FG, stakeholders brainstorm on expansion of telecoms access to remote, underserved communities
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to bridging Nigeria’s digital divide, as industry-focused stakeholders in the telecommunications sector assembled in Lagos for a high-level engagement session organised by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) in collaboration with the ITU and supported by the UK FCDO.
The event, themed: “Strengthening Partnership for Sustainable Telecommunication Infrastructure in the Unserved and Underserved Communities: Collaborating for Sustainable Growth,” was held in Lagos on Thursday.
In his remarks, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, stated that over the last 25 years, Nigeria has made significant strides in expanding connectivity and strengthening our digital technology infrastructure.
Tijani explained that in recent years, broadband penetration has been growing significantly, bringing millions more Nigerians online and enabling new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital inclusion.
According to him, 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.
“Project 774: This initiative ensures that every local government secretariat in Nigeria benefits from high-speed connectivity, fostering grassroots digital transformation.
“The Universal Access Project: A game-changing initiative targeted at connecting over 20 million Nigerians who currently have no access to digital services.
“The National Broadband Alliance of Nigeria (NBAN): Our multi-stakeholder effort to drive collaboration across government and private sector to drive universal high quality broadband access.
“The 3 Million Technical Talent programme ( 3MTT): Which is strengthening our talent pipeline to deliver a workforce to improve the digital ecosystem. These projects are not just focussed on infrastructure; but also about enabling businesses, empowering individuals, and unlocking the full economic potential of Nigeria’s digital landscape as we work towards a 1 Trillion Dollar Economy. However, bridging this digital divide is not a task for the government alone.”
The minister acknowledged that these initiatives align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of ensuring meaningful and affordable connectivity for all Nigerians.
Tijani, however, noted that despite this progress, millions of Nigerians, particularly in remote and underserved communities, remain disconnected from these digital opportunities.
“we must address this gap collectively to ensure that no one is left behind in our journey toward a fully connected and digitally empowered Nigeria. Together, with a clear focus on investment in last mile connectivity, capacity building and infrastructure development as well as the creation of policies that enable the rapid deployment of digital infrastructure, we can achieve universal access to communications and digital literacy for all Nigerians by 2030,” the minister emphasized.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, emphasized that the meeting is particularly aimed at bringing key industry stakeholders together to provide valuable insights on strategies that can be adopted to enhance USPF Interventions and serve as a feedback mechanism to build partnerships for Nigeria’s digital future.
Dr Maida highlighted that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), through the USPF, has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at providing universal access and universal service, adding that these efforts align with broader national and global goals, including bridging the digital divide, promoting universal access, fostering economic growth and social inclusion, and achieving Sustainable Development Goals “SDGs 4” (Quality Education) and 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
According to the EVC, over time, the USPF has successfully implemented several projects under its access and connectivity programmes such as the deployment of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), Backbone Transmission and Infrastructure, amongst others.
He stressed that to achieve digital inclusion, government agencies, mobile network operators, infrastructure providers, equipment manufacturers, development partners, and telecom trade groups must work closely together.
He advocated that a multi-stakeholder’s approach is essential to: Explore innovative financing models to attract investment in rural telecommunications; Leverage emerging technologies and alternative power solutions for sustainable connectivity and to promote policies that incentivize collaborative participation in connectivity projects.
Dr Maida urged all stakeholders to take decisive steps toward strengthening partnerships by harnessing our collective expertise, resources, and innovative capabilities to build a resilient and sustainable telecommunication infrastructure that will empower millions of Nigerians.
“Crucially, I must mention that our solutions must be tailored to address local challenges/needs and align with current realities. I am confident that the deliberations from this engagement will lead to actionable solutions that will drive progress, foster economic development, and ultimately transform lives through connectivity in the most remote corners of our nation,” the EVC added.
