*Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, discloses the Federal Government’s readiness to roll out 90,000-kilometre fibre optic infrastructure to all the 36 states, geopolitical zones, local government areas, and wards, to significantly improve the quality and reach of Internet connectivity in the ecosystem
Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect
The Federal Government has assured Nigerian digital consumers that it will commence the deployment of the planned 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network nationwide within the next few weeks.
ConsumerConnect reports the government described the initiative as one of the West African country’s most ambitious digital infrastructure projects, aimed at revolutionising Broadband connectivity in the telecoms ecosystem.
Tinubu highlights how reforms drive strong corporate performance in Nigeria
Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), gave this update Tuesday, August 4, 2026, after briefing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in the State House, Abuja, FCT.
The Minister had gone to meet with President Tinubu to intimate him with levels of progress recorded on three flagship digital transformation projects, which the FMCIDE is executing in the economy.
Tijani said the Federal Government had completed the resource mobilisation and contractual processes required for the fibre project.
Highlights of optic fibre network roll out
In specific terms, he disclosed the government is to begin deployment of the fibre optic network across the country.
He further stated: “We’re now at the point where, in a few weeks’ time, we should start to lay those fibres, so people will start seeing us around the country deploying the fibre.
“This is going to transform Nigeria for good.”
The project, the Minister said, will extend fibre optic infrastructure to every state, geopolitical zone, local government area, and ward, significantly improving the quality and reach of Internet connectivity.
He explained: “This is a project where every state, every geopolitical zone, every local government and every ward in this country will be covered with fibre optic cables, which will transform the quality of connectivity.”
Tijani as well used the meeting to thank President Tinubu for policy reforms that have strengthened the communications sector of the Nigerian economy, including the designation of digital infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), tariff adjustments and tax harmonisation.
He stated: “I think our sector has been extremely fortunate. With Mr. President, as you can imagine, he’s given us quite a number of things that the sector has been demanding for a long time.
“Whether it’s the Critical National Infrastructure designation for all digital infrastructure, or the slight adjustment in tariff, which you’ve seen, the tax harmonisation, which the sector has been asking for.”
On telecoms contribution to Nigeria’s GDP
Underscoring the contribution of the telecoms industry to national economy, Dr. Tijani said: “I think it’s probably the sector that is most appreciative of this government because when we came in, the sector was contributing between 16 and 18 percent to our GDP, but today that sector is tracking close to 21 percent.
“So it’s a significant growth.”
In regard to the sector, the Minister noted that major industry players have also recorded strong financial performances since the regulators introduced the reforms.
State of rural connectivity
Emphasising the importance of enhancing rural connectivity via the upcoming digital infrastructure project, he affirmed that the Federal Government would begin deploying about 3,700 telecommunications towers from October to provide network coverage for over 20 million Nigerian consumers currently living in communities without access to telecoms services.
According to the Minister, Mr. President also sanctioned that project. He declared: “Today we’re in a place where, before the end of the year, we’ll also start to deploy close to 3,700 towers.
“It’s taken a lot putting this project together, raising the capital for it.
“But we are at a point where we should now start deploying around October.”
In a related development, Tijani revealed that Nigeria would launch an alphanumeric postcode system October 1, 2026, placing the country among a small number of economies using the advanced addressing technology.
“Nigeria will be among maybe 10 or 15 countries in the world with an alphanumeric postcode.
“It’s the latest design in postcode systems where we can now identify every property in this country.
“We’re hoping to launch that one on October 1,” noted he.
In terms of the inherent benefit of the initiative, the Minister said the system would assign a unique address to every building, making deliveries faster, boosting e-commerce, strengthening security and improving public service delivery across Nigeria.
He also noted: “Inability to locate places comes at a cost. You can start to imagine what this will do to e-commerce.
“This would transform e-commerce completely because it means that things can now be delivered in record time.”
Besides, integrating the postcode system with existing government identity (ID) databases will enhance security, and improve the efficiency of public services in the West African country, Tijani stated.
All wards will have fibre optic presence: Senator Salis
Earlier, Senator Shuaib Salis, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, also had affirmed the government’s preparedness to commence the rollout of the massive 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network in Nigeria.
Salis reportedly noted this while speaking at the opening of the Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, Monday, August 3, in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The Federal legislator spoke at the NUJ programme with the theme: “The Future of Journalism: Navigating AI and Objective Reporting”, highlighting the growing importance of digital connectivity for journalism and other sectors of the Nigerian economy.
He said the project, backed by President Tinubu’s administration, would reach every state, local government, and ward across Nigeria.
He explained: “This government under President Bola Tinubu is going to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic broadband across the country.
“There is no ward that will not have fibre optic presence.”
Salis also emphasised the economic benefits of digital infrastructure, citing studies that show a 10 percent increase in fibre penetration could boost GDP growth by at least 2 percent.