Nigeria: Govt Targets 200 Towers By December As 3,700-Tower Rollout Begins - Tijani

What the report says

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the federal government plans to activate at least 200 telecommunications towers by December as the first phase of a wider rollout of 3,700 towers nationwide. The comments, reported by Vanguard and distributed by AllAfrica, were made at the commissioning of the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) headquarters in Abuja.

According to the report, the towers are intended for communities that currently lack connectivity. Tijani said each site is expected to serve between 5,000 and 10,000 people, and that the full programme could reach more than 20 million Nigerians. He said the rollout has already begun, including work extended to the Niger Delta region, following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to expand access in underserved areas.

The minister also pointed to related digital infrastructure plans, including 90,000 kilometres of fibre and upgrades to communication satellites for places where fibre or towers cannot reach. He said these measures are part of broader digital economy reforms and noted growth in the information and communications technology sector’s share of GDP. As background, Nigeria has long faced uneven telecommunications coverage, especially in rural and remote communities.

The same event also highlighted the NDPC’s development. NDPC chief Vincent Olatunji said the agency has grown into a full institution, with gains in certification, training, licensing and international cooperation, after early funding challenges and the passage of the Nigeria Data Protection Act in 2023.