While the possibility of achieving a 70% broadband penetration target by the end of 2025 remains a debate, Nigeria certainly is making progress in its efforts to drive coverage of high-speed connectivity broader.
According to the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, the country is edging closer to the ambitious broadband target embodied in the National Broadband Plan 2020-2025.
He stated this on Wednesday in Abuja during a Business Roundtable with State Governments in Abuja, with the theme: “Right of Way and Protection of Broadband Infrastructure – The Road to Success in Broadband Investment and Connectivity.”
According to him, the traction in broadband penetration is evident is fresh wave of investment by operators estimated at over $1 billion and committed to expanding high-speed internet coverage nationwide.
According to Maida, broadband penetration stood at 48.81% as of August 2025, representing over 140 million internet users.
He explained that research shows a 10% increase in broadband access can drive about 1.38% GDP growth in developing economies.
“Connectivity is now the new engine of economic inclusion,” Maida said. “It turns local markets into global ones, expands opportunities for our youth, and transforms state economies into innovation-driven ecosystems.”
He credited the progress to reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Dr Bosun Tijani, who are driving the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025) to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic backbone across the country.
However, the NCC chief noted that inconsistent and excessive Right of Way (RoW) charges by some state governments remain a major obstacle to faster rollout.
He lamented that while 11 states, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, and Zamfara, have waived RoW fees entirely, 17 others have pegged theirs at the N145 per metre benchmark agreed by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, while others still impose higher or unpredictable charges.
Maida appealed to governors to adopt uniform, pro-investment policies and collaborate with operators to create a level playing field.
“Every state has the power to shape its digital destiny,” he said. “Waiving RoW charges and protecting fibre assets directly influence whether a state prospers or lags in the digital economy.”
He also announced that the NCC will soon launch an Ease of Doing Business Portal to simplify interactions between investors and state agencies, as well as a Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index (NDCI) that will measure and publish annually each state’s digital readiness and competitiveness.
“With collective alignment, Nigeria can become a continental digital powerhouse,” Maida said, adding: “Our prosperity now lies not in pipelines of oil, but in pipelines of fibre.”
