ADEYEMI ADEPETUN writes that the success of broadband penetration in Nigeria hinges significantly on the actions and inactions of the sub-nationals.
There is no gainsaying that Nigerian state governments play a pivotal role in deepening broadband penetration, acting as critical enablers or significant obstacles to infrastructure deployment.
While the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Government set national targets and issue licenses, state-level policies and collaboration directly impact the cost, speed, and feasibility of rolling out fiber optics and other digital infrastructure, especially in deepening broadband facilities.
The NCC has intensified its drive for stronger collaboration with state governments across Nigeria as a critical strategy to accelerate broadband penetration and safeguard the nation’s digital infrastructure.
This rally is aimed at tackling significant infrastructural and policy bottlenecks that threaten the country’s ambitious digital economy goals.
The initiative is directly tied to Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025, which targets achieving 70 per cent broadband penetration and deploying 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable by the end of 2025. As of August 2025, broadband penetration stood at approximately 48.81 per cent, underscoring the urgency of the NCC’s engagement with sub-national entities.
The primary focus of the NCC’s appeal to state governors revolves around two major recurring issues that impede broadband expansion. These include the Right of Way (RoW) bottleneck and protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).
Historically, states and local governments have imposed high, non-uniform fees for the RoW, which is the legal permission to lay fibre optic cables. These exorbitant charges significantly increase the capital expenditure (CAPEX) for telecommunications operators, discouraging rapid and widespread fibre deployment, especially in rural and underserved areas.
According to the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, over 54 taxes and levies, coupled with exorbitant RoW charges, have done more harm to the sector than good. He has continued to call for urgent reversals to challenges confronting the $76 billion telecom sector.
Indeed, the NCC urged all states to adopt uniform, pro-investment policies by waiving or significantly reducing RoW charges to a nominal fee of N145/linear meter. The NCC highlighted that a handful of states have already waived the fees, setting a crucial precedent.
11 states waive RoW charges
SPECIFICALLY, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, revealed that 11 states have now waived charges entirely, while 17 others have aligned with the N145 per linear metre benchmark set by the Nigerian Governors Forum. He rallied others to follow suit in order to benefit immensely from the opportunities coming.
According to him, waiving these fees directly translates to reduced deployment costs for operators, allowing them to reinvest the savings into extending their fibre networks to previously uneconomical areas.
On CNII, Maida disclosed a disturbing rate of vandalism, theft of telecom equipment, and fibre cuts. According to him, between January and August 2025 alone, the Commission recorded over 19,384 fibre cuts, 3,241 equipment thefts, and over 19,000 access denials to telecom sites. He stressed that these remain a disincentive to investments in the industry.
As such, the EVC said the Commission is pushing for the full operationalisation and enforcement of the CNII Presidential Order (signed in mid-2024), which provides legal protection for telecommunications assets, designating them as critical national infrastructure.
He said state governments are being implored to strengthen security around telecom sites and coordinate public works to prevent accidental fibre cuts. He disclosed that the NCC views the protection of these assets as a shared security mission vital for national resilience.
Instances of site closure by state governments
LAST year, on multiple occasions, state agencies, such as the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, have closed and sealed off numerous telecom sites (sometimes reportedly up to 150 base stations at once).
These shutdowns are often a coercive measure over disputes regarding unusual taxes, arbitrary levies, and multiple regulations demanded by various state and local government ministries (e.g., Environment, Physical Planning, Mineral Resources, etc.) beyond the standard RoW fees.
Historically, agencies like the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) and officials in Ogun State have sealed base stations. The shutdowns have been related to issues like the denial of RoW permits, non-compliance with local setback requirements for masts such as a 10-metre setback demanded by certain environmental agencies), and the non-payment of various infrastructure or urban furniture levies.
Connectivity as a GDP booster
AMID the constant hitches that confront broadband, analysts, including those from the World Bank, International Telecommunications Union and the GSMA, have consistently framed broadband expansion as an economic imperative, not just a telecommunications policy.
Buttressing this claim, Maida cited global data showing that a 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration can drive approximately 1.38 per cent growth in a developing economy’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The ICT sector currently contributes 11.18 per cent to GDP and the Federal Government is bullish that by 2027, the contribution should be as much as 21 per cent.
Broadband access is described as the “quiet enabler” of productivity, innovation, and economic inclusion, essential for sectors ranging from education and healthcare to finance and agriculture. Accordingly, accelerating penetration is crucial to transforming Nigeria into a truly digital knowledge-based economy and achieving national resilience.
Broadband rankings to drive investment
CATALYSING developments in the state, NCC announced plans to launch a first-of-its-kind Digital Connectivity Index, a scoreboard that will rank all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on their broadband readiness and digital infrastructure performance.
The initiative is part of the telecom regulator’s broader efforts to drive investment, accountability, and uniformity in the country’s telecom sector. Maida, who disclosed this, said: “The Digital Connectivity Index will provide a transparent, state-by-state scorecard that measures each state’s readiness and competitiveness in the digital economy. This tool will ensure accountability, drive investment, and encourage states to adopt pro-investment policies that expand connectivity and empower citizens.”
The index aimed to highlight disparities between major cities, which enjoy high-speed networks, and rural areas, where connectivity remains limited, hampering education, healthcare, and commerce.
The index will focus on several critical factors, including the adoption of right-of-way waivers, infrastructure protection, ease of regulatory approvals, coordination between state agencies and telecom operators, and the facilitation of energy resilience for network sites.
According to Maida, states that adopt full RoW waivers, implement transparent permitting processes, and encourage public-private partnerships for broadband development will likely rank higher on the index, while states with bureaucratic hurdles or inconsistent policies may lag.
“This is not just a report card,” Maida stressed. “It is a roadmap. States that align with pro-investment policies will attract more operators, expand their fibre networks faster, and create greater opportunities for their citizens. States that delay risks being left behind in Nigeria’s digital revolution.”
The Digital Connectivity Index complements the Ease of Doing Business Portal, another tool to be launched by the NCC, which provides a one-stop resource for operators and investors seeking information on broadband approvals, RoW applications, and regulatory requirements across all states.
“Policy alignment matters,” Maida said. “In states that have waived RoW charges and protected telecom infrastructure, operators are expanding networks with confidence. This proves that enabling policies directly impact investment decisions and ultimately the quality of services available to citizens.”
