Despite achieving a broadband penetration rate of 55.67%, Nigeria has only 265,000 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) subscribers, highlighting a notable gap in fixed broadband availability, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
During a virtual session at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on FTTH held in Lagos, Dr Aminu Maida, the NCC’s executive vice chairman, emphasised the importance of expanding high-speed broadband infrastructure as Nigeria aims to develop a US$1 trillion economy.
As of April 2026, Nigeria recorded 154.72 million internet subscriptions, with monthly internet consumption soaring to approximately 1.4 million terabytes. This growth has been fueled by remote work, digital learning, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence applications. However, Dr Maida pointed out that fixed broadband infrastructure remains significantly underdeveloped.
“The disparity between broadband penetration and fixed broadband subscriptions presents both a challenge and a major opportunity for economic growth,” he stated.
He identified several key issues hampering the national rollout of fibre infrastructure, such as Right-of-Way bottlenecks, excessive permit requirements, vandalism, subpar deployment standards, and inadequate stakeholder coordination. Notably, 13 states have eliminated Right-of-Way charges, while another 16 have adopted the National Economic Council’s recommended rate of US$0.09 per linear metre. Dr Maida urged other states to follow suit and foster an environment conducive to infrastructure development.
Moreover, he reported that operators experienced over 27,685 fibre cuts, 27,000 access denials, and 4,210 theft incidents in 2025, deeming attacks on telecommunications infrastructure a significant threat to service reliability.
Dr Maida also mentioned the Federal Government’s Project BRIDGE, which aims to deploy approximately 90,000km of fibre-optic cable across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. He stressed that this initiative must be paired with last-mile FTTH connections to effectively link homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses.
Tony Emoekpere, president of ATCON, echoed the need for improved infrastructure sharing, enhanced deployment standards, and greater industry collaboration to lower costs, reduce redundancy, and expedite universal broadband access across Nigeria.
