FG Begins 3,700 Telecom Towers Rollout in October to Expand Rural Connectivity

The Federal Government has announced that the deployment of 3,700 telecommunications towers targeted at rural and underserved communities across Nigeria will commence in October 2026, in a move aimed at expanding digital infrastructure, improving network coverage and supporting the country’s digital economy ambitions.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed the development on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the minister, the project is expected to extend mobile and internet connectivity to more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in areas with limited or no network coverage.

“Before the end of the year, we will start deploying close to 3,700 towers. It has taken significant efforts to mobilise the required capital, but we are now at the point where deployment should begin around October,” Tijani said.

The initiative comes as Nigeria continues to deepen digital inclusion amid rising demand for mobile and broadband services.

Industry data shows the country has nearly 190 million active telephone subscriptions and over 157 million internet users, making network infrastructure expansion increasingly critical to sustaining growth.

The planned rollout is expected to improve access to digital services in rural communities, where weak network coverage has continued to limit access to financial services, digital education, healthcare, e-commerce and other technology-driven economic activities.

The deployment also comes against the backdrop of persistent complaints by telecom subscribers over dropped calls, slow internet speeds and service disruptions, challenges largely attributed to infrastructure deficits and congestion on existing network facilities.

The latest announcement builds on previous government interventions to strengthen Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.

In 2025, the Federal Government unveiled plans for the deployment of 4,000 telecom towers nationwide, while the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed that mobile network operators rolled out about 2,800 towers during the same period to improve network capacity and broadband penetration.

Beyond tower deployment, the minister said work would commence within weeks on the Federal Government’s 90,000-kilometre national fibre optic backbone project, a key component of Nigeria’s broadband expansion strategy.

“In a few weeks, Nigerians will begin to see us laying fibre across the country. This project will transform Nigeria for good,” Tijani said.

The fibre project, estimated to cost about $2 billion, has secured more than $900 million in financing commitments from international development partners, including the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The Federal Government has also approved a $1 billion local financing package alongside a €22 million grant under its broader digital economy programme to support implementation.