FG Urges Private Sector Partnership to Close Broadband Gap

The Federal Government has urged private-sector stakeholders to collaborate with it in closing Nigeria’s last-mile broadband connectivity gap, stressing that heavy public investment in digital infrastructure must be complemented by affordable devices, innovative services, and targeted connectivity for key institutions.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, made the call while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Flagship Nigeria: Electrification + Connectivity Convening in Abuja.

Tijani said Nigeria is currently leading the continent in large-scale digital infrastructure investments, adding that Nigerians would begin to experience improved internet access within the next year as ongoing projects come online.

“As a government, we are very conscious of our responsibility to deepen access. There is no country in Africa investing in digital infrastructure at the scale Nigeria is currently doing,” he said.

He disclosed that Nigeria is undertaking a 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic backbone project supported by the World Bank, alongside plans to deploy two new communications satellites. The government is also investing in an additional 3,700 telecom towers in rural areas, which he said could connect about 20 million Nigerians currently without internet access.

The minister recalled that the telecommunications sector was struggling when the current administration took office, but a modest tariff adjustment helped restore profitability and attract new investments.

“Once tariffs were adjusted, the sector became profitable again, and operators have since invested more than $1 billion into the economy,” he stated.

Tijani explained that broadband expansion depends heavily on infrastructure quality, noting that years of underinvestment had slowed progress. He said Nigerians would begin to see major improvements as new infrastructure becomes operational over the next year.

Beyond infrastructure, he emphasised the importance of digital skills, noting that connectivity without knowledge would limit impact. He said the government has separated advanced digital skills training for tech professionals from basic digital literacy for everyday users.

He highlighted the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, which has already trained more than 150,000 Nigerians since its launch in 2023, with plans to expand further.

For ordinary citizens, including traders and market women, Tijani said a nationwide digital literacy programme delivered via mobile phones and local languages is being prepared. He added that the initiative would leverage a government-backed large language model capable of communicating in Nigerian languages.

On questions linking digital infrastructure to electronic transmission of election results, the minister declined to comment, stating that his mandate is limited to infrastructure development.

“Our role is to deepen digital infrastructure. That is what the President has asked us to do,” he said, stressing that all projects have presidential approval and align with the administration’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy.

Tijani also noted that despite expanded fibre and satellite capacity, affordability and institutional connectivity remain major challenges. He said private-sector collaboration is crucial to ensure schools, hospitals, security agencies, and other public institutions are connected.

He called on internet service providers to develop specialised packages tailored to critical sectors such as healthcare and law enforcement.

On satellite plans, Tijani said Nigeria has been a regional pioneer in space communications but acknowledged that the existing satellite has aged and requires replacement. He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has approved the procurement of new satellites to improve connectivity in hard-to-reach areas and support security operations.

He added that fibre deployment is targeted for the second or third quarter of the year, while the new satellite system is expected to become operational next year.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa, Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, said the convening aligns with Africa’s ambition to connect one billion people to the internet by 2030. He praised Nigeria’s policy direction and investments but warned that electricity remains a critical barrier to digital inclusion.

He said the organisation’s Mission 300 initiative aims to expand electricity access in underserved communities to enable schools, health centres, markets, and households to benefit from digital services.

World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, said Nigeria faces significant electricity and backbone infrastructure gaps but also has immense growth potential driven by its large, youthful population. He stressed that digital inclusion depends on reliable electricity, broadband infrastructure, and affordable devices, noting that progress in one area without the others would limit impact.

Verghis called for better coordination in planning and financing power and fibre networks, adding that integrated investment would reduce costs and accelerate universal access. He said the World Bank remains ready to work with government and private-sector stakeholders to turn the vision of combined power and broadband expansion into tangible benefits for millions of Nigerians.

The Federal Government has also announced plans to fund the construction of 3,700 telecom towers in rural areas, a move expected to extend mobile and internet services to millions of Nigerians currently without reliable connectivity, particularly in underserved communities where telecom operators have been reluctant to invest due to low commercial returns.