By Juliet Umeh

In a bid to expand internet access to unserved and underserved areas of Nigeria, the federal government has announced plans to address broadband infrastructure challenges.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, made this known during the launch of the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria, NBAN, in Lagos.

The initiative aims to accelerate broadband penetration and foster socio-economic growth across the country.

NBAN is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together government, businesses, and partners to expand internet access, drive usage, and promote digital inclusion. Its goal is to make broadband a key driver of economic and social development.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Tijani, who was represented by the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, emphasized the critical role of broadband in shaping Nigeria’s digital economy. He highlighted its alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The NBAN initiative aims to bridge connectivity gaps, drive digital inclusion, and unlock economic opportunities through strategic partnerships across the public and private sectors,” he said.

Dr. Tijani noted that Nigeria has made significant progress in broadband expansion, increasing penetration from 6% in 2015 to approximately 42% as of October 2024. However, challenges such as infrastructure gaps, underutilization of fibre networks, affordability issues, and low digital literacy continue to limit full adoption.

He explained that NBAN is designed to address these challenges by aggregating demand across key sectors, including education, healthcare, financial services, governance, and e-commerce, to make broadband more accessible and affordable.

“Broadband is not just about connectivity; it is a driver of productivity, innovation, and economic diversification. Through NBAN, we will harness the power of digital infrastructure to enhance education, healthcare, financial inclusion, and governance,” Dr. Tijani stated.

He further outlined the key objectives of NBAN, which align with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (2020–2025) and the Ministry’s digital economy strategy. These include:

Achieving 70% broadband penetration by 2025

Ensuring minimum speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural areas

Covering 80% of the population with broadband by 2027

Increasing broadband investments by 300–500%

To meet these targets, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to deploy 90,000 km of fibre backbone nationwide. This initiative aims to extend broadband services to even the most underserved communities