The federal government has unveiled an infrastructure roadmap to deploy 1,989 new towers across 436 local government areas (LGAs) identified as underserved. It forms part of the 3,700 telecom
The federal government has unveiled an infrastructure roadmap to deploy 1,989 new towers across 436 local government areas (LGAs) identified as underserved. It forms part of the 3,700 telecom tower project aimed at closing the country’s digital divide and reaching communities that are outside network coverage.
In a plan unveiled on Friday, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the project would be implemented under the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP), an initiative designed to bridge the country’s digital divide.
For millions of Nigerians living in rural areas, access to network and internet services is hard to reach. With this, leveraging digital financial services, online education, telemedicine, or emergency response during fire or health crises is hindered by poor mobile network coverage.
A subscriber in Rural Nigeria
Recognising that deploying a single telecom tower in a rural settlement isn’t cost-effective for mobile network operators (MNOs), the 3,700-tower deployment forms a critical intervention to bridge the connectivity gap. It also comes amid the federal government’s ambition to record a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Also read: FG targets 6 months to fund solar-powered, community-owned telecom towers in rural Nigeria.
With this deployment as its initial phase, the Minister pointed out that it’s starting with Abia State. Also, the project map revealed on the FMCIDE’s website showed that Benue State is positioned among the top-priority beneficiaries.
What you should know about the 1,989 telecom towersAccording to the analytics dashboard showing the planned infrastructure metrics for extending telecoms and broadband connectivity across the targeted regions in Nigeria, the project targets 436 LGAs that currently lack adequate coverage. On average, each of these LGAs will receive 4.6 towers.
The planned 1,989 towers will directly connect 2,232 rural settlements, averaging about 1.1 settlements served per tower. Upon completion, the network expansion is expected to bring network and internet access to 7.05 million people, with 3,547 people per tower.
Regarding how the telecom towers will be sited, the analytics show that each settlement will be 350 meters away from the nearest tower, with the furthest resident being no more than 4 kilometres away.
Telecom Tower
For most rural areas, access to stable electricity to power the cell towers for maximum hours is significantly unreliable. And to keep these towers running reliably off-grid, the FG will deploy 12,051 kilowatt-peak (kWp) of solar power capacity.
The initiative marks a defining point for farmers in rural Nigeria as they now gain real-time access to digital market prices, electronic payment systems, and weather forecasting tools. In terms of safety considerations, establishing connectivity for underserved communities is expected to enhance security agencies’ communications.
Upon completion, the deployment will be marked as one of the largest public network interventions in West Africa, which brings Nigeria to the top of digital inclusion initiatives.
Also read: NCC: Telecom operators deployed 2,800 new and upgraded towers in 2025.
Benue gets the largest allocation of planned towersThe deployment, which is the initial phase, targets the most underserved communities in Nigeria. Out of all 37 states (including the FCT Abuja), only three states are not on the map: Lagos, Akwa Ibom and FCT Abuja.
Expected Rural Tower Deployment by States (Data Source: FMCIDE/NUCAP)
Benue State leads with 179 towers expected to be deployed, followed by Bauchi (163), Niger (141), Kaduna (113), and Kebbi (104).
Leading local government areas with the most settlements as beneficiaries of telecom towers are Katsina-Ala (Benue) – 29; Wasagu/Danko (Kebbi) – 24; Ukum (Benue) – 23; Gamawa (Bauchi) – 20; and Ganjuwa (Bauchi) – 19.
States Expected Towers States Expected Towers States Expected Towers Abia 3 Enugu 13 Niger 141 Adamawa 102 FCT Abuja 0 Ogun 28 Akwa Ibom 0 Gombe 46 Ondo 36 Anambra 8 Imo 2 Osun 23 Bauchi 163 Jigawa 81 Oyo 50 Bayelsa 15 Kaduna 113 Plateau 78 Benue 179 Kano 33 Rivers 10 Borno 83 Katsina 92 Sokoto 93 Cross River 27 Kebbi 104 Taraba 76 Delta 20 Kogi 55 Yobe 98 Ebonyi 11 Kwara 37 Zamfara 85 Edo 25 Lagos 0 Ekiti 17 Nasarawa 42
