FG MOVES TO CONNECT OVER 20 MILLION NIGERIANS THROUGH NEW TELECOM TOWERS

The Federal Government is set to activate at least 200 new telecommunications sites across the country before December as part of efforts to extend network coverage to underserved and unconnected communities. The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this during the commissioning of the new headquarters of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission in Abuja, saying the expansion is expected to improve access to digital services for millions of Nigerians currently outside the reach of reliable telecom infrastructure.

Tijani said the 200 sites are part of a wider government programme targeting the deployment of about 3,700 telecommunications towers nationwide. According to him, each tower is expected to serve communities with between 5,000 and 10,000 people, meaning the full implementation of the project could provide connectivity to more than 20 million Nigerians. He noted that the first tower under the programme had already been deployed at Kura Village near Abuja, while deployment had also extended to communities in the Niger Delta.

The minister explained that the telecommunications tower project is separate from the Federal Government's planned 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network, which is aimed at expanding broadband infrastructure across the country. He also disclosed that efforts were being made to strengthen satellite connectivity through the Nigerian Communications Satellite, NIGCOMSAT, particularly in locations where fibre optic infrastructure and conventional telecom towers may not be practical. The combination of towers, fibre and satellite connectivity is expected to help close some of the gaps in Nigeria's digital infrastructure.

Tijani also said the Information and Communications Technology sector had increased its contribution to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product to about 21 per cent, compared with between 16 and 18 per cent when the current administration assumed office. He said the government was targeting a further increase to 25 per cent, while stressing that greater internet access must be supported by digital literacy, cybersecurity and effective data protection. According to him, bringing more Nigerians online also requires measures to ensure that citizens are protected as they increasingly use digital platforms and services.

The minister's remarks came alongside updates on the growth of Nigeria's data protection sector. National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, said the commission had licensed 356 Data Protection Compliance Organisations and contributed to the creation of more than 27,000 jobs within three years. He added that the commission's virtual privacy academy had enrolled more than 66,000 people, while over 220 training programmes had reached thousands of participants across different sectors, reflecting the growing need for data protection as Nigeria expands its digital economy.