Nigeria cuts connectivity gap by 57% in a decade

Nigeria has closed its connectivity gap by 57.97 percent between 2013 and 2024. The number of unconnected clusters, areas with little to no network services, has fallen from 207 to 87, benefiting 13.8 million people.

In 2013, the number of people living in unserved and underserved areas amounted to 36.8 million, and has fallen to 23 million, according to Yomi Arowosafe, the secretary of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). Closing this gap is crucial to ensuring connectivity for all, he stated at an industry-Focused Stakeholders Engagement Session themed, ‘Fostering Connectivity in Unserved and Underserved Communities: Collaborating for Sustainable Growth,’ that was held in Lagos on Thursday.

“We cannot build a nation in this age and time when ChatGPT and DeepSeek are creating opportunities for people of all climes. Without connectivity, people in the hinterlands will be left behind,” stated Faruk Yabo, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

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Despite broadband penetration reaching 45.61 percent as of January 2025, millions of Nigerians remain offline. Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, emphasised that expanding connectivity is vital for fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital inclusion.

“Many communities—particularly rural areas—face significant barriers, including inadequate infrastructure and limited digital literacy. These gaps not only hinder personal and business growth but also limit the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy,” he noted.

Expanding network infrastructure in unserved areas remains a financial challenge for telecom operators, who must balance return on investment with the high cost of deployment. “When you consider the available disposable income and the amount of investments required, there is a mismatch,” said a senior executive from a telecom firm.

With 70 percent of Nigerians living in rural areas, according to the National Bureau of Statistics’ National Multidimensional Poverty Index report in 2022, government intervention has been crucial. The USPF, a Federal Government initiative, has played a critical role in financing network expansion projects, spending N34.14 billion between 2019 and 2021.

The fund provides subsidies for projects in underserved and unserved areas. However, funding for these projects is thinning, especially as the fund has been reliant on levies from operators, Arowosafe of USPF noted.

To address these constraints, Tijani, minister of communications, highlighted that the government has been involved in initiatives like project BRIDGE, which involves the expansion of Nigeria’s fibre optic network by 90,000km. Project 774, which ensures that every local government secretariat benefits from high-speed connectivity.

The Universal Access Project which aims to connect over 20 million Nigerians by building 7,000 towers in areas without access to digital services. According to Tijani, the government’s fibre optic cable project will begin by the fourth quarter of 2025, having secured a $500 million commitment from the World Bank and $200 million from the African Development Bank.

Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, noted that the evolving telecoms landscape necessitates innovative and collaborative approaches to ensure long-term viability in delivering connectivity to unserved and underserved populations.

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“To achieve digital inclusion, government agencies, mobile network operators, infrastructure providers, equipment manufacturers, development partners, and telecom trade groups must work closely together,” he stated.

The government has been ramping up efforts to close its digital exclusion gap and improve broadband penetration, especially its 70 percent broadband target for 2025. A 2024 GSMA report on USPF estimates that Nigeria needs about $461 million in investments to achieve 96 percent mobile broadband coverage by 2030.

According to Tijani, minister of communications, all hands must be on deck to increase investment in last mile connectivity, capacity building and infrastructure development in rural areas. “We can achieve universal access to communications and digital literacy for all Nigerians by 2030,” he added.