FG To Begin Nationwide 90000km Fibre Optic Network Rollout In Weeks

(The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani. Photo by Vangaurd News)

The Federal Government has announced plans to commence deployment of a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network across the country within weeks, positioning the initiative as one of Nigeria's most significant digital infrastructure undertakings aimed at revolutionising broadband accessibility nationwide.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy disclosed the development on Tuesday following a briefing to President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja concerning the advancement of three major digital transformation initiatives under his ministry's purview.

The government has completed resource mobilisation and contractual arrangements necessary for the fibre project and stands prepared to begin nationwide deployment, with physical infrastructure work expected to commence within several weeks.

The project will establish fibre optic infrastructure spanning every state, geopolitical zone, local government area, and ward throughout the country, substantially enhancing internet connectivity quality and geographical reach.

The minister indicated that this undertaking will fundamentally reshape Nigeria's digital landscape.

The minister used the occasion to express appreciation to President Tinubu for policy reforms that have bolstered the communications sector, including the classification of digital infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, tariff modifications, and tax standardisation measures.

These reforms have yielded measurable results, with the digital sector's contribution to GDP expanding from 16 to 18 per cent to approximately 21 per cent, representing substantial sectoral growth.

Major industry participants have similarly demonstrated robust financial performance following the implementation of these policy adjustments.

On rural connectivity expansion, the government will deploy approximately 3,700 telecommunications towers commencing in October, extending network coverage to over 20 million Nigerians currently inhabiting areas lacking telecommunications access.

Capital mobilisation and project assembly processes have been completed, positioning October deployment as feasible.

Nigeria will introduce an alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, establishing itself among a select cohort of global nations employing this advanced addressing technology.

The system assigns unique identifiers to individual properties and buildings, enabling rapid delivery services, accelerating e-commerce operations, strengthening security protocols, and enhancing governmental service delivery efficiency.

Unlike postcode systems in comparable nations where codes typically designate building clusters, Nigeria's framework uniquely identifies individual properties, fundamentally transforming public service provision.

Integration of the postcode system with existing government identity databases will reinforce security frameworks and augment administrative efficiency.