National Broadband Ireland (NBI), company responsible for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) rural fibre broadband network roll-out, is seeking new financial backs, reports the Irish Independent.
According to unnamed senior company sources, NBI plans to seek new long-term, minority investors, with the search starting in second-half 2022. The company is currently controlled by Granahan McCourt chairman David McCourt, with minority shareholders including US private equity companies Twin Point Capital and Oak Hill Advisors.
The moves come as the company's network roll-out faces delays due to Covid. It has only connected a small number of its target of 115,000 homes for 2021, with NBI insisting that the shortfall will be made up in 2022.
