The Federal Government has commenced plans to install 3,700 telecommunications towers across rural communities in Nigeria as part of efforts to bridge the digital divide and connect underserved populations to the rest of the country and the global community.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on Sunday at the inaugural launch of the BINI RIVA LIFE Festival, organised to commemorate the fifth coronation anniversary of the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, at Ogboghoro Community in Delta State.

Tijani said the initiative was designed to ensure that no community, particularly those in difficult-to-reach riverine areas, was left behind in the Federal Government’s drive to expand digital connectivity nationwide.

According to the minister, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the programme as part of the administration’s broader ambition to build a $1 trillion economy.

He said the first phase of the deployment had already commenced in Delta State, with a telecommunications tower currently being installed in the area.

“It is important to ensure that we connect every part of this country, including the riverine communities,” Tijani said.

He explained that the government would return to the area in October to officially flag off the networks, adding that the project was expected to make significant progress before the middle of next year.

Tijani said the ultimate objective was not merely to connect riverine communities to other parts of Nigeria, but also to give residents direct access to the global digital economy.

“Before mid next year, all riverine communities in Nigeria will be connected to the rest of the country, but they’ll also be connected to the world as well,” he said.

The minister noted that many of the communities targeted by the project had contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economic development, stressing that providing them with modern digital infrastructure would create opportunities for them to contribute even more to national growth.

He said the Federal Government’s $1 trillion economic ambition could not be achieved if significant portions of the population remained excluded from digital connectivity.

“These communities are areas that are giving so much to our country, and we believe that there’s still much more to give you too,” Tijani said.

He added that the administration was determined to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation reached communities irrespective of their geographical location.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, challenged the organisers of the BINI RIVA LIFE Festival to transform the annual cultural celebration into a sustainable tourism and economic platform.

Musawa commended the organisers and the custodians of the area’s cultural heritage for promoting the traditions and identity of the riverine communities.

She, however, urged them to go beyond holding the festival as an annual event and develop it into a destination tourism platform capable of attracting visitors throughout the year.

“Do not allow BINI RIVA LIFE to remain simply an annual event. We must build it into a destination platform,” she said.

The minister encouraged efforts to attract visitors not only to the festival but also to the area’s rivers, cuisine, cultural heritage and communities.

She stressed that the economic benefits generated from tourism must remain with the local people while contributing to the broader Nigerian economy.

According to her, Nigeria does not need to manufacture a tourism identity because the country already possesses rich cultural and natural assets capable of attracting global visitors.

“Nigeria does not have to manufacture a tourism identity. We already have one. It lives in our rivers, in our communities, in our festivals, and in our fashion,” Musawa said.

She listed music, craftsmanship, traditional practices and Nigeria’s cultural diversity among the country’s major tourism assets, adding that the responsibility of government and stakeholders was to preserve, standardise, invest in and connect those assets to local and international markets.

Also speaking, the National Leader of Oboghoro Community, Godwin Ebosa, called for greater unity among the people of Delta State, describing the BINI RIVA LIFE Festival as more than a cultural celebration.

Ebosa noted that the event had brought together people from more than four ethnic nationalities, describing the gathering as a demonstration of unity and peaceful coexistence.

He said the festival had the potential to generate significant economic activity and stimulate infrastructural development in the host communities.

“Here you can see more than four ethnic nationalities coming together to make this celebration. It’s not just an event, it’s not just a show; it’s a display of unity,” he said.