Nigerian Govt Plans 7,000 Telecom Towers Through Public-Private Partnership

As part of a significant effort to increase network coverage and enhance digital connectivity, the Federal Government will partner with the private sector to build 7,000 telecommunications towers starting next year.

This was revealed during a stakeholder engagement event hosted by the Universal Service Provision Fund on Thursday in Lagos, which was chaired by Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, who disclosed this information.

A telecom tower is a building that houses antennas and other devices for sending and receiving wireless signals, allowing internet access and mobile network coverage making them essential pieces of infrastructure for wireless communication.

This plan, in conjunction with the government’s ongoing World Bank-backed 90,000km fibre-optic expansion project which is aiming to give telecom connectivity to an estimated 25 to 30 million Nigerians who live in places with little to no telecommunications infrastructure, Tijani is also leading the 90,000km fibre-optic project in partnership with the World Bank.

The co-investment approach ensures private sector-led management for efficiency by having the government own 49% of the company under the investment model, with the remaining 51% coming from private sector investors, guaranteeing private sector management effectiveness.

Tijani emphasized that private firms will oversee the towers, and the government will co-invest to make sure telecom services are available in underdeveloped regions.

On February 27, the initiative was authorized by the Federal Executive Council as part of a larger plan to expand access and to improve connectivity and close the communication services in rural and isolated areas and close the digital divide.

“The government must intervene to guarantee that people are not left behind if private capital is unable to reach these locations,” Tijani said.

“To guarantee our people have access, the government has determined that we must intervene and invest public funds in these towers if private capital is unable to reach these areas,” Tijani stated.

Why is the government funding this instead of other areas like education, one could wonder? However, in the present world, anyone who is not connected is essentially excluded from possibilities and contemporary realities.

“We want to begin excavation by the end of this year,” he continued. We are also collaborating with significant businesses on the tower side that can help realize this goal.

He underlined that being disconnected in the modern world results in being shut out of social and economic possibilities.

The goal is to start installing these towers across the country early next year, and we are gathering resources for that purpose.

The minister disclosed that the project’s full-scale deployment is scheduled for early 2026, with groundwork anticipated to start by the end of this year.

The project is a component of a larger plan for digital infrastructure that also involves a $2 billion investment in 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables to increase the use of broadband.

The initiative is in line with Nigeria’s national broadband strategy, which calls for cooperation between players in the public and commercial sectors.

According to Tijani, the research will be carried out to evaluate the current telecom infrastructure and identify the ideal sites for tower placement.

“We want to make sure that high-speed connectivity is available in every area of the nation,” Tijani stated. “To maximize deployment, we will take advantage of the infrastructure already in place in the public and private sectors.”

Noting that President Bola Tinubu had designated telecommunications infrastructure as essential national infrastructure in 2023—a classification often reserved for military installations—Tijani recognized worries about vandalism and sabotage of telecom equipment.

He declared that “those who destroy these assets will now face serious consequences” and that the new buildings will be protected by increased security.

To evaluate the current telecom infrastructure and identify the best places for the towers, a research will be carried out.

The government has classified telecommunications assets as essential national infrastructure in order to protect the new infrastructure; those who damage these facilities face harsh penalties.

This project is in line with Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan, which places a high priority on cooperation between public and private sector entities in order to develop the country’s digital infrastructure.