Communications Minister says nationwide broadband expansion and 3,700 telecom towers will improve connectivity and digital services
The Federal Government has announced plans to begin the deployment of a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic cable network across Nigeria within the next few weeks as part of efforts to expand broadband infrastructure and accelerate the country’s digital transformation.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on Wednesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on key projects being implemented by the ministry.
Tijani said the government had completed resource mobilisation and contractual processes for the nationwide project, paving the way for physical deployment. He explained that the fibre optic network would cover every state, geopolitical zone, local government area and ward, significantly improving internet connectivity and digital access across the country.
The minister attributed recent growth in the telecommunications sector to reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, including the designation of digital infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, telecoms tariff adjustments and tax harmonisation.
He also announced that the Federal Government would begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to improve mobile network coverage in underserved communities. According to him, the project is expected to provide reliable connectivity to more than 20 million Nigerians who currently lack adequate network access.
Tijani further revealed that Nigeria would launch a new alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, with every property assigned a unique address. He said the initiative would improve logistics, strengthen e-commerce, enhance emergency response and support more efficient public service delivery across the country.