Kusada Federal Constituency, Katsina State) and seeks to improve access to dependable and secure internet services nationwide.

Public places covered under the proposed law include government offices, schools, hospitals, police and military barracks, public parks, airports, and transport terminals.

The bill guarantees that users will not incur any fees and requires that technical solutions focus on user-friendly access while also tackling security issues.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) are to lead the implementation, working with other relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive plan for the rollout within a year of the bill’s commencement.

The bill encourages partnerships with the private sector to enhance service delivery, with a minimum internet speed of 2 Mbps guaranteed for users.