By Adamu David
The federal government has planned to erect about 7,000 telecom towers nationwide to bring digital connectivity to over 25 million underserved citizens.
This initiative is aimed at improving telecom infrastructure and expanding the reach of internet connectivity in remote and underserved areas.
The towers are to help in addressing challenges like poor network coverage and the digital divide, ultimately promoting economic development, enhancing communication, and enabling broader access to digital services across Nigeria.
This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide and foster economic growth.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, announced this plan at a stakeholders’ event on digital connectivity in Lagos.
The project is part of a larger effort to expand digital infrastructure, including a $2 billion investment in 90,000 kilometers of fiber-optic cables to increase broadband penetration.
The government has classified telecommunications assets as essential national infrastructure to protect the new infrastructure, with harsh penalties for those who damage these facilities.
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According to Dr. Bosun Tijani, despite Nigeria’s notable progress in expanding connectivity and enhancing its digital technology infrastructure over the past 25 years, a substantial gap remains in addressing the country’s infrastructure deficit.
“In recent years, broadband penetration has been growing significantly, bringing millions more Nigerians online and enabling new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital inclusion,” he said.
“Today however, there are still millions of Nigerians on the fringes of digital transformation who are yet to have access to reliable connectivity,” the minister lamented, explaining, “Many communities—particularly rural areas—face significant barriers, including inadequate infrastructure and limited digital literacy.”
He said, “These gaps not only hinder personal and business growth but also limit the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy”.
The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) plays a vital role in the federal government’s efforts to expand connectivity to underserved communities.
This initiative, according to the minister, aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure that no community is left behind in the digital age.
He said the federal government, through the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is also actively driving transformative projects aimed at unlocking digital opportunities for millions of Nigerians.
“Some of our flagship initiatives to close this divide include: Project BRIDGE (90,000km Fibre Optic Expansion), which is designed to significantly improve broadband penetration across Nigeria by extending fibre optic infrastructure to all regions,” he said.
