By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has announced the Federal Government’s plan to deploy a $2 billion fibre optic infrastructure nationwide, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The initiative will cover 90,000 kilometres across the country, aimed at boosting connectivity and digital access for Nigerians.

Dr. Tijani shared this during an interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.

The Minister highlighted that the digital sector has seen remarkable growth under President Tinubu, attracting $191 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the first quarter of 2024—a significant leap from $22 million in the same period in 2023.

“In Q1 2023, the sector had about $22 million; by Q1 2024, with this administration well underway, we reached $191 million. The trend continued in Q2, increasing from $25 million in 2023 to $114 million in 2024,” Tijani stated.

Tijani noted the success of the 3MTT programme, launched in October 2023 to train 3 million Nigerians in digital skills. The programme has already exceeded its initial target of 30,000, training 117,000 Nigerians. An additional 35,000 are currently in training.

“We hope to reach the 3 million target before the end of this administration,” he said.

The Minister also announced that Nigeria is now ranked among the world’s top 60 countries for AI readiness and is developing a homegrown Large Language Model (LLM). The launch of the AI Collective Platform, supported by Google, Microsoft, and Pierre Omidyar, is set to enhance innovation in artificial intelligence.

The Project Bridge initiative will focus on deploying 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable to boost internet connectivity nationwide.

“We are preparing a $2 billion investment to ensure every Nigerian can access affordable, high-quality connectivity regardless of location. Increasing connectivity hubs by just 10% could yield a 2.5% GDP growth,” Tijani explained.

Dr. Tijani also revealed that the ministry has funded 55 academic researchers to explore technology applications in agriculture, healthcare, and education. In addition, ₦300 million was invested in 10 startups utilizing AI and blockchain to enhance agricultural productivity.

On the Nigeria Startup House in San Francisco, which targets $5 billion in startup funding, he stated:

“Our goal is to attract $5 billion in investments for Nigerian startups, supported by the Startup Pact and Trade Desk initiatives, which will connect local tech firms to global opportunities and government procurement.”

To address rural connectivity gaps, the Minister announced that 7,000 telecom towers would be installed, aiming for 98% nationwide coverage. He added that the Federal Executive Council had already approved the project.

Tijani described the Right-of-Way resolution as a game-changer, noting that 12 states have adopted zero-rated Right-of-Way policies to accelerate infrastructure deployment.

He projected the sector’s GDP contribution to rise from 16% to 22% by 2025, supporting the National Broadband Plan’s goal of achieving 90% penetration, up from 48% in 2024.

“If a sector can increase its contribution by three to four per cent to the GDP, we’re about to see economic growth like never before. Technology allows us to bridge the gap between government and the people,” Tijani said.

Dr. Tijani emphasized that the government is focused on sustainable, long-term economic reforms, not just quick wins.

“The results we want to provide for Nigeria are long-lasting reforms that will transform our economy for generations to come,” he concluded.