High-speed fibre-optic internet has been installed in student residences at the Universities of Lagos and Abuja by the Nigerian government in partnership with internet service provider Tizeti and state-owned tech company Galaxy Backbone.
With internet speeds ranging from 50 Mbps to 200 Mbps, the recently announced Fibre-to-Hostel initiative provides students with easy access to research databases, online instructional resources, and global innovation platforms.
Supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, the project is a component of a larger initiative led by Minister Bosun Tijani to strengthen Nigeria’s knowledge economy and bridge the country’s digital divide.
Internet connection was a far-flung luxury twenty years ago. At the launch, Temitope Osunrinde, Tizeti’s Chief Marketing Officer, stated, “Today, we are delivering what we once dreamed right to the doorstep of students.”
The effort, according to the UNILAG alumnus, is a daring move toward democratizing access to the resources that drive research, learning, and innovation.
Tizeti, Galaxy Backbone, Huawei, and the National Broadband Alliance Nigeria are spearheading the initiative’s implementation, which is based on a public-private partnership model. It is designed to resemble the international Triple Helix framework, which connects industry, academia, and government to promote innovation and digital inclusion.
Internet rates ranging from 50 Mbps to 200 Mbps were available to students at the launch, facilitating easy access to online collaboration, digital instructional materials, and worldwide innovation ecosystems.
Kendall Ananyi, the CEO of Tizeti, emphasized that having connectivity shouldn’t be considered an extravagance.
According to the CEO, “the internet is the foundation of research, the engine of innovation, and the link to global opportunity.”
Students now have the digital foundation to work more efficiently and develop without boundaries thanks to dependable, fast internet provided by Tizeti, Galaxy Backbone, and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
“We are unlocking the next generation of African changemakers, not just connecting campuses,” said CEO Ananyi.
More than three million Nigerians have been connected by the US Y Combinator-backed internet service in areas including Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers. In locations like Lagos and Port Harcourt, it launched FreeFiber broadband service last year, with speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
In a gradual development, the business intends to expand the Fibre-to-Hostel program to five additional universities, including the University of Jos and Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
Education Minister Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, University of Lagos Vice Chancellor Professor Folashade Ogunsola, University of Abuja Vice Chancellor Professor Patricia Lar, and Galaxy Backbone Managing Director Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju were among the dignitaries who attended the launch.