THE Nigerian government has announced plans for a $2 billion investment to expand the country’s fibre optic network, aimed at accelerating the digital economy and enhancing connectivity across the nation.
This initiative was disclosed by the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, at the G20 Digital Economy Group Meeting in Maceio, Brazil, on Friday, September 13, and was said to include the extension of Nigeria’s existing fibre optic backbone from 35,000 kilometres to 125,000 kilometres,
According to him, the expansion will further bolster the nation’s capacity to participate in the global digital economy, stressing further the critical role of connectivity in driving economic diversification and shared prosperity.
Tijani noted that the investment came as the country seeks to replicate the success seen in rural China, where he said farmers have leveraged digital platforms to reach consumers directly, bypassing intermediaries and increasing their earnings.
“We are inspired by farmers in rural China, where traditional markets often offer limited opportunities and returns…but are now embracing digital platforms to connect with consumers. Through live-streaming on social media, these farmers are showcasing their fresh produce, sharing their stories, and building trust with buyers across their country bypassing intermediaries and commanding better prices and returns.
“To this end, with the support of the USTDA, the European Union and other partners, we are preparing a $2billion investment in a 90,000km fibre optic network, to extend our existing backbone from 35,000 to 125,000km. With this investment, we are seeking to boost the opportunities offered by the digital economy to grow our economy while empowering our people to further participate meaningfully in the global economy.
“To ensure the benefits of our existing investment in digital infrastructure provides universal benefits for all, we are prioritising digital skills and literacy by investing in the world’s largest technical talent acceleration programme (3MTT) and committing to ensuring 70% of our people are digital literate by 2027,” the minister said.
According to him, investing in the world’s largest technical talent acceleration programme (3MTT), is to prepare the workforce for a technology-driven future and ensure that the benefits of digital infrastructure are shared across all segments of society.
Tijani added that the government has also established the National Broadband Alliance, to facilitate collaboration and coordination among key stakeholders.
“On Priority 2 – Nigeria considers investment in DPI as a critical step towards deepening trust in society by providing transparent, reliable, and accessible systems for public services and engagement. Nigeria, with the support of the European Union and the World Bank, is blessed with a robust Digital ID system which has over 90% of adults in the country registered.
“This Digital ID system offers us a unique opportunity to leverage our well-tested inter-bank settlement system to provide a whole of government approach to the use of technology in supporting our people through critical life events.
“To accomplish this, a new legislation to eliminate silos in our approach to technology in government is undergoing public engagement, and once passed will accelerate the development of a data exchange system across government agencies. In parallel, and with the support of the UNDP, World Bank and Gates Foundation, we are establishing a National DPI Centre to lead the development and deployment of a Data Exchange System as a component foundational platform of Nigeria’s DPI and for the interoperability of all government data,” Tijani added.
He further stressed the importance of data privacy and cybersecurity, adding that a National Data Protection Commission, supported by the World Bank, the European Union, and the French Development Agency, has been established to regulate data protection, protect the rights of data subjects, and promote data security.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M