NCC EVC Dr. Aminu Maida Urges Unified National Action to Boost Broadband Investment and Safeguard Nigeria’s Telecom Infrastructure

L-R: Director, Critical National Assets and Infrastructure Protection, Office of the National Security Advisers (ONSA), Enebong Effiom;  Executive Governor, Katsina State, Dikko Radda and Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, during a business roundtable on broadband investment and critical national infrastructure protection hosted by the Commission in Abuja on Wednesday (October 8, 2025).

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has reiterated Nigeria’s urgent need to accelerate broadband expansion and safeguard telecommunications infrastructure nationwide. Speaking at a high-level Business Roundtable on Improving Investments in Broadband Connectivity and Safeguarding Critical National Infrastructure, Dr. Maida described connectivity as “the lifeblood of modern economies and the quiet enabler of national productivity.”

The event, held on October 8, 2025, at the NCC Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, brought together key policymakers, industry leaders, and state government representatives to deliberate on the theme: “Right of Way and Protection of Broadband Infrastructure , The Road to Success in Broadband Investment and Connectivity.”

In his opening remarks, Dr. Maida posed a compelling question to frame the day’s conversation ,  “How much is an hour of connectivity worth?” He used this question to illustrate how digital connectivity underpins every facet of economic life, from commerce and security to healthcare, education, and innovation.

“When connectivity fails, opportunities evaporate, productivity stalls, and in critical moments, lives can be put at risk,” he said. “Broadband is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity for economic inclusion, innovation, and national resilience.”

Connectivity as the Foundation of Economic Transformation

Dr. Maida highlighted that Nigeria’s broadband penetration had reached 48.81% as of August 2025, connecting more than 140 million Nigerians to the Internet. He emphasized that each percentage point increase in broadband penetration directly boosts Nigeria’s GDP, noting that a 10% increase can drive up to 1.38% GDP growth in developing nations.

He drew parallels to nations like Rwanda and India, which leveraged broadband investment to build multi-billion-dollar digital economies.

“With over 200 million people and a median age of just 18, Nigeria has the potential not only to replicate those success stories but to surpass them, if we provide our youth with reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband access,” Maida said.

Policy Reforms Driving Digital Expansion

Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria is executing the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025), a roadmap targeting 70% broadband penetration and 90,000km of fibre-optic backbone infrastructure by 2025.

Dr. Maida said the NCC has translated this vision into concrete regulatory action:

• Protection of Telecom Assets: The Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Presidential Order, signed by President Tinubu in June 2024, provides a legal framework for law enforcement to protect telecom assets from vandalism and sabotage.
• Collaboration with ONSA: The NCC and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) have formed a Telecommunications Industry Working Group to operationalize the CNII Order and coordinate national protection efforts.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: The Commission has launched national TV, radio, and social media campaigns to sensitize citizens about safeguarding telecom infrastructure.
• Judicial and Security Partnerships: The NCC and ONSA are collaborating with state authorities and the judiciary to ensure the swift prosecution of vandals.

Dr. Maida revealed that between January and August 2025, Nigeria recorded 19,384 fibre cuts, 3,241 cases of equipment theft, and 19,000 site access denials, causing severe service disruptions and economic losses.

“These numbers reflect why infrastructure protection must be at the center of our national agenda. Connectivity is not just about convenience, it’s about economic survival,” he emphasized.

Right of Way (RoW): Removing Barriers to Broadband Growth

A major focus of the roundtable was the high cost and inconsistent application of Right of Way (RoW) fees across states—a challenge that continues to impede broadband rollout.

Dr. Maida noted that despite the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) agreement setting RoW fees at ₦145 per linear meter, several states still impose higher rates, inflating network deployment costs.

He disclosed that sustained NCC advocacy has yielded progress, as 11 states now offer zero RoW charges, while 17 states adhere to the NGF’s ₦145 benchmark.

“Where states have reduced or waived RoW fees, we’ve seen rapid network expansion and greater private investment. Policy alignment is key to national broadband growth,” Maida said.

He urged all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to adopt uniform and investor-friendly RoW policies, describing them as “the gateway to Nigeria’s digital prosperity.”

Building Investor Confidence and Industry Resilience

Dr. Maida also announced new NCC measures designed to enhance transparency, improve investor confidence, and strengthen service delivery:

• Cost-Reflective Tariffs: NCC-approved tariff adjustments have allowed operators to plan sustainably, leading to commitments of over $1 billion in fresh broadband rollout investments.
• Wholesale Fibre Study: A new NCC study promotes open access and fair interconnection among Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to accelerate last-mile connectivity.
• Transparency Dashboards: The Commission has introduced new data-driven platforms for tracking service outages, network quality, and operator compliance, ensuring that “what gets measured gets managed.”

Despite these strides, Maida acknowledged persistent challenges such as multiple taxation, energy supply volatility, and cumbersome permitting processes, calling for unified national collaboration to resolve them.

The Call to Action: Align, Invest, and Protect

In a passionate appeal to state governors and policymakers, Dr. Maida emphasized the urgency of coordinated national action to prevent Nigeria from being left behind in the global digital race.

“In the past, a community without a railway or electricity could still survive. In today’s world, a community without connectivity is invisible, it is cut off from education, healthcare, markets, and opportunity,” he said.

He urged all states to:

1. Adopt full or benchmark RoW waivers to enable seamless fibre deployment.
2. Coordinate road and telecom infrastructure planning through “dig-once” policies.
3. Establish digital infrastructure funds to attract private sector partnerships.
4. Support solar and hybrid power solutions at telecom sites for improved uptime and reduced emissions.

NCC Unveils New Digital Development Tools

As part of its broader digital transformation agenda, Dr. Maida announced two major NCC initiatives set for rollout:

• The Ease of Doing Business Portal: A one-stop platform linking operators with all 36 states and the FCT, designed to streamline project approvals and improve transparency.
• The Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index (NDCI): An annual digital-readiness scorecard that ranks states on broadband adoption, competitiveness, and regulatory alignment to encourage accountability and healthy competition.

“Pipelines of oil are giving way to pipelines of fibre,” Dr. Maida declared. “The future of prosperity lies not in resources under the ground but in the data we can move above it.”

He reaffirmed NCC’s dedication to expanding connectivity, strengthening investor confidence, and collaborating with stakeholders across all levels of government.

“The digital revolution does not wait,” he concluded. “Let us align, invest, and protect, so that our youth become creators, not just consumers, of digital value.”

At the NCC Business Roundtable, EVC Dr. Aminu Maida calls for unified national action to boost broadband investments and protect telecom infrastructure, unveiling new initiatives such as the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index and the Ease of Doing Business Portal to drive digital transformation across all states.