As Nigeria pushes toward 70% broadband penetration by year-end under its National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020–2025), a growing number of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) providers say they are being frustrated by estate association executives who have become an unexpected adversary.
In Lagos especially, operators describe a rising wave of roadblocks in gated communities, where deploying fibre has become a near-impossible task. Estate associations, they allege, now act as unofficial gatekeepers—demanding payments, perks, and conditions that go far beyond reasonable access controls.
From Access to Extortion
What was once a straightforward process has turned into a negotiation minefield. FTTH providers report being forced to pay “entry fees” disguised as welfare packages, mandatory donations, and gifts for estate executives. In some cases, the demands stretch into millions of naira.
“It’s become less about infrastructure and more about appeasement,” said one operator. Some estates even demand CCTV installations and electronic security upgrades—completely unrelated to broadband service delivery.
Additionally, FTTH providers decry restrictive “exclusive access” policies that allow only one or two ISPs into an estate, effectively creating monopolies. These practices, they say, do not reflect community development priorities but rather serve narrow personal interests.
Technicians Held Hostage
The consequences of non-compliance can be severe. In one instance, a technician sent to fix a connection in a Lekki estate was detained by estate security for allegedly violating undisclosed conditions. He was only released after multiple interventions.
Elsewhere on Lagos Island, residents of a high-end estate were left without internet for two weeks as estate leaders blocked technicians from entering until fresh financial demands were met.
Ironically, some of these estates are located along government-approved fibre corridors with valid Right-of-Way (RoW) permits from the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA)—yet operators are still blocked at the gates.
Digital Goals Under Threat
Analysts warn that such practices risk derailing Nigeria’s broadband ambitions and damaging investor confidence in the country’s digital infrastructure sector.
“This is organized gatekeeping, not community management,” said a digital policy expert. “It stifles service delivery and sends the wrong signal to investors looking at Nigeria’s broadband market.”
While estate associations have a right to ensure orderly operations, stakeholders argue that this must not come at the expense of national connectivity goals.
FTTH providers are now calling on federal and state authorities to intervene by setting clear, enforceable guidelines for estate access—before last-mile connectivity becomes the next casualty of Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.
