The Federal Government has announced plans to launch a massive expansion of Nigeria’s fiber-optic network, aiming to deploy 90,000 kilometers of new cables across the country within the next six months.
Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, revealed this initiative while reviewing the ministry’s achievements over the past year.
The project, set to increase the nation’s connectivity backbone from 35,000km to 125,000km, is expected to significantly enhance telecom services and broaden digital access nationwide.
“By connecting more communities across the country, we will ensure that many more of our citizens can connect to the benefits of the digital economy,” Tijani stated.
The initiative, however, is not without its challenges. While the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the project, with funding arrangements involving the World Bank nearing completion, stakeholders in the ICT sector have expressed serious concerns.
They argue that the project might be stymied by the existing Right of Way (RoW) issues across Nigeria’s 36 states.
The state governments, who currently control these permissions, have been known to slow down infrastructure deployment, raising fears that the ambitious timeline may not be met unless these obstacles are promptly addressed.
Moreover, the success of this project is seen as crucial to achieving broader national goals.
Dr. Tijani emphasized that improved connectivity could increase internet penetration to over 70%, reduce internet access costs by over 60%, and potentially boost Nigeria’s GDP by up to 1.5% per capita over the next four years.
Yet, without resolving the RoW challenges, these benefits may remain elusive, with stakeholders warning that the project’s failure could derail Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.
