Minister reiterates FG’s push for nationwide fibre expansion

File: The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has reiterated the Federal Government’s push to expand digital connectivity nationwide, citing plans to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre, thousands of telecommunications towers and two communications satellites.

Tijani disclosed this while announcing his decision to withdraw from the race for the position of Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, saying he had chosen to remain focused on delivering the government’s digital transformation agenda in Nigeria.

He said the government had an “unprecedented opportunity” to deliver several transformative projects, including Project BRIDGE, which will deploy 90,000km of open-access fibre infrastructure nationwide.

The fibre project is expected to be complemented by the National Connectivity Acceleration Programme, which will extend mobile connectivity to underserved and unserved communities through thousands of new telecommunications towers.

Tijani also listed two new communications satellites, a national alphanumeric postcode system and Nigeria Web Design Standards among the projects the government is pursuing to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and services.

“Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Nigeria has an unprecedented opportunity to deliver several transformative projects including Project BRIDGE, which will deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre infrastructure nationwide,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

The nationwide fibre programme is expected to expand Nigeria’s existing fibre backbone from about 35,000km to roughly 125,000km, with the additional infrastructure planned to reach all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the country’s 774 local government areas.

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The government’s connectivity strategy combines fibre as the national high-capacity backbone with mobile towers for communities without adequate terrestrial coverage and satellite connectivity for remote locations where conventional infrastructure is difficult or uneconomic to deploy.

The Federal Government has incorporated Bridge Open Access, a special-purpose company intended to manage the fibre infrastructure as a wholesale, open-access platform. The model is designed to allow telecommunications operators, internet service providers and other users to share infrastructure.

Tijani said the government was also pursuing two communications satellites “to expand coverage and strengthen national resilience”, alongside a national alphanumeric postcode system that would provide every home and business with a precise digital address.

He said the projects would have a lasting effect on Nigeria’s digital economy if successfully delivered.

“These initiatives, alongside many others receiving the President’s strong support, will have a sustainable impact on Nigeria’s digital economy and its people,” Tijani said. “Delivering them successfully will also advance the ITU’s mission of universal, meaningful and inclusive connectivity.”

The minister said his decision to remain in Nigeria was driven by the need to ensure that the projects were successfully implemented.

“My focus will therefore remain on supporting President Tinubu’s transformative digital economy agenda and ensuring that these critical programmes deliver enduring value for the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.