Key points
- NCC says accelerating Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment is essential to achieving Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy target.
- Nigeria recorded 154.72 million internet subscriptions and broadband penetration of 55.67% in April 2026.
- The commission identified right-of-way delays, vandalism and poor deployment standards as major barriers to fibre expansion.
- The Federal Government’s Project BRIDGE aims to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable nationwide.
Main story
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for faster deployment of Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) infrastructure, saying expanded broadband access is critical to Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call virtually at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria’s (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on FTTH in Lagos.
The forum, organised by ATCON, focused on addressing challenges, strengthening standards and promoting sustainable deployment of fibre-to-the-home infrastructure across the country.
Maida said reliable internet connectivity had become indispensable for education, healthcare, commerce, financial services, governance and innovation, making resilient fibre infrastructure a national development priority.
He disclosed that Nigeria recorded 154.72 million internet subscriptions in April 2026, while broadband penetration increased to 55.67 per cent from 48.81 per cent recorded a year earlier.
According to him, Nigerians now consume about 1.4 million terabytes of internet data every month, driven by remote work, online learning, cloud computing and the growing adoption of artificial intelligence applications.
Despite the progress, Maida noted that fixed broadband remained significantly underdeveloped, with only about 265,000 Fibre-to-the-Home subscriptions nationwide.
He said the low level of FTTH adoption presented substantial opportunities for expanding broadband access and supporting economic growth.
The NCC boss identified right-of-way bottlenecks, multiple permit requirements, vandalism, poor deployment standards and weak coordination among stakeholders as the major obstacles slowing fibre infrastructure rollout.
According to him, 13 states have completely waived Right-of-Way charges, while another 16 have adopted the National Economic Council’s recommended fee of N145 per linear metre.
He urged the remaining states to remove unnecessary barriers to fibre deployment, arguing that the long-term economic benefits of digital infrastructure outweigh revenues generated from Right-of-Way charges.
Maida said the commission had introduced an Ease of Doing Business Portal to simplify broadband investments by providing state-specific information on approvals, regulations and deployment requirements.
He added that the NCC was also reviewing Nigeria’s wholesale broadband market to encourage greater competition, infrastructure sharing and more affordable broadband services.
The NCC chief advocated incorporating telecommunications infrastructure into community planning alongside roads, electricity and water projects to reduce deployment costs and accelerate broadband expansion.
He also assured stakeholders that the commission would continue enforcing technical and safety standards to ensure fibre infrastructure remained durable and capable of meeting future digital demands.
Maida revealed that telecommunications operators recorded more than 27,685 fibre cuts, about 27,000 access denials and 4,210 cases of equipment theft in 2025, all of which disrupted network services nationwide.
He stressed that protecting telecommunications infrastructure would require stronger collaboration among governments, security agencies, lawmakers, operators and host communities, particularly following its designation as critical national infrastructure.
The NCC boss further disclosed that the Federal Government’s Project BRIDGE would deploy about 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
He noted that while expanding the national fibre backbone was important, it must be complemented by last-mile Fibre-to-the-Home connections linking homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and communities.
Speaking at the forum, ATCON President Mr Tony Emoekpere called for stronger infrastructure sharing, harmonised deployment standards and closer industry collaboration to support sustainable broadband expansion.
He said addressing poor installation practices and reducing infrastructure duplication would improve network quality, lower costs and accelerate universal broadband access.
The issues
Although broadband penetration has improved significantly in recent years, Nigeria’s fixed broadband market remains underdeveloped. Industry stakeholders argue that faster fibre deployment, lower infrastructure costs and better protection of telecommunications assets are essential to supporting the country’s growing digital economy.
What’s being said
“Fixed broadband remains underdeveloped, with only about 265,000 FTTH subscriptions, presenting significant opportunities for expansion and economic growth.” — Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC
“Right-of-Way bottlenecks, multiple permits, vandalism, poor deployment standards and weak coordination are major barriers slowing nationwide fibre infrastructure rollout.” — Aminu Maida
What’s next
The NCC plans to continue working with state governments, operators and other stakeholders to remove deployment barriers, implement Project BRIDGE and expand last-mile fibre connectivity across Nigeria.
Bottom line
The NCC says faster fibre deployment will be essential to expanding broadband access, supporting digital services and unlocking the economic benefits needed to drive Nigeria’s long-term growth ambitions.
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