The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the deployment of 4,000 telecom towers across Nigeria to expand connectivity in underserved communities.
The approval was announced on Wednesday after the council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris.
The decision comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to close digital gaps affecting over 23 million citizens and improve access to communication, security, and economic inclusion.
What they are saying
Idris said the approval followed a joint memo from the Ministry of Digital Communications and the Ministry of Finance.
“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,” he said
The minister noted that the project aims directly at communities that lack basic digital access. According to him, under that program, about 4,000 towers will be erected in underserved communities.
Citing data presented by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Idris said about 23 million Nigerians are currently underserved, meaning they lack access to basic digital connectivity needed for meaningful activity.
He added that limited digital access has stifled economic participation and communication in remote regions, affecting livelihoods and public safety. Idris also said this will help in fighting insecurity and enhancing commerce and economic activity amongst the people of Nigeria.
What you should know
Nigeria’s broadband penetration has grown slowly despite multiple federal initiatives. When the National Broadband Plan was launched in 2020, penetration stood at 39.85% with about 75.4 million broadband connections.
The plan expected the country to hit 50% penetration by the end of 2023, but penetration instead closed that year at 43.71 % and rose slightly to 44.43 % by the end of 2024. As of May 2025, penetration inched up again to 48.81%, supported by 105.8 million broadband connections
These figures show that Nigeria remains far from the 70% target set under the National Broadband Plan. Progress has been limited by several structural challenges affecting infrastructure rollout, especially the high cost of right-of-way charges imposed by many states, multiple taxation, and restrictive policies that telecom operators say make deployment difficult.
Backstory
Earlier this year, the federal government announced plans to build 7,000 telecom towers across rural areas as part of a broader effort to close Nigeria’s connectivity gap, with an approval granted by the Federal Executive Council. supports the wider national strategy to expand digital access and improve service quality in underserved communities.
The initiative is designed to expand digital access and improve service quality in underserved communities, complementing the ongoing rollout of 90,000 kilometers of fibre-optic cables nationwide.
The Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, explained that the investment aligns with the administration’s commitment to ensure that all Nigerians have meaningful access to reliable telecommunications services. He said the focus is not only on providing coverage but also on improving the overall quality of experience for users, especially in rural locations where connectivity remains weakest.
