Telecom
‘Broadband Access in Nigeria’ Not Broad Enough, Not Qualitative Enough- Report
By peter oluka
Despite Nigeria’s 5+ submarine cables, carrying a combined capacity of 10+ TBPS, Nigeria still suffers from low broadband penetration.
In an attempt to increase penetration, the Federal Government’s Presidential on Broadband drafted a Broadband plan which was eventually enacted into a policy with goal of increasing fixed broadband penetration to 30% by 2018.
Meanwhile, with a reported Broadband penetration of approximately 21%, Nigeria seems to have met her National Broadband Plan target of reaching “by the end of 2017, a fivefold increase in broadband penetration over the 2012 penetration rate (of between 4-6%)”.
However, in its Policy Brief dated June 2017, titled: ‘Broadband Access in Nigeria: Not Broad Enough, Not Qualitative Enough’ Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) passed a damning verdict on the state of ‘Broadband Nigeria’; although the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) putting fixed broadband penetration in Nigeria at 0.01%, admittedly, the bulk of this broadband access has been through mobile broadband.
Internet penetration in Nigeria is put at 47%, according to the ITU.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), there were just over 90 million active mobile internet subscriptions on GSM and CDMA networks as of April 20175.
The report by PIN continues: Although Nigeria’s broadband plan envisaged that mobile broadband would be the most popular medium for the actualization of the plan, perhaps it was overly optimistic in its plans for the rollout of Terrestrial wireless networks, Fibre, Cable, Digital Subscriber lines and Satellite Networks, given Nigeria’s historic challenges with infrastructure development.
As earlier noted, fixed broadband penetration is 0.01% and infrastructural and policy challenges has limited the effectiveness of Nigeria’s only real claim to a national broadband network – mainly 3G and lately 4G Mobile broadband, resulting in resulting in poor quality of service.
Nigeria’s Systemic Infrastructure Obstacle
Speaking on the backdrop of the report, Babatunde Okunoye, research assistant at Paradigm Initiative, said that Nigeria’s low fixed broadband penetration must be set against the background of the Terabytes of broadband capacity which lay underutilized at landing points of International submarine cable on the Lagos coast.
The successful outlay inland of this capacity, the report observed, has been hindered by factors including unfavourable government policies such as multiple taxation and Right of Way requirements.
“In a country that could only boast 200,000 telephone lines 40 years after independence for a population of over 120 million, Nigeria had always had challenges delivering infrastructural dividends to its citizens.
“The now rested state monopoly Nitel, despite not having to contend with the limiting factors earlier mentioned, and empowered by the biggest spender in the economy (the Federal Government), could only deliver fixed telephone lines to a privileged few (200,000 or 0.001% of the population) over 4 decades”, the report said.
This infrastructure challenge was not peculiar to Telecoms alone, but was also seen in the poor state of critical infrastructure in Nigeria.
Against this background of historical poor infrastructure delivery outcomes in Nigeria, it can be argued that the National Broadband Plan (2013-2018), in its far-reaching plans for an elaborate broadband infrastructure deployment across the nation was overly optimistic in its timeframe.
This is particularly true in its plan for city-wide fibre deployment, which can be as involved as providing fixed telephone line access.
As envisaged by the National Broadband Plan, the best hope of delivering on Nigeria’s broadband plan is by ensuring that the spread of Nigeria’s 3G and relatively new 4G mobile networks which has largely helped broadband penetration to reach 21% is widened and the Quality of Service (QoS) improved.
The Nigerian government is already taking steps to deepen broadband penetration through the licensing of six slots of the 2.6 GHz spectrum for the deployment of 4G services in 2016 and the planned licensing of broadband services on the 5.4 GHz spectrum bank and allocation of 70/80 GHz band (E-band), amongst other plans.
The success of Nigeria’s GSM network is itself quite a story because in some respects, it defied Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges, partly being because it did not require the same level of elaborate layout of infrastructure house to house and street to street as required in fibre deployment for instance; a number of Telco Towers sufficing for each coverage area – plus backhaul infrastructure.
With exactly two years of the Broadband Plan left (2017-2018) and the fixed broadband penetration rate at 0.01%, there is an urgent need to revise the National Broadband Plan for fixed broadband, the report recommended.
“The remaining 2 years also provides the opportunity to solidify the gains of the national spread of mobile broadband.
“A key metric which captures the quality of Internet access in Nigeria is the Average Connection speed, put at 3.9 Mbps (compared to a global average of 7.2 Mbps), according to Akamai’s ‘State of the Internet’ Q1 2017 report”.
“This cannot be divorced from the state of Network infrastructure in the country. In the United States and the United Kingdom for instance, there is an average of 1 Telecommunications base station for 2,300 and 2,100 customers respectively”, the PIN report suggests.
In Nigeria however, there are about 39,000 Telecommunications base stations for a population of over 180 million, an average of 1 for 4,600 consumers7.
The state of Network infrastructure is centrally linked to the poor Quality of Service (QoS) in mobile broadband delivery in Nigeria.
According to the Customer satisfaction survey conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2012, nationally, there were marginally more respondents reporting that their connection speed was “slow or very slow” than those reporting it as “fast or very fast”.
This policy brief, which follows Paradigm Initiative’s first policy brief on broadband9, stresses that the years 2017-2018 provides another opportunity to revise the National Broadband Plan, perhaps extending the target year beyond 2018 in respect of fixed Broadband (fibre), while rallying to meet the targets for mobile broadband in terms of Quality of Service (QoS) as also noted in the plan.
A major hindrance to the scheduled outlay of terabytes of fibre broadband from the Nigerian coast to the Nigerian interior has been the policy bottlenecks of multiple taxation and right of way requirements which have burdened ISPs. In this regard, it is important to call on the Federal Government to get its priorities right.
“The proposed plan for second and third national satellites, in our opinion, is wasteful, because resources allocated for this project can be used to broaden Internet access. We are of the opinion that the government can do with 1 or 2 satellites for now – there is no empirical evidence the current satellite (NigComSat-1) has given a good return on investment and financing planned for a third satellite can be channelled instead to funding tax breaks and right of way abstentions for ISPs. A nation that cannot in the 21st century provide reliable broadband access to the majority of its citizens has no business in space in the first place.
“Another immediate priority for the government will be to formulate policies that will prioritize a marked increase in the spread of 3G/4G networks – given they are the only realistic route for achieving some of the goals of the Broadband Plan within the current timetable.
“The licensing of six slots of the 2.6 GHz spectrum for the deployment of 4G services in 2016 was therefore a step in the right direction. Indeed, the Broadband plan notes that, At this juncture 3G (or HSPA) mobile broadband technology provides the fastest way for the delivery of universal mobile broadband access in Nigeria now and in the near future, while targeting LTE technology for future high capacity networks.
“3G and LTE are indeed the most ideal solutions for leapfrogging Nigeria to high speed broadband delivery
“Therefore all hands must be on deck to ensure that the worthy goal of connecting every Nigerian to a superfast and reliable broadband network is realized.
“Nigeria’s 47% and 21% Internet penetration and broadband penetration rates respectively can be partly explained by the concentration of telecom signals in highly populated urban areas and the neglect of the rural countryside where broadband affordability and consequently demand is a challenge. [Source: OpenSignal 3G and 4G LTE Cell Coverage Map]
“The figure above shows gaps between the National Planned and National Existing Broadband Fibre Infrastructure (37,104 km) in Nigeria. This challenge has been identified by the National Broadband Plan as critical to achieving broadband penetration target of 30% by 2018. [Source: Universal Services Provision Fund/Nigerian Communications Commission]”.
Airtel Nigeria is approaching the 18,000-cell-site mark as the telecommunications operator accelerates network deployment across the country, adding more than 1,000 new sites annually and extending high-speed mobile connectivity deeper into rural communities.
The expansion places Airtel as an operator making one of the largest sustained infrastructure commitments to Nigeria’s digital economy, with the company’s network now spanning all 774 Local Government Areas in the country.
More than 99 percent of Airtel Nigeria’s sites are 4G-enabled, with the company continuing to add new capacity and upgrade existing infrastructure as demand for mobile connectivity rises. Airtel Africa’s latest annual report said the Nigerian operation added more than 1,050 new sites during its 2025-26 financial year.
The pace represents a significant increase from the approximately 15,000 sites Airtel operated two years ago. By early 2026, the operator had crossed 17,000 sites, after adding about 2,000 sites in two years.
The current expansion has also taken the network further into locations that have historically been underserved by telecommunications infrastructure. These communities include Kukawa, Borno State; Okomu-Udo, Edo State; Chimbi, Niger State; Orile Ijaiye, Oyo State; Kopii, Benue State; and Aran-Orin, Kwara; among others.
Airtel has previously said a significant portion of its network investments is targeted at deep rural communities, small towns and the fringes of major cities. At a media roundtable in February, Chief Executive Officer, Dinesh Balsingh, said the company intended to maintain the large scale of network expansion during 2026.
“Everyone has the right to digital connectivity, including people in deep rural markets and small communities,” Balsingh said.
The impact of the growth extends beyond the ability to make calls or browse the internet. Wider network availability gives families more reliable access to one another, enables businesses to communicate with customers and suppliers, and supports access to digital banking, education, healthcare and government services.
For farmers in remote areas, mobile connectivity can provide access to current crop prices, weather information, market information and agricultural advisory services. For small businesses, reliable mobile data supports payments, customer acquisition, logistics and digital commerce. For communities, connectivity can improve access to health and social services and help residents participate more fully in the digital economy.
Airtel’s network strategy is also increasingly focused on improving the experience delivered through the infrastructure already in place. In 2025, the company upgraded capacity on about a quarter of its existing sites, deploying higher-capacity radios and moving portions of its backhaul from microwave to fibre.
The operator has also reported a continued addition of spectrum to strengthen its spectrum position. Since November 2025, it has added 20MHz spectrum, which is on track for full integration on all sites this quarter.
Balsingh said the company’s investment programme was designed to improve coverage, capacity and resilience, with the benefits ultimately reflected in the quality of service experienced by customers.
“We have invested with discipline and clarity to strengthen our network nationwide. Those investments are now translating into measurable improvements in performance, customer experience and reach, including in underserved communities,” he said.
Third-party measurements have also continued to provide evidence of changing network performance in Nigeria. Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index, for example, reported a median mobile download speed of 97.74 Mbps for Nigeria in June 2026.
For Airtel, the network expansion not only extends the geographical footprint; but also increases the speed, capacity and stability available to existing customers.
Director of Marketing, Ismail Adeshina, said the company’s network investments were ultimately aimed at making connectivity more useful in the everyday lives of Nigerians, as increasing numbers of consumers, families and businesses depend on mobile services for communication, commerce and access to essential services.
Airtel’s infrastructure programme is also contributing to the wider development of Nigeria’s digital economy.
“With mobile connectivity increasingly serving as the platform for financial services, commerce, education, healthcare, agriculture and enterprise, expanding the physical network effectively increases the number of Nigerians able to participate in those activities,” Adeshina said.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is calling for a unified, cross-sector push to translate the framework of the Nigerian Startup Act (NSA) into practical benefits for local entrepreneurs and investors.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by the National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Ms Victoria Fabunmi, in a group photograph with participants from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the Nigerian Startup Act (NSA) Incentives Activation Co-Creation Workshop in Abuja.
Speaking at the NSA Incentives Activation Co-Creation Session in Abuja, organised by NITDA’s subsidiary, the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), the NITDA boss stressed that while enacting the legislation was a historic milestone, its ultimate success will be measured by its tangible impact on everyday tech ventures.
Delivering remarks on behalf of NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa, ONDI National Coordinator Victoria Fabunmi emphasised that Nigeria must now transition from policy design to operational delivery.
Inuwa noted that while early structural achievements such as setting up the Startup Consultative Forum and launching the digital startup portal have established vital channels for dialogue, the true test of the law lies in whether founders can easily access the relief and resources promised to them.
He said the establishment of the Startup Consultative Forum and its governance structures had created an important platform for sustained engagement among stakeholders, but stressed that the real test of the legislation would be its impact on businesses operating within the innovation ecosystem.
According to him, government agencies, private-sector actors and other ecosystem stakeholders must work collectively to remove institutional bottlenecks and ensure that startups can access the opportunities created by the Act.
Inuwa said the participating institutions possessed different mandates, resources and policy instruments that, if properly coordinated, could significantly improve the operating environment for Nigerian startups.
“We want to go to the next level. We want to be able to say that the actors in our ecosystem have been able to benefit significantly from the legislation that has been passed, and it wouldn’t happen without everyone sitting in this room,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to shift attention from the mere existence of the legislation to its practical implementation, particularly the activation of incentives designed to promote investment, innovation and enterprise growth.
The DG noted that the implementation of the NSA involved institutions across several sectors, including trade, finance, communications, innovation, digital economy, science and technology.
He said bringing these institutions together was necessary to identify gaps, clarify responsibilities and develop workable mechanisms for delivering the incentives to intended beneficiaries.
Inuwa also urged stakeholders to embrace continuous engagement and feedback, noting that the success of the Act would depend largely on the ability of implementing institutions to work together and respond to the evolving needs of the startup ecosystem.
He said recommendations from the session would contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen the implementation framework and create an environment where Nigerian startups could scale, attract investment and compete effectively in global markets.
In a context-setting presentation, “Operationalising the Incentive Provisions of the Nigerian Startup Act,” Ms Elma Andah, Acting Lead, Strategy, Research and Analytics at ONDI, said the Act provides more than 31 incentives distributed across six major categories.
She identified the categories as tax and fiscal incentives, regulatory support, funding access, exports and trade, ecosystem enablers, and training and capacity building.
Andah explained that implementing the incentives required the participation of more than 15 government institutions, making inter-agency coordination central to the success of the legislation.
She said the Nigerian Startup Act, signed into law on October 19, 2022, was designed to promote innovation, improve access to funding, strengthen collaboration and position Nigeria as a leading technology and innovation-driven economy in Africa.
According to her, Nigeria’s startup ecosystem has continued to demonstrate significant potential, with more than 3,000 startups and several globally recognised technology companies.
She added that Nigerian startups attracted about $410 million in funding in 2024, despite the challenging economic environment.
Andah highlighted several areas of progress under the Act, including engagements with states on adoption, the operational startup support engagement portal, improved startup labelling timelines, the Startup Consultative governance framework, the Startup Investment Seed Fund framework and ongoing efforts to operationalise the regulatory sandbox framework.
She, however, stressed that the interconnected nature of the incentives meant that no single institution could deliver them independently.
“No single institution can deliver all these incentives alone. Implementation requires coordination across more than 15 MDAs,” she said.
Using practical examples, Andah explained that a startup seeking funding could simultaneously require tax incentives, while an enterprise seeking to export its products might need regulatory approvals. Investors seeking tax credits could also depend on access to the startup labelling system.
She consequently challenged participating institutions to clearly establish ownership of the incentives assigned to them, strengthen coordination, simplify access procedures and introduce effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms.
The session therefore provided stakeholders with an opportunity to identify implementation gaps and develop practical approaches for ensuring that the incentives contained in the Startup Act are accessible to startups, investors, innovation hubs and other beneficiaries.
The outcome, stakeholders noted, is expected to support a more coordinated implementation of the NSA and strengthen its contribution to Nigeria’s innovation, investment and economic development objectives.
Telecom
GSMA Industry Services Unveils Circularity Services to Help Operators Reduce E-Waste and Unlock Value
GSMA Industry Services have announced the launch of its new Circularity Services offering, designed to help mobile operators and ecosystem partners extend the life of devices, reduce e-waste, and unlock greater value from existing assets.
The offering launches with two commercial partners: Closing the Loop, whose ‘One for One’ service links one new mobile device sold by an operator to the collection and responsible recycling of one end-of-life device, and RGX, a neutral, online marketplace for enterprise asset disposition.
As the mobile industry continues to grow, operators are increasingly looking for practical ways to both meet sustainability commitments and enhance commercial performance.
GSMA Circularity Services has been developed to address these challenges by providing access to trusted partners and proven solutions that support the recovery, reuse, refurbishment and responsible recycling of ICT assets – helping organisations deliver on customer needs, reduce costs and generate value from equipment that might otherwise sit idle.
The ‘One for One’ service provides a practical and measurable way for organisations to incorporate circularity into their device propositions. Vodafone, Samsung and T-Mobile have successfully used the customer-centric program for devices sold in Europe, while Google is a global user.
One for One leads to electronic waste reduction around the world and has created positive impact in countries where formal waste collection and recycling infrastructure is often limited. Closing the Loop is an award-winning social enterprise, supported by UNIDO, UNEP and GIZ.
Joost de Kluijver, Co-founder and CEO, Closing the Loop, said: “The GSMA is globally respected as a unifier of the mobile ecosystem, and we’re excited to work together to expand the value that our ‘One for One’ service can deliver across the industry.
“By linking one new device sold to the collection and responsible recycling of one end-of-life phone, we help operators take practical action on waste reduction while supporting their wider circularity ambitions.
“One for One is also a differentiator at the point of sale that adds clear, value for customers and the brand. Through this partnership, we look forward to helping more organisations use circular thinking to excite customers.”
Michael Jungwirth, Head of Sustainability, Vodafone Germany explains why One for One is important to them and the broader ecosystem: “E-waste is a global problem. That’s why our solutions must not end at national borders.
“With One for One, we take responsibility and set an example for the industry. Not just a sign of change, but a sign of action. We close the loop for our customers. For one new phone Vodafone brings into circulation, we retrieve an old one.”
Addressing another aspect of the circularity challenge, RGX provides a neutral, online marketplace for e-waste management and enterprise asset disposition that connects organisations with service providers through a single automated platform.
The service is designed to help businesses optimize returns from redundant devices and equipment through competitive bidding and effective resource management, while ensuring responsible disposal practices. Initially available in the United States, the offering is expected to expand internationally over time.
Sean Miles, Co-founder, RGX said: “Innovation is only as good as its ability to scale. Through our partnership with GSMA Industry Services, we have an opportunity to help a broader part of the mobile ecosystem put circularity into place.
“RGX helps organisations manage enterprise asset disposition and e-waste more efficiently through a trusted, transparent marketplace. By working together, we can help operators recover value from redundant equipment, support responsible recycling practices and help operators turn circularity ambitions into action.”
Roman Smith, Director, Global Environmental Sustainability, AT&T commented on their collaboration with RGX: “RGX has been a valued strategic collaborator as we’ve developed our retail e-waste initiative.
“Their platform and expertise have helped support practical circularity solutions, and we appreciate the work they’ve done with our teams to advance more sustainable device recovery and recycling opportunities”
Sianne Ryder, Chief Executive Officer, Events and Industry Services, GSMA, said: “The launch of Circularity Services, together with partners Closing the Loop and RGX, marks an important step in helping operators take practical action on circularity. By bringing together solutions that support both responsible recycling and asset recovery, we are making it easier for organisations to reduce waste while unlocking greater value from existing assets.
“Through these partnerships, operators can access proven services that help accelerate their circularity ambitions and respond to growing demand for more sustainable approaches to device lifecycle management. The opportunity is a win-win: circular approaches are both more sustainable and deliver meaningful operational and commercial benefits for the industry.”
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