Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Nigeria, Dr. Bosun Tijani, hinted on Monday that the Federal Government and the World Bank were targeting about $3 billion to fund 120,000km of fibre optic cables to enhance broadband infrastructure and telecoms connectivity in the country.
Tijani, who made this disclosure during a stakeholders’ engagement themed, “broadband for all”, organised by his ministry in collaboration with the World Bank on Tuesday in Abuja, explained that the initiative would involve private companies.
He maintained that it had become imperative to attract new investments into the nation’s telecommunications industry in order to make telecom services cheaper and affordable to all Nigerians.
According to him, the equipment valued at $1 billion is expected to start arriving the country by mid-2025 while another cargo of fibre optic cables worth $2 billion will also be delivered to boost Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
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Tijani explained that the initiative would significantly enhance communication services across the country and bridge the Internet connectivity gap.
He explained: “We are here with critical stakeholders on how to attract investments and fund our broadband infrastructure. I’m sure everybody listening to me understands that we cannot do without technology and the internet; we all need quality access regardless of our location.
“There’s a need for us to invest in that databank. So, it’s the kind of thing that we call the telecommunications infrastructure, or in some cases, we call the fibre optic cables. There’s a cable that helped us make it possible for the internet to happen”, the minister added.
Tijani recalled that Nigeria had already laid about 3,035km fiber optic cables, pointing out, however, that about 120,000km fiber optic cables will be required for Nigerians to have quality and efficient access to the internet and other digital services wherever they may be located in the country.
The minister clarified that a pilot phase targeting over 20 million Nigerians, who currently lacked access to any form of telecommunications, would soon be launched.
Speaking at the forum, the World Bank Regional Director (Infrastructure) West and Central Africa, Franz Drees-Gross, said the first phase of the project would involve laying 95,000km of fiber optic cables and that doing so will improve access to digital services in the country.
He clarified: “We plan to set up a digital national broadband fund and to roll out about 95,000 kilometres of what we call middle mile cable. That’s terrestrial cable in Nigeria to bring broadband to more parts of the country.
“I think Nigeria has about 35,000 kilometres of broadband cable. The idea is to add another 95,000, and what we’re discussing with the government is, well, what’s the best way to finance that?
“I want to say that rolling out fiber is part of the problem. What you want is fiber to bring low-cost digital access all over the country. You want to at the same time, invest in digital skills so that people have the wherewithal to get online and to use effectively and then generate digital content”, Drees-Gross added.
The Nigeria Development Update (NDU) is a bi-annual World Bank report that assesses the country’s recent economic and social developments, policy directions, and provides recommendations to address emerging challenges.
