Nearly 23 million Nigerians remain underserved in terms of communication, limiting their access to vital services, economic opportunities, and information. In response, the Federal Executive Council has approved the construction of 4,000 new telecom towers across the country, aiming to enhance connectivity, especially in areas currently lacking adequate coverage.
The announcement was made by Muhammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, after a council meeting led by President Bola Tinubu. Idris explained that the decision follows a joint memo from the Ministries of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, and Finance. The project will finance the development of agricultural mechanization service centres and support digital economy initiatives, targeting communities without basic access.
Idris highlighted that poor connectivity has hampered commerce, compromised public safety, and slowed social inclusion in remote regions. The deployment of these new towers is expected to bolster national security and stimulate economic activity across Nigeria.
However, progress has faced challenges due to high right-of-way charges, multiple taxes, and policies that industry stakeholders say impede infrastructure development, among other issues.
This latest move builds on an earlier plan to deploy 7,000 rural telecom towers and complements ongoing efforts to roll out 90,000km of fibre-optic cables, all aimed at bridging Nigeria’s connectivity gap.
