The Nigerian Government has officially launched the National Broadband Alliance (NBAN) to speed up the country’s digital transformation and improve access to broadband internet.
During the launch, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, highlighted the importance of better connectivity infrastructure to drive economic growth and improve the nation’s prosperity.
Currently, Nigeria’s broadband penetration stands at 43.53%, but there are still large areas without access to fibre networks.
To address this, the government has set a target to reach 70% internet penetration by 2025 through the new National Broadband Plan.
This plan aims to close the digital divide by encouraging cooperation between government agencies, private sector operators, and civil society organizations to improve both broadband infrastructure and demand.
In addition to the NBAN, the government is also working on the Fibre Forward Strategic Development project.
This project plans to expand Nigeria’s fibre-optic network by 90,000 kilometers, costing around $2 billion.
The expansion is expected to boost Nigeria’s fibre network from 35,000 km to 125,000 km, making it the third-largest terrestrial fibre-optic infrastructure in Africa.
This development is anticipated to significantly contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and enhance its competitiveness on the global stage.
