April 30, (THEWILL) — Four months after the expiration of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020–2025, telecom operators are intensifying calls for a new and more effective policy framework to guide the country’s digital future.
Industry stakeholders say Nigeria now needs a practical, well-aligned roadmap to drive the next phase of broadband expansion, following what they describe as underwhelming outcomes from the outgoing plan.
The five-year strategy, which ended in December 2025, failed to meet its headline target of 70 percent broadband penetration.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows penetration stood at 51.97 percent, leaving a significant portion of the population without access to high-speed internet.
President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere, said the issue is not the absence of plans but weak execution.
He stressed that the next policy must prioritise infrastructure rollout, stronger alignment across government levels, and deeper private sector participation.
Similarly, telecom consultant Adewale Adeoye noted that while broadband plans provide direction for investors and regulators, many initiatives under the previous framework were not implemented, undermining its targets.
Key challenges identified include high right-of-way costs, multiple taxation, poor power supply, and limited incentives for rural expansion. Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, added that hidden state-level charges continue to discourage infrastructure investment.
Meanwhile, the NCC confirmed that work is underway on a successor plan. Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Abraham Oshadami, said the commission is reviewing past performance to inform a more effective strategy.
Despite the shortcomings, operators acknowledged emerging initiatives such as new tower deployments and fibre projects.
However, they insist that without a coordinated national framework, isolated efforts will not deliver the scale of broadband growth Nigeria requires.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
