The Federal Government has announced plans to connect rural and riverine communities across Nigeria to telecommunications services by mid-2027, as part of a broader push to bridge the country's digital divide and support its ambitious $1 trillion economic target.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this during the inaugural BINI RIVA LIFE Festival, held in Obighoro, a riverine community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State. The event formed part of activities marking the fifth coronation anniversary of the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III.
According to Tijani, the Federal Government is installing 3,700 telecommunications towers in rural communities nationwide, with particular attention to hard-to-reach riverine areas that have historically been excluded from network coverage. He revealed that installation work had already commenced in Ogboghoro, while similar efforts were ongoing in Ogheye, marking some of the earliest starting points for the ambitious infrastructure rollout.
The minister confirmed that he would return to the communities in October to formally flag off the network, expressing confidence that all riverine communities in Nigeria would be connected not only to the rest of the country, but to the global digital economy by mid-2027.
This latest announcement forms part of a larger federal initiative known as the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project, or NUCAP, which aims to extend connectivity to more than 20 million Nigerians currently living in unserved and underserved communities. The 3,700-tower rollout under NUCAP has been described by the ministry as a wholly green initiative, employing environmentally sustainable technologies to bring modern digital infrastructure to areas long left behind by conventional network expansion.
Tijani explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had personally approved the programme, stressing that Nigeria's economic target could not realistically be achieved while millions of citizens remained cut off from digital connectivity. He noted that improved telecommunications access would allow residents of riverine communities to participate more fully in the digital economy, unlocking opportunities in education, commerce, healthcare, and beyond that have long been out of reach for many living in geographically isolated areas.
The minister also pointed to the economic significance of riverine communities themselves, noting that these areas contribute meaningfully to the national economy despite their limited connectivity, and stressing that no investment in bridging that gap could be considered unjustified given what these communities already give back to the country.
The NUCAP initiative has attracted growing international backing in recent months, including a notable partnership with China Industrial Bank, which committed to supporting the delivery of at least 1,000 tower sites within the year, marking the bank's first major investment commitment in Nigeria. This international interest has been framed by government officials as a sign of growing global confidence in Nigeria's digital transformation agenda, complementing the government's own resource mobilization efforts for the broader tower rollout.
Beyond the tower deployment itself, the telecom expansion drive sits within a much larger digital infrastructure strategy that includes a planned 90,000-kilometre nationwide fibre optic network, supported in part by the World Bank, alongside the procurement of new communication satellites intended to extend connectivity to Nigeria's most remote regions while also supporting national security objectives. Officials have described this combined push as one of the most extensive digital infrastructure investment drives currently underway anywhere on the African continent.
Meanwhile, at the same festival, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, urged organisers of the BINI RIVA LIFE Festival to transform the event into a year-round tourism destination rather than a one-off celebration. She revealed that the Federal Government planned to include the festival in its official annual tourism calendar, with the goal of attracting both local and international visitors while showcasing Nigeria's rich cultural and tourism potential to a wider audience.
The pairing of both announcements, telecom expansion and tourism development, at the same riverine festival reflects a broader government strategy of linking infrastructure investment directly to economic opportunity in underserved communities, rather than treating connectivity and tourism as separate, unrelated policy goals.
As the October flag-off date approaches, residents of riverine communities across Delta State and beyond will be watching closely to see how quickly these commitments translate into functioning towers, reliable network signals, and the broader digital and economic inclusion promised by the Federal Government's latest infrastructure push.
Gist source: GistCity News — follow them on YouTube/Instagram/TikTok @gistcitynews
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