The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to deploy about 3,700 telecommunications towers across underserved communities from October as part of efforts to expand access to digital technology and bridge Nigeria’s connectivity gap. The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the project is expected to provide network coverage to more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in communities without reliable access to telecommunications services.
The rollout is being implemented under the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project, NUCAP, and will focus particularly on rural, riverine and other communities where commercial telecommunications investment has remained limited. According to the minister, the government has completed the resource mobilisation and contractual processes required for the project, paving the way for physical deployment. The initiative is designed to extend mobile connectivity to communities that have historically remained outside Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
The tower deployment forms part of a wider government strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure. The Federal Government is also preparing to begin the rollout of a 90,000 kilometre nationwide fibre optic network, which is expected to extend high capacity internet infrastructure to states, local government areas and wards across the country. The fibre network, telecommunications towers, satellites and data centres are being positioned as the foundation for expanding digital services and supporting economic activities in sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture and commerce.
The government believes improved connectivity will give millions of Nigerians greater access to digital financial services, online education, healthcare information, e commerce, employment opportunities and other digital services. However, the success of the programme will depend not only on the number of towers deployed but also on reliable power, backhaul infrastructure, security and regular maintenance. With deployment scheduled to begin in October, the project is expected to become an important part of Nigeria’s broader effort to reduce the digital divide and ensure that people in underserved communities can participate more fully in the digital economy.