Nigeria Approves Deployment of 4,000 Telecom Towers to Boost Connectivity for 23 Million Underserved Citizens
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the deployment of 4,000 new telecom towers across Nigeria in a major push to expand connectivity in underserved and unserved communities.
The approval was announced on Wednesday after a council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris.
A Joint Effort to Close Nigeria’s Digital Gap
Idris said the decision followed a joint memo from the Ministry of Digital Communications and the Ministry of Finance, aimed at accelerating national digital access and supporting agricultural mechanization initiatives.
“There is also an approval by FEC granted to the Ministry of Digital Communications and the Ministry of Finance to establish service centres for agricultural mechanization and the digital economy on the deployment of towers to places that are currently underserved,” Idris said.
Under the programme, about 4,000 telecom towers will be erected in communities currently lacking basic digital access.
23 Million Nigerians Still Underserved
Citing data from the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Idris noted that around 23 million Nigerians remain underserved, meaning they lack reliable digital connectivity needed for communication, commerce, education, and public safety.
He added that poor digital access has continued to limit economic participation in remote regions and hinder security efforts.
According to the minister, improving coverage in these areas will “help in fighting insecurity and enhancing commerce and economic activity amongst the people of Nigeria.”
Slow Broadband Growth Despite National Targets
Nigeria’s broadband penetration has improved over the past five years but still lags behind government targets.
- 2020 penetration: 39.85% (75.4 million broadband connections)
- Target for 2023: 50%
- Actual 2023 penetration: 43.71%
- December 2024: 44.43%
- May 2025: 48.81% (105.8 million broadband connections)
Despite the progress, the figures show Nigeria is still far from its 70% broadband penetration target set under the National Broadband Plan (NBP).
Major Barriers Still Hindering Telecom Deployment
Several structural challenges continue to slow nationwide connectivity efforts, including:
- High right-of-way (RoW) charges imposed by many state governments
- Multiple taxation burdens on telecom operators
- Restrictive policies and bureaucratic delays
- High infrastructure costs in rural and hard-to-reach areas
Telecom operators argue that these issues make infrastructure rollout expensive and discourage expansion into low-income communities.
Looking Ahead
The approved deployment of 4,000 towers represents one of the federal government’s most significant steps in closing the digital divide. If successfully implemented, the project is expected to boost communication, strengthen security, enhance commercial activity, and bring millions of Nigerians closer to the digital economy.
