The Federal Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) Group to provide fibre-to-home Internet (FTHI) services to three million homes across Nigeria within the next three years.
The terms of the agreement showed WIOCC will invest an initial $10 million with plans to scale up investment over time, Investors King reports.
The project aims to deliver high-speed broadband Internet access to urban and rural areas and boost Nigeria’s digital connectivity.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said “The country’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy requires strong connectivity to build a strong economy.”
Dr. Tijani said the limited availability of fibre-to-home Internet services in Nigeria is hindering productivity as many Nigerians still rely on mobile phones for connectivity.
He explained that the project would position Nigeria as a leader in high-speed broadband access, extending coverage beyond major cities to rural and underserved areas.
“There is immense value and opportunity in being connected to fibre. The target is to ensure fibre to offices, institutions, schools, and hospitals,” the minister explained.
The partnership also aims to create job opportunities and support small businesses.
He added, “They [WIOCC] have already been working on this in places like Lagos and a few other states, and what we want to see is that government working with companies like this to help them to seamlessly deliver their goals across the entire country, not just in those few states. This is the support that we will give to any serious business that would like to invest in our nation.”
With a growing population of over 230 million people that is adding by five million annually, the government sees this initiative as a catalyst for economic growth.
The project will involve training individuals and small businesses to deploy and manage the network.
Darren Bedford, WIOCC Group Chief Business Development Officer, said “The project, when completed, would have a big impact as most parts of the country are unconnected now.”
The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s vision of leveraging digital technology to drive productivity across sectors such as education, healthcare, and business.