The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, says the current administration was committed to deepening digital infrastructure through strategic investments, including the planned deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic network and about 4,000 telecommunications towers nationwide.

Tijani said this while addressing stakeholders at a Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) event organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, Nigeria has recorded significant progress in telecommunications since the introduction of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) with services becoming widely accessible and affordable to citizens.

He noted that the Federal Government is prioritising not only access to telecommunications, but also, meaningful use of digital connectivity to drive national development.

“Today, connectivity is almost ubiquitous, compared to the early days, when even acquiring a SIM card was expensive. This reflects the progress we have made as a country,” he said.

According to him, such scale of investment is unprecedented among developing countries, but acknowledged that millions of Nigerians, especially in rural and underserved communities, still lack adequate access to connectivity.

He said the USPF had played a critical role in bridging the access gap through initiatives such as deployment of telecommunication towers and the establishment of computer laboratories in schools.

Tijani, however, noted the need for a shift in focus from mere access, to ensuring meaningful use of digital infrastructure.

“It is not enough to connect communities; we must ensure that citizens derive value. Schools should be able to teach with digital tools and small businesses must access broader markets,” he said.

He recalled a pilot project in Kura community near Abuja, where about 12,000 residents previously had no access to telephony services.

The minister explained that the intervention provided connectivity, linked the local school, hospital and enabled residents to access digital platforms for economic activities.

“Before now, farmers relied on intermediaries travelling to Abuja to connect with buyers. Today, they can communicate directly and transact more efficiently,” he said.

Tijani said the project had also proven commercially viable, with increased daily internet usage and community-wide access to Wi-Fi.

He said the government planned to replicate such interventions across about 4,000 communities under ongoing initiatives, with a significant number targeted at northern Nigeria, where access gaps are widest.

The minister further emphasised the importance of digital literacy, affordable devices and sustainable project models, in achieving long-term impact.

He urged the USPF board to adopt innovative approaches, strengthen partnerships and prioritise outcomes over outputs in measuring success.

“We must move from counting the number of projects delivered, to assessing how many lives have been improved,” he said.

Tijani also highlighted the need for accountability in decision-making, noting that the success or failure of interventions directly affected citizens.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that no community was left behind in the country’s digital transformation drive.

In his remarks, the Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Aminu Maida, urged the USPF Board to prioritise meaningful connectivity in efforts to bridge Nigeria’s digital divide.

Maida said the minister’s leadership and oversight of multiple agencies had been demanding, adding that the inauguration of the USPF board would help reduce the workload and improve efficiency in delivering on its mandate.

“The work of USPF is really about closing gaps. Historically, the focus has been on access gaps, especially in areas where it is not commercially viable for mobile network operators to operate,” he said.

He explained that in the early days of telecommunications expansion, operators concentrated on rolling out basic access, while USPF intervened in underserved and unserved communities.

He said that Nigeria had evolved beyond that stage, calling for a shift toward ensuring that connectivity translated into tangible socio-economic benefits.

According to him, recent data shows significant growth in the telecommunications sector, with usage increasing by about 160 per cent in the past two years.

He said that much of the growth was concentrated in urban areas, thereby widening the gap between connected and unconnected populations.

“When we drill down, we see that a lot of that growth is actually in urban centres. So, the gap between those who are not connected or not meaningfully connected is growing,” he said.

The NCC boss said that the development placed a responsibility on the USPF board to intensify efforts at closing both access and usage gaps across the country.

He acknowledged ongoing initiatives and stressed that infrastructure alone was not sufficient.

“When you get into these communities, it is about having the right platforms that enable people to be productive. Connectivity must go beyond social media, to support economic growth and prosperity,” he said.

Maida expressed optimism about the board’s capacity to drive impactful interventions, adding that its work would be critical to achieving inclusive digital development.

He reiterated the importance of leveraging connectivity to empower citizens, enhance productivity and ensure that no community was left behind.

The EVC also expressed confidence that the board’s contributions would strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy and improve the quality of life for citizens. (NAN)