By Favour Pius
Telecommunications operators have called for a new national policy framework to drive Nigeria’s digital economy, citing the failure of the National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020–2025 to meet key expectations.
Industry stakeholders said the plan, which was designed to accelerate broadband penetration to 70 per cent by 2025, has underperformed due to persistent infrastructure deficits, regulatory bottlenecks and high cost of operations.
Operators under the umbrella of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria noted that while some progress was recorded in expanding network coverage, the pace of growth has been uneven and insufficient to meet rising data demand across the country.
Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, said the industry requires a more realistic and investment-friendly framework to address long-standing challenges such as multiple taxation, right-of-way charges and insecurity affecting telecom infrastructure.
“The current broadband plan has good intentions, but implementation has been hampered by structural issues that need urgent policy intervention,” he said.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that broadband penetration remains below the 70 per cent target, despite increased mobile subscriptions and data usage. Experts say this gap underscores the need for a revised strategy aligned with current economic realities and technological advancements.
Operators also urged the Federal Government to prioritise fibre deployment, incentivise infrastructure sharing and strengthen public-private partnerships to deepen connectivity, especially in underserved and rural communities.
Analysts warn that without a successor policy to the NNBP, Nigeria risks falling behind its peers in Africa’s fast-growing digital landscape, potentially limiting opportunities in e-commerce, fintech and emerging technologies.
The stakeholders stressed that a new broadband roadmap should focus on sustainability, affordability and inclusive access to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are widely distributed across the country.
