Nigeria’s leading broadband infrastructure firm, MainOne, has disclosed its plan to invest up to N25 billion by adding 2000km of fiber optic infrastructure through its project titled ‘Digital Lagos: Broadband for All’.
The 2000km-long fibre optic infrastructure will be added to the already existing ones, thereby bringing it to a total of 2700km fibre coverage in Lagos State.
Speaking to the newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, Funke Opeke, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, disclosed that the initiative is engendering the digital transformation of Lagos State through the deployment of ubiquitous broadband infrastructure.
“The company is keen to collaborate with the Lagos State Government and all other relevant stakeholders to build a digital state.
“This will enable residents from all walks of life realise the benefits of broad, sustainable economic growth, modernized education, health and other services delivery, and improved quality of life.”
More Details: This initiative entails the deploying of open-access fiber optic networks in all LGAs, and business districts in Lagos. About a thousand health centres, more than three thousand schools, and three hundred government agencies will be covered. The initiative will also see about 10,000 CCTV locations and public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Targeted Locations: Giving further details, the project consultant and CEO of Hipconsult, Juda Levine, said the plan will cover fast-growing population centres such as Alimosho, Ajeromi, Ifelodun, Kosofe and Ikorodu. Levine also said the investments could yield up to N140bn by 2025 due to the economic value the infrastructure would bring to the country.
Why this is important: In a digital economy like this, fiber optic infrastructure is the ultimate enabler of broadband connectivity. This plan will, therefore, be an enabler for greater bandwidth and ensure faster speed within longer distances, unlike the 1km to 5km benchmark.
Note that MainOne has invested over N120 billion in infrastructure funded by the Africa Development Bank and other leading African banks.