President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere
Nigeria’s telecom regulators and industry executives have called on state governments to reduce the cost burden on fibre deployment, warning that the country’s broadband expansion is under pressure from rising infrastructure damage, uneven policy enforcement, and high rollout costs.
The appeal came at a Lagos forum organised by the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria recently, where stakeholders said the success of nationwide fibre‑to‑the‑home expansion will depend heavily on cost reforms, stronger infrastructure protection, and improved coordination across federal and state authorities.
Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Aminu Maida, said fibre infrastructure had become a foundational layer of the country’s digital economy and should be treated as a national development priority rather than a purely commercial undertaking.
“Fibre infrastructure is now foundational to Nigeria’s digital economy, inclusive growth, and global competitiveness,” Maida told the conference on a video call. “If internet connectivity underpins how Nigerians learn, work, trade, and govern, then fibre deployment must be treated as a national imperative.”
