The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for the accelerated deployment of Nigeria Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) infrastructure, warning that the country’s fixed broadband segment remains significantly underdeveloped despite broadband penetration rising to 55.67 percent nationwide.
Key Highlights:
- NCC urges accelerated Nigeria Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment.
- Nigeria records only about 265,000 FTTH subscriptions despite 55.67% broadband penetration.
- NCC says fixed broadband is critical to Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy ambition.
- Industry stakeholders identify right-of-way charges, multiple taxation and infrastructure vandalism as major challenges.
- ATCON forum seeks sustainable strategies to expand fibre infrastructure nationwide.
Speaking virtually on Tuesday at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on FTTH in Lagos, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, stressed that expanding high-quality fixed broadband infrastructure is essential to unlocking Nigeria’s digital economy.
The forum, themed “Addressing Challenges, Strengthening Standards and Ensuring Sustainable FTTH Deployment in Nigeria,” brought together industry stakeholders to examine obstacles and opportunities in expanding fibre-optic infrastructure across the country.
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Dr. Maida noted that while Nigeria has made significant progress in broadband penetration, the country has recorded only about 265,000 Fibre-to-the-Home subscriptions, a figure he described as inadequate for Africa’s largest economy.
“Internet connectivity has become essential across education, healthcare, commerce, governance, financial services and innovation. Reliable, high-speed fixed broadband is no longer a luxury but a fundamental requirement for economic transformation and digital inclusion,” he said.
Fixed Broadband Still Lags Behind
Although Nigeria has witnessed rapid growth in mobile broadband through the expansion of 4G and 5G networks, industry experts say the country’s long-term digital transformation depends on widespread fibre-optic infrastructure capable of delivering high-speed, reliable internet directly to homes and businesses.
According to stakeholders, Fibre-to-the-Home technology remains indispensable for supporting data-intensive services such as smart cities, cloud computing, e-governance, digital education, telemedicine and industrial automation.
However, the relatively low number of FTTH subscriptions highlights the significant gap between mobile broadband growth and fixed broadband development.
Industry analysts identified several factors slowing nationwide deployment, including:
- High fibre deployment costs.
- Right-of-way charges across states.
- Multiple taxation.
- Vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure.
- Coordination challenges between operators and government agencies.
Fibre Infrastructure Key to Economic Growth
Dr. Maida linked accelerated FTTH deployment directly to Nigeria’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy, noting that reliable digital infrastructure would improve productivity across key sectors.
He explained that expanded fibre connectivity would enhance digital learning, strengthen healthcare delivery through telemedicine, improve public service delivery and enable businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to compete more effectively in the digital marketplace.
The NCC also noted that Nigeria’s rapidly growing financial technology ecosystem would benefit from the stability, speed and reliability offered by fibre broadband, particularly in urban and semi-urban communities where demand for high-capacity internet continues to increase.
NCC Calls for Collaboration
The commission said achieving nationwide FTTH deployment would require stronger collaboration among regulators, telecommunications operators, investors and government institutions.
Stakeholders at the ATCON forum are expected to develop recommendations focused on improving industry standards, enhancing quality of service and establishing sustainable investment models for fibre infrastructure expansion.
Industry experts believe that public-private partnerships, streamlined regulatory processes, infrastructure sharing and incentives for private investment could significantly accelerate fibre deployment across the country.
Although several telecommunications operators have commenced FTTH projects in major cities, nationwide coverage remains limited.
Looking Ahead
As Nigeria positions itself as a leading digital economy in Africa, industry experts say expanding Fibre-to-the-Home infrastructure will be essential to bridging the country’s digital divide and supporting inclusive economic growth.
The NCC maintains that without deliberate investment in fixed broadband infrastructure, Nigeria risks slowing its digital transformation and missing opportunities associated with the growing digital economy.
Recommendations expected from the ATCON forum are anticipated to shape future policy direction and investment decisions aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
